In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of real media products?

Film Trailer

Definitions

‘A trailer or preview is an advertisement for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema, on whose screen they are shown’ - Google

‘A short promotional film composed of highlights of a movie due to release in the future’ - Dictionary definition

Trailers (Forms and Conventions)Basic Conventions I have learnt from my research into real trailers

• Theatrical trailers last between 1 minute and 3 minutes.

• Suggestion of the storyline. This is usually told to the audience through 5 transitions in a standard trailer with no more than 4 words per slide. This is apparent in trailers such as Oceans 13 and Adulthood. Other ways to hint the storyline to the audience would be a voiceover such as in Casino Royale and Hustle.

• Draws the interest of the audience by displaying attention grabbing footage. Close-up and medium shots are the most interesting shots unlike a continuous amount long shots which can be classed as boring.

• Includes the film title and opening date at the end.

• Quick build up to high tempo music or if the trailer is of a smaller duration, a consistent high tempo during all of the trailer depending on which genre the trailer has.

• Introductions to some of the main characters. Sometimes the actors names appear on screen.

• Mise-en-scene will help the audience determine the genre of the film.

The Theory of TrailersTzvetan Todorov’s Theory of NarrativeTodorov suggested that conventional narratives are structured in five stages:1. a state of equilibrium at the outset;2. a disruption of the equilibrium by some action;3. a recognition that there has been a disruption;4. an attempt to repair the disruption;5. a reinstatement of the equilibriumThis type of narrative structure is very familiar to us and can be applied to many ‘mainstream’ film narratives. Because my trailer is mainstream, this theory is relevant to mine which is why I used in when drawing ideas of narrative to my storyline.

Vladimir Propp’s Theory of NarrativeVladimir Propp suggested that characters took on the role of narrative 'spheres of action' or functions. From a comprehensive study of folktales Propp came up with different character types.�The hero, usually male, is the agent who restores the narrative equilibrium often by embarking upon a quest (or search). Propp distinguishes between the victim hero, who is the centre of the villain's attentions, and the seeker hero who aids others who are the villains victims. The hero is invariably the texts central character.The villain who usually creates the narrative disruption.

These two character descriptions are the closest I could get to my 3 main character as they are villains but in the audience point of view, the good guys so hero’s.

Thriller Trailer and Film Conventions

A thriller trailer must include a high tempo soundtrack in the back. This is apparent in such trailers like Oceans 13 and James Bond.

Smaller length of footage create tension which links in well with the high tempo music.

Sets the thriller genre of the film and creates a feeling for the setting.

Sudden jumps in the music.

1 to 3 main characters – Usually only one female

‘Goodies and baddies’

A twist to the storyline

Film Conventions of my Trailer• 3 main characters – Beau, Scott and Lewis who play the 3 con men

in the storyline. Scott as the ‘hard-man’, Beau as the ‘charmer’ and Lewis as the ‘boss-man’.

• Twist with the scamming from the ‘roll of the dice’. This is a one highlight from the many that I would involve in the film

• High tempo music throughout the trailer. David Holmes – 160 Million Dollar Chinese man starts of medium but gradually increases towards the end.

• Cuts in the music. I have included 2 cuts in the trailer followed up a voiceover then a drop in the music to give excitement to the viewers.

• All scenes are no longer than 6 seconds to keep the tension high. This works well with the music because they excitement levels high throughout the duration of my trailer.

Film Conventions of my Trailer Cont.

• Action packed which allows the audience to recognise it’s a thriller. The image on the left is one example which shows Lewis carrying a bag which the audience can assume to be full of money

• The trailer itself doesn’t show any storyline really, only highlights from the film which is a conventional structure for trailers.

• Transitions including text giving the audience a basic storyline in 15 words and end credits. These transitions relate to the scenes shown in the trailer

Similarities

From my research into trailers I have become fond of many shots. For example, I have tried to re-create the over the shoulder shot that was shown on Ocean's 13. I thought this was a very interesting shot so I used Lewis as 'the boss-man' in the image below.Ocean's 13's shot includes an upper class background with the use of a swimming pool. I could not create this but the glass in the background was the closest I could get to a 'rich look'.

Casino Royale’s trailer has a close-up of cards to give the audience a feeling of the storyline. I have used this shot but changed it slightly to add more tension. To do so, I have zoomed in from a close up shot to an extreme-close up. This shot could also be seen as a point of view shot which makes the audience seem more related to the situation.

Ocean’s 13 Casino Heist

Casino Heist

Casino Royale

When researching into trailers, I enjoyed the style Ocean’s 13 portrayed which is why my trailer is similar or of a pastiche to it. Other trailers influenced my work as shown..

What’s unconventional?

One unconventional feature I have included is the animation transitions. Unfortunately the playfulness I am trying to show in my film can’t be easily shown but I am hoping the transitions will give the audience a hint of it. The editing included also in this has a transition which is unusual with

the mise-en-scene of sophistication.

When planning my trailer, I made it so that it would mainstream in the sense I took no risks. Therefore with this, my trailer includes little unconventional features..