I really should have started with this one. This was the S3 trailer. It was first posted a week before S3 began. And to say the fandom went insane is an understatement. Up untill this, Skam France was considered one of the weakest versions. Their S1 and S2 was verbatim OG Skam, and it was part of the contract negotiated. So the team were really stuck. And the views were low, though i think Manon's season had more success. But nothing to what S3 has become. Basically the fans weren't interested, and then word of Maxence possibly being casted as French Even came down a few months before. And Maxence was a popular insta model. So quite a few people knew about him and followed his modelling. Interest began. And then this masterpiece dropped.
And it was not only confirmation that Maxence had been cast and was going to be our French Even but the trailer was a clip too. And a clip of French Even's first day of school. A clip of his first look at his French Isak. This first look was never filmed in OG Skam but dialogued in the Skam S3 book. But the French Team now had a new producer, director, head writer etc. And wanted to start S3 with a bang. And what else could be bigger than Eliott having his 'coup de foudre moment' towards Lucas?
And man this trailer broke social media. It really was a phenomena. The fandom went crazy and were panting and drooling over Eliott. 😍 Moved by the magnitude of the moment we were seeing 😭 intrigued for what was to happen 🤔 and found the song chosen for the trailer to be a banger of a tune 🎶 The song was Coloring - In motion (Range remix) and to this day i love that song and find so much meaning in it's choice to introduce us to Eliott.
So the trailer contents. Ok, so there's a very prison kinda atmosphere as we are now in Eliott's head. This is his first day at his new school. He's come from drama and suffering at his last. And we know just what kind. So the impression you get is that Eliott is anxious, resigned and basically trying to get through this hell (new school, same cycle) and we get all this by his quick hunched walking from the back, and the oppressive type of mood. He just wants to get to where he's going without any kind of attention. As he's walking we pick up on several things that will help us understand the season and the characters; So he walks past Imane and Emma sitting on the wall. Emma is oblivious and Imane looks at Eliott with a knowing look (S4). Then we see Daphne and Alexia. Daphne is buried in her phone with this busy and planning sort of vibe (common room) and Alexia is shocked and intrigued (she finds Eliott new and hot). Eliott ignores them and walks into the school quickly. He has his black hoodie up in that Eliott vulnerable style that tells us it's not a good time for him. The iconic brown bomber jacket, the pansexual ankles out look, and his book bag on his shoulder. He walks down the corridor and who shows up? Lucas and the boy gang. They again give us insight into them and their dynamic. They are animated, chatty, silly and tightknit. Lucas is lost in conversation and not paying attention. He bumps off Eliott and continues on with the gang.
What happens next i love so so much at how Maxence portrays it. Eliott suddenly stops walking but he doesn't turn around just yet. It's like he's taking something in. Like he's felt something and it's woken him from the mundane flat affect he was clearly in. We don't know what Polaris is but it's actually all over the trailer. The feeling Eliott is experiencing is Lucas's light penetrating his dark world. You watch what's happening and you really feel something has shocked life into him again. THEN he turns around and the look he gives Lucas?? I have no words. We already see the natural ability Maxence has to emote through his body language and eye contact. And the way he creates this level of intimacy just using his eyes is crazy. One look and you see it all. And it's why the fans went crazy because we knew what he was feeling. And Maxence portrays it like Eliott is completely taken with Lucas in that moment. That he desires him and is very attracted to him. We even see him look Lucas up and down and then a tiny wry smile comes onto his lips. And already you feel the essence of what Eliott will come to give us e.g. challenging, intense, mischievious, fixated, vulnerable, teasing. And i'll add the romance, tenderness and devotion we later see too. Basically Eliott shows that life changing moment so damn well.
And again more Polaris symbolism before we knew what it was. Eliott turned towards Lucas looking, to Lucas turned towards Eliott not looking. Lucas heading out into the court yard and into the light, to Eliott turning around and continuing on his way down the corridor and into the black. Both met at the threshold and now both head back to their respective worlds. Eliott now aware and literally waiting for his love story. Lucas not aware but metaphorically waiting for his love story.
And then add the song and the great meaning of it. You feel that this is something Eliott is listening to when he bumps into Lucas. And the lyrics say so much:
"Over and over we climb...over and over we fall....and all the time i was standing right here....and where did i go wrong...and how did i get it right....maybe none of it matters right here...we go we go we go we go round....but i know i know i know it's never gonna tear us apart....we go we go we go we go round....there's an empty ocean you're filling up in my heart"
The whole song is Eliott and like a repetitive mantra has started running around his head now he's seen Lucas. And the song is this sexy sultry synth pop number, and honestly a great song to download for your playlist. But yeah, this iconic trailer started it all. It was what put Skam France into the stratosphere and broke it out globally. And 76 million views later for S3, now you see why. 💜
Song: Coloring -In Motion (Range Remix)
