Time traveller's wife film trailer analysis

Time Travellers wife analysis

The Time Traveler's Wife can be seen as a romantic drama; from the romance between the two characters throughout the film. It is a love story about a man with a genetic disorder that causes him to time travel unpredictably, and about his wife, an artist, who has to cope with his frequent absences and dangerous experiences.

Genre

The genre of this film is romantic drama, although could also be classed as science-fiction. It is easily recognised as being romantic because the film focuses mainly on two certain characters throughout, showing their journey together how they progress through tough times in a relationship. Audience would be attracted to this film as it can not only be seen as a romantic drama but also a science-fiction giving it parts of mystery allowing the audience to escape from reality.

Media Language

The text first used in the trailer ‘I have known Henry since I was 6years old’ presents to the audience that this film may be a very personal film from the word ‘I’. By reminiscing on the first time they met continued on from the use of ‘I’ further indicates that this may be a personal romantic film. In this trailer the text will give a brief indication of the films storyline enticing the audience into wanting to see how the storyline pans out forcing them to purchase the film.

Representation

Time traveller’s wife is represented as a romantic drama due to the events taken place during the film. The main male character is seen as a handsome athletic man, with a deep husky voice, this type of character may attract many female audience members as they may be attracted to the actor. The female character is also a beautiful woman; these two together would then create a ‘cute couple’ leading audience members to like both characters together allowing them to be engulfed in the storyline. This represents the film as being ‘hot’ from the characters being seen as ‘hot’ creating a similar effect.

Audience

Time traveller’s wife is set to attract a wide range of various age groups and gender. Time traveller’s wife would specifically focus on attracting females due to its genre of being romantic drama which mainly attracts female audiences. However this can be also seen as a science-fiction which would usually favour male’s interests, therefore you could argue that the time traveller’s wife could attract the majority of age groups and genders, although its rating is above 13 years old.

• Opening shot of male character Seen as handsome, common in romance films to attract female audiences, one reason as to why they enjoy romance films.
• Shows how the couple first meet, under unordinary circumstances. Already showing plots and dramas in the film.
• Both characters talking as a voice over ‘I remember when we first met I was 6years old’ showing how they met at a young age, how it must be love if she remembers from such a long time ago.
• Shows a second meeting between the couple when the woman is much older. How they meet for a second time and she recognises and remembers him instantly.
• Shows him how she has never forgotten him, by showing him records of when they have met.
• Light hearted music indicates happiness between the couple.
• Various different cuts and shots of the couple together seen in a parking, kissing and holding each other close, presenting love and happiness between them.
• Shot showing him proposing, therefore showing the audience that they get married happily.
• Shots and cuts of the wedding presented to the audience portraying their relationship as being happy without any issues occurring leaving the audience feeling happy.
• Although cuts to her alone on the bed, indicating he has ‘disappeared’ due to his condition which the audience is introduced to in the beginning shot.
• Cutting to a shot showing her as being pregnant, presenting more happiness between the couple showing their relationship as progressive.
• Cut in the future to when their child has grown up, showing a shot of the child and father hugging each other as if they haven’t seen each other for a long period of time.
• More shots showing his condition creating him to travel through time and disappear, leaving the woman alone not knowing when or where he will turn up.
• Shots presenting conflict and sadness between the couple due to his constant disappearance leaving it hard on the couple.
• More of a sad tone of music is introduced although is more upbeat, hearing the lyrics of the song indicates there are issues and problems between the couple
• Many shots showing her as being upset. Him constantly disappearing, showing why their marriage is not strong.
• Lyrics of the music ‘I’m still holding on’ indicate the couple does not want to give up on each other, shots of them running and in desperate times together link with the lyrics presenting they are in love.
• More shots of the couple together kissing and holding each other.
• Last shot shows the couple together in a field where the man says ‘I can’t stay’ and then begins to disappear, the woman accepts the fact that he must leave. This leaves the audience unaware of whether he returns and they stay together or whether he doesn’t return, leaving the audience in suspense.

Various shots used

Close-up: to show emotion on the characters face, helping the audience to be aware of what is happening.

Long-shot: used to show the surroundings usually when the couple is together.

Mid-shot: commonly used shot mainly in conversations.