Media Film Trailers- Notes

Why do film trailers exist?

• Advertisement
• To attract audiences

Who makes trailers?

• Director and producer collaborate with marketing and advertising teams
• Trailer directors use techniques from the film to give a taster

What goes in a trailer?

• Series of selected shots from the film
• Shots are usually drawn from the most interesting, funny or exciting moments, they are also usually the key moments
• They won't necessarily be in the same order in which they appear in the film
• Usually a beginning (lays out the story), middle (drives the story and usually ends in a dramatic climax) and an end (montage of key moments to grip the audience)

What should be included?

• At Least 10 Shots from the Film
• Production Company
• Director and Stars
• Endorsements
• Film Title
• Voiceovers
• Music
• Speed of Editing
• Establishing Shots
• USP
• Release Date

Codes

• System of signs, which create meaning
• Codes can either be technical or symbolic
• Technical- all the ways in which equipment is used to tell the story in a media text e.g. camera
• Symbolic- What is beneath the surface of what we see e.g. character's actions
• Some codes fit both- e.g. technical and symbolic

Conventions

• Conventions are the generally accepted way of doing things
• All genres of film have typical conventions
• I will be doing a horror film so I'll be looking at the various horror film conventions