The trailer starts with a black screen for around 0.5 seconds this helps to build up a period of tension which is realised when the trailer jumps straight in to action. The production company logo of Paramount follows at the foreground of the shot, in the background we can see what looks like a flame flickering in the wind. The image of the flame is almost symbolic having watched the film as it is reminiscent of the match being lit. The image in the background of the frame then disappears as the Paramount logo changes to black and white possibly connoting the nostalgic feel of the film. Looking closer at the trailer all of the above happens within a space of two seconds giving an indication of the fast pace of the teaser trailer in general. It seems a conventional factor of the teaser trailer is to fit in as much information as possible within a short space of time, whilst still captivating the audience and keeping them entertained and most importantly informed. The Paramount logo then fades out to in which we see a medium shot of what we assume as the main character Leonardo DiCaprio. The character has a rather bewildered look on his face, in astonishment possibly reacting to something he has seen. It is clear that is dark connoting a sense of danger, however the lighting within the shot beams down upon DiCaprio almost like a spotlight. We discover at this point that the character is a marshal in the police as the voice over declares 'marshal welcome to Shutter Island'. This statement is when we begin to realise that Shutter Island apart from the obvious connotations of the name itself, is a bad place. The shot lasts for around 0.5 seconds before cutting to an establishing shot of what we believe to be the island, the shot is almost picturesque contradicting earlier claims of danger and entrapment. However the cloud above the island seem to be closing in expressing a form of entrapment within the boundaries of the island. Non-diegetic music then sets in with a tense tone to again reinstate the danger of the island, the shot then fades out to a tracking shot of the gates of an asylum. The gates open as the shot moves forward towards the gate,as the shot slowly fades to black we as the audience feel as if we are entering the asylum with him. Gates signifying the sense of being captured which seems an ongoing theme of the trailer. The frame again fades to black for around 0.2 seconds then reveals an aerial shot which pans around the asylum. We then hear the voice over of the main character as he seems to give a summary of what we can only distinguish as the plot of the film. Next there is a very brief shot probably only around o.2 seconds long in which we see a hand tap on a table in a puddle of blood, blood suggesting that there is to be violent content in the film, also building up tension along with the fast paced shots. The shot fades out very quickly to black as if the light has been switched off then momentarily switches back. Having looked at previous media products the fade is very much conventional in teaser trailer as it helps create tension and often when only used briefly helps smoothen the transition of the cuts. We then see DiCaprio in the stereotypical attire of a detective with a bowler hat and long coat, by now the audience realises that this is more complex than it looks and DiCaprio's character is obviously following up a case.
The next few shots become extremely fast paced as the tension begins to build throughout the trailer providing the conventional rise of the trailer. The next shot is very brief around 0.2 seconds in which we see sheets of paper being submerged in water signifying time is running out for DiCaprio. The next shot is also very brief around the same timing in which we see the use of bars in a conventional thriller fashion connoting imprisonment. For the first time in the trailer we see a prisoner in the asylum, he is standing gripping the bars in a menacing stance half naked in an animalistic fashion. This helps build to build up the sense of danger and makes the audience feel fear for the character DiCaprio in which we believe is the Hero. He is covered in tattoos in a tribal fashion building up the tension and dangerous aroma he gives off. The trailer speeds up further in which we see 3 shots in the space of around half a second. The speed of the images adds to the eeriness of the trailer as the images move so fast they are almost distorted. The first showing what looks like a torture chamber in which there are hooks hanging from the ceiling and in the background of a shot a man is seen walking towards a bench rather conspicuously. This is followed by a close up shot of a woman with her face half covered in blood, connoting the sense of facade which becomes more apparent throughout the film as an integral part of the plot. The shot cuts to a black screen in which the name Martin Scorsese is seen flash on the screen. This obviously a convention of any trailer to have the directors name feature in the opening of the film. The trailer makes for excellent viewing as it builds up tension whilst maintaining a fast exciting paste and still managing to inform the audience.
The next few shots become extremely fast paced as the tension begins to build throughout the trailer providing the conventional rise of the trailer. The next shot is very brief around 0.2 seconds in which we see sheets of paper being submerged in water signifying time is running out for DiCaprio. The next shot is also very brief around the same timing in which we see the use of bars in a conventional thriller fashion connoting imprisonment. For the first time in the trailer we see a prisoner in the asylum, he is standing gripping the bars in a menacing stance half naked in an animalistic fashion. This helps build to build up the sense of danger and makes the audience feel fear for the character DiCaprio in which we believe is the Hero. He is covered in tattoos in a tribal fashion building up the tension and dangerous aroma he gives off. The trailer speeds up further in which we see 3 shots in the space of around half a second. The speed of the images adds to the eeriness of the trailer as the images move so fast they are almost distorted. The first showing what looks like a torture chamber in which there are hooks hanging from the ceiling and in the background of a shot a man is seen walking towards a bench rather conspicuously. This is followed by a close up shot of a woman with her face half covered in blood, connoting the sense of facade which becomes more apparent throughout the film as an integral part of the plot. The shot cuts to a black screen in which the name Martin Scorsese is seen flash on the screen. This obviously a convention of any trailer to have the directors name feature in the opening of the film. The trailer makes for excellent viewing as it builds up tension whilst maintaining a fast exciting paste and still managing to inform the audience.
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