Disney trailer analysis

Big Hero 6 is a movie created by Walt Disney Animation Studios and distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures. The narrative is about a boy named Hiro Hamada, who receives a robot named Baymax from his brother after he dies in a fire. Hiro is a robotics inventor and creates a project consisting of magnets called "Microbots" to apply for a university. Shortly afterwards, Hiro finds out that his "Microbots" have been used to by a mysterious man in a mask. To combat this, Hiro and his friends arm up with their own inventions to fight the villain.

The trailer starts off with a Disney title to instantly capture the attention of Disney fans. It then cuts to an establishing LS of the setting; a city named San Fransokyo. Furthermore, there is an information graphic, informing the audience that the next shots are set in "San Fransokyo Police Dept." The establishing shots are then followed by a conversation between Hiro, the protagonist, and a police officer. The trailer provides exposition through the conversation between the two characters, telling the audience about "a man in a kabuki mask". This scene also introduces the robot Baymax, who stands next to Hiro and suggests that he is a helper role. 

The trailer utilises cross-cutting to add context to Hiro's statement and makes the audience believe Hiro. This juxtaposes with the uninterested face of the police officer who clearly doesn't believe him, creating an awkward situation that is funny to the audience. The calm detective music contrasts with the intense battle music in the villain shots and the urgency in Hiro's voice, implying that the police will be no help to him. When the police officer turns around to get the clipboard, telling Hiro to "write his name and number", Hiro and Baymax both disappear. This indicates that they are in a hurry, and will likely take the matter into their own hands.

Another intertitle follows, with the text: "From the creators of Wreck-it Ralph and Frozen", which appeals to the audience of those successful films. Then the trailer music starts getting faster and the shots are put together in a montage, showing Hiro create a suit for Baymax and encountering the villain with Hiro's friends. This creates tension and immerses the audience in the fights with the villain. The montage also shows Baymax protecting Hiro from a fall after being blasted out of a window, which improves the relationship between them and makes the audience empathise with them. The trailer transitions between each scene through the use of intertitles, which maintains continuity of each scene.

Baymax is also used as a comedy device throughout the trailer, such as the shot with it using sellotape to fix his punctures. The music stops to increase the awkwardness and disbelief from the police officer and Hiro and the shot duration is excessively long to add comedy. In addition, comedy is created at the end of the trailer with Baymax acting immature and goofy because he is at low battery and the "hairy baby" shot. This keeps the whole trailer lighthearted, which appeals to the main target audience of young children.

Continuity Task 1

1.) Explain the story of your video:

A boy is practising his race starts and jumps over a hurdle. However, he trips shortly after attempting the second hurdle.

2. How did you create 'narrative flow'?
We started off with a CU to introduce the character before cutting to an OTS low angle POV LS to establish the setting. Afterwards, it cuts to a low angle MS to capture the action of the boy jumping over the hurdle. It then cuts to a LS in front where the boy finishes his jump and runs out of frame to the right. We constantly tried to make sure that the audience is spatially aware of where the boy is, so we made sure to include a master shot, showing the boy travelling from one hurdle to the other in an ELS. We also show the boy tripping in the master so the audience can see the action without the use of many cuts. It ends on a bird's eye view of the boy lying on the floor in pain to show his reaction.

3. Did you achieve full continuity? If not, why not?
We achieved continuity in most of the scene, such as staying on the same side of the action by following the 180° rule so the boy appears to be running in the same direction. We started off with a CU to introduce the character, which is followed by an establishing shot to present the character in the setting. In addition, we showed the character travelling to the hurdle to keep the audience constantly aware of where the boy is spatially. The third shot continues from where the second shot finishes, which shows the boy jumping over the hurdle. However, we lose continuity in the forth shot, as the shot starts at the wrong time, making the boy seem like he is jumping twice. Moreover, there were people in the background, who weren't there in previous shots, therefore breaking continuity. The following transition maintains continuity as the boy runs out of shot to the right into the next shot from the left. When the boy trips, we lose continuity again as he doesn't completely fall onto the floor in the fifth shot but is already on the floor on the sixth.

4. In hindsight, what would you do differently to improve the narrative flow of your video and tell your story more effectively?
If I could change my video, I would find more stationary positions for the boy to cut each shot, making it easier to achieve continuity. Also, I would wait for the people in shot 4 to move out of frame and make sure each shot is level, as some shots were tilted slightly. If I could edit my video, I would also add music to increase tension of the scene.

Below is an edited version of the video:

Reflection of Practical: TV Drama Still

When we were set this task, we decided on a western genre. To achieve this, we thought of places and props that could signify that the shot is from a western TV show. When we were planning our shot, we used a storyboard so we can decide who takes what role in each shot. The storyboard also has the shot number and several details about each shot such as the framing, lighting and props that are required.

For my shot, I decided to set it on a set of stairs next to an old looking door to represent the old fashioned time period of the 1800s. In addition, I used the basic cowboy outfit of a brown jacket, jeans, leather shoes and a cowboy hat, which creates semic codes, telling the audience that it is a cowboy. I also used a prop revolver gun and fake blood to indicate that the shot was taken after the action of a conventional shootout in western genres. The revolver is a common gun seen in the genre, and acts as a genre signifier which creates more realism for this shot. For the lighting, we used a portable light with a yellow filter to create the warm desert sepia colour scheme seen in western genres.

From this shot, I wanted my audience to understand that it was a shootout, since the dead cowboy also had his gun out, as if to shoot. This may create enigma and provoke the audience to ask who killed him and why there was a shootout. In addition, the dead cowboy also represents a symbolic code that is conventional to the genre; the idea of the good cowboys versus the outlaws.

If I were to retake my shot, I would add more conventions to pin down the genre, such as a desert setting, which could be achieved through a green screen. This would instantly suggest a western genre as they are typically set in those settings, especially for shootouts. Also, I would have tried to use more realistic blood to immerse the audience so it would be more believable. Furthermore, the gun could be positioned better so it is in clearer view and a holster or leather belt could be added to improve the costume, making a more convincing cowboy.

In conclusion, I think my shot was fairly successful in conveying its meaning, as it is clear that the man is a cowboy who has just lost a shootout. In addition, the lighting and background does well at anchoring the genre and the LS framing and high angle portrays the cowboy as weak and helpless, which would contrast to how the victor would be portrayed and indicating the skill between the cowboys in the shootout.

TV Drama Still Analysis

For my TV drama, I have chosen a still from the series 'Sherlock'. The still denotes Sherlock in a navy blue trench coat alongside a bloodhound on a street. Sherlock is pointing to the left with his finger and both Sherlock and the dog are facing away from the camera. There are white residential homes in the background with black doors, which creates a setting that resembles the middle or higher class streets in London. The location of London may suggest a detective or crime drama since London is usually portrayed as a 'hub of crime' in the genre. In addition, Sherlock is wearing a typical detective outfit, the trench coat, which reinforces the genre. The central position of Sherlock and the dog portrays them as the protagonists, working alongside each other, as the dog can be viewed as a 'man's best friend'. This, along with the lack of direct address to the camera, suggests that they are in the middle of work, and are in the crime-solving part of the narrative. The focus on Sherlock immerses the audience in Sherlock's POV, in order to create entertainment from following his thought processes.