Interstellar (2014): Trailer Analysis

The trailer begins with a medium shot of Matthew McConaughey entering a room. The trailer primarily focuses on his character, so the audience can assume he is the main character in the film. During the equilibrium phase, he is said to be a trained pilot and engineer. This makes the audience wonder what the film will be about and what his role will be in it. There are some long shots of the surroundings that he lives in and, with the use of language "ran out of food", this shows the world to be struggling and slowly dying. 

The recognition phase begins alongside the disruption phase where it says "nothing in our solar system can help us". This suggests that there is a plan to save the world and this hope intrigues the audience as they want to see if they succeed. There is orchestral music playing throughout the trailer which heightens tensions and emotion as it gets louder and quieter in different moments. There are fade to blacks throughout which makes the trailer seem even more dramatic. 

The characters attempt to repair the devastation on Earth by going in to space to "perfect interstellar travel". There is a major contrast between the shots of the farming land and the high-tech equipment in space, which further shows the devastation occurring on Earth. 

Matthew McConaughey is shown to be a unique selling point, as well as director, producer and writer, Christopher Nolan. McConaughey's character is represented as the typical loving father trying to make the world better for his children. This is shown through language such as "I'm coming back" and "I'll love you forever". He is a well-known and popular actor and so will entice the audience to go and see it. Christopher Nolan is an award-winning director, producer and writer, and so will also be a selling point for the film. 

The trailer leaves the audience asking any questions. For example, does he make it back from space, what made Earth so devastated in the first place and where/what happened to the children's mother. These enigmas entice the audience to go and see the film as they will get their questions answered and see what happens in the end.