Film Trailers - How?

The main job for a film trailer is to showcase the best bits of the film, the bits that are most likely to draw in a bigger audience and thus a bigger revenue.


By showcasing the best bits of film you do need to be careful, sometimes the trailers can outdo the film and thus the film will be disappointing for people who have paid money to go and watch it.


When the matrix was released they featured a new camera shot which had never been seen before, by introducing something like that in a trailer it adds to the hype surrounding the film and it's techniques.

Film Trailers - Who?

Film trailers will be aimed towards a set target audience throughout production. This target audience will be entirely relevant to the target audience of the film. For example, a horror film is not likely to have a trailer aimed towards young children.


If the trailer is aimed towards the wrong target audience in comparison to the film then it isn't as likely to be successful as it won't draw specific people in to the film. Trailers can address their different audiences in many ways; stars, techniques and genres mainly. Linking back to where, trailers designed for a younger audience are more likely to be shown on television (children's channels) or before a new child's film. This way it attracts the correct audience.

Film Trailers - Why?

Film trailers are a brilliant way to get your film out to your target audience before it's release, without them having to stop and read about them. Trailers are used a lot to increase the hype around a film, by showing clips of a film it draws certain people into an audience. For example, showing a well known actor/actress in your trailer will entice fans of that person to come and watch your film, even if - In the case of Red Dawn, with Josh Hutcherson - they aren't one of the key roles in the film.


Trailers are the production/marketing teams chance to showcase the techniques and stars that they've managed to put together for their film.


When making the trailer, you have to be careful not to show too much, nor too less. It has to have the perfect mix between showing off techniques used while hiding narrative details.

Film Trailers - Where?

As mentioned in the previous post, film trailers have a talent for popping up anywhere and everywhere throughout our days.


Common places to find trailers involve; social media, websites, cinemas, television. All of which are great ways - for a distribution team - to get their films out their. Just think about how many film trailers have popped up on your Facebook news feed this past week. When a trailer goes up on Facebook it already has a target audience - it will be posted onto pages of other films by the same production team - but, if one person that sees it shares the trailer, it can easily reach another 200 people. Now what if it gets 10k shares? That's a much wider audience, right?


When it comes to trailers being shown before a movie in the cinema, they will be tuned to fit the film that's about to be showcased. Where better to advertise a horror film than in a dark room full of people about to watch a horror film?


Although there are/have been arguments surrounding what trailers should be shown on television at what times, it's still a great way to find an audience. but also to get people talking about films you want them to go and see.

Film Trailers - When?

As far as trailers are concerned they need to be timed, and executed exquisitely in order to increase the hype of the film to it's peak, just as the release date approaches. If the peak occurs before the film is released you run the risk of your target audience losing the drive to go and see the film. In the same way, if you don't enable the trailer to reach it's peak audience then you are very unlikely to reach the full potential where box office takings are concerned. It can also be helpful to consider the time of year that your film is going to be released. It is no good - for example - to release a Christmas themed film in the middle of summer. The best times to release films are around the end of summer/early spring or the middle of winter; this is because it correlates with the amount of people in school/work. The majority of cinema goers are likely to be young adults and teenagers, by releasing your film when they have spare time you enable so many people to go and spend money on viewings.


If considering a sequel, or a remake of a popular film it's better to give a fair amount of time in between the two. This way, you don't tread on the toes of the original in a sense that you give enough time for the merchandise and tickets to be bought before you release the next. Likewise though, if you give it too much time then the hype around the franchise can easily die down, minimising the audience hyped about your film.

A2 Course Brief

Throughout the A2 course I will be expected to create a promotion package for a new film, to include a trailer, together with two ancillary tasks:
• a film magazine front cover, featuring the film;
• a poster for the film.I will be assessed on...

• My ability to plan and construct media products using appropriate technical and creative skills (AO3);
• My application of knowledge and understanding in evaluating my own work, showing how meanings and responses are created (AO2);
• and, finally, my ability to undertake, apply and present appropriate research (AO4).