Children of Men

Children of Men. Alfonso Cuarón. R. 2006.
In 2027, after two decades of mass infertility have left society on the brink of devastation, Theo Faron (Clive Owen) must help get a miraculously pregnant woman to a safe place where scientists can use her child to save humankind from extinction.

The trailer for 'Children of Men' is exemplary because it clearly relates the dystopian premise through the use of voiceovers, clips from the movie with relevant information, text and images, all of which convey the terror associated with the society and the urgency in the hero's mission. The trailer begins with Theo, in a voiceover, stating the premise: "Since women stopped being able to have babies, what's left to hope for?" Shots of the world-at-large are mostly gray and black, reflecting the despair and numbness felt throughout civilization. Light and color enter when a catalytic character does: Theo's ex-wife, who introduces him to the girl and the mission that are at the center of the plot. A key shot of the girl's pregnancy, combined with a change in music and pacing (not to mention a character saying, "Now you know what's at stake"), helps the audience understand the focus of the movie. The given information, combined with the chaotic mob scenes, police brutality, and random explosions, makes it clear that the dystopian control is post-apocalyptic, with the infertility of women crippling the development of society. Theo, as the protagonist, feels hopeless and depressed; when he is given the chance to (as the text displayed throughout the trailer states) "fight for our future", it is clear he will do anything it takes to complete the mission, get the pregnant girl to safety, and save humankind. Though the premise my group is using is very different from 'Children of Men', I am hoping that we can relate information in a similarly straightforward but creative way: 'Children of Men' is shot with largely documentary-style technique, making it more realistic and therefore more comparable to modern-day concerns. Also, we will likely also use grim street corners and alleys to convey the corresponding despair of the people. The simple text appearing onscreen will be a good way of getting the meaning across, and hopefully our music, lighting, and cinematographic effects will lend the appropriate emotions to the trailer.