Analysis of 'Before I Go To Sleep' Trailer

Time: 2:10
Number of shots: Approximately 130


The first shot is an extreme close-up of veiny, bloodshot eye, with constricted pupils. Pupils constrict in bright light, or when people are in shock, suggesting to the audience that the person has experienced something alarming. The extreme close up is unusual for audiences to see, as viewing an eye in such detail is uncommon.

The distribution company logo is shown after this.

A close-up and a mid-shot are then used to display a blonde woman sitting up in bed, looking at her husband with a surprised face. In this film/trailer she is the protagonist, which is counter typical as having a woman as the main character is uncommon. However, throughout the trailer she is presented a weak and vulnerable, through narrative techniques such as a voiceover and certain cinematography elements. In these two scenes she is wearing a pink top, showing innocence and femininity, which contrasts with the black top the man is wearing suggesting he is superior over her. They are both older characters indicating that the target audience may be for adults, due to the complex and possibly upsetting plot.

Throughout the trailer, a black and white effect is placed over shots which are the woman's memories of the past. The mid shot of the two characters kissing contrasts with the previous shots. Here they are intimate and look as if they are in love, however in the previous shot the two make no physical contact and seem cautious of each other.

A mid-shot is then used to show the blonde character looking at photos of her with the man seen in previous scenes - presented using extreme close ups. She isn't wearing clothes in the mid-shot, which again suggests purity, and lack of power.

Later in the trailer, a close up of the woman, who we presume if the protagonist, in a photo with cuts and blood over her face is shown. At this point audiences get an insight into her past and what caused her memory loss - which is told to audiences through the use of a voiceover, as well as dialogue with her husband. Again this is a black and white effect, suggesting it is a memory.

The severity of her accident is then highlighted through the displacement of police and police cars. The involvement of police causes the audience to want to know what really happened, therefore needing to go to watch the film.

An establishing shot is then used to show an empty field setting, with the main woman and another man driving through it. Through diegetic dialogue we find that the man is a doctor, who has been working with her to help her recover memories. This professional help leads her to start piecing events together throughout the trailer, again leading the audience to desire to know the ending.

Lighting is important in this trailer. On the left an extreme close up of the woman eyes is shown, but has strong blue lighting. This confuses audiences as it is unnatural, matching the unnatural situation the main character is in. Low-key lighting is used in the long-shot on the left, of two people meeting in a car park. The use of low-key lighting makes it ambiguous as to who is meeting, building anticipation, and adding to the fact that secrets are being with-held.

A close up in later shown to the main woman character of a newspaper report prop, with the headline 'Woman found after horrific attack', informing the audience that her memory loss was the result of a severe attack, but who from is not revealed in the trailer.

A cut is then used to go from a close up of a hotel door number, to a long shot of the view down the corridor. This would usually be presented through the use of a zoom, but the cut between the two shots shocks and distresses audiences, one of the main intensions of a psychological thriller film. Long corridors and small spaces are one of the things I found that people are scared of, and this trailer uses this to their advantage. 

The woman is later watching a video on her camera of her saying not to trust her husband. This is immediately followed by a close-up of the two in bed, with his arms around her. This allows the audience to sympathise and relate to the characters confusion, and lack of knowledge as of who to trust.

I found that editing in the trailer alters, with it showing a few shots in a slow pace, then editing 4/5 shots together extremely quickly. This lack of rhythm or order once again disorientates audiences, and keeps them guessing as to what is going to happen, and when it is going to happen.

The protagonists isolation, and lack of trust in the world around her is highlight here in a long shot of her walking down a near-empty street. Audiences will sympathise for her, and follow the preferred reading, of wanting for her safety.

Inter titles are used, with alternating colours of text and background, as presented below. The inter tiles are used to inform audiences of popular, well-known actors featured in the film such as Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth. Star power is often emphasised in trailers, as this will persuade many audiences to preview the film. An inter title is also used to tell audiences that the film is based on a 'best selling novel', promotion another one of its crucial selling points.

A long shot is shown of the woman having a MRI scan, highlighting the seriousness and extremity of her medical condition. This further intrigues audiences as it is a traumatic, but interesting situation that they desire to learn more about. This cuts to a close-up of the side of the main characters face, with a red tint over the shot. This re-emphasises how she is inside a machine, in an important medical meeting.

Pace of editing then builds, cutting between 4 different shots in approximately 1 second. Through my research I have found that this speed of editing for trailers is conventional. In this trailer they cleverly manipulate the editing to match the irregular bursts of her memory, with the slowing down for a few second, then speeding up for a couple of seconds. Not only does this keep the audiences engaged, the irregularity builds suspense, causing the audience to look forward to the film. The shots displayed here have been previously shown in the trailer, highlighting the time shifts and non-chronology of trailers.





Juxtaposing shots are then shown again of the two main characters in the narrative. One is a close up of them crying, appealing to the audiences emotions, and once again causing them to sympathise with the protagonist. A mid shot is then shown of the two in an elevator, with the camera showing the doors closing on them. I found this was very effective as it looked as if the shot was fading the black, suggesting closure, and that there is an end to something. Elevators are small spaces, where audiences are usually uncomfortable, which could be symbolic of how the two characters are feeling.

A slight low angle, close-up camera shot is then used to show a glass smashing on the floor. I found that amplified sound is also used here, emphasising the it was broken, and also forcing the audience to question how it fell/was pushed. Smashed glass is typically connotative of violence, accidents or fighting, giving viewers an insight into the events prior to this shot.







Inter titles then appear in sections, with 'Who Do' coming up first for 1 second. It is on a black background, which is conventional for the thriller genre, as it connotative of the night and mystery. Several clips of different camera shots are then edited together in a fast pace, including a close up of the feature character whispering on the phone. Tension builds from this point onwards, with editing dramatically building in pace. Gradually more text appears, flicking in-between shots of the woman.

The title of the film then appears in the font previously used in the inter-titles, displaying consistency throughout the trailer. Red, black and white are the only colours included, all stereotypical colours for the genre, as they all have connotations of violence and uncertainty.

The final shot of the trailer is back to a close up of the woman's eye, linking back to the first shot of the trailer sequence. The eye also reinforces how it is a famous actress, using star power to entice audiences. It also makes the audience question what she is looking at so intensely.

The date of release is then shown, which is on Halloween, again reinforcing how it is a haunting thriller film, which will tease and confuse audiences.