Film Trailer Research

I have decided to research more into Film Trailers as I want to learn more about exactly what the structure of a film trailer is and what factors are considered when making a trailer, for example how long each shot usually is, the amount of dialogue etc.

History of Film Trailers
The first trailer shown in a U.S movie theatre was in November 1913.
In early 1960's, style of trailers changed dramatically. Trailers adapted by changing, textless, montage trailers became very popular and quick-editing was widely used. These technqiues were influency by televsion which was a growing trend.

Conventions of a Film Trailer

• Includes institutional details, logos/brand, which is usually shown at the beginning of the film trailer.
• Film Trailers should make the audience create an immediate interest for the film before release.
• The sequence of the trailer isnt the same as the sequence of the film.
• The title of the film is shown near the end of the trailer
• Voice overs and text are very commonly used to get the audience focused and thinking.
• A Film Trailer should have a steady build of momentum through the trailer with the use of faster cuts.
• Music used should be similar to the genre, for example horror music is stereotypically eerie and sinister.
• The Film Trailer shows the main characters and sometimes the antagonist.
• Film trailers usually consist of a wide variety of different shot types.
• The shots used in the trailer should show the film's genre clearly to the audience, show a narrative throughout the trailer and show the best parts of the film to help promote it to the audience.
• The maximum length of a trailer is usually about 2 minutes, 30 seconds.
• The content should be appropriate for all ages, for example any language used shouldnt be offensive, or any violent scenes shouldnt be to visual. If the trailer does contain inappropiate content then the trailer should contain warning and is then catagorised as ''red band''.
• Most trailers follow the three-act structure similar to a feature-length film. This works by starting with the beginning act which lays out the story. The middle act drives the story further and usually ends with an exciting and dramatic climax. And the final act usually is powerful or emotional.
• Trailers have very condensed narrative that give the audience a general idea of what the film is about, however specific details are not shown as this would defeat the purpose of promoting the film.