Research: Analysis teaser trailer 1 - Beauty and the Beast (2017)

Teaser trailers are compilations of film footage which introduces the audience to the narrative and increases anticipation. These are normally heavily edited to show the audience the "best bits" of the film to make them want to go and see it. Teaser trailers conventionally last between 30 seconds and a minute long. They are sometimes released as much as 18 months in advance of the film.
The advantage of me creating a teaser trailer is that it is shorter, so will perhaps require less filming than a full trailer. In addition, because it gives the audience less information, the narrative will not have to be as developed.
To inform my research, I have decided to conduct a short analysis of teaser trailers.

Beauty and the Beast (2017) teaser trailer

Institutional Information
Beauty and the Beast (2017) is a live action retelling of a classic story. It stars Emma Watson and Dan Stevens, among others. The film is directed by Bill Condon, with the writers being Stephen Chbosky, Evan Spiliotopoulos and based on the 1991 animated version written by Linda Woolverton. It is produced by Disney.

Mise en Scene
The colours used are predominantly red and gold. Red connotes love, foreshadowing the romance between Belle and the Beast. However, it could also link to the danger that the Beast first presents. Gold is significant because it connotes the regality in the movie; Belle is a princess. Gold can be seen in the typography and so furthers this notion of nobility. This means that the trailer also adheres to the usual "sparkle" seen in Disney films.
The setting featured in the trailer (a majestic house) adds to the feeling of nobility. It also makes Belle seem more vulnerable and is a stock setting for Disney films; it acts as a palace. The large size of the house adds to the ambiguity of the film as we are not shown the whole setting. The lighting substantiates this ambiguity because it is low key and dark, our view of the setting and Belle is unclear. However, when Belle reaches to pick up the rose, there is natural lighting shed on her face. This light helps to portray her as a symbol of innocence and purity. The floating petal seen during the titles is suggestive of damage to the rose, so could point to Belle being in danger.

Sound
The dominant sound used in this teaser trailer is a non diegetic soundtrack. It is quite slow and calm, and the higher pitch sounds connote magic and sparkle. This links to the premise of the film. There is also the diegetic sound of Belle saying "hello" within the scene. Prior to this, there is the diegetic sound of the other characters (I'm assuming them to be a candle and clock" talking to one another.) It is unclear whether it has been added in after filming, because it is over a black screen. However, it is not a voice over because it doesn't introduce enough of the narrative and it is a conversation between two characters. At 0:44, a "claw" rips across the screen (representing the Beast) and the sound becomes more dramatic. There is the non diegetic sound of growling, the door opening and sighing. At 1:04, the trailer returns to a softer version of the original soundtrack. This continues until 1:27.

Editing
There are fade to blacks at 0:24, 0:34, 0:44, 0:52, 1:00 and 1:17. The frequent use of fade to black increases ambiguity, surrounding the film, as well as increasing anticipation for the footage. A black screen heightens the impact of sound, because it is the only thing the audience has to focus on. This means they will be able to digest the dialogue. At 0:44, the claw like tear across the screen perhaps shocks the audience; it is suggestive of the Beast and contrasts with the calm seen prior to this. The typography style is serif, so makes the title seem more definitive.

This appears at the end of the trailer, and shows the typography used.

Camera
The first few shots are wide establishing shots. These help introduce the audience to the setting, whilst immediately being suggestive of magic. This is because the house has a lot of grandeur, and the natural lighting indoors offers an aura of sophistication. The camera pans to give the audience a better view. 

Wide establishing shot

Close up

This close up helps emphasise the painting (in particular this face) to the audience, suggesting its prominence in the narrative. After this, an effect in the transition is used. It is like the screen is being ripped by a claw so foreshadows the beast. The painting is old and so conveys the grand nature of the house. It is a stock setting for darker films and so links to the 'Beast' part of the movie.

Long shot

This long shot is effective because it displays the sheer size of the house, emphasizing the girl's innocence. Innocence is a key part of the princess persona. Furthermore, the fact that the door is half closed means there is ambiguity surrounding the pivotal character (Belle, we cannot see her face) and so builds audience anticipation to be introduced to her. This means that they are more likely to want to watch the whole trailer. It also links to teaser trailers being more cryptic, offering the audience less information than full trailers.

XCU

This XCU helps to convey the fragility of the rose to the audience, whilst also signalling its importance within the narrative. As I mentioned earlier when talking about mise en scene, red is a significant colour because it connotes both love and danger, representing both sides of the Beast's personality. Additionally, given the next shot, this could have been from Belle's point of view.

Close up 

This is a "dirty" close up shot, as the rose is out of focus. It conveys that Belle is dominant both in the shot and narrative; the audience can see her clearly. However, as this only shows half of her face and hand, some ambiguity surrounding her appearance remains. This shot further emphasises the fragility and prominence of the rose, as it is encased in glass. Hence it could suggest that Belle is quite an inquisitive character; she is exploring the character.

Evaluation and Critical Reflection
The trailer successfully introduces the audience to the film, "teasing" them with regards to the narrative. It is intelligently put together because there is such ambiguity surrounding a classic story, making it more interesting. I feel that the editing and sound are particularly effective. A more diverse range of camera angles, such as tracking shots, may have increased the impact. Whilst I understand the choice of setting (it was inevitable for a film like this, and effective) if I was being really critical, it could perhaps be a bit more imaginative.