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The trailer above was used to advertise the film's release in UK cinemas, and follows many conventions of thrillers. There are many establishing shots of the stereotypical housing estate in which the film is set, allowing the audience to identify with its location as we can compare it to similar places we have seen elsewhere, thus making us feel as though we are in the film. Every single shot in this trailer has low-key lighting, most of them having extremely low-key lighting. Shadows and silhouettes are used throughout to conceal faces and objects, and create a tense, mysterious atmosphere.
Below is a typical over-the-shoulder shot, showing the character of Harry Brown mid-conversation with a police officer. The use of low-key lighting in this shot signifies the dark nature of the film, and she shadow cast on his face distorts him, concealing facial expressions which could reveal the character's inner feelings.
The shot below is one of few shots in the trailer with the least low-key lighting elements. This is one of the only scenes we see that takes place outside in daylight hours. The significance of using less low-key effects suggest this scene is more positive than some of the others. We are given the impression that the character in the centre of this shot is a villain within this film, so his arrest is a positive element for the audience to identify with.
This wide-shot uses almost high-key lighting as it is set in daytime. Although it is showing a funeral, it suggests that the character of Harry Brown may believe death may be better than the gang-culture experienced where he lives, as it is an escape.
One of the shots near the beginning of the trailer uses a hand-held mobile-phone/personal camera to add an effect of realism, as though we are viewing real events. This is incredibly effective and makes the audience feel as though they are involved in the action they are seeing onscreen. The shot is very distorted, and briefly shows someone wearing a hoodie, which has connotations of gang-culture, so we assume this character is a villain.
Many of the shots used are conventional of any film; extreme close-ups to convey emotion and reactions, long/establishing shots to present the location, over-the-shoulder shot-revers-shots to show communication between characters and low-angle shots to signify dominance etc. The clothes worn by most of the characters are dark/black, which works with the low-key lighting/shadows/silhouettes to create a tense atmosphere and represents darkness within the film and its narrative. Not many different kinds of transitions have been used in this trailer, though there are a couple of blank screens flashed up to signify the passing of time/change in location in the narrative. Most of the cuts are straight quick cuts.
Dark clothing also signifies masculinity within the male characters, and their stereotypical lack of interest in their own personal appearance/fashion. Other visual elements used to help the audience identify with genre include the iconography of the guns and car-crash. These are conventional of action/crime films, tying in with the crime theme in this thriller. Thriller films tend to take many conventions from similar genres of films and adapt them to construct something new.
Sound effects are used dramatically to build tension and cause apprehension in the audience. Some diegetic sounds have been exaggerated, e.g. the weapons cocking, to enhance the danger and create fear, possibly causing some audience members to be shocked by it. Non-diegetic music is used throughout the trailer, building to a climax. An instrumental piece with a heavy beat is used early on in the trailer to enhance the action in the narrative and fast-pace of the film. Later on in the trailer, we hear the song "End Credits" by Chase and Status ft. Plan B. Plan B plays the main villian and antagonist in the film, so the use of this music markets to fans of his music if they were unaware of his appearance in this film.
Most of the elements used in this film are conventional in thriller films.
