The Matrix Trailer Analysis

A strong sense of genre is created from the beginning of The Matrix trailer with the green Warner Brothers logo, giving an almost alien feel to the film before any footage is even shown, which represents the sci-fi genre. Futuristic sounding music is playing in the background as a large city is shown with an establishing shot, and this setting is a typical convention of a sic-fi film. Text is used to begin explaining the plot to the viewer and this is again in green writing to continue the feelings the original logo created. 

The footage itself in fact, particularly the party scene, is green tinted, giving the feeling that something is not quite normal about these characters we are seeing. Despite the hints towards this, the writing lists normal everyday things that both these characters and the audience do which makes them relatable, making the 'secret' about to be revealed a shock to the audience and also inclining them to watch a film in which they can understand the characters on a personal level. There is then a cut which is edited to look like it is being interrupted by a different signal almost, which tells the viewer that this film is not going to be about everyday, boring lives at all and introducing the action element to the film.

The trailer then changes tone a lot, with quicker cuts showing strange and inhuman going ons, which relates strongly to the sci-fi genre and will appeal to people who already enjoy these style of films. There is a monologue in the background of these clips which explains a bit more about the story and induces a huge sense of curiosity and interest which will encourage people to go and watch the whole film. After the speaking ends, fast paced music kicks in which relates back to the action elements of the film and also excites the audience greatly. This is accompanied by characters talking about the matrix, which the audience is going to be very interested in and also showing characters which will present a problem to the protagonists, further deepening the curiosity the viewer feels. 

The shots start speeding up again and guns, helicopters and fighting scenes are shown which brings in a strong sense of action films, however this is accompanied by speaking which talks about the characters super human abilities, which makes the viewer excited and also reminds them that this is not simply an action film. As the transition between shots speeds up, so does the music until this is all there is and this shows the audience small parts of the most exciting part of the film, encouraging them to go and see it just before the trailer ends. 

The title then appears, again in green and also in a font which seems technology related, reminding the viewer of the sic-fi elements of the film.