Digital Literacy Persuasive Movie Trailers

Selling An Idea Movies are not cheap to produce: Movies are not cheap to produce: James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar is reported to have cost between $300 and $500 million dollars to launch from an idea to cinema screen. James Cameron’s blockbuster Avatar is reported to have cost between $300 and $500 million dollars to launch from an idea to cinema screen. The success and failure of a film can rely heavily on the way it is promoted to the public. The success and failure of a film can rely heavily on the way it is promoted to the public. Hollywood puts in a great deal of effort to persuade us to part with our hard earned cash to see something we really know very little about. Hollywood puts in a great deal of effort to persuade us to part with our hard earned cash to see something we really know very little about. The most effective way they do this is with film trailers. The most effective way they do this is with film trailers.

Movie Trailers Movie trailers are snapshot of what we should expect to see in the film. Movie trailers are snapshot of what we should expect to see in the film. Since the purpose of the trailer is to attract an audience to the film, these excerpts are usually drawn from the most exciting, funny, or otherwise noteworthy parts of the film but in abbreviated form and without producing spoilers. Since the purpose of the trailer is to attract an audience to the film, these excerpts are usually drawn from the most exciting, funny, or otherwise noteworthy parts of the film but in abbreviated form and without producing spoilers. For this purpose the scenes are not necessarily in the order in which they appear in the film. For this purpose the scenes are not necessarily in the order in which they appear in the film. A trailer has to achieve that in less than two and a half minutes. A trailer has to achieve that in less than two and a half minutes. Each studio or distributor is allowed to exceed this time limit once a year, if they feel it is necessary for a particular film. Each studio or distributor is allowed to exceed this time limit once a year, if they feel it is necessary for a particular film.

Watch Some Movie Trailers *Please ensure the content you are viewing is age appropriate. *Please ensure the content you are viewing is age appropriate.

Elements Of A Trailer When watching some trailers try to identify the following elements: When watching some trailers try to identify the following elements: Who are the intended audience? Who are the intended audience? What is the key text used in the trailer? What is the key text used in the trailer? What does the audience know? What does the audience know? What would you like to know more about? What would you like to know more about?

What Should You Know From The Trailer? What style or genre is the film? What style or genre is the film? Key Characters, Major Stars (if neccesary), Locations or Setting/Mood (ie: fast, slow, dark, happy) Key Characters, Major Stars (if neccesary), Locations or Setting/Mood (ie: fast, slow, dark, happy) A rough idea of the plot. A rough idea of the plot.

Your Task Now that you have identified some of the key elements of movie trailers you are going to create a film trailer of either a narrative of your own or you may wish to make your own trailer of your favourite film or book. Now that you have identified some of the key elements of movie trailers you are going to create a film trailer of either a narrative of your own or you may wish to make your own trailer of your favourite film or book. You must map out with your group what your ideas is and what each scene is going to be. You must map out with your group what your ideas is and what each scene is going to be. Once you are clear on your idea you can move on to the production phase. Once you are clear on your idea you can move on to the production phase.

Production Phase We can use windows movie maker to do this task. We can use windows movie maker to do this task. This allows for the integration of images, voice over and music to enhance your final product. This allows for the integration of images, voice over and music to enhance your final product. 2:30 is probably quite an ambitious length for you, so I would recommend aiming for around a minute. 2:30 is probably quite an ambitious length for you, so I would recommend aiming for around a minute. You have one week to work on this in class before you have to be ready to show your trailer to the class. You have one week to work on this in class before you have to be ready to show your trailer to the class. You can create this in groups of 2-4 You can create this in groups of 2-4 Run your idea by the teacher Run your idea by the teacher