Buried Textual Analysis
Buried is a 2010 mystery/thriller film.
We as the audience are able to identify the genre of the film in this trailer by using some technical aspects - camera shots, editing, sound and mise-en-scene. This particular film trailer is only 30 seconds long, but packs in enough action and information for us to identify the necessary points in it. The trailer shows us that a man (Paul Conroy) is stuck in a coffin underneath the ground, so we instantly see the mise-en-scene, which in this case has a big part in establishing the mood for the genre, the small confined space makes you feel claustrophobic, and the lighting also plays an important role as its dark with only a few shots of light coming from a lighter and a cell phone this showing us a close shot of his reaction as its focusing on his face. The combination of fast paste editing and different camera shots which mainly focus closely on the characters face to see his reaction as to the situation he’s in and the close up shots of other parts of his body e.g. His hand, arms and legs shows us the confined space he’s trapped within, this automatically switches on our brains to try and answer questions such as, why is he in this coffin? and how is he going to get out? Thus we relate these questions again to what we think the genre could be. The final and most important aspect in this film trailer is the sound. Digetic and non-digetic sound plays an important role in every trailer as it creates the mood and atmosphere, in this trailer the music is quick from the start with a steady beat, this is key as the audience must be drawn in to the trailer from the start and need to follow the story, so the fast music along with narrative and digetic sounds of lighters and phones tells our brains what genre this is. Non-digetic sound sticks to the conventions of modern mystery/thriller trailers.
The target audience for this film is around 15-40. It targets males and females with an interest of mystery, suspense and/or Ryan Reynolds. Using the four technical aspects discussed previously, the trailer targets an audience by camera shots, editing, sound and mise-en-scene. Using objects in the film such as a blackberry phone and a Hamilton watch, associates itself with the new phones and watches the audience have at this time. The mystery and questions we want answered when we see this trailer only seems to interest this age range, as its quite intense and thrilling.
This particular trailer is only 30 seconds long. There are about 27 shots used in this trailer. The fast paste music throughout creates a sense of urgency, as the digetic sound of the objects, the character and the narrative creates a bigger sense of mystery and drama. The narrative quickly sums up the story for us, as the character acts out the objects he has, like his lighter.
This trailer dosen’t focus on relationships that much, but does show a quick shot of the main character on his phone to who seems to be his girlfriend. We sense this because he says to her ‘do not go back to the house’. The main character himself seems to be a rich man, as he is told to transfer a lot of money, and the phone and watch he has are very expensive.
The trailer reveals that although this man is stuck in a coffin, to get himself out he will have to give money to some other people and agree to everything they want otherwise he could die.
The trailer creates the code of enigma as we want to know how is he going to get out of the coffin? Why was he in the coffin from the first place? And what is going to happen to him?
The trailer uses titles as well as narrative because when we visually see something at the same time we hear something, we are more likely to remember it and it keeps you enticed within the film.
Film studios use trailers to market their product as its the best way to show the audience what their film is about and why it would be interesting for them to see it, they also need to have a code of enigma.
Film trailers are successful in targeting their audiences, if its an animation then they will always have a popular children outcome, and so if its a horror film, generally the audience will be adults.
In this trailer I have identified a few things which coincide with the plot of the film. The first shot we see his face light up green, this is unusual now but later on in the trailer we can see a glow light he has lit up. He has a blackberry phone which is expensive, suggesting he’s rich. He also has a Hamilton watch which is very expensive, again suggesting he is rich. The lighter allows him to be in control, so we see what he sees, again creating a shocking and anticipating await of what there is to come.
I think that film trailers are very effective, as without them we would not know of any films, and so films would not get enough revenue, therefore rubbish films would be made as they would have little budget and it would also be more expensive for us.
I have identified ten codes and conventions in this trailer:
Ø You will notice at the start of the trailer the ‘Lionsgate’ entertainment company logo appears, but it does not appear in its usual manner as it seems to adapt to the genre of the film, this is only to prepare you for the upcoming setting. We also see it fade out and it then seems to quickly expand the company name again and then fade through black. The final thing we notice is a blue line running across the screen of the company name, this is again to change the usual manner and as we will see continues throughout the trailer, creating the consistency which gives it a much more powerful impact to the story.
Ø In this trailer we also notice that the voice over throughout is a man. In most mystery/thriller trailers the voice over is a man, this is because a mans voice is a lot deeper and creates the right effect for this type of genre.
Ø Subtitles are used conventionally as they seem to be split up. So we see a moving image then subtitles, then more moving images and so on, this also creates the fast paste worried effect and we can easily get drawn into it. ‘Paul Conroy.....has a lighter.....a cell phone.....90 minutes of oxygen.....and very few options.....Ryan Reynolds.....Buried’.
Ø The main character in this film is a man and in most mystery/thriller movies, you will notice most men as the main characters. This is to show the vulnerability that rich men would face, as opposed to a horror where its always a women running away from something showing her fear.
Ø From the very start of the trailer the music kicks in. Again the same in almost every trailer. The music coincides with the genre as it has the beat of a mystery/thriller and as the music is played from the start it draws you in, gets you interested. Throughout that beat stays and even with the red lines across the screen, we hear the slashing of what seems to sound like a sword.
Ø Another convention was the fact that the trailer throughout stuck to the concept of quick camera shots from a few different angles, to create fast paste editing. In this genre type they will do this to create the suspense and tension within the trailer.
Ø As we watch the trailer we learn that Paul Conroy is a wealthy man and the trailer keeps up this convention as we see his clothes look expensive, his blackberry is expensive and his watch is expensive. They do this so we don’t start asking ourselves unnecessary questions within the trailer which has nothing to do with it.
Ø There is also not a lot of lighting in this trailer with only light coming from the flames, which again makes ourselves ask another question. With these types of genres you would typically expect a lot more of the film to be shot in the night not the daytime.
Ø As we start to finish watching the trailer we notice the actors name, which they include if the actor is quite popular and well known, the actor alone could just bring in a percentage of the audience. We also notice the directors name, again to increase the audience percentage.
Ø The final convention we see is the title at the very end, and spoken by the voice over to increase the drama. The date is also shown at the very end. Companies usually leave this till the end as if we see it at the start and get in to the film, by the end we would have forgotten what it was called. This way we are fully focused on the screen and are attention is to the trailer.
