Man of Steel Trailer Analysis

The trailer begins the the production logos informing us on the companies that made the film. The colour scheme of the logos relates to the overall colour palette of the film, using colours such as grey and blue, relates to the realism approach the film is undergoing and help ground the film into reality. The grey colours and the metallic texture of the logos also is very simear to the space ship and materials shown within the film, with is one of the main iconography in the science fiction genre. The metal looking logos could also link with the film title ‘Man of steel,’ as the steel style logos could refer to the characters strengths.

The fist shot in the trailer is a med close up of Clarke floating in the water, amongst debris. This could be an enigma, making the audience wonder, what has happened to the character? and, what’s caused this destruction?  The angle of the shot and the position of the body makes the character look symbolic, with his arms out, and minimal clothing, the image could be referring the Jesus and religion. This is a theme running throughout the trailer with a voice over line be Jar-El ‘He’ll be a god to them’, clearly telling the audience from the beginning that he is like a god or Jesus like figure, being a super-human sent down  a fight for justice. This is also backed up with the way the lighting shines onto his body, like the heavens opening up to him.

The trailer has a dramatic slow score, as the a high pitch voice over begins. A woman’s voice saying ‘ follow my voice, pretend it’s an island out in the ocean’ trying the focus his mind off people’s thoughts. Her facial expressions shows that she feels sorry for the main character, knowing that she can’t do anything to help him. Proving his isolated from people and nobody really knows how to handle him. This part of the trailer shows more of a drama element, which isn’t as prominent in other superhero action films.

The editing pace of this part of the trailer is slow, which increases sympathy for the young Clarke, in his dark and depressing time in his life. The next shot is a side view of a school bus plummeting into the water, this looks to be a big set piece early in the film. It shows Clarke saving his fellow class mates, having to show his gifts and powers being a reluctant hero, which makes the character stand out from other superheros that become a hero to fight crime, Superman has powers forced upon him from birth and begins by hiding it from the world. There is a dialogue voice over of a child’s parent describing what a teenage Clarke did to save everyone on the bus. Music is still effective to create tension showing the drama element, and the feeling that he is slowly turning into Superman.

After the school bus events, we get a shot of Clarke talking to Jonathan Kent, his father, as he starts asking questions as we realizes he is different from the rest of the world. The dialogue shows that he doesn’t know whether he should tell people about his powers, while his father tells he that world is not ready. This is the introduction to Jonathon Kent played by Kevin Costner. This casting can help attract a different type of audience, being an well renowned academy award winning actor, he adds integrity to the film. Even though the actor is only shown in one shot early in the trailer, his voice over is present throughout the film, which suggests that he has a sufficient part within the narrative and Superman’s origin.

An inter-title appears in between shots, exciting the audience, appearing with a boom sound effect. The title ‘Next Summer’ informs us of the date of the film. A close up shot of a memory devise, which has the Superman logo, shows a significant period of the film, when Clarke discovers about his family and where’s he’s from. The devise is an updated glass crystal from previous superman films, allowing fans to reconnect with the character, and the appearance of the logo reinforces the brand recognition of the character and the story.

Superman is the USP as the character is the most successful superhero of all time, with numerous Hollywood feature films, a range of video games, television programs, book and a vast amount of merchandise. This film comes with a large built in audience with a young mainstream demographic of 18-25. Being a reboot of a big Hollywood franchise, Man of Steel, has a tentpole release and a guaranteed large audience. The superman symbol and costume allows people who are less familiar with the superman story, to quickly know what the film is.

Clarke centred in shot, walks over mountains, with a voice over by Jonathan Kent saying ‘You just have to decide what kind on man you want to grow up to be Clarke, who ever that man is, it’s going to change the world’. This bring up the morals of Superman, reminding us that this is his origin story and he gets to the point where he has to decide who he wants to become. This also connects to an underlying themes within all superhero genre films ‘with great power comes great responsibility’, which is when the characters learn what it is to become a superhero.

In this shot a close up shows Clarke, facial expressions looking relaxed and calm, showing that we are watching the part of the film where he now understand who he is and what he has to become. As he prepares to fly, we get a close up shot of the character putting his fist on the ground, as debris flies and the ground starts rumbling, portraying his power and strength. The music at this point is very dramatic with heavy synths and drums, building up the audiences anticipation as something significant and iconic is about to happen.

Superman is an American cultural icon, an inspiring force within the public eye. Portrayed within his costume with iconic blue costume and red cape, showing the two main colours of the American flag. A mid shot of him flying into the camera, also portraying the force of his power, as the whole area around Superman cracks and crumbles. The flying of character, is a good example of the high budget special effects in the film, being a blockbuster effects like these will be used regularly. This is also a iconography of the super hero genre. As the music reaches it’s climax, we see a shot of Superman flying supersonic through the air, centred on screen as he passes through the clouds and around the earth.

Another inter title appears, telling us of the director ‘Zack Snyder‘ and shows other films he has being part of ‘Watchmen and 300.’ This brings an built in audience, fans of the successful blockbuster films. The films ‘Watchmen‘ and ‘300‘ are also adaptations of graphic novels, similar genre to Man of steel, and attract fans of the green and reassure existing fans and ‘promise of pleasure’ that Superman is being adapted by a successful director.

From this point of the trailer there is a significant change of energy as the editing speeds up, presenting quick montages of different shots, suggesting that the film starts off slow and emotional as the main protagonist grows up but after a sufficient moment there will be a shift in tone, as he feels compatible with his powers. This includes a shot of Superman’s parents kissing him before they sent him to earth. We are introduced to Jar-El, superman’s father, playing by Russell Crow, who similar to Kevin Costner brings a different, older type of audience.

A quick shot of superman topless on fire, adds to the sex appeal for the audience and attracts female attention, this also connects with the hero iconic muscular look of the classic comic books. Within these shots we also get key iconography of the sic-fi genre including shot of spaceships, which reminds the audience of the origin of Superman and the fact that he is an alien. The next shot gives the audience the first look of General Zod, a mid shot of his chest and head, with light from his spaceship behind him, as he is portrayed as a powerful dominant character. His black armour clothing engorges the idea of the character being an antagonist, and there is an enigma of, why is he bad? What has Superman done to make him angry? Michael Shannon plays the character, known for independent cinema such as Take Shelter, brings in different type of audience that won’t normally watch a big blockbuster. This links with the independent, art-house look and design that the film is portraying.

The music slows down, and more depressing, showing Superman going through a struggle with the introduction of General Zod. A shot shows Krypton (Superman’s home planet) blowing up with his mother watching as she approaches death. Which is another enigma of, what’s happened to the planet? The music continues the downwards spiral as we see everything good getting destroyed. Another inter-title appears, presenting ‘Christopher Nolan’ ‘Director of the Dark Knight Trilogy’ coming of the back of the recent mega blockbuster batman films, Nolan adding as a USP he carries a big built in audience, the fact that his previous critical acclaim films were DC superhero films, also put faith into Man of Steel.

In the final shots of the trailer General Zod and Superman flies towards each other at super speed, shot on an angle, showing the chara height over buildings. This seems to be the final action sequence of the film, connecting to third acts of hollywood action film, where he get a climatic action sequence, which helps to attract the demographic of 13-20. Through these shots we also see the L.A set where the film is set.

We then get one of the most significant shot as we see the suit up close for the first time, a symbol of the ‘S’ stands  out as a prominent feature, showing the iconic logo. A close up shot, of Superman holding a woman’s hand, proves that he is comfortable in society and is not an outcast anymore. This hints at the renowned relationship between Superman and Louis Lane. With the final voice over ‘My father believed that the world wasn’t ready, what do you think?’ This direct mode of address could work on an intertextual level asking the audience if they are ready for a new and improved superman film, after the flawed previous recognition of Superman.

Rock – AC/DC ‘Back in Black’

‘Black in Black’ is a song by AC/DC, for their 1980 album of the same name.

This is a good example of a rock music video and contains many of the genre conventions seen in many other rock music videos. This includes the band performing their song on stage, with their instruments, which are the only props in the video, they include, the guitars, the drums and the microphones. By having the band perform on stage in the video, it allows the audience and fan to experience and understand what it would be like to see them perform live at a concert and it could help adverse and sell concert tour tickets, as the audience know what to expect. Therefore this video is a performance based music video and doesn’t involve a narrative. Other genre conventions of a rock video, which are evident in this includes  include the use of dark deep colours and no use of advanced special effects.

The Mise-en-scène of the production, includes quite dark lighting, as it only uses artificial stage lightening, spotlighting on the band on stage. The different strobe and colours change to the rhythm and beat of the music. Each band has their own individual costumes, which is unique to each  members image and together helps to establish to overall image of the band.

The technique codes of the music video links with the rock genre conventions, by using the hand held technique and having close ups of each member of the band, focusing closely of their faces while also showing them perfuming their instruments. Many low angles are used in the music video, showing the band from below like it is through the concert audiences vision, which links with promoting the band live events as the video is evidence of the experience that they will encounter.

Dance – Fedde Le Grand ‘Put Your Hands Up For Detroit’

This electronic dance video is produced by Dutch DJ Fedde Le Grand at was released on 26th June 2006.

This is an electronic upbeat music video. The narrative of the video features a Kubrick-type of science lab where gynoid technicians create multiple androids.

The video includes many genre conventions such as woman dancers half naked, in this video they are all wearing sexy doctors lab coats that are too small, showing to underneath pink bright undergarments, and later on in the video one go the androids take off the coat and give the android a lap dance. Other conventions include dance routines and bright lightening and colours.

The mis en sene of the music video link with the narrative and includes electronic props such as computers and a hospital location with hospital equipment and furniture. All the women in the video have the same doctors costumes and undergarments, which are bright pink allowing them to stand out, and all the makeup in the same to give the illusion that they are identical androids.

There are many low angle shots in the video to capture and focus on the undergarments of the women of the video. The whole music video features around the music’s electronic theme and sound. The lyrics are really represented within the music video but, the way the androids move and the dance routines are all to the beat of the music, and the editing jump cut are done performed to the beats and rhythm of the music.

R’n’B/Rap – Snoop Dogg ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’

This video features Snoop Dogg perfoming ‘Drop It Like It’s Hot’ with Pharrell.

The music video is a performance R’n’B video, and contains many genre conventions by including props like spray paint, expensive cars, boats and alcohol. The video also contains conventional clothing with the artist wearing baggy cloths, trainers, caps and various jewellery such as rings, necklaces, earrings and diamond belts. The video also included women wearing revealing clothing dancing to the music.

The video was shot in monochrome and is very simplistic, unlike pop videos, rap video tend to just contain the artist performing the song and focus less on a narrative. The video has many close up shots focused closely into the artists, which is sometimes used to see the artist holding something or to view the jewellery such as the rings on his hands, it also has many low angles shots, this makes it able to see the artist’s whole outfit and gives the impression of the artist being more powerful or dominant.

The lyrics matched the visuals on screen, as the video was performance based therefore the artist was mining along with lyrics. The visuals also linked with the music as all the characters on screen were dancing to the rhythm and the beat of the music. At the beginning of the video Snoop Dogg sprays some spray paint on the wall at the same as the music, which had a similar noise, also throughout the music has a clicking sound and the characters in the video moved their mouth in a certain way that created the illusion that they were making the sound on screen. The video has jump cuts edits, which is also done to the beat and the rhythm of the song.

Pop – Madonna ‘Music’

The music video for Madonna’s 2000 record ‘Music’ features the artist with a bunch of friends having a party in a limousine and visiting different clubs.

This is an example of a narrative and performance pop music video, therefore it has genre conventions such as, bright lightening and colourful and the video included people dancing and parting. It also had many woman and models wearing minimal clothing, which helps to attract the young audience.

Madonna stares in this music video as the lead in a group of girls that go out partying. Being the lead in the video helps the audience to connect the artist to the music and will help the video and the song become more successful, it also connects with Madonna’s dominate, strong persona. This video also links with the fact that Madonna is seen as a sex icon all around the world, this showcases that by having the artists, parting and visiting strip clubs, this is showcased right from the beginning of the music video when the character of Ali G started that Madonna’s ‘Babylon’s look less big than they do on the telly, but i’d still defiantly would.’

Ali G stares at a cameo character in the music video. Played by Sacha Baron Cohen Ali G is a satirical fictional character, who has appeared on his own chat show in Britain. He features as Madonna’s limo driver in the video. By having Ali G in the music video it attracts many young British fans that wouldn’t normally associate with the artist, will we help make the video and the record successful. Furthermore it’s mutual beneficial as the actor and his characters at the time were not well known around the world and this music video would have gain some global fans.

The lyrics explaining the effects that music can have of people, links with the visuals on screen as the artist sings along to the lyrics throughout the video, it also links with the narrative and the visuals of Madonna and friends partying and dancing to music. The music itself links with the visuals, a good example of this is at the beginning of the music video, and the music starts when the Ali G character has out the tape into the car and pressed play.

Codes and Conventions

Codes and conventions of a music video are different techniques used to make the video. Theses techniques can be divided into, Technical codes which includes the used of different camera angles and editing. Audio codes, which can be split into diegetic and non-diegtic.  Visual codes, which includes costumes and makeup and different locations.

Genre conventions, which are different technical codes needed to fit the genre of true music video. For example a pop music video will be bright and colourful and will try and appeal to the young demographic. An R’n’B music video may have party scenes with alcohol and usually have young woman dressed in revealing clothing.

 

Concept – Sigur Rós ‘Valtari’

Sigur Rós are a post-rock, alternative band from Reykjavík, Iceland. The video to their song ‘Valtari’ was written and directed by Christian Larson, and features two dancers coming together to move in interesting ways.

The start of the video builds the bleak harsh environment, with a blue/green look, the video has a washed out broken theme to it. With shots of dead plants a industrial estate and a set of an old abandoned building the cinematographer success creates that harsh bleak environment.

The man within the building, performs kind of contemporary dance, the technique of dance which allows him to to unpredictably change his rhythm, speed and direction which is done to the rhythm of the music. During the video the woman joins the contemporary dance style and continues to get closer to him, as finally they dance together in the final act of the music video. When the woman starts dancing the music changes to a lighter tone with sounds that sounds similar to bell chimes. As the couple dance together the lyrics begin and the volume  and base of the music boost, as the music gets rhythmically faster and harsher, so does the dancing from couple, and the editing is done effectively to show the characters in various positions around each other.

This video is a concept style music video, this is clear as there is not a clear narrative neither is the band performing, there are simply just two characters dancing with each other, but the way the video directed and the cinematography of the music video clearly shows that there are ideas and hidden messages towards the visuals and the song. The unique choreography of flexibility and rhythm is an interesting contrast to the harsh bleak environment.

I believe that the video is about two induvials that view the world in a unquie and different way, and they have finally found someone that feels the say way, and they want to embrace this fact. At the beginning of the video, the man is dancing on his own and dances like he can feel the rhythm been produced by the environment like the bleak and pure building around him is shouting out, and he is the only one that can hear. The woman wonders into the environment sort of like his movements and dance are calling out to her and that there is an attraction pulling them together, and allowing them to dance and communicate their thoughts and feelings about the world around them in a very intermit and rhythmic way.

Styles – Concept

A concept based music video, are usually based around one idea and message. They are sometimes unusual and unique to other conventional music videos. With the increase of technology used in music video, concept video are becoming more common, this is proven in music videos such as “Her Morning Elegance’ by Oren Lavieand ‘Somebody That I Used To Know’ by Gotye, that use many different techniques such as stop frame animation to portray a idea and message in an interesting way.

Performance- will.i.am ‘Bang Bang’

In 2013 will.i.am realsed the track ‘Bang Bang,’ the single features on the soundtrack for Baz Luhrmann’s ‘The Great Gastsby.’

This music video is an good example of a performance style video. It features will.i.am and a band performing on a stage. The performance and the whole music video has a has a jazz theme, which links with the soundtrack from the 2013 film ‘The Great Gastsby,’ which follows the life of the millionaire Jay Gatsby and his neighbour Nick Carraway. The film is set in the 1920’s at largely centres around Gatsby’s excessive partying lifestyle. Will.i.am created ‘Bang Bang’ for the soundtrack to Baz Luhrmann’s film, therefore the song itself has a 1920’s jazz theme and the music video duplicates this. Featuring the artist performing in 1920’s themed clothing with white gloves and a top hat, singing into an vintage microphone in a set filled with chandeliers and spotlights. The band behind the artist is dressed in a similar way, playing interments such as trumpets and saxophones which helped give the music video the jazz theme. Will.i.am is later joined by Spalione who performs the chorus of the song, throughout the video the two singers and the band perform a choreographed routine, which starts with over exaggerated instrument playing, tap dancing , and  an choreographed assemble dance routine.This video has a straight on camera angle, which features all the attention on the artist in the centre on the screen. Directly behind will.i.am centred i the middle of the camera is a drum set, containing the #willpower insignia, which is the symbol that has paid a large part of the artists latest album promotion.

Styles – Performance

Performance music videos focuses on the artists performing the song, this can be a performance in front of an audience or just on their own. This style of music video is very popular with rock artists.

The camera angles are usually repeated angles showcases the artists on the stage, crosscutting between the audience singing and dancing along and different members of the band. Performance style music videos also give the audience an idea of what to expect at the artists own concerts, and can help to advertise and boost ticket sales with the artist go on tour.