The trailer first starts off with a non diegetic narration, stating to the audience, ''Do you know where you came from?'' This is an interesting opening to the audience because it immediately sparks the audience's imagination, why is he asking this question? leaving enigmas for the audience, which immerses them instantly before anything has even happened. However before the audience is able to even consider the question the establishing shot is introduced along with a sudden bang and slow music introduced. The establishing shot used for this trailer was a close up shot of a door with a wired space, which could suggest that it is a prison, there is a character walking towards the gap in the door, stating that he has wronged, but it could also be due to a corrupt police force of some kind. The character also has a extremely serious look on his face, like he means business. The camera work is also clever because it stays at eye level shot of the character in the door, suggesting that he is looking at someone outside the door, and we are given a P.O.V. shot from that person looking into the prison cell. The next shot two characters are talking, the music is still being played and is constantly slow, but it gives the feeling to the audience that something is building up. However the two characters talking have very similar clothing, which could either suggest that they are wearing suits of some kind, businessmen, like suggested in the thumbnail above, or that they are in prison, wearing matching outfits. However the first man introduced as Malcolm, the main character in the film, is wearing a hat, suggesting that it is cold, typical weather in New York.
After a while of exchanging words, the camera then cuts into an old fashioned show theme, ''Say Roselan!'' then a dance montage is introduced, the camera shots are extremely rapid and alters many times. for example, a two person shot of two characters suited up in fashionable clothing, followed by a low angle shot showing gymnasts/dancers jumping off stage, and the music suddenly changes to rhythm and blues, very upbeat music and tireless, suggesting a theme of happiness to the audience, even though just a few scenes before the characters were talking about slavery. The characters are wearing bright radiant clothing, which could also suggest that they are rich or wealthy. The camera shots carry on changing, for example high angle shots are used to display a mass of people dancing, mainly in couples, to a few eye level shots, followed by a slightly low angle shot, signifying that that character has some power, leaving the audience another enigma, could that person own the building? ''He was a pusher, a hustler, a thief.'' This suggests that he was a bully of some kind, that he would manipulate people. This is reinforced by the fact that there is a close angle shot of him wearing a white vest, smoking, and holding a pistol in his right hand. However we are then introduced to a shot reverse shot over two character's shoulders, where the taller one says, '' Are you ready to tackle the streets?'' although he says this rather rapidly, which could connotate that they're in a rush, or that his character is fast and fidgety. They have a mean look to their face along with the bright lighting. There is a two shot of two characters walking across a field, one of them pretending to have a gun, yelling, ''BOOM!'' at the other, whilst this is happening the camera is using a tracking shot, following the two characters walking across the field. However this way of behaving is fairly child like, suggesting that they are still naive as a sort, or that they still have fun, whichever way it is interpreted. the shot is also a mid shot, capturing the some of the background along with the two characters.
Following that scene, there is a quick gunshot, a real one this time, whilst the camera fades to black, using the fade to black transition, to signify a change of time for the audience, and also suggesting to the audience that someone was actually shot, rather than the playful behaviour which occurred earlier on. The still shot shows the audience a beach of some sort, along with two characters walking across the character, whilst the camera does not follow them, they walk closer and closer until they eventually pass it. followed by a still shot and an extreme close up of them talking, which alerts the audience that there is a love interest in the film, which would attract more females into watching it, although it is not a conventional film in itself, such as an action film where it mainly attracts a male audience or a romantic film which mainly attracts a female audience. However there is then a sudden shot whilst the transition fades to white, where two characters are in court with their hands cuffed, then a mugshot of one of the characters, presumably Malcolm X.
After that we are introduced into a new scenery, set in a prison. An office or warden asks of someone's number, to which he replies, ''I forgot.'' sarcastically, the camera then changes from a eye level shot to a low angle shot of the police beating up Malcolm. Some props include a baton, cuffs, and other typical policing equipment. However what is quite interesting is that all of the hands resting outside the cells are black, suggesting that these were the years of racism (historians can talk more about it). The music is also very relaxing, which is quite ironic because the character is being dragged down a hall, where the camera tracks them for a few seconds and then uses a low angle shot to show the panic on the character's face. as well as the anger on the warden's face.
''I will no touch the white man's drugs, his liquor, his women.'' This is a big blow to the audience, because it shows to them the true extent on racism in those years and how divided the society and races were, however the audience is also introduced to the revelation of Malcolm, coming from a drugged, and violent past, into a devout Muslim. He is also wearing very smart clothing, a black suit, tie, e.t.c. The character is then given an exponential amount of power, for he becomes the leading of a rights movement, many low angle and eye level shots are used to show him, advancing his position as a higher member of society, the music changes as if it were a patriot like society, like Malcolm was a president of some sort. Happy music is introduced until eventually another gunshot is introduced.
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