Fermat's Room (2007) Trailer deconstruction

Camera Angles

 

• One of the first moving images to be shown is of a protagonist at a desk writing under dim lighting. The camera angle is a long shot at eye-level but it is shown as if someone is just watching him. As if the audience is at the other end of the table from the protagonist. 

• Close up shots and extreme close up shots are used to show intense emotions and expressions between each characters and to involve the audience in their emotions to make them feel what the character is feeling.
• The dark eyes and expression of this protagonist suggest that she is focused, determined but the audience could get a sense of fear from this character as she may have a negative side to her that is not known yet. This also adds to the sense of enigma. 

• The close up of the phone of the table tells the audience that this item is focused on a lot film and plays a big part in the film. The subtitles underneath suggest that that’s what it says on the phone. The phone has therefore a great deal of dominance amongst the characters although we do not know who is sending these messages to them. This adds to the sense of enigma and gets the audience wondering who is sending the messages. 

Mise en scene

• In this establishing shot, the lighting used is natural darkness. The only light source is from
  the headlights of the car. This fits in with the
  genre of a thriller as it has an eerie feel and creates a sense of enigma/mystery towards the audience. It gives a sense that the people in the car are the only people who are in the area at that time. They are alone. 
• The building looks quite ancient including oversized arches and arched doorways, big square windows and stone-looking walls. This adds to the eeriness that the scene gives and makes the audience ask themselves what’s inside there. 
• Connotations of black include danger, death, mystery and dominance. This adds to the dramatic feel of what’s going to happen next and where is the car going. It makes the audience ask questions which relates back to the film which is about solving puzzles.

•            The floor in the room seems to be a checker board which relates to the film of another enigmatic puzzle. The colour brown has connotations of warmth and earth. The green table adds to the nature of the scene making the meal seem like a picnic in the park which gives our positive vibes witch contrasts from the thriller genre. 

•       The room’s walls are covered in red wallpaper. Red has negative connotations of danger, blood, strength and power but can also have positive connotations of love and desire which both
  relate to the film.
•       The bookshelf makes the room seem very old
  and studious which adds to the relevance and enigma when the protagonists (mathematicians) have to complete puzzles. It is old and eerie that looks like is holding secrets not known by the audience.

Sound

•       The language is in Spanish but the film also includes English subtitles at the bottom so the film is attracted by a wide range of audience.
•       When the audience first listens to the soundtrack played in the background, it gives the feeling of a war. Subliminal boom sounds are heard which adds to the effect of war and danger.
•       Also, a constant non-diegetic high-pitch white noise sound is heard throughout which builds up and gets louder when the first moving image of a main protagonist is played. It builds up tension making the audience wonder what the sound is going to lead up to. A lower non-diegetic version of the white noise is played behind the high-pitch sound giving a melody sound which builds up the tension as the trailer continues.
•       Subliminal diegetic sounds of a car driving and car doors opening and shutting are heard while the white noise is played adding a sense of realism.
•       The non-diegetic white noise continues but halfway through the trailer, heart beat sounds are faded in which builds tension and makes the audience feel like this is leading up to a something drastic at the end.
•        The white noise and heart beat sounds fade out when dialogue is heard and a guitar string music piece is heard in the background.
•       A noise of a contraption starting up is heard only to find that this contraption is pushing the walls of the room closer together. This sound is very startling and indicates that danger and something bad is about to happen. The sound is very ghostly as if rusty metal is being rubbed together to get the contraption to move.
•       Diegetic sounds of the snapping and breaking of items in the room also add to the tension builds up to a climax. 
•       Diegetic music is played on a piano in the room which then turns into non-diegetic sound as the music plays on while the title of the film is shown with the background of the room with the main protagonists inside.

Editing

• At the beginning of the trailer, a black screen is shown with a maths equation fading into and out of the middle in a contrasting white. As it is early on in the trailer, the audience could only image that the film is about maths and puzzles. It gives out questions for the audience to try to answer in their mind.

• English subtitles are shown at the bottom of the screen is shown because the language is in Spanish. This attracts a wider audience.
• Pan shots are used to horizontally move the camera along the dinner table in the direction of who the protagonist is talking to. This is effective because it shows more of the room the
  characters are in while getting a close up of the characters themselves. 
• A montage is shown of items breaking in the room, one of the main protagonist shouting, protagonists trying to get out of the room etc. This builds up tension and leads up to a captivating climax.