Thursday, 17 August 2017

Drafting and planning: Features of a trailer

It is very important that from the get go unless for a plot specific reason that the trailer lets the audience know what type of genre it is going to be so that it can target a specific audience. Trailers can be viewed anywhere, mainly on the site youtube which allows the trailer to be seen at home o computers or on the go on phones.  A typical trailer will consist of various shots from the movie it is promoting, as the trailers job is to attract an audience into the movie the shots that are usually going to be the most exciting from the movie or the most visually stunning. These shots and such dialogue will generate a certain mood and enigma for what the movie may be about. In a typical trailer the trailer will give information/ highlight the important facts of the movie, the plot and information about the characters.
Trailers will often follow a similar pattern, the information and the scenes will often be fact paced with lots of footage which requires and allows the audience to stay interested in the trailer this creates a roller coaster effect as the tension will build up as the trailer goes on but will then drop as the trailer finishes.

The typical conventions of a trailer are as followed:
  • The 'best bits' will be highlighted.
  • Showcases the cast and main characters that are involved in the movie.
  • Visual images will not be shown for long unless to highlight visual importance or effectiveness.
  • Conversations between characters normally one liners. Or narration from the main character.
  • Dramatic camera angles/shots
  • Potential voice over to give clues or expand on the story (give insight)
  • Trailer will build up to a climax and then end.
Typical camera shots that are used in a trailer:
  • Close up- To show emotions on the characters.
  • Establishing shot- To set the scene of the trailer.
  • Low angle shot- Show dominance of a certain character.
  • Pan shot- To further show the surrounding.
  • Hand held camera- To show that this is a user generated movie.
             These shots can actually help the audience know what type of genre the film is going to be.

Wednesday, 2 August 2017

Drafting and planning: Using a song within my trailer

Like i said in a very in my previous songs in trailers are becoming increasingly popular, with songs being able to enhance a trailer to audience as it exposes pop culture but songs can also elevate a feel of a trailer and add to the plot and story of what the trailer was going for. From the get go of deciding that i wanted to do a trailer i knew i wanted to add a song into the trailer so that i can add to the overall feel of the trailer.
In this blog post i will look at some trailers that have used songs within their trailers and why i liked them.



This first trailer is from the film "A walk among the tombstones" an uses a song by nouela who covered a song called "Black hole sun" this song seemed to almost be made for the trailer it was used for. The song carries the same mood and perfectly adds to the mysterious tone. It makes the trailer have a sombre tone. The lyrics in this song that perfectly stand out that helps elevate the trailer is the words "In disguises no one knows, hides the face" this sums up the movies plot as the antagonists are unknown are fully goes with the plot of the film with the audience being in the unknown and it being mysterious.





This second trailer is from the movie 'Logan' this trailer does things a little different with its use of the song (which is "hurt" by Johnny cash) instead of bringing the song in halfway through the trailer at a specific time the song plays throughout the entirety of the trailer. This is one of the instances where the song perfectly sums up the plot of the movie and so heightens the effectiveness of the trailer and the feels and story it is trying to get across. Logan being the third movie in the trilogy about wolverine is all about the protagonist growing old and being in pain something in which the song perfectly highlights as the song is all about being old, losing and hurting people which is something the movie is all about and sums up the movie arc for logan. So by having a song that goes perfectly side by side with the movie only elevates the hype for an audience as the song can give a further insight into the story of a movie but also allow the trailer to be more impactful on a emotional note.