Casino Royale Trailer Analysis

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Establishing Long Shot

As this is the second trailer I am analysing I have a few suspicions as to the features that will have been used. I was not surprised to see a long establishing shot at the beginning of the trailer as this seems to be a trend to set the scene for the opening. The black and white was an interesting decision by the makers but later becomes colour which is the same technique used in the film. This establishing shot is only a clue for the setting as it is not obvious where in the world this could be and whether the car has any link to the characters or whether it is just a moving object to give the scene more depth and suspicion. It is also worth noting the shot is from a long angle giving the buildings an impression of size and appears intimidating.

Fade In and Low Angle Shot

After the suspense created by the first scene, music begins to play of a dramatic tone and monologue begins by the character of ‘M’ who over the video, is having a discussion with Bond. Suddenly the shot of what appears to be a hotel, fades out and what fades in is a fast paced fight scene again shown from a low angle. It makes the scene seem mysterious and audience involvement is limited meaning we are unsure of the location and why the characters may be there. The scene continues in black and white and it becomes obvious that the location is a toilet room. There is also non-diegetic sound as when the character is seen to kick the other, loud bass noises appear which have been elaborated from the actual noises that may occur.

Slow Motion and Monologue

In this next scene, ‘M’ is telling Bond how his behaviours and actions must and should change when on duty. This is alongside a scene of Bond coming out of an elevator showed in slow motion, this represents that a new Bond is being presented in the scene. The scene also fades out before we fully get to see Bonds face although from what we do see, it can be assumed it is the main character although he has almost been hidden in a mysterious way which may confuse audiences as Bond is typical an outgoing adventurous character and not very stealthy. The slow motion used is not smooth and instead slightly jumpy making the viewer feel uneasy and question what the trailer is being developed into in the next sequence.

Close Up with Linked Monologue

‘I knew it was too early to promote you’ says ‘M’ as her face appears on the trailer with a worried look showing her regret and potential fear. They have chose to use a close up as this has not yet been used in the trailer so shows contrast as well as allowing the viewer to understand her facial expressions and how they are relevant to the scene. Within this shot there is a loose frame meaning there is little objects around the character. This may represent isolation and allows the viewer to purely focus on her expressions rather than focusing on irrelevant micro details in the background scene. The trailer is now over a third completed and yet there has been little content and it has all been in black and white.

A Change in Tone and Colour

‘Well I understand 00s have a very short life expectancy’. This quote is suddenly greeted by a turn of Bond towards the camera and doing the classic shot towards the camera. With red blood pouring down the camera, colour has now entered the trailer and the classic bond tune plays in a high speed and newer modern feel to it. It contracts the first 30 seconds and shocks the audiences but reminds them of the action and excitement received from a Bond film unlike what is portrayed at the beginning of the trailer. Bond films are known for being a bit cliche and unlike many action films do not need to greatly reveal the plot in the trailer as people will know and assume that it is a high budget film that has a good plot that audiences can look forward to.

Aerial Shot and Deep Focus

This part of the trailer definitely contrasts the content of the beginning. It has a an aerial shot meaning it is a view from overhead to show clear view, and to emphasise the are. There is also a deep focus meaning everything in the scene, near and far is in full focus allowing us to see the whole picture. The scene shows classic Bond action and allows the audience to see that this film will attract to the same audiences as the previous film. The shot was taken in daylight allowing audiences to see all the details and understand the surrounding without giving too much of the plot away. The classic Bond music continues to play in the background of this scene.

Tracking Shot and Close Up Handheld

This shot here was very quick to capture in the trailer and shows a tracking shot of the main character Bond hitting someone with a gun from behind. It is a handheld camera following the characters allowing the audience to feel involved with the action. It is a close up show but has been placed behind the character making you feel as if you are on his side and supporting his actions as you are seeing the shot from his perspective. The scene is light and clearly day time but takes place on what appears to be a construction site with objects such as buckets and paint in the background made obvious. Bond is seen to be wearing a shirt suggesting that he is either undercover or has suddenly been pulled into action showing how the life of an agent can be sudden and on edge.

The Classic Bond Montage

The trailer takes a turn from the slightly abnormal black and white intro to showing within three seconds the three most iconic things about Bond films, I believe these have been closely bought together to show the audiences that they can expect the classic action, girls and cars which have always been a key aspect to the 007 films. The montage allows a series of shots to quickly be edited together to show time passing and different events happening. It allows different elements of the film to be shown as well as locations. Instead of playing sounds specific to the scene these are played quietly (diegetic) along with the louder non-diegetic Bond music. This allows the scenes to contain a lot of content with high speed music and so it does not confuse audiences as they go well together.

Close Up Final Shot

After the screen showing the name of the film there is a scene when the camera zooms in to Daniel Craig and there is a close up of him looking towards to camera. We do not know anything else about the screen but we can see that Bond is well dressed in a typical Bond outfit and is surrounded by luxury showing the benefits to his job and the cliche Bond environment. The close up serves as an introduction to the new Bond as it is Daniel Craig’s first film and the direct eye contact with the camera makes it seem as if the character is welcoming you into the story. It serves as an effective trailer because it shows new exciting elements and well as the classic and much loved scenes of the 007 franchise.