Analysing Trailers - A First Look
I'm going to have an initial look at some trailers from some of my favourite films to get an initial feel for the conventions that Trailers include.
Reservoir Dogs:
There is plenty of action crammed into this official trailer, with guns, police chases, shouts of ‘put the gun down’ and other such staples of crime films all on show. There is also a memorable line at the start – in this case ‘Every Dog has its Day’ – another tradition of crime films serving up iconic phrases. However, the music here is slightly incongruous relative to a typical dark crime film, indicating that this particular one will carry with it some comedy. The trailer ends by flagging up the high-level actors who will be appearing.
Conventions include:
Snatch:
Following on from the hit success of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch was always going to have its work cut out. It is little surprise that in order to sell the film, the names of the hot director of the time Guy Ritchie, and that iconic film are both at the forefront of the trailer, leaving the viewer in no doubt what is to come. It is also relentless – fast music and fast action, filmed in off-beat zooms and instant camera rotations.
Conventions include:
Brighton Rock:
This is the second version of Graeme Greene’s classic crime novel, this time set in the 1960s. The trailer is a classic of the crime genre – low lighting producing half-shadows, dark music, and some gratuitous violence thrown in too. A lady character is introduced in Rose, who takes Pinkie’s gun, utilising the classic cliché of the woman turning the man away from the life of crime. We also see reflections of faces in mirrors – another strong cliché of the crime genre, hinting at clues or the audience piecing something together. There are also plenty of flashbacks.
Conventions include:
Reservoir Dogs:
There is plenty of action crammed into this official trailer, with guns, police chases, shouts of ‘put the gun down’ and other such staples of crime films all on show. There is also a memorable line at the start – in this case ‘Every Dog has its Day’ – another tradition of crime films serving up iconic phrases. However, the music here is slightly incongruous relative to a typical dark crime film, indicating that this particular one will carry with it some comedy. The trailer ends by flagging up the high-level actors who will be appearing.
Conventions include:
- Tagline
- Production Company Logo (near the start)
- Introduction to Key Characters
- Music
- Dialogue
- Images from the Film
- Iconography Indicating Genre
- Names of Actors
- Title of the Film (towards the end of the trailer)
- Name of Director
- Credits (at the end)
- Release Date (at the end)
Snatch:
Following on from the hit success of Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, Snatch was always going to have its work cut out. It is little surprise that in order to sell the film, the names of the hot director of the time Guy Ritchie, and that iconic film are both at the forefront of the trailer, leaving the viewer in no doubt what is to come. It is also relentless – fast music and fast action, filmed in off-beat zooms and instant camera rotations.
Conventions include:
- Certificate
- Reference to other films
- Tagline
- Production Company Logo (near the start)
- Introduction to Key Characters
- Music
- Dialogue
- Images from the Film
- Iconography Indicating Genre
- Names of Actors
- Title of the Film (towards the end of the trailer)
- Name of Director
- Soundtrack/Merchandise
- Credits (at the end)
Brighton Rock:
This is the second version of Graeme Greene’s classic crime novel, this time set in the 1960s. The trailer is a classic of the crime genre – low lighting producing half-shadows, dark music, and some gratuitous violence thrown in too. A lady character is introduced in Rose, who takes Pinkie’s gun, utilising the classic cliché of the woman turning the man away from the life of crime. We also see reflections of faces in mirrors – another strong cliché of the crime genre, hinting at clues or the audience piecing something together. There are also plenty of flashbacks.
Conventions include:
- Tagline
- Production Company Logo (near the start)
- Introduction to Key Characters
- Fades
- Reference to other similar films
- Music
- Dialogue
- Images from the Film
- Iconography Indicating Genre
- Reference to Source Material
- Names of Actors
- Reference to Awards
- Reviews
- Title of the Film (towards the end of the trailer)
- Credits (at the end)
- Website
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