About Time Trailer Analysis.

About Time came out in 2013. It is a Romantic drama comedy, staring Domnhall Gleeson, Rachel McAdams and Bill Nighy. The film is created by Richard Curtis, who also wrote other similar popular Rom Com films like Notting Hill, Love Actually and Four Weddings and a Funeral.

The trailer opens with Domnhall Gleeson’s character Tim, in a wide shot, showing off his family home and he himself, introducing to the audience, that he is in fact the main character and the story will revolve around him. Over the clips, Tim familiarises the audience, with a voice over, explaining who he is, and what the story is going to be about. He finishes his sentence with the idea, that this year ‘would change his life forever.’

The next scene shows everyone else kissing at a party, after everyone screams happy new year, showing the happiness and celebration with in the film, and matching with what Gleeson had just

described as good year ahead, whilst Gleeson’s character goes for a hand shake, showing the drama and dilemma Tim has in his life, in a wide shot. Within the first 14 seconds of the trailer, the audience now knows that the film will be based around love and the drama of character Tim, and how his nerves can stop him from finding a woman or love, this therefore entices the audience from the beginning and they can then

sympathise with the characters.

The next scene goes to a bright naturally lit house, somewhere rather rich and expensive, and tropical to those who are not used to living in that standard. The shot uses the rule of thirds, as the house takes up the two left thirds, leaving an empty space to admire the landscape and ocean behind. The film is now seen to be a film aimed more at an upper class of people, similar to the same audiences as those who enjoy other Curtis films. The next voice over, is of Bill Nighy, (Sidekick character) explaining the future plot of the film.

Inside the house, both Tim and his Dad (Nighy) talking in a rather messy sitting room. Dad tells Tim of how as a male in the family, he has the capability to travel in time, when he climbs into a dark place and grips his fists. The editing is fast paced as it reverses between shots, as Tim and Dad argue about whether or not it

is in fact true. The fast paced editing shows the audience, that the farfetched story line is also not believed by the characters within the film. Dad is standing up whilst talking to Tim, with a low angle shot looking up to him, showing his character as more wise and knowledgeable, in comparison to his

son, who is looked down upon from a much higher angle, who has only just found out of the tricks and truth of his family.

When Tim begins to believe his father, the camera follows Tim into a cupboard, where a wide shot again focuses on his hands clenched in the cupboard, almost as a symbol for the whole film. The black and dark colours represent fear and anxiety among the character. The trailer is then reversed with a tinted blur to show the audience that it worked, and that it is important to the character as he is now a lot more powerful. This therefore shows the audience that there will be some good come of this film as he uses it to his ability.

Next, when back in time, Tim relives the first few moments of the trailer but instead kisses the female instead of shaking her hand. The camera moves to a close up of the kiss, which is common in

romance films, as the love between the characters is then observed more by the other characters, so they can feel for the characters, especially at this time Tim, who has already witnesses not being at all in love, and having trouble with romance. After this shot, the camera goes back to Tim sitting with his Dad, as he tells Tim that it will be a complicated life. The scene fades to a natural pink/white (rather natural and

romantic.) where the music starts up over top of the video. The song is an indie folk song, representing the love and life of the characters, Lake House by Of Monsters and Men. The title screen reads off in a sans serif text, who made the film. This can then grab more attention for those watching the film, as if it is a familiar film, people will be further

entised into the story. The trailer fades to black, and re opens with Tim’s voice over explaining that his new found power, was always going to be about finding love. The trailer fades back up, to Tim staring at a woman down a street, the shot swaps places, and is now seen from Tims point of view, so we can now feel personal with the character and feel and see what he sees. The shot is of Rachel McAdams character Mary, in a shallow focus. The roads on either side of Mary act as leading lines to focus the audiences eyes upon Mary. The light infront of her body, acts as a border around her body, like an angelic woman, who has come to save Tims character, so he can find love. The rule of thirds shows that Mary is in the centre, whilst, leading lines are in the other thirds. The scene is in slow motion, as she turns around to reveal her face, to show the audience her beauty. The next few shots are similar, with other slow motion shots and scenes, everytime getting closer to Mary, so more focus in on her from the audience, this also shows that Mary will also be another supporting character in the film.

Following a few more scenes of Tim failing to impress Mary, and wanting to relive the moment over again, another title scene fades to, reading; ‘What if you could relive any moment.’ The rhetorical question gets the audience guessing and thinking about what they would do when in this situation, and as the trailer goes on, can compare it to Tims experiences.

Following more scenes, where Tim begins to works things out after multiple rewound scenes of his first dates with Mary, Tim explains that Mary looks wonderful and rhats just her face, as he hadnt

yet looked further down, this is quite funny and by now the audience realise the comedic values of the film, in this convention of form. Following this, the music cuts out and there is a shot from above, as a high wide angle, looking down at a bed. The bed appears to be rather neat and the pair seem rather relaxed, with the room still in tact. The shot however still shows them as rather weak and vulnerable, but also

in a comic effect as it connotes the awkwardness between the two. However, the next scene shows them both in a ruined bed, whilst they appear to be even more warn out, with everything in a much worse mess, with them both cuddling and appearing to be naked, as this scene follows the last, it contrasts and acts more for the comic value. In the above shot, the bed cover represents the innocence and normality of Marys bedroom, where as the white bed sheets and pillows represents the natural purity of the bed, and how lust and sin is laid over the pure and natural source, like a ruined stain. The scene further signifies the comedy within the film as Mary explains that ‘Some people make a real mess of it the first time’, this is funny for the audience who have just seen the previous scene and know the truth about Tim.

Now half way through the trailer, the audience have discovered the main story arc and what sort of film it is going to be. This is conventional for the genre of trailer being used, as is similar to other film trailers like Dear John and The Vow. From here on, the trailer includes multiple montages of clips showing other exciting scenes through out the film, however not set in a particular order, so does not reveal much of the story line.

The main aim of the trailer is of course to advertise the film, however the film has a message of living life to the full. This therefor shows multiple clips of love, in a train station in the London Underground, with the same song in a more upbeat section, as the montage never remains on more than one clip for more than 2 seconds. This connotes the effect of life being a long journey, but a quick one also. This image here shows the two seeming to be in love taking up the middle section

of the screen walking into a platform. The next scene shows them walking back through, whilst Tim is carrying her. This connotes the journey of life, and how they are coming back from a day. The carrying shows that love can pick you up. The two here are both still in the middle section. Overall the colour in these two scenes, are rather bright colours, but faded enough so they seem more realistic.

The scene follows with more similar scenes in a train station. Then whilst in a bedroom, Tim asks Mary to marry him. This is uncommon in film trailers for this much detail to be given away, however, this then tells the audience that the relationship of Tim and Mary is

not the main focus of the film but more the concept of Tim’s power. The scenes is dimly lit, with just a lamp behind Tims head, creating a border around Tim representing the strength of his question and the fear in asking it. The shot is a low angle looking up at Tim from Marys shoulder, this shows us as the audience what it is like from Mary’s perspective. The shot

then moves over to Mary, where we see her laying down on a bed, with a high angle looking down at her, as she exclaims yes. The scene fades to black, and quickly rises back up again, put you as the camera in the driver’s seat of the car as it drives crashing into another. The inside of the car appears to be red, connoting the danger and death, within the crash. The car it hits appears to be blue/purple, which may represent the thought of heaven, wisdom and mystery, as no one can explain death nor what happens in heaven. The compostition of the shot shows that the driver sits on the right hand side and there is an empty chair on the other connoting the lonliness of death. The car infront is sprawled across the screen representing not being able to escape it. Finally the rear mirror is dark, implying that the past is a blur, either through the means of dying or the characters past. Whoever is in the car therefore could have a dark past. The music here almost stops, and is very slowed down, to a much more quiet piece of the song. After a distant shot of the car crash, showing the full destruction of the two cars, in slow motion, showing everyone at a slow speed what is happening, the scene again goes to black and spans to another small separate motage spanning over 4 powerful shots. The number 4 representing the realisation of power. Which Is in fact true for this film.

The first shot shows Tim and Mary running through a hospital in slow motion, in the

centre of the screen, with leading lines either side of them, as they are both dressed in near nutural colours. This is conventional for a movie trailer, as it represents the dillema within the film. It is also conventionalm for a Romantic trailer, similarly in The Notebook, the dillema in the trailer hits around ¾ of the way through, and is resolved through the rest of the trailer. The next shot is of the main cast and characters in the living room of the tropical house from the beginning. In the room everyone is dressed in black, connoting death and a funeral. Tim is on one of the third lines, whilst some similar looking ginger male, presumably his brother is standing on the other third line, with the doors between them, connoting the doors to the death. Around them other characters border them, all of whom look forward to the camera.

The third scene shows a woman in the door way of the house, presumabley Tims mum. She stands in the centre third, showing her importance in this scene. ‘I am so uniterested in a life without your father’. Firstly, the language used shows the class of people who is targeted to watch the film. But also shows that the character who has infact died/dying. The colour within the shot is now a lot darker and not as colourful as before. The final scene in the black to screen montage, is this clip of Tim hugging his dad, taking up the two right thirds, whilst letting the white light linger in in the far left third. The light, lights up the two from behind almost like angels in a time of death, like they are enlightened with knowledge and love. This scene is however not in slow motion, but is a lot slower than the rest as it lets the audience take in the love of the pair. This therefore highlights this relationship and shows it off to the audience, this is common in both this form and genre, where a

significant moment happens, the editing stops from being fast paced and slows down to reveal the significance of a character or relationship. Finally, without swapping back to black, the scene carries on, however from a different angle, so now you can see the emotion upon Tims face instead of his dads, further highlighting the relationship between the two. Tims arms are firmly wrapped around his father. When looking at the two shots after each other, it is noticed that Tim looks out into the light of the window, as he sees heaven and hope, at this time of need, whilst Dad sees his interests, within the books and his busy room. This can either connote his power to travel or his disagreement to whether he accepts dying or not.

The trailer is further rewound, as Dad talks about consequences in travelling, the next scene we find Tim and Mary in an art gallery, where Mary explains she has never met him before. Tim’s face is half lit, showing he is half knowledgeable about his power, however Mary is almost entirely in darkness, and standing in a trench coat, often associated in crime and mystery films as being crafty and mysterious.

As the music rises back up to the happiest point of the song, we are given an eye-line shot of Tims eyes. The eyes therefore show that Tim is being receptive and learning his lessons to his power.

From now on, the trailer includes fast paced editing of a series of clips from Tim’s life being happy, with the title

screens reading ‘it’s about love’ ‘it’s about life’. These can entice the audience so they can see the genre and the further plot of the film.

This shot shows Mary to be surrounded by bridesmaids, in a rather untraditional red dress, showing the love and lust of the characters, but also the genre of the film overall. She is in the centre of the screen with men as ushers either side of her. Firstly this scene is a wedding, but also shows the artistic cinematography used with in the film. The camerawork is very conventional for this genre of film. The next few shots include a baby (presumably theirs.) in a shallow field shot, focusing on the new born baby, whilst a hospital tag is wrapped around the female’s wrist. The colours in this shot

show the whites and peaches all of which neutral colours in this scene. With the foot in the middle, almost red, representing again the love.

As the trailer comes to an end, a final few shots finish off what sort of film it is going to be. Commonly for a romance film, there are often some tears and kissing. In this film, following some

crying, there is a shot of Dad and presumably Tim as a child standing on a beach, skimming stones, doing normal family activities. The shot is wide, and from a reasonable distance, showing the relationship, as the two are quite close. The light shines on their whole bodies, representing not having a care in the world, when everything seemed to be perfect. The ocean infront of them connotes the long distant life they have together. This is followed by a similar shot, of Tim and another child, running down a street together. They are both in the middle third, whilst Mary and child are in the other third. Both of which are on the right side of the railings, showing that they have freedom, whilst the children are young. This is a conventional piece to do in the

form of trailers, and it shows imprisonment and freedom easily. The leading lines also focus the eyes on Tim. The mise-en-scene here is rather normal, as they appear in London, maybe off to school; however, Tim is wearing the same clothes as what his dad did in the above clip, showing the relationship and fatherhood between the two characters, with the brown connoting natural sources like life, and the blue being freedom and wisdom.

After a big smile between the two characters, the trailer fades into a final title screen, revealing the name of the film. This is conventional to appear at the end of the film, as it has now attracted the audience, and people will now want to remember the name of the film and plan on going to see the film.

This trailer is incredibly conventional and includes many factors both suitable for the form and genre of a romantic drama movie trailer. The title slides are also very conventional for movie trailers, and the overlap of a character using a voice over narrates the film.