Top Boy - Trailer (analysis)

Top Boy is a British TV series. The drama takes viewers into the housing estates of East London. There is tension between the drug gangs that operate almost openly and those who strive to live honest lives against the odds in the crime-riddled area. That tension is explored through the interlocking stories of 20-something drug dealer Dushane, who is determined to become the area's Top Boy, and good-natured but vulnerable teenager Ra'Nell, who is forced to grow up quickly following his mother's breakdown and enforced absence. The program combines elements of a tense gangster thriller with subtle social realism, some tenderness, innocence and humour.

Top Boy has a similar genre to Brotherhood however i feel that Top Boy was made to a much higher standard in the sense that it is much more realistic and raw which is what i like. This was clearly targeted at an older and a more niche audiance where as Brotherhood was trying to target a large audiance using a main stream rapper (Stormzy). The setting here is kept to the estates of east london and from the trailer you can see what gang life is really like, with a lot of drugs, weapons and violence. i feel this content grabs the viewer into this genre more then the same old fast action shots seen in most film trailers.

To make a successful film trailer for a film like this that conveys the reality of this gang lifestyle i will need to follow the conventions and use things like cars, and a lot of props such as weapons i need to consider outfits as well. 

Textual Analysis for Topboy (1) by Jack Brody on Scribd

Brotherhood- Official Trailer (analysis)

This is the trailer for Brotherhood (2016). Brotherhood is a fairly recent film with a London setting that is in the social realism genre however you could also argue that the films genre is a drama or Crime. Watching this trailer gave me a lot of ideas especially from the shots at the start. Most trailers of this genre seem to be made with fast pasted edditing of sudden action shots put together. The trailer immediately introduces its setting in a smart way because of the miss en scene replicates a typical street in London, the key icon here is the red London bus and simply the way the road and street is set out. anyone who lives or has been to London should know that this is the setting.The lighting in the first shots are low key, this foreshadows the negative narrative of this social realistic genre and fits the mood of the film,this entices the audience and keeps them engaged. In the opening shots non diegetic sounds are used of the main characters voice speaking in a rather calm but negative tone engaging the audience by building up suspense and brings them into the film. The trailer puts the audience in the type of atmosphere that we would all experience on a daily basis. films that do this are a great interest to me as i feel they have a greater effect on the viewer.

This shot of a person swinging a baseball bat instantly gives the audience a sense of violence and action that are themes in the film. Its effective because it sets the scene quickly attracting the target audience. A negative representation is set for this character as he is filmed in a state of aggression, he is wearing a hood and is black, therefore the trailer is representing black males in a stereotypical, violent and criminal way. A lot of teenagers are seen in the film trailer who are re[presented in a stereotypical way too because they are associated with gang and criminal activity.

The first shots of the trailer have a fading transition but as the rest of the trailer goes on the editing goes faster and there are no longer transitions which creates the feeling that this is a dramatic film with a lot going on. I much prefer the slower shots at the start because it doesn't give to much away and also gives the audience a rough idea of what type of film it is, i think it also really cativates the mood of the film which is what i like in a film trailer. I especially like the fourth shot which is a birds eye view shot of a man walking down a road of which looks like a rough neighbourhood which is suggested by the previous shots and the ones that follow. I think this shot also introduces the criminal/crime genre with the police vans next to him. It feels as if he is being watched perhaps by CCTV of a police helicopter. I would definitely think about using shots like this for a trailer.

The audio in the trailer consists of a male voice talking seriously but in a gentle tone. A strong juxtaposition is the created when the shots speed up and the audio changes to grime music. Grime music is a type of rap/hip hop that originates from London. i think this genre of music could be good audio to use in a trailer for a film like this because it originates from the location and is made by people in the setting, however its very sped up and would only go with fast paste action shots, if my trailer where to have a slower layout i would think about using London Trap music. This type of music is better because its more raw and less mainstream, i feel this would create more of a tense feeling for the view and would promote the film as being more genuine, which i feel Brotherhood lacks.

Noel Clark

Noel Clarke was born in London in December 1975 to immigrant parents from Trindad and was brought up by his mum. They lived on a council estate in West London and even then, the 41-year-old knew he wanted to be an actor. He left school with just two GCSEs and began studying media at college, where his passion for cameras and acting developed. Noel also attended the University of North London before taking acting classes at London’s Actors Centre to hone his talent.

As well as being a successful actor, Noel has also turned his hand to writing and directing. In 2005, he wrote the screenplay for Kidulthood, which was released to critical acclaim in 2006. The sequel Adulthood came in 2008 and it was the first time he had directed a film. Last year he wrote, directed and acted in Brotherhood, which earned almost £2million at the box office in its first week ! This is a very good figure for a independent, niche market film.

I am a fan of Noel Clarke's london street dramas because of there uniqueness. This crime and gang genre type film is usually set in the US rather then London and can usually be to over the top making them unrealistic. Noel Clarke was raised in a rough neighbourhood and experienced and witnessed the kind of activity you see in his films. As someone who lives in London, i believe it appeals to me even more because i understand the reality of what goes on and have herd about it and seen it in the media. His films have inspired me in away to make something along the same lines, perhaps a trailer for a film of this genre, i could focus on making it even more realistic and much like what happens on the streets of London. It will be a challenge however the challenge excites me. I would have to find locations near me to film that would suit the reality of what I'm trying to create. i could use cars and prop guns to add to the realism.

Initial Thoughts and Ideas

I have decided to go for brief two which is a film promotion where I will create a film trailer for a new release. This brief also includes sub productions, I think the options that interests me the most will be to create a magazine front cover for the film and a film poster.

My first thoughts are to create a product in the social realism genre because this genre has been a recent interest for me. Social realsim films or series that are set in the UK such as TopBoy and Brotherhood are the first products that have come to mind.

Film Trailers

"Trailers consist of a series selected shots from the film being advertised. Since the purpose of the trailer is to attract an audience to the film, these excerpts are usually drawn from the most exciting, funny, or otherwise noteworthy parts of the film but in abbreviated form and usually without producing spoilers."