Conventions of Film Trailers

Never forget that film trailers are a marketing tool used in conjunction with other marketing methods. They are trying to persuade a target audience to spend money on a cinema ticket. They use the following techniques (conventions) to persuade the audience in a short space of time:

They highlight the ‘best bits’ of the film; the very funny, the very sad, the action packed, the bizzare

We are not shown the story in narrative order

They showcase the stars of the film

Some visual images stay on the screen for just enough time for our mind to realise what we are seeing

Conversations between characters usually consist of one line each

Unusual angles are often used to show events and characters

Action is interserped with credits on screen

Voiceovers are used to tell the story and give credit information

Music plays an important role in creating atmosphere

The title does not appear until the end

The trailer builds to a climax, where it ends

Which of these can you identify in the film trailers you've studied? Which of these techniques have you used in your own trailer? Have you forgotten any essential ingredients?