DIFFERENCES BETWEEN A TRAILER AND A FILM OPENING

 from Blanca Espejo Ruiz

WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL TRAILER?

A trailer is an advertisement or a commercial for a feature film that will be exhibited in the future at a cinema, the result of creative and technical work. The term "trailer" comes from having originally been shown at the end of a feature film screening.

WHAT MAKES A SUCCESSFUL TRAILER?

1. SOUND

Sound is something that is very important in all trailers. It represents the genre of the film and can be used to emphasize certain parts in the trailer. particular action films use sound in a very clever way in trailers. Diegetic sound can be used in the form of explosions and gunshots representing the genre.

Non-diegetic music is also often used to portray the genre also.
The trailer of "The Avengers".

This trailer strongly uses sound from dialogue and diegetic explosions to non-diegetic music. The action genre of this film is represented in the song playing throughout which is `We´re in this together´by Nine Inch Nails. This song is well known and the rock genre compliments the content of the action film trailer.

2. CAMERA

Different camera shots and angles are used in trailers for different reasons. A trailer that shows optimum use of camera is "The Host".

It begins with an extreme long shot of a view of earth from space. This has a large impact on the audience as it is so unusual to see this in a trailer because we are used to seeing them on earth. It also informs us that there will be a sci-fi element to the film.

This is the contrasted by an extreme close up shot of the main characters eye. But it unusual because of the colours in here eye and this is an important feature of the film. Though at this point the audience are unsure of what this means.

https://youtu.be/syUlVFpw_f4

3. ACTORS AND ACTRESSES

Trailers can became a lot more successful it famous actors and actresses in the film are named in the trailers. If an actor is well known for being in good movies and is shown to be in a trailer audiences will automatically think the film will be good. 

Also when fans of certain actors see they are in a film trailer will make them want to go and watch the film. So it will have more viewers. Therefore starting names of famous and well known actors and actresses in film trailer is a good way to make them more successful.

Examples of this are in the "We´re The Millers" trailer and "Horrible Bosses" trailer. 

4. PLOT

The film trailer for "Inception" is a very good example of how the plot can be shown in a way to make the trailer more successful. This trailer has no dialogue in it which adds to the mystery created by the quick cuts between scenes. Creating a strong sense of mystery is a good way to show a film because it leaves the audience with multiple enigmas that only watching the film will solve.

https://youtu.be/8hP9D6kZseM

HISTORY OF A FILM TRAILER

CONVENTIONS OF FILM TRAILERS

WHAT ARE CONVENTIONS?

Conventions are the generally accepted ways of doing something. There are general conventions in any medium, such as the use of the interviewee quotes in a print article, but conventions are also genre specific.

Codes and conventions are used together in any study of genre - it is not enough to discuss a technical code used such as camera work, without saying how it is conventionally used in a genre.

FILM PRODUCTION LOGOS:

Film production logos are often shown at the beginning of trailers however they can sometimes be shown at the end. This informs the audience/viewers who distributed or produced the film/trailer they are about to watch. For viewers who love films from particular distributors or production companies can decide to watch the trailer solely based on that reason alone. I can testify to this as movies by a certain distributor, actor o director appeal to me and I am drawn to watch movies from these groups.

FILM TITLES:

It is fundamental that film titles are made clear for each trailer so it has become a typical convention overtime. It is often shown at the end of the trailer to propel a adhesive effect meaning it will be more memorable for the audience. It is responsible for informing the audience of the product they are viewing presently. Film titles are altered in ways that are eye-catching, by using unique fonts and designs that differ from other distributed trailers/movies.

SOCIAL MEDIA: 

Online promotions of film production evolved. The use of social media to promote. A recent rise in the use of social media such as Twitter, YouTube and Instagram has further helped the film industries who use such platforms as a way of informing people of upcoming movies. Film productions can now make use of Twitter hash-tags or create accounts on Facebook or Instagram to enable people to look further into their films which is essentially more effective as it then reaches a global scale meaning a wider audience for that particular film. Social media is effective because it gives the opportunity for fans and audiences to share information and to share their thoughts about the film and it also gives people to chance to interact directly with the actors in the movie.

BBFC:

BBFC aims to provide guidance on the suitability of what age bracket can watch a particular film. The decision on what age is suitable to watch a particular movie usually lies within the intended target audience. The ratings will usually reflect the contents of the film.

CHARACTER INTRODUCTIONS:

For some movies, the local selling point may be the actors that are playing a character. Famous and widely known actors may attract audiences who are familiar with their work. 

Characters have the capability of engaging audiences emotions emotionally. This way the audience are more likely a enjoy the film.

DURATION:

Some trailers often have more than one trailer made however there is always an official trailer which often lasts between 1min 30 secs and 2 mins. There are also teasers which can sometimes last for 20 seconds or 30 seconds. The little of the film may not be shown either. This makes the audience eager awaiting the full trailer to be releases.

RELEASE DATES:

Similarly to film titles, release dates are usually shown at the end. This is a way for attracting the audiences attention. The release date is revealed some time prior to when the movie is released in the cinemas. This is done to ensure as many people have seen it before it is released to the general public.

  

RESEARCH ON FILM GENRES

FILM GENRES

ACTION:

Action films usually include high energy, big-budget physical stunts and chases, possibly with rescues, battles, fights, escapes, destructive crises (floods, explosions, natural disasters, fires, etc.), non-stop motion , spectacular rhythm and pacing, and adventurous, often two dimensional `good-guy´ heroes (or recently, heroines) battling `bad guys´ - all designed for pure audience escapism.

ADVENTURE:

Adventure films are usually exciting stories, with new experiences or exotic locales, very similar to or often paired with the "action" film genre. They can include traditional swashbucklers, serialized films, and historical spectacles, searches or expeditions for lost continents, "jungle" and "desert" epics, treasure hunts, disaster films, or searches for the unknown.

COMEDY:

Comedies are light-hearted plots consistently and deliberately designed to amuse and provoke laughter by exaggerating the situation, the language, action, relationships and characters. This section describes various forms of comedy through cinematic history, including slapstick, screwball, spoofs and parodies, romantic comedies, black comedy.

DRAMA:

Dramas are serious, plot-driven presentations, portraying realistic characters, settings, life situations, and stories involving intense character development and interaction. Usually, they are not focused on special-effects, comedy, or action, Dramatic films are probably the largest film genre, with many subsets.

HORROR:

Horror films are designed to frighten and to invoke our hidden worst fears, often in terrifying, shocking finale, while captivating and entertaining us at the same time in a cathartic experience. Horror films feature a wide range of styles, from the earliest silent Nosferatu classic, to today´s CGI monsters and deranged humans. They are often combined with science fiction when the menace or monster is related to a corruption of technology, or when Earth is threatened by aliens.

 SCIENCE FICTION:

Sci-fi films are often quasi-scientific, visionary and imaginative - complete with heroes, aliens, distant planets, impossible quests, improbable settings, fantastic places, great dark and shadowy villains, futuristic technology, unknown and unknowable forces, and extraordinary monsters, either created by mad scientists or by nuclear havoc.

REFLECTION FROM LAST YEAR AS

To start the reflection, I think I should say what I think about last year´s work. Last year, it made me think and learn. This year I have clearest ideas of making the blog, just because now, I know how much time I need to take in each post and work.
Is true that was a bit stressful, because was the first time I get inside blogger, I did not know exactly, how much time I should have get in each post. But with the time, finally, I get the trick of it.
The difference between this year and last one is that now, is that I feel more confident of making my blog.

MY TEAM : 

My team, is the same as last year. I am working with Candela Goodsell.

We are so happy to work together, because the two of us have the same desire, of making our blog.

I think is gonna be a great work!

As now we already know how to work in blogger, we can calculate the time we take in each post, to make the blog as perfect as possible.

Also, what we could improve is the researching part. Last year it was very difficult for us to understand the different things that the subject have.

I will try to do my best, for people to enjoy my blog. 

Hope you like it! 

INTRODUCTION

Hello, my name is Blanca Espejo, I am on year 13 this year and I am studying in Sage College.
This year I am studying English, Maths, Media Studies and Spanish.

The subject of media studies is one of my favorites, just because I love taking pictures and moving out with my camera, so the time we need to film scenes and making the trailer or whatever I enjoy a lot. 

Creating this blog, I am sure it will help me to improve my skills in media studies, and continue enjoying the subject.
This year I will create the blog with much more enthusiasm than last year, just because it is easier when I already have experience from my AS.

Hope you like my blog this year, and hope you enjoy it!