iLL Manors - Trailer Analysis

What are the typical codes and conventions of film trailers – what information is usually provided?

Ill manors provides the most important information during the trailer as they have such a little time, they want to provide the main information which the viewers will see and then be interested in the film and then watch the film. However Ill Manors would provide the most important information at the end of the film which would be the release date, this is done as the last thing the viewers will see and will stick in their head. The trailer would also provide the institutions, stars names, the director’s names, the names of companies who funded the film and the ratings they receive from the film reviewers. As this film I slow budget film they would provide names of stars or famous directors names. This is done in order to attract more viewers as they may of saw a previous film of a directors or a stars film. Viewers would then want to watch the film as they may believe they will enjoy the film. Most trailers would also provide “coming soon” on their trailers as this would give the audience an idea that they would not have to wait long to actually see the film. Also the information that is provided at during the trailer would be writing in bright bold so viewers will not miss it and will notice it being there. The Ill Manors trailer also provides quotes which would help the audience understand what the film is about. At the end of the trailer the date would be left on screen for around about 4 seconds. The trailer also provides lines from the film as this would create suspicion off what to expect in the film. Also at the end of the trailer they provide their website name and any social network sites they belong too. This is because viewers can find extra information, also by providing it at the end of the trailer it would be the last thing viewers see and will stick in their mind. Everything is normally promoted a lot on social network sites as everyone is apart of them and check them on a regular bases.

How are trailers distributed?

The distributor for Ill Manors was Revolver Entertainment. Even though Ill Manors was a low budget film and was not known off as much; Revolver Entertainment has worked with successful British films in the past for example Kidulthood and Adulthood. These films were really successful in Britain as the genre urban teen drama is very popular. Some may say it relates to most London teenagers who are from the street. Also the director of Ill Manors ‘Plan B’ has worked with Revolver Entertainment before in Adulthood; therefore he is familiar with their work as he was a part of one of their most successful films. Due to the link between the two Revolver Entertainment gave Plan B his first break in the film industry, as some saw as too big of a risk to pay off. Normally trailers will be played before films start at cinemas, however this is seen not be a good idea as many people skip or miss the trailers as they would arrive just for the film. Also trailers are mostly shown on YouTube this would be a better way to distribute trailers as many people will watch the trailer. Also it would give you an idea of how many people will watch your film from the views you receive from the trailer. Another way to distribute your trailers would be on social network sites. This would be an idea that would get the most people’s attention as everyone is apart of social networking sites therefore attract the most viewers to your film. As the film is targeted at teenagers the directed Plan B is famous to all the teens as his fan base is mostly teenagers.

How does Ill Manors use trailer conventions?

Ill Manors uses convention to be effective during the trailer. The trailer provides the distributor companies name which they then provide a main part of the film to create tension and make it more effective. However they do not give too much away about what will the storyline will be in the film. They did this in order to attract the audience attention and also get them to watch the film. The trailer also uses the directors own song during the trailer (Plan B). This is done in order to promote the Plan b music career while also promoting his film, which is called synergy which is also known as cross promotion. The trailer also provides parts of the film which are effective in the film. however because there are so many storylines in the film all happening at once by providing effective parts it will not give the storyline away, as there are many storylines to follow the viewers will have to watch all the film to get a clearly understanding of the storylines. Also by using the effective parts it makes the viewers want to watch the film as the trailer has persuaded them it is a good film and also encouraged them to watch the film. Also by adding Plan B soundtrack in the background and parts of the video it will encourage the viewers to also check out his music video. Once the audience has seen one of his videos they would then want to see the rest of his videos as they may tend to enjoy his music. This would then promote his music career further. From there Plan B would then get more sponsors in creating another film as they believe he has become established.

Who is the target audience?

The target audience for this film would be 18-40. However due to the violence in the film and the inappropriate scenes that are shown the film was giving an 18 rating. However I believe the target audience would start at 13. Whether the younger age finds a way into the cinema or they watch it online or purchase the DVD when it comes out. I also think it would be targeted at both men and women as one of the main characters is a woman, it also shows how some woman are treated bad and have done nothing wrong to deserve that. So this would therefore interest women to watch it. However I do believe it is 60% male and 40% female. I believe the audience of the group would belong to the group D/E as it would be mostly school drop outs who would want to watch the film. This is because it would relate to lives therefore they would understand the film more. However this film could be used to show how street kid’s lives are and how it’s not their fault. I also think the film audience could fall under the group A/B as it may interest students as they may have been in that life before but got out, they may want to see how it is for the life opposite to them is like to live, or they know someone in that lifestyle. Whereas maybe they just enjoy that kind of genre in a film.

Does it have a unique selling point or use particular techniques to appeal to the audience?

Ill Manors uses Mise- en- Scene effectively to appeal to the audience. The use of stereotype of the hood clothing would appeal to the target audience. This is because as soon as the target audience notice the clothing being worn they would be attracted to the trailer. Which they would then be hooked into the storyline has it would relate to them. This would be a usual stereotype look of someone who would live in a council estate and could not go to school. Also the covering of some of the background actors would connote the hidden identity of the stereotype and also the target audience. The uses of guns, knives and guns would be the typical stereotype view of teenagers that there out to cause trouble all the time and start violence whenever they can. However Plan B is trying to send a message that if you think we behave like this then why we should stop. Also the setting makes the trailer more effective as it is filmed in Plan b own estate. This would be effective as it shows Plan B is not ashamed where he has come from which is like most rap artist. He still has respect for his town and his sending a message that fame will not make him one of them rich boys. 

Consider the way the scenes are edited together – does the trailer give away any clues about the narrative?

The trailer uses shots from the film and edits them which fast pace. This connotes to the audience that the film will be full of action. Also it catches the audience’s attention to the trailer. As the fast pace creates suspension and excitement to the film and also creates excitement in the viewer’s head. By the film showing parts of the film it attracts the audience’s attention as they want to try work out the storyline of the film. However as they can’t understand the storyline they want to watch the film, as the storyline has interest them. As there is so much going on in the movie at once and every storyline is linked together at some point in the movie, this then is hard for the viewer to understand the film by just watching the trailer they would need to watch the entire film to understand the storyline. I believe that the trailer does not give any narrative away at all as there is too much to understand just from a 1:45 second trailer. This is a good thing as it would encourage viewers to go and watch the film.

Are the main stars visible in the trailer?

The Trailer provides some of the main characters. The main two characters they provide are Kirby and Chris. This is because they have had a long past relationship which has led them to a point which they meet again. However the audience will try and understand their relationship but they would not get the true story behind the relationship until they watch the film. They trailer also provides brief showing of main characters however, you don’t not come to a clearly understand that they are the main characters, but you do understand they have a dominated role in the estate that they live in. the main characters in the film that have been in previous successful films will be provided in the trailer as it would build viewers for the film. As the audience would believe if they were in a previous film that they enjoyed they will enjoy this one. But however if they believe they actor has been in films they did not enjoy then they would lose many viewers.

Is there information about the director of the film?

The trailer provides information on the director as the director (Plan B) name is provided. Also the cross promotion of plan b music in the background lets the viewer’s know it is the directors music. Also Plan B the director is in the trailer as they provide parts of his music video during the trailer.  This was done to promote his music career as well as his directing career. Also this was done as if the audience knew about Plan B before and listened to his music they would then watch his film, as his target audience is the same age as his fan base. This would then enable him to attract more viewers to his film.

Is there information about the release date?

The trailer provides the release date. However the release date is provided at the end of the trailer and is on screen for about 4 seconds. The release date is also written in bold writing which would stand out to the audience. The release date is provided at the end as it would be the last thing the audience would notice so it would stick in their head. Also the trailer says coming soon this is done in order to let the viewer know that they do not have to wait ages to see the film. This would be provided at the start of the film in order to get the audience to watch the trailer the whole way through.

Is the narrator’s voice-over used?

A narrator’s voice is used in a form of rap in the trailer. This is not usually heard in the trailers. However the person doing the narrator is the actual director of the film (Plan B). He says during the trailer “I am the narrator”. This would connote to the audience that he is the voice of the trailer and the film itself and he is trying to send a story out to the viewers, with a message behind it. You never normally see the narrator doing his own narrator voice on the trailer is this case the cross promotion is used again, as Plan B is rapping during the trailer which would interest and excite the viewers.

How has the genre of the film been represented through characters, setting, lighting, colour, music, camera shots/movement/angles and editing?

The genre of Ill Manors is crime urban teen drama. This is represented through characters as the way they would talk would be the same as a street council kid would talk. This would be in the form on slang. Also the characters are violent and have weapons and drug on them which is a stereotype view of seeing the characters. The setting of the film is in a council estate and the streets which would represent the genre, as the target audience would live in the same kind of environment to the characters. The setting is mostly at night as it would create tension and connote to the audience at when the crime takes place. The lighting of the film is the dark shots would represent the emotion of the characters and the film which was mostly angry, sad and fear. The colour of the costumes used by the characters were dark this is a stereotype view of teenagers. Also one character tells another character he needs to dress dark as it hides the identity of the character. The music during the film relates to genre as it is fast music would relate to the fats pace of the film, to connote action to the viewers. The film was also about violence and crime where the music related to that as it had swearing in it. Also the songs used were angry songs to relate to the mood of the film. The music also used in the film was Plan b own songs, this was used in the form of cross promotion. The camera shots in the film related to the genre as the close up shots were used to show when the characters were scared or upset. Also the establish shots were used to show the setting of the scene would be near an estate or inside an estate. The editing related back to the genre as the fast pace editing connoted to the audience the action and crime taking place in the film. Also the use of fast editing was used to show the many storylines taking place all at once.