Trailer Analysis: What s Eating Gilbert Grape

Transcription

1 Trailer Analysis: What s Eating Gilbert Grape Prepared for Advertising Colleagues Tar Heel Advertising Prepared by Name October 11, 2005

2 October 11, 2005 TO: FROM: Team #2, Advertising Colleagues Name SUBJECT: Gilbert Grape Analysis and recommendations for the trailer of What s Eating Last week Mr. Marchbanks asked our team to preview the trailer for the rerelease of What s Eating Gilbert Grape. I have watched the trailer, made my analysis on the content, and included recommendations for the revised trailer. An overview of my research is included in this transmittal page. My analysis has led me to conclude that the trailer would be most effective with clips including the whole family, the replacement of the scene with Becky and Gilbert, and fewer clips involving the mother s weight. I formed these recommendations based on what scenes would best demonstrate the plot and the personality of the characters, without giving too much description. My research of the movie has led me to believe that this inspiring movie, which has won academy awards, will generate greater interest with a revised trailer, and our advertisement company will benefit from its success. I would be glad to listen to any other recommendations for the trailer, and I will answer any questions or concerns about my analysis and conclusion. I am thankful that our team has entrusted me with the analysis of the content of this trailer, and I am eager to work with each of you during our advertisement project. I look forward to viewing the trailer that we create, and watching the success of the movie with its upcoming release on DVD and Blu-ray.

3 Dear Fellow Advertisers: We were asked to analyze the trailer for the re-release of What s Eating Gilbert Grape on DVD. I have reviewed the content of the trailer and I have now compiled my findings in the following report. I have also included a few recommendations for the trailer that we will create, which will help generate more money from DVD sales. I am grateful to be a part of this team, and I am sure that when we combine our research and discuss everyone s recommendations our team will be able to make a large profit for our company through increased DVD sales. An overview of the trailer for: What s Eating Gilbert Grape The trailer opens with the main setting of the movie, Endora. Gilbert, the main character in the movie, provides the narration. First Gilbert introduces his sisters, and then he spends time describing his younger brother Arnie and the impact of his medical condition on his own life. Next he eases his way into the description of his obese mother. After a few scenes about his mother and her life, the trailer flashes clips from scenes throughout the movie. Gilbert s narration pauses while words appear across the screen, which describe the main themes of the movie, followed by brief clips demonstrating these themes. The trailer progresses into scenes and dialogues between Gilbert and Becky, and then concludes with the title of the movie. The plot demonstrates the importance of relationships In What s Eating Gilbert Grape, Gilbert has to take care of his family after the death of his father. His mother s obesity confines her to the house, so Gilbert must work to feed and take care of the family, including his younger, mentally challenged brother Arnie. Gilbert feels like he is wasting his life taking care of everyone else, and when he meets Becky he starts to make changes and figure out what role he plays in this life. The movie shows the importance of dreaming and setting goals in life. The trailer opens with a picture of Endora, which appears to be a quiet, old town. The people of the town say nothing big ever happens in Endora, which makes Gilbert think that everything happens to him. This helps inform the viewer that the movie centers around Gilbert s personal life and family, and it sparks the viewers curiosity. This interest in the events of Gilbert s life increases as words appear on the screen, which describe some of the main themes of the movie. The first one says, An unusual story of life, which reveals that other people consider parts of Gilbert s life uncommon. However, the trailer does a good job by leaving these aspects of his life to the audience s imagination. Next the trailer reads and love; this alludes to the relationship between Becky and Gilbert as seen by the following clip of them hugging in the rain. The trailer does not give any details of their relationship, but only hints that it exists.

4 Character development in the trailer Many trailers only introduce some of the characters, or only those most recognized by the viewers, but this trailer briefly shows all the main characters from the film. In his narration, Gilbert spends the most time talking about Arnie and his mother, allowing the viewers to develop sympathy for the two disabled characters. The pieces of short dialogue taken from the movie help to further develop the character of Arnie, the mother, as well as Becky. The development of these characters along with Gilbert gives the viewers more characters to relate with. The dialogues foreshadow some of the main relationships between characters. For example, the scenes with Becky and Gilbert touch on the romantic element of the movie. The clip where Gilbert jokes about his mother s weight indicates tension in their mother-son relationship. Gilbert also plays the role of a father figure to Arnie, as seen when he reprimands Arnie s rudeness to Becky. Through these relationships the audience learns that Gilbert lives for other people instead of himself. When Becky asks Gilbert what he wants, he lists off things for his family. Throughout the film, Gilbert begins to realize that he was just living each day the same as before, instead of dreaming and setting goals for his life. Many people can relate to this idea of getting caught up in the everyday chores and missing out on the important things in life. Recommendations After viewing the original trailer, I believe it would interest a greater audience if it included more scenes with the whole family. The clip where the mom shakes the floor appears to be pulling humor from her weight, which may offend some viewers. Since the main target audience sympathizes with people that have disabilities, this humor is not appropriate. The scene between Becky and Gilbert involving the praying mantis should also be cut because it does not transition well with the rest of the clips. I think it should be replaced with the scene of them laying on the ground, where Becky asks Gilbert what he wants for himself and he says he wants to be a good person. In this scene Becky makes Gilbert think about what he wants in his own life, and not just what he wants for others. This shows the main theme of the movie and should be a focal point for the trailer. Conclusion I believe my analysis of the strong points of the trailer and my recommendations for the weaker points will help sell more DVDs. This movie describes a wonderful story about life, love, and family; which will inspire all who see it. With our groups corrections to the trailer I believe the movie will be better represented, and will increase the number of sales when re-released on DVD. Once again, I am thankful to be a part of a group with such talented workers.

5 Works Consulted The Internet Movie Database. 4 Oct < What s Eating Gilbert Grape. Dir. Lasse Hallstrom. DVD