Technical Analysis of Documentary Trailers

Waiting for Superman

Analysis

1. Sound:

In terms of diagetic sound, we hear the voices of children who are students, of adults who are school authorities, concerned parents and a succesfull businessman.
We also hear non-diagetic dialogue, such as the person behind the camera interviewing the different people. There is also someone who talks to the audience directly about the issue the documentary covers.
One more important non-diagetic sound is the music. Different songs, both original and borrowed, are used throughout the trailer to accompany the video.

2. Video Footage:

There are different types of footage used throughout the trailer. The footage taken from other places, like the one where the biker misses the roof and crashes to the ground, and animations. Animations are an effective and amusing way to make a point creatively.

3. Sources:

The first interview is with a teenage student, and it takes place in her bedroom, presumably. The next is with another student, again in her bedroom. The third interview is takes place in some meeting room with a woman named Michelle Rhee, Chancellor of D.C. Public Schools. Next comes Geoffrey Canada, an education reformer, who is interviewed in a classroom. A little student boy is interviewed in his bedroom after that. A man who looks like a UPS truck driver is interviewed in a hallway. One of the student's parents are interviewed in their bedroom as well. A man who seems like a school authority is also interviewed in his office. Lastly, Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft, is also asked questions.

4. Text:

Throughout the trailer, texts are inserted every now and then to tell the audience what issue the film is dealing with. It makes the trailer very proffessional, and moving. There is also some text added when someone is interviewed to let the audience know the name and title of that person, so they are sure not some random people in suits are being asked questions.

5. Editing:

The trailer is ordered in such a way that makes it very effective. Firstly, the children of the schools, the center of the issue, are interviewed, talking about their dreams. This easily makes the audience sympathise with these kids, especially when the adults who are at the charge of the schools begin to talk about how poor their education is. Now they begin to tell the problem, and show people who are concerned about it and want to make a change. The kids are shown in their schools, to take the audience into their lives. As it finishes, the trailer shows how there is still hope for some of the kids, with inspirational music in the background. The trailer effects the audience emotionally, which makes them want to go see the entire documentary.

 Barefoot Children

Short Technical Analysis

This trailer is a for a documentary about abandoned, homeless children who live on the street. Throughout the documentary, the only sound we hear is that of cars passing by: like the kids must hear all the time.We are only shown short, disturbing footage of children drugging themselves, and sleeping under bridges, which evokes deep emotional response in the audience. The text explains how these poor children live every day, with the police who "beat them", and their parents who "abuse them". The footage, text and even the sounds of the cars all combine to create a chilling trailer for a documentary about a serious issue told in a way few people have seen before.