Nowhere boy is a film that portrays the life of the famous British rock star John Lennon, it was also filmed in Liverpool, England, this is where Lennon was born. John Lennon was one of the founding members of The Beatles, he died in 1980 at the age of 40.
I have chosen to analyse this trailer as I am interested in the film as it is about such an iconic man, I also thought it would be interesting how they tried to make the film appeal to an audience as they would have to attract a younger generation as well as the older generation who were the original Beatles fans.
These are some basic notes I have made from the trailer:
• The trailer starts with a voice over – the voice is of a young man, he tells the audience of his parents’ divorce and that he was brought up by his Auntie.
• During this VO there are a number of different shots; first is a long shot of a man on a pier looking out to sea, the camera tracks towards him, there is then a mid shot of the young man and then a fade to black – it is clear this is the young man that is speaking in the VO – the image of the young man and a older women walking down the street – there are several different shots of them walking and there are edited and cut together so that they are in time with the non diegetic soundtrack
• Cuts to Auntie shouting at the young man saying that he would be in a children’s home if it wasn’t for her – there is a shot reverse shot cutting from her to the young man’s expression and then back to her again
• The VO states that he met his mother again at 16 – the shots show this happening – camera tracks forward to a mid shot of the young man’s back as he stands in front of a house, mid shot of a women (his mother) opening the door and then a mid shot of them hugging.
• The trailer then cuts to his Auntie stating that “she’ll hurt you” – cuts to the young man’s hurt expression
• There is the a quick shot of his mother – she has her back to the camera but can see her face in the mirror
• The trailer then shows the young man’s troubles at school – teacher? Telling him that he is ‘going nowhere’ – links with title of film – shows the young man punching a wall in school uniform then cuts to the same man leaving a house and slamming the gate angrily
• Cuts to a CU of guitars in a shop – camera tracks away from them- VO says that you’ll never make a career out of it – this is what John Lennon’s mother used to say to him
• Cuts to a black screen with caption: DISCOVER THE UNTOLD STORY
• Cuts to the young man telling his Auntie that he wants to start a rock group
• Cuts back to black screen with caption: OF JOHN LENNON – now know who the young man is
• Cuts to a shot of Lennon walking down a corridor at school smiling - then cuts to a shot of Lennon telling a group of boys his age that they are in the band
• Cuts to an over the shoulder shot of Lennon walking over to a young man holding a guitar – he introduces himself and the young man shakes his hand and introduces himself as Paul (Paul McCartney) – a shot reverse shot is used here
• There is then a shot reverse shot of Lennon being taught how to play the banjo – this also shows the comedy aspect of the film
• Trailer then cuts to a CU of someone playing the drums
• Cuts to a CU of someone playing a guitar
• CU of drums (different setting)
• There is then a mid shot of the band playing on stage
• Cuts to audience watching them – all girls – fan base
• Cuts to a shot behind the band – they look almost like silhouettes as they are all wearing black and the ground is wearing brightly coloured clothing
• Cuts to Auntie telling Lennon that his ‘little friends here’
• Cuts to McCartney playing guitar – mid shot
• Cut to Lennon putting on glasses
• Cut back to McCartney playing guitar – he looks up at Lennon
• Cut back to a CU of Lennon he states it’s his ‘Buddy Holly’ look – intertextuality and also shows comedy in film
• Cut back to a CU of McCartney – comic factor
• Cuts band to band playing on stage
• Another shot from behind the band looking into the audience – finished set – holding up guitars
• Mid shot of Lennon and McCartney – holding their guitars up
• Fade to black
• Black screen with caption: A FILM BY SAM TAYLOR – WOOD
• Cuts to image of McCartney holding a guitar – he suggest that if they are going to be in a band then they should write their own ‘stuff’
• Extreme CU of an eye opening – Lennon’s eye?
• CU of Lennon – he states that he write his own stuff; stories etc – as he talks image changes – cuts to shot of him on top of a car or bus, looks relaxed – cuts to him and a girl kissing and then back to him speaking
• Cuts to McCartney – he states; ‘add a tune to that and you’ve got a song’
• Shows band in a make shift recording studio – different shots of them playing including a mid shot of Lennon and a mid shot of McCartney
• Black screen with caption: MEET THE BOY
• There is then an over the shoulder shot of Lennon and his mother hugging
• Cuts to argument with Lennon, his mum and his Auntie – quick shots – shows all of them to be upset – last three shots first she his mother crying then cuts to his Auntie crying and the a CU of Lennon as a tear rolls down his face
• Black screen with caption: BEHIND THE MAN
• CU of playing guitar – at this point in the trailer the editing speeds up
• Cut to girls screaming and jumping in the crowd
• Back to shot of band playing on stage – shot behind the band
• Cuts to shot of Lennon with a girl
• Cuts to Auntie crying – all these shots are about 2 seconds long
• Cuts to Lennon punching McCartney and then cuts to a mid shot of McCartney on the floor – mid shot
• Mid shot of Lennon then cuts to Lennon and other young man lying on top of a bus while it is moving – mid shot then cuts to a long shot
• Black screen with caption: BEHIND THE BEATLES
• Trailer then cuts to a mid shot of Lennon and McCartney and then a shot of a girl running up to Lennon and hugging him – then there is a shot of them dancing
• Cuts to Lennon in school uniform, he is smoking– mid shot – VO – “Are we ready boys?” cuts to Lennon speaking – reflection in car window
• Mid shot of the band playing guitars – shot reverse shot of band and audience
• Cuts to a shot of Lennon running toward the camera
• Mid shot of Lennon walking, he is smoking and carrying his guitar – ‘cool’ image
• Trailer then cuts to Lennon telling his Auntie to is going away to play a gig which his band
• Cuts to the band carrying their instruments and walking down the street – Auntie is talking over the top of this
• Cuts back to Auntie – she does not know about the band – ‘all sound the same’ to her
• Cuts back to the band playing in the make shift record studio – there are shots from different angles before image fades to black
• Black screen – title of the film appears; NOWHERE BOY
• Then cuts to screen of credits
• Last screen is a black screen with the words: COMING SOON on it
• Trailer ends.
There is a non diegetic soundtrack playing throughout the trailer until the last shots, this is where the soundtrack fades and the sound of a crowd cheering and clapping like they would after a gig is played over the top of the credits.
The captions alone tell the audience what the film is going to be about; it is about John Lennon's childhood and how he formed The Beatles.
I really like this trailer and think that it is effective in attracting both young and old generations to the film.
Rach.
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