Film Trailers

The Science of Teaser Trailers:
A 'Teaser' Trailer sets out to introduce, excite and entice a films prospective audience. At the same time, 'tease' the audience, and whet their appetite for more of the film, and so get them to view or buy the film on release. Unlike a theatrical trailer, a teaser trailer is significantly shorter, and relies on word-of-mouth to increase exposure. A teaser trailer comes before the theatrical trailer, which is played in Cinema between two to three before its scheduled release. Teaser trailers generally air more on television or ‘TV spots’, due to their much shorter length, as air time is exceptionally expensive.

The Aims of a Teaser Trailer:

A teaser trailer aims to give the audience information about the film - what the story is about, who the stars are and what type of genre it will be. Genre is one of the most important aspects of film marketing, because a consumer's decision as to if they will pay to see a film, rests on if they have previously enjoyed viewing the genre. When an audience views a trailer they immediately begin to break it down to analyse what genre it is. In example, if we see dark shadowy figures or hear scary music, we immediately assume 'Horror', whereas images and bright colours assume to be targeted at children. Occasionally films can be released as a hybrid, a mixture of more than on genre, and may take longer for the genre to be decided by the audience.

How to make the audience go and see the film:
The main was to increase interest in a film is its marketing campaign, to increase exposure to the film. A marketing campaign must also show us how the film is different to others of the genre: the USP (Unique Selling point) that sets it apart. This is what separates each title from one another, and makes them different. The USP could be a variety of different things: a unique mix of genre - such as a Musical Western; it might be a distinct aspect, like innovative special effects (Avatar set to release in 2009), it could also be casting an actor out of type - i.e. an actor known from action playing a serious emotional role. The USP is important for the marketing of a film, as it sets it apart from potential rivals, and so is often the main feature of it's advertising campaign.
The Features of a Trailer:
Trailers are not to be classed as 'Mini-FIlms', but snapshots of an overall film. They are a genre in there own right and have several conventions:

• they highlight the 'best bits' of the film, the very sad, funny, action-packed or bizarre.
• Showcase the film's stars
• some visual images don't stay on the screen long enough for it to be recognised by the audiences
• conversations berween characters usually comprise one-liners
• dramatic camera-angles may be chosen to show events or characters
• action is intersperced with credits on screen
• vioceovers are used to tell the story and give credit information
• masic plays an important role in creating atmosphere
• title may not appear to the end
• trailer builds to a climax, where it ends
• montage of different feelings