Terminator Genisys (2015)

Representation of Characters – Analysis – Arnold Schwarzenegger

Camerawork• Arguably the most iconic character from this series of films is the Terminator, as played by

Arnold Schwarzenegger. The camerawork in this teaser trailer continues to portray him as the protagonist to the audience and it also gives him and sustains the gender representation of the strong male hero; the typical masculine man.

• When we first see his character appear in this teaser trailer, he, and his digital younger counterpart, are introduced with low angle shots. They, or he, both appear in this segment for a short period of the teaser trailer, and for all of this short segment, low angles are used. Low angles are used to show a strong and powerful character, which supports the idea of a strong hero, and the strength supports the gender representation of the strong masculine character.

• The composition of the camera shots is also very significant in showcasing the protagonist and gender representations of Schwarzenegger’s character. In the first shot we see of the older Schwarzenegger, as he reveals himself from under a hood, he is positioned in the centre of the frame. This composition technique is usually used to create and show the drama in a situation. This drama created by the Terminator’s central position in the frame supports his protagonist intentions because the drama built around him makes him look prepared and ready to defeat an antagonist force.

Camerawork (cont.)• The camera movement in camerawork could also support the idea of a strong and serious male protagonist. All

of the camera shots he features in have very smooth movement. Even when he jumps out of a helicopter, which is a very chaotic event, the camera is near perfectly smooth. There is not much shaking at all. This shows that he could be in control of the chaos, and he knows what he is doing. He is showing the audience his potential to defeat the antagonist. This could also support his masculinity, by displaying his strength in keeping the camera smooth. However, this could also relate to the nature of his character in the diegesis of the film itself, because he is actually a robot. This could mean that the smooth camerawork relates to a refined and smooth robotic nature.

• Also, this strength that he shows in these shots relate to his roles in the previous films in this saga. Since he has been in the other films of the series, this means that he is used to fighting off protagonists. Showing Schwarzenegger as ready to defeat the antagonists could give off some familiarity to the audience. This means that the teaser trailer could be somewhat targeting the film towards an audience that is familiar with the film series, which could be supported by the use of dialogue, with the inclusion of a catchphrase of his: “I’ll be back.” This could also show that the film is somewhat depending on the use of star appeal to market the film. However, I also feel that this is contradicted by the editing, because he doesn’t actually feature all that much in the trailer.

Camerawork (cont.)• Theoretically, this could be contradicted by narrative structure. Teaser trailers tend to take

a more open-ended narrative structure for a teaser trailer, to help create enigma and send that to the audience in order to make a more successful marketing material. The open end means that the entire narrative (primarily the end resolution) is not explored. Relating to a theory by Joseph Campbell, called ‘The Hero’s Journey’, or the ‘monomyth’, the start of the narrative (the part that is conventionally featured in a teaser trailer) contains a stage in which the protagonist is unwilling to defeat the antagonist. However, Schwarzenegger’s character deviates from this by showing that he is prepared to defeat the enemy. This then supports one of the seven archetypes developed by Christopher Vogler, who said that heroes can be willing to defeat the antagonist. Although, he did balance this by saying that the hero could be unwilling. However, overall, it seems that the use of camerawork represents Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character well as a protagonist, and does support the idea of a conventional masculine, strong hero.

Camerawork (cont.)• There is also a ‘composition balance’. At the end of the trailer, before he is about to jump from the

helicopter, there is a shot of him with another of the main characters, Sarah Connor. The composition of this frame I think supports the editing techniques that were used (which I’ll come on to next), and helps support the Terminator as one of the main characters in the film. It shows his importance in the narrative of the film. This shot shows both him and Sarah Connor sitting together in the helicopter. Sarah Connor is taking up more of the frame in this sequence, but her face is not showing. Schwarzenegger is taking up less of the frame, but his face is showing, and is nearly staring directly into the camera. As the audience can see his face, this makes him more engaging to the audience. His face being featured also gives the audience a focal point for the scene, which gives him a greater importance within the scene, and therefore the overall narrative.

• However, his short amount of on-screen time in this trailer could contradict his importance in the narrative of this film, because the teaser trailer should also accurately represent the tone of the film in order to give the audience an accurate representation of what the film will be like. However, this point could be contradicted further, considering that this film did not perform particularly well from a critical perspective, with Rotten Tomatoes giving this film a score of only 25%.

Editing• The on-screen time of Schwarzenegger’s character is affected by the use of editing, since the

editor has control on how much a character features in the trailer. I think that this, combined with the use of a fade represents Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character in a particular way, along with the use of other editing techniques, like special effects and ellipses.

• A fade to black can be used to show a particular situation ending. However, I speculate that if used in reverse, i.e. going from black and fading into a scene, could show a situation beginning. This can be supported by the fact that nearly every single screenplay does begin with a line saying: “FADE IN”. In relevance to the teaser trailer for Terminator Genisys, a fade is chosen to introduce the Terminator (Schwarzenegger) to the trailer. Because some clips came before this part of the trailer, the fade could show the beginning of a new situation in the trailer, relating to the narrative. This new situation beginning that introduces Schwarzenegger could show that there is a sub-plot within the narrative of the film. This could be supported by the fact that this particular sequence in the teaser trailer only features Schwarzenegger’s characters (the older and younger versions of him).

Editing (cont.)• This use of a sub-plot could explain the fact in which why Schwarzenegger doesn’t seem to feature much in this

teaser trailer. Sub-plots I feel tend to feature smaller characters, hence the idea of a sub-plot. It deviates from the main narrative of the film. This deviation and introduction with the use of the fade could show a sub-plot in the film with Schwarzenegger. However, this could be contradicted by the fact that Sarah Connor is seen in a scene with the Terminator. In relation to the representation of Schwarzenegger’s character himself, this could show that although the Terminator does play the role of a protagonist (which can be supported by camerawork), he may be the main protagonist of the film. I think that this role would perhaps lie with another character, Sarah Connor.

• There is also the short use of an ellipsis at the end of the trailer, which features Schwarzenegger’s character. This can be seen when he is jumping from the helicopter. There seems to be a short part cut out to speed up the action of the film. It is subtle, but it does slightly speed up the pace of the film. This makes the overall a little more exciting, and it also shows that the Terminator (Schwarzenegger) can still take some action after the many films in the series. This could represent age differently too. Because Schwarzenegger is older in this film, the use of this ellipsis to speed up the action shows that although he is getting older, he can still take action. The fact that this pace increase is a little more subtle could suggest that it is still somewhat conforming to the current representation of older people as being a little less active.

Editing (cont.)• He is also represented again as the conventional male protagonist through the use

of special effects at the end of the trailer. There is a heavy use of special effects as he jumps out of the helicopter. This dangerous and daring stunt includes a shot where Schwarzenegger can be seen looking very serious as he jumps (which relates to mise-en-scene). This serious face in this stunt shows that he is brave and therefore stereotypically more traditionally masculine. However, this could show again that he is just a very refined, emotionless robot. Or it could show a combination of both.

• Overall, the use of editing shows further that he a brave masculine figure in the teaser trailer for this film, however, he may not necessarily be the main protagonist. But he does still support the traditional representation of the male figure in a narrative, being strong, brave and masculine.

Mise-en-scene• The use of mise-en-scene in relation to Schwarzenegger’s character is important

also, and I believe it further demonstrates the traditional representation of the male hero character as brave and masculine. The use of facial expressions, props, lighting and colour (all of which I will give points on) all help contribute to this representation further and also contribute to the purpose and success of the teaser trailer too.

• Looking at props and facial expressions, when this trailer first introduces Schwarzenegger’s character, he is seen holding a gun, and his facial expression is incredibly serious. This serious face whilst he is in possession of a large gun shows that he is not afraid to use it to achieve his goal as the protagonist. Also, a gun can be seen to be quite masculine. However, this representation can be contradicted in the case of Emilia Clarke’s character, Sarah Connor. In fact, Sarah Connor seems to break some gender representations.

Mise-en-scene (cont.)• The use of lighting and colour is also important in this trailer to show the sort of character that the Terminator

is. The very first shot that we see the older Schwarzenegger in is one where he is silhouetted, and just a dark black colour. This is teamed with some low key lighting in the background, because you can see where shadows are forming. This low key lighting shows the lack of lighting in the situation used to help create Schwarzenegger’s silhouette. The use of low key lighting can also show that the situation is quite dark, shady and mysterious. This can also be said of the Terminator. The silhouette that blacks out the Terminator builds mystery around the character. The use of black could also show his character as more powerful. But the use of a silhouette to show the mystery surrounding the Terminator also helps the marketing of the film. This mystery created also relates to the hermeneutic code developed by Barthes. The enigma code helps with the marketing of films because it attracts the audience to find out more, and this lighting and silhouette creates this effect. However, I feel that, looking at the big picture, this film series is very famous, and as aforementioned, Arnold Schwarzenegger is arguably the most iconic character from this film series. I think this means that the silhouette may have been used for a different reason in this trailer, because there isn’t really a mystery to unravel behind his character, because we know who Schwarzenegger’s character is, because of how famous his character is within the films. I feel that maybe this silhouette was used instead more for dramatic purposes and to show the power of Schwarzenegger’s character.

Sound• Overall, this teaser trailer is given a dramatic tone throughout thanks to the use of strong

dramatic soundtrack across the entire trailer, barring a few clips, including one that is relevant to the representation of Schwarzenegger’s character. Because the overall teaser trailer is dramatic, the drama is already established for the tone of the film. So a way to differentiate that, perhaps making the situation even more dramatic is when Schwarzenegger’s character is introduced and he says a line which stops the soundtrack. This could show that he is powerful enough to entirely overpower the soundtrack in the trailer. He somehow adds to the drama established by the soundtrack. This reference to power and drama with the use of a sudden pause in the music also shows that he is more masculine too, supporting further and further the conventional hero and traditional male stereotype of being brave and masculine.

• This is supported by a further example that happens at the same point. The line in which he makes the soundtrack stop is: “I’ve been waiting for you.” This line shows that he is prepared for the enemy he is facing. He has been waiting for them to arrive. His voice is also quite deep, so this makes him seem more masculine.

Conclusion• The fact that he has been waiting, teamed with the other techniques that establish him as a strong male

protagonist who is completely robotic and serious in his ways to achieve his goal relates to the theory of a person called Carol Pearson, who developed some heroic archetypes: different ways in which a hero could be described and how they achieve their goals as the protagonist in the narrative. One of these, the ‘warrior’, related heavily to the way Schwarzenegger’s Terminator has been represented and established in this teaser trailer. This archetype is described as “putting oneself in danger… careless of safety” and their quest is to change. The warrior will win at whatever confronts him. The warrior will also bring balance. Pearson describes this as the warrior will bring balance to themselves, but I believe that this can be easily adapted to say that this particular ‘warrior’ archetype’s goal is to bring balance to the world.

• Also, the idea of them being “careless of safety” is evident in the way that he shows no hesitation when jumping out of a helicopter. He looked prepared and confident in his chances of achieving his goal. I believe that this archetype can explain the Terminator quite well. So, according to certain character types and theories, he is conventional. And combined with the techniques of sound, mise-en-scene, camerawork and editing, he supports this and also follows the traditional representation of the male figure in this teaser trailer. This may be changing in certain parts of the media which challenge these stereotypes, recognising that not all males are like that, however, with a character that has been established in such a way for the past 30 years, to go against it would not be a good idea for the film. So overall, he has been represented as a conventional male stereotype, being shown as strong and fearless, and he has also conformed to certain theorised heroic archetypes.