MOVIE TRAILERS An Overview

WHAT IS A MOVIE TRAILER?  The term “trailer” comes from their having been shown at the end of a film. Why was this strategy ineffective?  Now, these “teasers,” as they are sometimes called, are shown before the feature film begins.

PERSUASIVE TECHNIQUES  What techniques are most often used in movie previews to make the viewer want to see the movie?  How do the trailers that precede a feature film compare to the feature film? Why is this an important strategy?

WHAT MAKES UP A TRAILER?  Trailers consist of a series of the most exciting, funny, or otherwise noteworthy parts of the film but in very abbreviated form.  A trailer will not produce “spoilers” that give away the plot of a movie. Besides, the purpose of the trailer is to build audience curiosity about the film before they are able to see it.  One method editors use to prevent spoilers in trailers is to present shots from the film in a different order than they actually appear in the film.

TRAILER REGULATIONS  A trailer cannot be longer than two and a half minutes, according to theater regulations.  Once a year, a studio or film distributor s allowed to exceed the time limit if they feel it is necessary for a certain film.

ELEMENTS OF A FILM TRAILER  Genre: What type of film is being previewed? (animated, drama, documentary, comedy, sci-fi, horror, romance, etc.)  Point-of view: Who is the narrator? How are they involved? (first-person, third- person, etc.)  Location: What does the trailer reveal about setting? What are the clues?  Theme: What is the universal idea to be taken from watching the film? (not what the film is about)  Pacing: How is the trailer paced? Fast? Medium? Slow? What impact might this have?

ELEMENTS OF A FILM TRAILER  On-screen graphics: What kind of information is revealed by the graphics? Be specific.  Music and other sound effects: How does this set the tone of the film?  How does the trailer begin and end? Was it effectively edited?  What film studio is releasing the trailer? Do you know any previous films they’ve released?  Does the trailer tell you where you can find out more about the film?

ANALYZING A TRAILER  Horror:   Comedy:   Action: 