Maleficent trailer analysis

Name: Maleficent  

Date Released:2014

Rating: PG

Cast: Angelina Jolie, Ellie Fanning

Production Company: Walt Disney Pictures

Director: Robert Stromberg 

Box Office:$69,431,298 (USA

Awards: Academy Award nominated for Best Costume

Target Audience;

I think the primary audience for this film would be girls from the age of 12-25. I think that this is a good age as some of the themes in this film are slightly darker in comparison to the original fairytale. However i think that this trailer is very similar to the original narrative from Sleeping Beauty and therefore would be suitable for children around the age of 12. I don't think that this film would suitable for people over the age of of 25 because this film is strongly based on the fairytales and stereotypically adults over the age of 25 are not interested in fairytale based films. The secondary target audience of this film would be males of the same age range. I think that some males would be interested in this film as the actress Angelina Jolie already has an established audience from her previous films.

Settings, location and Mise En Scene.

The first look we see in the trailer is the ident of Disney. This is a good technique as it immediately excites and creates a buzz for the audience as Disney is a well known brand and is very prestigious as they have a good reputation. Disney has created lots of films over the years since they have been a company, due to this Disney has an established audience which therefore guarantees an audience for their released films.

The opening shot to the trailer is an extract from the original Sleeping Beauty film. This shot immediately creates a link back from the modern twist of the fairytale back to the original. The long shot shown on screen exhibits to the audience the location used in the film. The location used in this shot is one that is conventional in fairytale themed films. The large ornate castle is a icon of fairytale films and therefore will make the genre recognisable. The bright colours used in this shot show connotations of happiness and joy.

The next shot is an establishing shot possibly being executed on a helicopter, crane or a drone. This shot allows the viewer to see the location and all the elements that make it what it is. I think that possibly a filter may have been used in this shot as the black areas of the film seem darker and more intense. This effect makes the location look more mysterious and eerie. The lighting in this shot is a mixture of high and low key lighting.

Titles are used at the beginning of the trailer to help break up the sequence and follow the conventions of a trailer. The typography used is a conventional font as it is very medieval and is a serif font. The colours of the font and the contrasting background is green and black. These two colours create a strong association for the main character Maleficent, the animation for the font is luminous, which relates back to the fact that Maleficent is a fairy. The black background used for the text really makes the font pop. The green colour used for the font shows connotations of jealousy and earthiness and the black shows connotations of death. 

The next shot has a fade transition from black, this allows a fluent change from shot to shot. The transitioning shot changes back to the original content from Sleeping Beauty. This long shot slowly zooms in which adds emphasis and informs the audience who the main focus of this shot is. From looking at the window in the shot I can infer that the location is up high which follows the archetype that princesses are locked up in towers and are damsels in distress waiting to be rescued. The costume that the prince is wearing follows the archetype of a princes costume for example big boots and a long cape. The princess is wearing a costume that also follows the archetype for princesses for example she is wearing a long colourful feminine dress and a gold crown. This shot then cuts in to a medium close up of the two characters about to kiss. This shot follows the conventions of a fairytale, which exhibits a kiss between the prince and princess- signifying true love and living happily ever after.

From this kissing shot it fades into the live action version of the new modern version of the film. This close up shot exhibits the two characters to the audience and showcases the relationship between them. The fade transition also shows the juxtaposition between the different films and how they have developed over the years. Although these two shots showcase contrast, this it also  shows how the narrative has been kept very similar since the first film. The use of high key lighting in this shot helps to create the fairy-tale atmosphere. The sun rays also shows connotations of happiness and joy.

Throughout the trailer a smooth and fluent fade transition is used which links the two shot together. This transition also adds a fairy-tale tone to the trailer.
The first glimpse we see of the other main character, Sleeping Beauty, is a medium close up of the character as a baby. This shot helps to introduce the audience to the character. It also helps to create a rapport between the audience and the characters as it may make the audience feel as if they have watched her grow up. The costume that the baby is wearing follows the conventions of outfits typically worn by children. However I can connote that the outfit is made from a silken material- silk is an icon of luxury, the location in this shot also supports this as it is in a palace which is very lavish.

An extreme close up shot of the candles being blown out by wind changes the tone of the trailer and introduces the Toderof theory. This shot is effective as it shows the audience that something is about to happen and that the mood and atmosphere is changing. This entrances the viewer and peaks their interest to know what will happen next in the trailer.

The next few shots in the trailer showcase a problem and that something bad is happening. These shots are edited together similar to a montage- the transitions used are cuts to blacks. This transition gives the effect of confusion and distortion.

The shot that introduces the main character Maleficent is a mid shot that frames the character above her shoulders. The costume that she is wearing is black which shows connotations of death and evil. On her right hand side she is also holding a staff which has a crow upon it. Crows are also an icon of death and makes the character seem more intimidating and dangerous. The lighting in the palace has changed from a happy atmosphere with high key lighting to low key lighting which reflects the character on screen and the atmosphere she has created by walking in the room. The lighting also reflects the fear that the characters have in the story.

A medium close up of the protagonist casting spell on the baby creates a magical atmosphere and further relates back to the original story of Sleeping Beauty. The animation used for the green mist follows the colour theme that has been exhibited through the titles of the film, and further supports and shows the audience the magical qualities that the fairy has.

The long shot of Maleficent performing a curse in the castle makes a great impact on the audience as it exhibits her power and strength to the audience. The colour of the curse shows connotations of jealousy, which relates back to one of the themes exhibited in the original fairy-tale.

This shot swipes across using the cape from the previous shot. The next shot is of a castle, the lighting is high key which contrasts from the previous shot. The castle is also an icon of fairy tales and is a convention for a fairy-tale based film.

The next shot is an extreme long shot of one of the main characters. The setting is full of snow whereas the previous shots where set in summer/spring season. The change in season and weather show progression through the trailer and that time is continuing. The low key lighting adds an ominous tone to the shot, the white snow also contrasts well with the dark trees in the background and foreground.

A medium close up of the second protagonist introduces her as an adult to the audience and shows how she has grown up from the previous shots shown in the trailer. The princess has long blonde hair which supports the archetype that girls like having long hair and looking feminine. The costume that this character is wearing is a material similar to silk, silk is an icon of wealth which reflects her background and family orientation. The pale colour of her dress connotes pureness and innocence which is a strong association with princesses in fairy tales

The close up shot of the crow creates familiarity for the audience from the original fairy-tale. The crow is also a symbol of evil which supports the stereotype that villains in Disney films are evil. However this crow subverts the stereotype as this film exhibits Maleficent as an protagonist instead of a antagonist.

A long shot of the main characters in the river/pond location subverts the archetype that being in the dark is scary. This is shown by the fairies which have been added in using cgi. The colours of the fairies are bright and glowing. The glowing effect connotes happiness and joy. Having fairies in this film follows the conventions of elements to be included in a fairytale orientated film.

A close up shot of the protagonist hiding in the trees away from the camera in the dark shows that sometimes even villains are afraid to be seen. The low key lighting of this shot is very mysterious and adds an eerie tone to the trailer. The lighting looks like it has been done carefully as it highlights certain areas of her face so she is seen by the audience.

A two shot of both protagonists is shown. The lighting in this shot is high key which connotes a happy atmosphere. The composition of this medium close up shows the two characters having the same amount of space on screen. By doing this it shows that the two characters are equals and are even.

 In order to help the trailer progress further a mid shot of the Sleeping Beauty character is shown on the screen to further remind the audience the original narrative that this film was based on. In this shot a glowing effect has been used on the spinning wheel. The use of this effect entrances and draws the viewer's attention to this area of the shot. The spinning wheel is an icon of the sleeping beauty film and therefore this sends a link to the audience. When the viewer is watching this trailer they will make the association from the original film. The lighting in this shot is low key but is contrasted and juxtaposed with the glowing light from the spinning wheel. The glow from this wheel attracts the audience to the prop and makes it the key feature of the shot.

A medium close up shot of the protagonist casting a spell and an over the shoulder shoulder that includes the use of a cgi vines growing shows the power of the antagonist and exhibits to the audience how strong and clever she is. The fact that this character is strong subverts the archetype that women are weak and that men are stronger and more intelligent. The protagonists costume is black which could also shown connotations of strength and power.

Sound
At the beginning of the trailer a dainty soundtrack begins to play. The sound track is quite upbeat an energetic. The sound track is one that you would expect from a fairytale orientated film and follows the conventions. The overall sound of the sound track sounds as if it is imitating fairies which therefore relates back to the fairytale genre. The sound track then deepens and becomes more dramatic as it transitions into the newer version of the film. As the titles appear on screen a male voice over is used to create more drama and dimension to the film. A voiceover is also used by the main protagonist to help introduce Sleeping Beauty. Throughout the film subtle sound effects are used to enhance parts and sections of the film, for example a tinkling sound is used for the butterflies and for the sound of the crow.
As the mood changes in the film and when things go wrong the music reflects this. The music becomes more dramatic and creates a tension. Along side these sound terms diegetic and non diegetic sound is used to create a realistic atmosphere. Ambient sound and sound bridges are also used to create more drama to the trailer.
The soundtrack tapers out at the end of the trailer- the use of this transition creates an ominous atmosphere.