Moonlight - Trailer Deconstruction

Moonlight Trailer Deconstruction

As a group, we decided that the main focus of our film would be on masculinity and sexuality. The film that immediately came to mind to deconstruct was Moonlight - an Academy Award winning film based around the life of one character. This is a narrative style were keen to take influence from.

Shown below is the official trailer.

Analysis

• The opening mid shot of the two men walking combined with the held high note creates an initial sense of tension between the two men, essentially telling the viewer that there is a complex relationship between the men.
• Immediately following this are two shots of the men in the car - one from the external rear window of the car and then a series of over-the-shoulder shots of the men communicating. The continuing ambient music adds to the tension as the dialogue begins between the men.
• The classical music rises in texture as the director's credit appears on screen.
• At 0:33 there is a graphic match - a shot films the young, teenage and adult Chiron walking from behind. Each shot shows him in a mundane setting, with the background out of focus. This informs the viewer that the three characters are in fact the same character at different stages in life.
• At 0:39 Chiron looks the other man up and down signifying a sexual tension between the men.
• This subtle sexual image is immediately followed by a shaky shot of young Chiron running from a group of boys. A horizontal panning shot then shows the stern faces of the young boys standing in a circle - this is a very masculine image conveying stereotypes of teamwork and violence. This is followed by a quick shot of the boys fighting, with a low angle shot showing the boys feet stamping on the victim. This brutal shot is difficult to watch for the viewer, and conveys the masculine stereotype of violence and fighting. The contrapuntal classic soundtrack continues throughout.
• Interestingly, immediately after this shot comes a shot of the young boy in a dance class. This provides a stark contrast, highlighting the liminality within the boy's sense of self.
• Next, there is a slow motion shot of the mother shouting. The slow motion makes it seem as though the boy is not listening, as well as highlighting her facial expressions and thus making the shot appear more emotionally dense.
• At 0:52, the shot of the boy in the bath followed by the boy being held in the water introduces the water motif that is recurrent throughout the film. The camera being held at a jaunty angle just as the water meets the air results in a disorientating yet heavenly image.
• Again, at 1:10 there are contrasting shots showing Chiron's inner conflict as a result of enforced masculinity. The close up quick cut shot of him being slapped followed by a fight scene shows the masculine facade of Chiron. The next shot of Chiron and the sink gives a much more vulnerable picture of him. The slow motion gives a stark contrast to the fast moving previous shot, highlighting the disparity between Chiron's inner and outer self.
• At 1:26 there is a shot of Chiron at school - he appears isolated as he moves backwards while his schoolmates move forwards. The lighting also illuminates Chiron in this shot, giving him an ethereal image compared to the shaded characters around him.
• The shot of the young boy standing looking out to the ocean at 1:42 is lit with a low-key moonlit colour. The blue hue of the shot gives a 'moody' aura to it. The shot frames Chiron to be in the very centre of the shot, which adds a symmetrical aesthetic coupled with the vastness of the open water. This shot again brings in the motif of water.
• The trailer ends with close up shots of the two men as they look at each other. Both of these shots break the 4th wall as the characters look up at the camera. This leaves an emotional resonance with the viewer and leaves them expecting more. The shot simply cuts to a black screen with the 'Moonlight' title appearing on screen.

What influences can we draw from this trailer?

• The contrasting shots showing the stereotypical masculinity of the character contrasted with the suppressed emotional self would be good to replicate.
• It is particularly powerful how the 4th wall is broken at the end of the trailer.
• The repeated motif of the water.
• The use of slow motion to convey heightened emotion.
• The use of contrapuntal classical music throughout to add an eloquent surrealism to the trailer.