g324 trailers induction

8/9/2019 G324 Trailers Induction

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Preparation for A2 Practical Project:

Analysing Media Trailers

KKS


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For your A2 Coursework you will produce:

a media portfolio, comprising amain and two ancillary texts

a Blog presentation of your Research and Planning

an electronic Evaluation

MAIN TASK:

A promotion package for a new film, to include:

y a teaser trailer

PLUS two of the following three options:

y a website homepage for the film;

y a film magazine front cover, featuring the film;

y a poster for the film.


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The Purpose of a Trailer

What is a marketing campaign and why is it needed?

Filmmaking can be a very expensive business, with feature films needing healthy takings at

the box office in order to cover the costs of production, pay the investors and make enough

money for the next release. When a film is released at the cinema it has only a short space

of time in which to become a box -office hit. The marketing campaign plays a vital role in

informing the potential audience about the film with the purpose of encouraging peopl e to

see that film at the cinema. The companies who own the film and loan it to the cinema to

show for a period of time are called the distributors, because they distribute the film around

the country. The distributors are keen for the film to be as succes sful as possible so they

create a marketing campaign that aims to raise awareness of the film and arouse interest. In

this way the distributors stand the best chance of making a profit on the film.

y What do you think are the major elements of a film market ing campaign [the differentways in which the films message is presented to potential audiences]?

y Where might you expect to see each of the different parts of the marketingcampaign?

y What factors make you want to go and see a film? How do you decide which films tosee?

Why is the trailer important?

The trailer is a powerful weapon in the marketing campaign. Posters are important in

capturing the initial interest of the audience and drawing them into the cinema, but they

cannot convey the excitement and atmosphere of a film in the same way a trailer does. The

combination of moving image and sound, both experienced larger than life through the

advanced equipment of the cinema auditorium, is an exciting experience. In this way, the

trailer stirs our emotions and gives us a flavour of the film that is impossible through still

images alone.


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When is the trailer produced?

Most trailers are created and produced at the same time as the film is being edited (cut to

the final version that will be released in the cinema). The timing of a trailer campaign in

cinemas, online and on television is important: it must be shown far enough in advance to

generate excitement about the films release, but not so early that people forget about the

film before it even comes out. Often, a very short version of the trailer, known as a teaser,

will be released early on in the marketing campaign to give people an idea of what the film

will be about, and to generate buzz around the release. As most films now have websites to

accompany their release, these teaser trailers are often seen first online. After this, theatrical

campaigns (shown in cinemas) and television spots will start to appear to maintain and

strengthen the initial buzz.

Global releasing

Where a film is being shown in a range of countries, it may have a range of release dates, in

which case each version of the trailer will need to carry the correct information to ensure

audiences are aware of the release date. Many of the films we see in the UK are from the

US and the trailers have been created there, hence the use of American vocabulary and

accent in the voiceover. Sometimes the trailer may be re -cut for different countries, with a

different voiceover or even dubbed speech; there may also be dif ferent cuts of the trailer

aimed at the interests of different audience groups.

In recent years changes in media technology have had a big impact on the way that film

titles are released internationally. When films are released earlier in the USA, for exa mple,

than they are in Europe, pirated versions of those films often appear in Europe before the

films official release date. This is often due to individuals recording the film in the cinema

then uploading it online an illegal activity usually referr ed to as film piracy. As this can eat

into potential box -office profits, those involved in promoting a film need to carefully control

the process of release. For this reason films are increasingly released on a day and date

basis, which simply means that the film is released around the world on exactly the same

day, in order to reduce the international trade of pirated copies.


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Analysing a Trailer

Feature CommentsGenre

Narrative

Unique Selling Point

Target audience

Music

Shot types/camera angles

Pace

Dialogue

Voiceover

Special effects

Credits and intertitles

Impact of title, how it linkswith genre, connotationsand font style


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Storyboard for :___________________________________ ___________________


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g324 trailers induction

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