part of coursework

1. The analysis of trailers
Zayn Sattar

2. INTRODUCTION
The 2 trailers I will be including within this task is the action thriller, “Rambo” which
was released in 2008 and “Wolverine“ the sci-fi action adventure released in 2013
Heroes never die…they just reload
The hero. The fugitive. The warrior.
The survivor. The legend.

3. Conventions
Rambo and wolverine have used typical conventions within their trailers and in this scenario they
both evolve around the main aspect which is Action. The common conventions within Action films
are generally as follows from the involvement of chases, fights, heroes and villains all the way to
explosions, just to name a few. However within the particular examples of Rambo and Wolverine
certain conventions are more heavily used throughout the trailers. To start off with the main
conventions that are shared within both of the trailers is the vast range of explosions and
destruction alone. This gives us as the viewer an impulsive feel and gets us prepared for the rush of
adrenaline that is to come. Along with just explosions their is a real sense of a enigma code that
creeps it way throughout the length of 2 minutes and gives us a indication that their is no time to
waste as their is a mission at hand that needs to be completed, and all of this can only be done by
one man and one man only, each to their own or in this scenario Rambo and Wolverine, the
protagonists of their film, gradually as more thought is put behind the understanding of each trailer
more aspects are incorporated such as within Rambo the use of sinister music timed with
explosions and destruction and the fight of good Vs Bad starts to engage the audience and make it
interesting for them as the viewers...enigma codes are laced throughout the trailers, which means
that there is a lot of information to be taken in from the viewer. The trailer itself doesn’t give too
much information away about what the film actually is about and rather leaves a more mysterious
impression for the audience, leaving them to work out what may be going on.

4. Camera work
In the trailers not too much is given away about what the plot may be or alternatively what the
actual narrative is. In Rambo there is a wide selection of close ups as well as long shots which are
regularly used to increase the suspense within the trailer and expresses the high levels of action
that is in fact not only within the film but mirrored on the facial expressions to the body language
of the characters themselves. The camera shots incorporated within the trailers for Rambo as
well as wolverine are a mixture of close ups to extreme long shots and alternate constantly. The
effect this has is that it builds up anticipation throughout the trailer, capturing the audiences
attention as their is high levels of realism where the audience can relate to the contextualisation
used. The camera shots incorporated are as follows -
• Close ups
• High angle Shots
• Low angle Shots
• Medium shots
• Zoom
• Over the shoulder
• Extreme close ups
• Birds eye view
• Medium shot

5. Editing
Within the trailers it is simple to say that the camera work that is used is very fast paced and
there are many jump cuts that are used in order to alternate between the different scenes
included within the clips. This builds to the actual tension within the trailer through the various
combination of shots. In addition to this the speed of the editing is cleverly coordinated with the
music involved within the trailer which gives a overall bigger impact to the audience leaving a
longer lasting and more powerful effect of a climax. Within the editing alone many key
characteristics were involved in both trailers from match on action in Rambo to the use of more
CGI and such technological effects within wolverine. Other things that were involved were –
• Jump cuts
• Continuity throughout
• Use of cross cutting
• Fast pace in order to match what is going on
• cutaways

6. Genre
The genre for both Wolverine and Rambo vary as within wolverine there is a sci-fi adventurey
feel behind it whereas Rambo is a more war related type of thriller, however this being said both
films share one common characteristic and this is mainly being based upon action and this is the
genre with the biggest influence over both the films.
Action, Adventure, Sci-Fi, Thriller
Action, War, Thriller

7. Sound
In the Rambo trailer there is no sound used, instead the whole media footage is co-ordinated
with the song “Drowning Pool – Bodies”. This choice of song fits hand In hand with what the
trailer is trying to portray, “let the bodies hit the floor” is at the same time shown with like the
name may suggest bodies hitting the floor, explosions and killings so the music is very appropriate
but at the same time the intensity behind the singing within the song indicates that there is a
murky high octane feel to the whole film, no dialogue is required as this alone is enough.
However when compared with wolverine there is a far more mysterious effect that is portrayed
and this is from the way that not too much Is given away from the dialogue. This sets the tone as
to how the film is and the focus of more diegetic sounds from conversations that characters have
to the use of natural sounds creates a perplexing impression for the viewer that mysteriously
captures them and draws them into the film.

8. Narrative
As far as the narrative goes itself, here is a brief explanation behind each film…
Logan, AKA, The Wolverine, is sent to
modern-day Japan to meet a dying
billionaire who wants to offer him
thanks. When he arrives, however,
Logan gets pulled into a battle where
has to face not only face a deviant
atrocity and lethal samurai steel but
also his own immortality.
In modern day Japan, Wolverine is out
of his depth in an unknown world as he
faces his ultimate nemesis in a life-or-
death battle that will leave him forever
changed. Vulnerable for the first time
and pushed to his physical and
emotional limits, he confronts not only
lethal samurai steel but also his inner
struggle against his own immortality,
emerging more powerful than we have
ever seen him before.
In Thailand, John Rambo joins a group of mercenaries to
venture into war-torn Burma, and rescue a group of Christian
aid workers who were kidnapped by the ruthless local infantry
unit.
Vietnam veteran John Rambo has survived many harrowing
ordeals in his lifetime and has since withdrawn into a simple
and secluded existence in Thailand, where he spends his time
capturing snakes for local entertainers, and chauffeuring locals
in his old PT boat. Even though he is looking to avoid trouble,
trouble has a way of finding him: a group of Christian human
rights missionaries, led by Michael Burnett and Sarah Miller,
approach Rambo with the desire to rent his boat to travel up
the river to Burma. For over fifty years, Burma has been a war
zone. The Karen people of the region, who consist of peasants
and farmers, have endured brutally oppressive rule from the
murderous Burmese military and have been struggling for
survival every single day. After some inner contemplation,
Rambo accepts the offer and takes Michael, Sarah, and the rest
of the missionaries up the river. When the missionaries finally
arrive at the Karen village, they find themselves part of a raid
by the sadistic ...
Referenced by IMDB