Exam Practice: Avatar Analysis

Previously Unposted 

As a class we all watched the full film together, and our homework was to write up a detailed analysis of the official trailer( found on YouTube). 

This is not the full essay that I wrote.. I have written out snippets of my answer from the start, main body and ending of the essay.  In the original essay I included a lot more detail and print screen images from the trailer to back up my analysis.  Originally the essay is around 19 paragraphs long , which typed is around 3 pages of A4 .

My teacher made up the title to help ease us into exam questions and answers. This was originally set as homework, but it was also used for individual revision purposes, setting us up for the exam.  

Because I have only posted snippets of the essay , to show where there would be more paragraphs I have placed a long line of dots E.G. ............................................................................................................................................................................................................

As this is is not a  previous post , I do welcome any comments on my work and I hope it helps you to understand analysis better, the film a little bit better , and even how to construct an essay. 

So here it is folks .. the essay  :) 

Watch the following trailer and analyse everything that you can see from the starting credits to the ending credits, using media terminology.

The trailer that I am going to be analysing is the Avatar Movie HD trailer. Within this essay I am going to be analysing the trailer, commenting on the visual codes, genre, characters and settings/Mis- En-Scene.  I will also be analysing the Persuasive techniques of the trailer, the music used and how the clips of the film are structured together.

Even before the film clips actually start the two company logos that are producing the film are flashed on the screen. This is to show the audience who is responsible for the making/producing of the film yet does not take up any of the actual film trailer or the time.

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The next part of the trailer shows an army of soldiers, running down a ramp that is connected to a gigantic spacecraft, and in the middle is the main character. All of the soldiers are wearing gas masks which, again hints that they are not on planet Earth. It also hints that this is the main characters mission. This is a persuasive technique because the soldiers give a sense that there is going to be a fight/battle/war within the film and this entices the action lovers out there to watch it.

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The clip below shows a giant piece of technological machinery, which is similar to a bulldozer, crashing through a forest and knocking down all the trees and foliage in its path. This conveys to the audience that there is a considerable amount of destruction within the film Avatar.

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 From about half way through the trailer till the end there are short and snappy persuasive techniques to make the audience want to watch the whole film. The very first one that flashes across the screen is the directors name ‘James Cameron’. The next 5 techniques are names of famous films that he has directed and nearly everyone has heard off/ seen. This is a persuasive technique because if the audience liked his other films it may make them want to watch Avatar. All of the film titles are split up by different clips from avatar that are showing a lot of action, destruction and violence. The backgrounds are black to make the information stand out more and to make the font look more futuristic to tie in with the genre of the film.

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Overall the avatar film trailer is persuading the audience to what the film throughout, from start to finish by using techniques such as the colour schemes, lighting, and distinctive snapshots of the movie.