Film Trailer Analysis: Super 8

The trailer begins with the familiar logo of Paramount which helps enticed the audience into watching the trailer as the company is renowned fro its success in the film industry. Afterwards we are shown an establishing shot of a small town judging on the lighting of the town we can assume represents innocence and vulnerability especially in a thriller film. This is shown with non-diagetic music to help create tension from the start of the trailer as it acts to immerse the audience quickly. The shot is prolonged to help further anticipation as to what may happen next which is typical of a thriller as it appeals to the audience from the get go. We are also introduced to a group of characters whom we would associate them with being the protagonists as they are shown first and maybe act as a personal representation of the 'innocence' which you normally associate with younger children. The scene is presented with a voiceover of a more adult voice helping to suggest some sort of familial bond with one of the characters as it is mainly used with one character in particular. The somewhat sad music along with the movie of a woman; supposedly the mum judging on the content of the narration helps us empathise with the character as we understand that he has suffered a loss of some sorts. The group of kids relationship is also highlighted in the opening scene of the trailer as we can see some various interactions between them which helps relate the character more to us.

The scene then shifts suddenly to a shot of some a train signal which directly contrasts the peaceful almost tranquil setting of the establishing shot to help add emphasis on the development of the scene. The camera pans to the side to allow us to see the darkness of the surroundings which helps suggest that something extreme or somewhat evil may happen in the trailer and the diagetic sound of the car skidding around a corner helps add emphasis on the speed at which the vehicle is travelling at.. One of the unique points of the trailer is the use of film within the film as the characters are shown to be making a film themselves to explain a bit of background story as to allow the audience to understand the plot of the movie and relate even more with the characters shown at the beginning. The trailer also shows that it is from Steven Spielberg which may relate more to the audience and make them more willing to watch the film as they may relate it to other successful films made or produced by Spielberg.

As the truck is shown again we can see it drive on to the aforementioned train tracks and we are directly shown a pov shot of what the driver of the truck would see as the train bears down on them. During this scene there is no non-diagetic music and it relies solely on the sound of the car engine and the dialogue of the characters help to add emphasis on what is about to happen.  The scene is cut back into the train as it hits the car we the characters panic of sorts, helping to showcase to the audience of what we can expect to see in the movie. The scene carries on the show the train wreck as it explodes around the protagonist and the aftermath which follows.

However as the camera pans through the train wreckage we recognise that it focuses on a particular carriage of the train which due to its obvious damage being done to it helps add further tension to the trailer and allows the audience to be more immersed into what is happening. The antagonist of the film is also highlighted as being the creature in this container and the power it has is contrasted to the extreme measures the army took to contain it. This is furthered by the use of a television broadcast of the event shown and allows the character to be more personalised to the audience whilst the use of the army helps highlight the potential danger of the 'creature' to the people in the town as they label the creature as their 'cargo', helping add to the mystery elements of the film trailer, this is also shown through its science fiction qualities as the next scene shows an unexplained disappearance of a load of dogs. The scene is accompanied by non-diagetic music again to help add on to the tension of the trailer whilst we are constantly shown closeups of the various characters to help personalise them and the plot of the trailer to the audience. We also see a small dailogue between the policemen and the army as we assume there is some sort of battle for power over the situation which they cannot achieve over the enemy.

The music gradually becomes more intense as the scenes continue to gain pace allowing the trailer to show individual elements which may appeal to a wider array of people. The scenes largely involve the main characters which helps appeal the characters more to the audience as if they like the characters shown then they are more likely to watch the film. We can also see the link between the protagonists and the creature as we can see an explosion and a car of some sort being attacked by an unseen enemy. The scenes effect is expanded as we hear a voiceover stating that the character saw 'it', suggesting to us that is an extra-terrestrial which is a stereotypical inclusion in a sci-fi movie and also allows the creature to remain unknown to the audience, raising curiosity of the audience which makes them more likely to watch the film.