Theory of Trailers EA

Trailers:

Trailers are a key part of marketing which is guaranteed to get views, the success of the film distribution depends on this. The reason that trailers are so useful is because they are so easy for the audience to take in. Moreover they can make trailers which are designed specifically to create emotion in the audience and help them make them more interested in the film. Trailers are a relatively modern way of introducing a film to the viewers as opposed to posters and magazine covers which make it slightly harder to convey the description to the target audience. The genre of the trailer is crucial because this is all about what the audience wants to see. The audience can work out what genre the film is from the trailer by us using image conventions and recognisable genres.

Trailers conventions: 

• Music 

 - sound is critical in trailers because it is has control over such a large portion of the way the audience reacts. For instance a trailer can be drastically altered by changing the sound track and the emotions that the music provokes could differ resulting in a completely different atmosphere that the audience will think the film has. 

• Dramatic camera angles

- dramatic camera angles can create an aura of suspense in the audience and play with their emotions as well as sound. An example would be of how close shots which do not show much surrounding could be related to a horror film because the audience can not see the surroundings and it might stress them, where as a wide shot with a large view could illustrate something completely different perhaps even a euphoric feeling which might be found in another genre of film. 

• One line dialog

- One line dialog is extremely useful because it defines the pace of the trailer, if the trailer is a horror/thriller and there is need for suspense and a montage then one line dialog is perfect. It helps describe the situations in the film through quick cuts which hardly disturb the sequences used in the trailer. 

• Famous actors showcased

- If a famous actor or director is in the film or directed it would be a wise idea to put the name of the actor in the trailer so that the audience will be interested in the film. This could be viewed as a Unique Selling Point.

• voiceovers for story background

- Voiceovers can also be made of a famous actor so this is technically another example of how to create awareness of your film through famous actors. The voiceover is also useful for defining the story line and setting a correct tone for the film

• montage

- A montage is brilliant for maintaining pace in a trailer and creating excitement which will make the audience want to watch the film. 

• film title at the end 

- The film title is usually put at the end of the trailer because it means that then the audience will know what film it is and it adds impact.

Structural Conventions: 

Opening: 

The opening scene of a trailer should establish the setting and introduce characters.

Build-Up:

The build up will establish relationships; development of characters and their world

Problem:

Trailers are in need of an enigma/dilemma. The character(s) should be faced with an issue or a series of complications which they need to overcome.

Events:

a series of events as characters try to overcome obstacles and solve problems. further complications may arise in the process.

Distributing a trailer

A trailer is usually produced at the same time that the film is being edited or cut. The timing of the release of the trailer is extremely important as if it is too early then the trailer could be forgotten by the time the film comes out and if it comes out too late the film might not gather enough awareness or excitement and this could wreck the film's chances. Often to avoid releasing the trailer too early they will release a teaser which is shorter than a trailer just to give people an idea and give them an idea of what the film is about. Films now have websites which accompany their release which can prove to be very useful because so many people find out about films online. There are many problems with distribution now being online such as piracy and age restriction. It is quite hard to verify the age of someone watching the trailer because they may just say that they are 18 and they can not check. 

           The term global releasing is when a film is released over multiple countries, this means that it will most likely have more than one release date. This means that the trailer must be tailored to each country and its specific target audience's requirements. Trailers can be changed by being dubbed over or having subtitles for a foreign audience, there can even be complete other cuts aimed at a different audience. Piracy is one of the main issues with the film industry in this time period. For instance if a film is released in another country before ours such as America and we are in the England we could find a pirated copy online of the film before it is released on England. Film companies are trying to release films on the same day globally because it reduces piracy.