Trailer Analysis: Anonymous

This trailer does a great job at presenting the plot of the movie by presenting the controversial idea of Shakespeare being a fraud. It then does a good job of flashing back to the time period and using video in combination with titles to inspire the idea that Shakespeare may have taken credit for the work of another man who was banned from taking credit for his plays. 

Narration- The lead into this is good as we here very little dialogue, except for some key phrases that help to understand some of the possibilities that may surround the idea of Shakespeare being a fraud. For example we hear a woman sounding like the queen that is seen in the previous shot, saying ‘that none of your poems or plays will ever carry your name’. Giving

the implication that Shakespeare could have been used to publish the plays and poems that the original author could not as part of his punishment. 

Cinematography- The use of camera angles and specific shots help to greatly reinforce the plot presented through the trailer. The use of a close-up on the face of a man on a block used for execution helps to reinforce the idea that the original author of these works is being punished not only with anonymity around his plays but with death as well. This leads me to believe in the accusations toward Shakespear’s credibility as well as desire to learn about the

other facts surrounding this theory. Now knowing the evidence proving the possibility of another author who may have written these plays and had been forgotten by history. 

Editing- The editing in this trailer is very fast and very jarring making me extremely anxious. Some interesting editing techniques used besides the basic incorporation of shots and the manipulations of characters and lighting is the including of titles. With specific titles that encompass the screen, I’m more drawn and more inclined to think about the topic presented which peaks my curiosity as well as in the case of this trailer makes in personal. With the

title saying ‘We’ve all been played’ it makes me feel like I have a personal connection to this because I’ve studies Shakespeare and come to trust his poetic prowess. 

Sound- In this trailer, the music in the background music plays an important role for me in setting the tone. The music is slower and quieter, less prominent in the first half and then when the shots become much faster and more visually exciting, the music speeds up and becomes much louder. The music also has an operatic and tragic tone to it; sounding almost as if it’s wailing, giving a sense of tragedy to the movie, resembling the tragic plays Shakespeare, supposedly wrote. The audio of characters also comes in metallic and resonating giving a powerful and technologic feel to it as it overpowers the background music.