Mood and Tone

I am aiming to make my trailer in the style of an arthouse film. It will be exploring alternate, distorted states of reality - this will be shown through expressionistic visuals, the strong use of colour giving a trippy and psychedelic atmosphere. This will be helped with motif (reflections) and editing techniques such as superimposition. 

This alternative, lo-fi style is based on films such as Enter the Void, Under the Skin, Trainspotting and Only God Forgives. 

Please look at my research and planning posts on these trailers, as well as my other influences, for notes and detailed analysis.

Example shots:

1. Reflections as motif

These two shots show James looking at his reflection. In psychology, mirrors symbolise the threshold between the conscious and the subconscious mind - so, by looking at his reflection, he is looking towards his unconscious and the altered, distorted place which his mind is in. Whilst doing this, he is attempting to reach the part of his mind which is able to access the information which he has been ordered to find. 

These reflections and mirrors also symbolise James being reflective of himself throughout the film, as this gives an idea of a personal journey as well as a physical one.

2. Superimposition

I have chosen to use a lot of superimposition in my trailer to heighten the sense of confusion and a distorted reality. It makes the audience question what is real and what is not, and portrays James' unhinged, drug-addled mind. 

This also helps to heighten the suspense and tension throughout the trailer, and visually draws the audience in as there is more than one image to look at on the screen.