Film Trailer Analysis: Inception

Audience Appeal

• The trailer begins with the logos of big companies, such as Warner Brothers and Legendary Pictures  which is appealing to the audience as they may have seen famous films produced by them such as The Dark Knight. 
• The first character we see is played by Leonardo DiCaprio, who is a world renowned actor, appeals to the main target audience of action fans as well as secondary audiences, such as females. 
• Additionally in the next shot we are able to see him holding and cocking a gun which further appeals to the action fans as they will be expecting gunfights. We are able to see more action shots within the trailer which will add to the excitement. 
• The trailer also features Michael Caine, who is a British actor, therefore appealing to secondary audience who are fans of his films or even to the British public. 

Branding and Studio Identity 

• In the beginning of the trailer the logos of the big companies are featured which attracts the audience that are familiar with their production. 
• Also within the trailer, the director Christopher Nolan is mentioned, who is famous for directing films like The Dark Knight, therefore attracting fans of his work. 

Character and Representation

• The main character, Cobb, is presented to be smart and rich as he is seen wearing a suit. This then hints to his occupation, which is "a special type of security, further explained by the narration. 
• Another character, Professor Stephen Miles is introduced. He is British and follows the stereotype of being like a gentleman and speaks with complexity and composure. 
• We are also able to see a few female characters shown in the trailer, one being Mallorie, wife of the protagonist. She has very limited screen time, which may foreshadow her role in the film as being weak and vulnerable.  

Genre signifiers

• We are able to see many action shots, for example the scene where we can see a car being blown up whilst a character is riding on a snowmobile escaping suggesting that this is an action film.
• Another common convention of the action element is the music played in the trailer, as it is fast paced and empowering therefore further emphasising the action genre of the film. 
• However there is a unique twist to the film. The characters in the film, in particular Dominick, are building a dream world in which they are able to steal things such as information from, therefore creating a unique aspect to attract audiences.