FILM TRAILERS

BRIEF 2
A promotional package for a new film, to include a teaser trailer, together with

• a film magazine front cover, featuring the film
• a poster for the film 

CONVENTIONS
What is a teaser trailer? You analyse professional examples as well as consult guidance from sites such as MediaEdu:
There are two types of film trailer: Teaser Trailers and Theatrical Trailers.

Teaser Trailers

• Shorter in length – normally a maximum of 60 seconds, often much less than that
• Released months before the film comes out – sometimes the film is still in production, or post production (there may be scenes/shots that are not in the final film)
• Mainly used by bigger budget films
• Designed to create initial interest/curiosity and viral hype by planting narrative enigmas
• They have limited, sometimes no information on narrative
• Shown frequently in cinemas before main features that have a similar target audience, online and on television
• The trailer will sometimes end with or without a release date but normally with the text: ‘COMING SOON’
• Paid for by the film distributor

 
OCR GUIDANCE
We have scrutinized examiner's reports for the last 3 years (see below) and spoken to the OCR subject office. Subject Specialist Tony Fahy writes:

"There are potentially 2 types of trailer. There is the theatrical trailer which for most films, which is between 2 and 2.5 minutes. There is also the teaser trailer which is under a minute, normally about 40 secs long.

It is perhaps worth noting that teasers are potentially ‘harder’ as the (student) makers have a shorter time to convey the essence of the key selling points to the potential audience – so everything has to be that much sharper but that’s just an observation and OCR has no preferences about either format and centres have submitted both.

On the OCR Media Weebly (http://ocrmediastudies.weebly.com/ ), if you click on FOR 2015 HERE you will see a number of blogs and in the A2 section, Cameron's trailer is 1 minute and 4 secs long and received 34/40, an A grade piece. The moderators comments are on the front page - a little confusingly (sorry)."

LINKS
Media marketing glossary from MediaKnowall is very useful for vocabulary as well as for pointing you in the direction of what to analyse.

Film Education Teaching Trailers  
In class, we have answered an interactive quiz, made a demo trailer and studied Film Education materials on trailers (what they are, why they are produced, who they are aimed at, how they help fill cinemas, where they are shown and when they are released).

Why are film trailers important as part of an integrated film marketing campaign – what are their appeals?

Film trailers are high impact and the most dynamic part of any film marketing campaign – they allow audiences to sample the audio-visual representations in a film. The idea of audio-visual media in a film trailer selling audio-visual media is crucial as this cannot be achieved in print media marketing communications like film posters or magazine and newspaper adverts. In terms of key appeals, audiences can experience narrative action, be teased by narrative enigmas, introduced to characters, identify star marketing and develop an idea of narrative.

They are also important in terms of generating initial interest and talkability via teaser trailers, often shown in cinemas a few months before the film’s release but also using theatrical trailers to sustain that interest closer to, and during the cinematic release. Film trailers can also be exploited on a number of platforms by the distributor – this includes high production value trailers played in high ratings television spots, continued cinematic exhibition and also online. Research indicates YouTube is the most successful site for film trailers as part of an integrated marketing campaign in generating audience interest and appeal in a film. Trailers that are played in cinemas often link to the following film in terms of having a similar target audience by belonging to the same, or similar genre and having similar representations.

The fact that the BBFC are concerned enough about the high impact of trailers to sometimes award a different certificate to the film is enough to explain in part their importance. Trailers can also link to other convergent marketing platforms in the campaign with the ability to embed URL website links but also interactive Twitter hashtags and Facebook links – audiences like developing knowledge of a film using digital platforms which can be evidenced as a form of viral marketing via file sharing. A film trailer can be integrated and evidence the house style of a campaign but also have its own stand alone unique selling points such as common use of narrative voice over and high impact non-diegetic music. These are features other media in a film marketing campaign cannot offer with these conventions often creating an emotive response and offering entertainment values.

• Clear understanding of how film trailers are part of an overall marketing campaign
• Focussed response that answers the question directly
• Good use of media industry terminology
• Relevant linking with audiences, convergent platforms and digital media

On MediaMagazine, read the article written by Ian Wall, director of The Film Space.

This article was first published in MediaMagazine 48, April 2014: The Production Issue

The ultimate how-to guide to making trailers

Ian Wall, director of The Film Space, identifies the key processes involved in creating a movie trailer that really works....
See also 2017 resources at The Film Space on making trailers here.