Further film trailer analysis: Trainspotting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R2GKVtWsXKY


As our film trailer fits into the film bracket of the "social realism" genre a close examination and analysis of existing examples is required to aid us on how best to enable our trailer to be effective in conforming to the Codes and Conventions earmarked through the analysis of existing examples. For this post, I will be analysing the trailer for Danny Boyle's foray into Social Realism; the film: Trainspotting.

The trailer presents its central protagonists as relaxed, duty free, carefree and liberated. This is reflected through director Danny Boyle's effective implementation of soundtrack, perhaps one of the most utilised and effective components of making the film trailer so successful. The monologue that is provided by the central protagonist Mark Renton, in the piece also does a great deal of promoting themes propagated through a working class background such as he details humorous apparent minute, unimportant choices one normally considers in life.
 Indeed, it is perhaps the social depression and economic gulf between the rich and the poor that is most noticeably highlighted throughout the trailer and Boyle achieves this with particular effect, focussing with particular emphasis on the working class so that the audience begin to increasingly empathise and connect with the characters in a more understanding way. Boyle achieves this with particular grace and finesse by having his characters comprising of Renton, Spud, Sick Boy, Begpie....  through the use of these comedic reference to the characters through their informal nicknames, the audience are subconsciously, although perhaps not fully aware of it, are planted the seed of beginning to construct an emotional connection with the characters despite only being first introduced to them in a 2 minute period of the trailer's duration.
Boyle's use of colour in the trailer is very supportive in gauging the mood of the trailer. The use of dark colours such as bleak and dreary greys and the occasional use of black that is dispersed in the trailer help to inform the viewer of the potent contrast evidenced between the bright, happy-go lucky personalities of the central protagonists in comparison to the dark and oppressive social climate of low, dishevelled morality they live in and are consequently surrounded by.
Boyle's use of Camera Angles and Camera Movements in the trailer portray a wide variety of shots showcased in the trailer. Through Boyle's wide variety of Camera Angles viewers are able to experience some more abstract elements from the film, for example,  a low angle side on shot of Renton emerging from the floor, it can be presumed he is returning from a "trip" during his recreational drug use.  
The mise en scene and the dark, foreboding, atmospheric lighting used by Boyle in his trailer echoes the dark and sinister mood that the characters find themselves in living in the socially and economically deprived underbelly of Edinburgh depicting the lives of heroin addicts. I feel that the lighting used in the trailer really helps to guide the audience as to the dark intentions and subject matter covered by the film in an effective manner.
Costume is an element of the trailer that again reflects the Codes and Conventions of the genre of Social Realism as the characters are dressed in baggy, casual clothing such as hooded jumpers and loose fitting trousers with casual footwear such as trainers. The characters casual attire could be further referencing the fact that the characters are unburdened and do not take themselves too seriously in their ventures, providing light comedic relief for the audience in stark contrast to the  gritty subject matter being portrayed in the trailer.  
The use of billing throughout the duration of the trailer credits the production studio tasked with producing the film at the beginning of the trailer. As the film is of the Social Realism genre the actors featured within the film, although thanks to the film are household names today such as Ewan McGregor and Jonny- Lee Miller, are not credited within the trailer and at the time of the film's release would have been relative unknowns, if known at all due to their lack of acting experience. This is a common convention widely prevalent amongst most films of the genre as given their low budget expenditure, and acting as a stepping stone for many upcoming actors, it is expected that films of this low budget calibre will feature unknown actors to help propel them into the spotlight and launch their careers and as evidenced through the success of the actors who featured in Trainspotting this is a technique that seems to have proved effective and paid diffidence.
In conclusion, Boyle's trailer is extremely effective in captivating it's audience and promoting arguably one of the greatest social realism films of all time, having observed the trailer it's not difficult to see why...