Enders Game Trailer Analysis By Jayesh Mohane I have chosen to do research on a similar trailer to the one that I and

my group will be making. Above is the trailer to Enders Game which is a movie in the genre of Science Fiction (Sci-Fi-). The reason I have chosen this trailer because it is similar what I will be doing with my group and furthermore, because it is a Sci-Fi trailer, it will help me decide on the conventions I need for my trailer. The type of the trailer which Enders Game has used is a Theatrical trailer. Theatrical trailers are a maximum of two and a half minutes long and it is usually cut from the first cut of the picture. This is not a teaser trailer because it is more than a minute and half. Conventions: From the trailer, the audience can tell straight away that the trailer is in the Sci-Fi category of genres because from the trailer I can see that the movie will be about Earth being threatened. This is one of the main conventions that Sci-Fi movies use where the Earth is in danger of a threat or being invaded. Another convention which follows and links to the convention of Earth is the fact that they have one person who is like a hero who can save the mankind. From the trailer from Enders Game, we see that they meet the convention as the main character which is the boy, is the only one who can save Earth from being invaded by aliens. This convention is used in most of the Sci-Fi movies which lets the audience know that it is a science fiction movie because of Earth being in danger and only one can save it. At the start of the trailer, the Earth is shown which signifies the convention. Unless we act now, the Earth will be annihilated is a quote from the trailer which connotes that the convention of Earth being used in the Sci-Fi trailer. Another convention in this trailer which is undoubtedly the most common convention of all Sci-Fi movies is the use of science and technology. The trailer shows the different technologies that are used to save Earth and the mankind. For example, spaceships, jet planes, military weapons and holograms are all examples of technology we see in the trailer. The use of technology in Sci-Fi films and this trailer targets the audience of teenagers because they are more into technology and also this convention is one of the main conventions that you are likely to find in most Sci-Fi movies. Another convention that is used in science fiction movies which is used in the trailer that I am researching is the use of quick cuts at intense moments. In Enders Game, quick cuts are used between moments when the war is happening, distinguishing between the two planets and between Earth and outer space. This convention is used effectively in the trailer because it helps to build the climax up. It also connotes an strong atmosphere where is shows the protagonist (hero/main character) is scared and in the trailer from Enders game, they use this convention to show a quick cut of the protagonist who is the boy in a boat with the girl and she says if you dont try, then we will all be lost which signifies to me that the main character is scared. At the end of the trailer, a cliff-hanger is used when the hero is abandoning his fleet. This is a typical convention of the Sci-Fi genre which makes the audience want to go and watch the film. Furthermore, the cliff-hanger is made dramatic with the use of the sound track and computer generated effects.

Another convention that is used in Enders Game which I also think is a main convention of most Sci-Fi trailers and movies is that it is about a war between a non-human race (Aliens) and humans. In Enders Game, it is clear from the start of the trailer that the movie is about a war between humans and aliens. And this convention is used in the beginning of the trailer to help build up the story before the climax. High tech machinery and technology is another convention that is used in Enders Game which is a convention of all Sci-Fi trailers. This convention is used by showing technology and machinery to the audience that they have never seen before. For example, in Enders Game, a high tech floating interface is used by the protagonist to show the ice ridges and the ship and in the meeting room a high tech interface is used to show the way in which the military people communicate. Such things are unknown to the audience and therefore they are shown in such science fiction trailers to the audience which is a convention that I have seen being used in most of the Sci-Fi trailers. Voice overs is one f the conventions of Sci-Fi trailers that is used in Enders Game. The voice over lets the audience know of the beginning, middle and the climax of the trailer. The voice over in the trailer is used effectively because it sounds convincing which helps to create the intense atmosphere of the different scenes that are shown in the trailer. The voice over is used with another typical convention which is the use of the soundtrack to reflect the Sci-Fi genre which matches the action taking place. The soundtrack in Enders Game is dramatic which signifies the tensed moments in the trailer and also helps to build up the climax. Camera Techniques: In the Enders Game trailer, the camera techniques that are used are used effectively in my point of view. This is because it makes me as an audience want to go and watch the film. There are various camera shots and techniques that are used in the trailer. The main typical camera technique and shot that is used in most Sci-Fi trailers which is also used in Enders Game is the use of the Close Up shot of the main character. In Enders Game, the child is the main character who is shown with a close up shot in his spaceship. This technique is used effectively because it is used at the right point when the voice over talks about only one saving the mankind and then the close up shot of the characters face is shown to the audience. Editing Techniques: Establishing shot is a continuity technique that is used in the trailer of Enders Game. An establishing shot of the Earth is shown which signifies that the action and the story are based on Earth which I mentioned is a convention of Sci-Fi films. Another editing technique that is used effectively in Enders Game trailer is the use of dissolve and cross fade transitions. The use of this in the trailer helps to build the intense atmosphere in the middle of the trailer which is usually the build-up of a problem in the story. The use of transitions helps to change between different scenes effectively so that the voice over matches the scene and the dramatic sounds help to build up that climax which is revealed to the audience but with the help of quick cut editing it leaves the audience with a cliff-hanger. Additionally, the editing technique of transitions implies the change of location and passage of time in the trailer.

The main editing technique used in Enders Game is computer generated interface (CGI). This has been used in the trailer successfully because as an audience, it has made me want to go and watch the movie when it is released. The trailer is shown with computer generated interface which is an editing technique and this is also one typical convention of Sci-Fi films. For example, in the trailer CGI has been used to generate natural landscapes which do not exist and animation of the spaceships and jets in war. Another editing technique used in Enders Game is a flashback. This is used at the beginning of the trailer to show the audience an event that happened earlier in the films narrative. In Enders Game, the flashback is shown by the use of CGI and a voice over which talks about the last time Earth was invaded by Aliens. Sound: Sound creation is an important element in the Sci-Fi genre because if it is done right, it can create a believing environment for the audience and makes the trailer interesting and attractive to make the audience want to go and watch the film. The sound that is used in the trailer of Enders Game is an action packed dramatic sound. I think that this use of sound is used effectively because it builds up the climax and attracts the audience that they intend to target as they would love the sound they used. The sound slowly builds up as it reaches the climax in the trailer and this helps the climax more interesting as the sound builds up from slow paced to fast paced and louder. Jet planes sound is used in the trailer which also builds up the problem as they go into war. I have noticed that when the characters in the trailer are talking, the action based soundtrack in the background fades away to a lower volume and when the action is taking place the sound becomes louder. This is done effectively to entice the audience. The loop of the soundtrack used reflects the action taking place. At the end of the trailer, the sound helps to develop the cliff-hanger because it as the character is doing a countdown, the sound follows it in a high pitch which builds the cliff-hanger and leaves the audience hanging as it ends making them want to go and watch the movie. Mise-en-scene: In Enders Game, I will talk about the different uses of mise-en-scene such as lighting, setting, colour and characters. At the start of the trailer the lighting that is used when Earth is shown is dimmed with shades of dark lightning to make the trailer more appealing to the its genre and the other form of lighting which I noticed they have used to make the opening bright is the use of lens flare. Lens flare is an effect that is used to make the Earth look bright and the use of lens flare and the dark lighting go quite well together because it makes the audience realise the genre of the trailer and it also sets the mood for the trailer. When the main character (the boy) is shown, key lightning is also used to light the main subject in the scene. The setting is another mise-en-scene source. The setting in the trailer is in space and the Earth. The main setting in the trailer is in space. This is clearly noticeable because of Earth on the background and because of the spaceships and fleets and other planets that we see like Jupiter. Time of the day is one element of setting which is used in the trailer. There are different times of the day where different scenes have been shot. For example, the jet planes in war are shot during mid-day because of the grey-blue sky and clouds.

The military people in the trailer are all wearing the same uniform. This shows that they all work for the same thing and are working together for a same purpose. I have noticed that the colour of the uniform that the main character and the people are wearing is blue and greyblue. The colour blue is a calming colour and signifies freedom, however the representation of the colour in my point of view in the trailer has been subverted because the characters are not free as they are still fighting a war with the aliens. The grey-blue is used to signify depression as they prepare to save Earth.