Film Trailer Analysis

G324 Advanced Portfolio

Promotion Package for a New Film

Main Task
· Construction of a film trailer (Group)

Ancillary Tasks
· A film magazine front cover, featuring the film; (Individual)
· A poster for the film. (Individual)

Research and Planning

Before you begin to plan your film trailer, you will first need to carry out important research in relation to the following:

· The codes and conventions of your chosen film genre.
· The function of trailers as a promotional device.
· The codes and conventions of trailers.
· The structure of trailers.
· The expectations of the target audience for your chosen film genre.
· How do film trailers work?
· Where are film trailers most commonly found?
· Why do film studios use film trailers?
· Are film trailers effective promotional devices?
Research – Textual Analysis

Analyse three or more film trailers by answering the following questions:

1. What is the genre of the film?

2. How is the audience able to identify the genre of the film?

3. How does the trailer target an audience?

4. How long does the film trailer last?

5. How many shots are used in the trailer?

6. What transitions are used in the trailer?

7. How is diegetic sound used in the trailer? – Focus on dialogue and sound effects.

8. How is non-diegetic sound used in the trailer? – Focus on music and sound effects.

9. How does the trailer represent characters and their relationships?

10. How does the trailer create a sense of narrative?

11. What does the trailer reveal about the plot of the film?

12. How does the trailer create a code of enigma?

13. How does the trailer use titles to communicate with the audience?

14. How does the trailer establish the mood and expectations of the film?

15. What types of camera shots and angles are used most commonly in trailers?

16. How is mise-en-scene constructed in trailers?

17. Why has the film studio used the trailer to market its product?

18. How successful is the film trailer in targeting an audience?

19. Make a list of 10 codes and conventions that you have identified in the film you have analysed.

20. How effective are film trailers as a promotional device for films?