Narrative

Everyone has different cultural experiences therefore everyone would have different interpretations of media texts. Society’s ideologies have however guided us to focus on the preferred meanings of texts (the ways in which the writers want us to take the text) but depending if we are active or passive, we still have the choice to question the ideologies or absorb them.

My trailer is of a coming of age film genre which could in a way relate to everyone’s cultural experiences as we have all/are going through the process of growing up. The trailer is similar to that of ‘my sisters keeper’, directed by Nick Cassavetes in 2009, in the way that part of it is narrated by the main character who is a young girl that shocks her parents by suing them for using her as an organ donor for her ill sister, in my case, the narrator would be by Becky (who plays Audrey) and the voiceover is mixed with slow beautiful music that builds up to a crescendo then brought back down in order to highlight the use of Todorov’s narrative theory (that is that every well made film should have the structure of equilibrium, disequilibrium, new equilibrium).

It is difficult to decided whether to explore different conventions and narratives in order to keep the audience on their toes or stick to go with the weave and make the audience feel comfortable! I like to think that as much as my narrative is conventional, the plot of the story is not and the both juxtaposed is a new effect.

In my trailer, not much is given away to the audience. The basic storyline is portrayed through the convention of equilibrium, disequilibrium, new equilibrium. It begins with Audrey (the main character) and Ashley sitting in a car discussing the night before which is shot through both the passenger and drivers windows in order to get both perspectives. The scene is then interrupted by a picture message on Audrey’s phone at which point the music (‘Make a Difference’-Sam Wills) begins and the diajetic sound is removed whilst the voice over is added in so we can relate to and become at one with Audrey. There are then slow shots of the people in Audrey’s life consoling her and living around her problem which all merge together for the end of the trailer in which Audrey is beginning to start over and enjoy life and we have the line ‘so look at the picture all you want, I am so much more than what you see’. This statement is personal and confident therefore we have a deep respect for Audrey.

Typically in teenage films you will have good looking actors, fresh music and angst which are the elements I have used. The film itself is an adaptation of the book ‘Good Girls’ by Laura Ruby who’s preferred meaning of the book was to highlight social issues amongst teens and show an audience whether it be young or old how difficult teenage problems can be and hopefully through my trailer, I will present this.

Even though the audience get a clear hint of the storyline, they are left to guess the reason for which Audrey is deemed to be not a good girl and according to audience feedback, this, along with the past elements mentioned would entice a trailer viewer to go and watch the film.