Disney Trailer Analysis: Tomorrowland

'Tomorrowland' is a Disney adventure movie which tells the story of a former 'boy-genius' (Frank) as well as a gifted teenage girl (Casey) who are tasked to explore a land caught in between time and space as well as save the future of the world.

The first shots of the trailer use low-key lighting, as well as a voiceover of Frank, immediately stating the disruption of the narrative: "the future is running out."  The use of low-key lighting connotes the possibility of a bleak or dystopian conclusion to the story, assuming the disruption is not dissolved.  This emphasises the magnitude on the disruption, implying that it plays a significant role in how it influences the characters make decisions or tackle challenges ahead in the film.  Furthermore, this can also relate to Barthes' enigma code as it causes the audience to question why the future is "running out" or why Frank is staring at his Nixie tube timer rather than changing the future which hands in the balance.

On the other hand, the shots featuring Casey afterward contrast the negative mode of the previous shots with Frank, as these appear as more hopeful and optimistic.  The scene in the car in addition to the montage within 'Tomorrowland' use genre signifiers such as the flying vehicles and hover-boards to indicate that it is an adventure movie.  As a result, it may become appealing mostly towards adolescents and tech-savvy adults who are interested in Computer Generated Imagery (CGI).  The montage also includes a contrasting narration to the first where Frank hints to a place which has no limits.  This can be linked to Barthes' symbolic code as it raises the question as to whether a 'utopian' society can actually ever be created.

As the trailer progresses, the cuts between shots become more frequent, dialogue becomes shorter and there is a larger shot variety.  This connotes the spontaneous and epic nature of the film.  It also demonstrates to the audience the action or sci-fi influences within the movie, as the remaining scenes showcase the antagonists who are constantly trying to thwart the progress of the protagonists with gadgets and weapons they would associate with 'the future' presented in the media.

At end of the trailer, the non-diagetic music reaches it's climax; the soundtrack is dominated with percussion, implying the dramatic or 'epic' ideas which stem from this movie, such as saving and changing the world.  The final shot reduces the pace of the trailer and relates back to the main genre of the movie: adventure.  This is in order to return back to the core themes of the movie such as exploration and innovation, as well as return it's appeal back to the adolescent audience who are attracted by the traditional adventure theme which Disney usually emphasises the most in their films.