The document discusses conventions used in film trailers and how the author's trailer challenges some of those conventions. Some key conventions discussed are the use of voiceovers, music, establishing shots, cuts between short clips, and green preview screens. The author's trailer challenges conventions by using long shots to establish scenes, unusual atmospheric music at the beginning, and including relevant statistics in captions. The purpose is to create more tension, mystery, and draw the audience in compared to typical trailers.

1. In what ways does your media
product use, develop or challenge
forms and conventions of real media
products?

2. Trailers contain voice overs (non-diegetic) which is A trailer has to achieve its purpose in less
used to provide aspects of the narration without than 2minutes and 30seconds. This is the
revealing its whole detail. It allows viewers to maximum length allowed by the MPPA.
focus on the events on screen without being However, teaser trailers can be very short
distracted by a visible actor. varying from 30-60 seconds.
Most trailers start
with slow transitions
which will gradually Background music is often
increase in speed used in trailers which is not
towards the end of always from the film's
the trailer once the soundtrack. Its purpose is to
point has been complement, support and
presented. integrate the sales
messaging of the film trailer.
Its purpose is to attract an
audience to the film, Trailers use conventions
therefore the trailer contains associated with the genre for Captions are used in trailers which
short sequence of the clips instance, a horror trailer usually contain; release dates,
that are the most exciting would feature terrifying information about the plot,
(which do not have to be in footage and gradually more rhetorical questions, quotes from
chronological order) keeping tension and suspense would viewers, the rating it has received
in mind that it does not spoil be created. Whereas, a and so on. The purpose of this is to
parts of the film. historical trailer would lure the audience in.
include period imagery,
lavish costumes and so on.

3. EACH TRAILER FEATURES THE THE CAPTIONS DURING THE TRAILER HINT
FILM RELEASE IS
TITLE OF THE FILM AT THE END. SOMETHING ABOUT THE NARRATIVE
ALSO MENTIONED.
WITHOUT REVEALING IT ALL.
A FATHER WHO FIGHTS
FOR HIS CHILD
MY TRAILER

4. EACH TRAILER CONTAINS A STUDIO IDENT AT THE BEGINNING WHICH INFORMS THE ALL THE TRAILERS HAVE AN
AUDIENCE WHO THE FILM IS MADE/PRODUCED BY. IT ALSO DRAWS THE AUDIENCE ESTABLISHING SHOT WHICH SET THE
IN AS THEY MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THEIR PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS. SCENE ALLOWING THE NARRATIVE
TO DEVELOP.
MY TRAILER

5. THE GREEN PREVIEW
SCREEN IS A CONVENTION ALL OF THE TRAILERS USE
USED BY ALL PROFESSIONAL BOTH DIEGETIC AND NON-
TRAILERS ASSURING THE DIEGETIC SOUND WHICH
VIEWER THAT WHAT THEY HELP SUPPORT THE
ARE ABOUT TO SEE HAS MESSAGES REVEALED IN
BEEN ‘APPROVED’ FOR BY THE NARRATIVE.
ALL AUDIENCES. ALL THESE
TRAILERS <- INCLUDE THIS.
IN MY TRAILER I USED THE
CONVENTION OF HAVING
SOFT SLOW GENTLE MUSIC
AT THE START. THIS
EVENTUALLY PICKS UP IN
SPEED AND TEMPO
EXPRESSING AN
ATMOSPHERE OF
INTENSITY.

6. USING A VARIETY OF CAMERA SHOTS IN A TRAILER IS A CONVENTION SO THAT THE AUDIENCE CAN
SEE ALL ASPECTS OF THE NARRATIVE AND UNDERSTAND THE EMOTIONS FROM THE CHARACTERS.

7. USING A VARIETY OF CAMERA SHOTS
The close up shot highlights the
cheerful and loving scenes with
the mother and child playing.
The over the shoulder shot creates
a sense of mystery as the audience
will question who is this individual This hand-held shot creates uncertainty as
watching the Mother and child. the audience would want to know who is
following the mother.

8. A typical trailer will display a variety of short clips At the beginning of my trailer the
throughout. I have however, challenged this music appears very astronomical.
convention and have used lots of long shots to Some may question whether this links
establish the playground scene more, highlighting with the stereotypical drama genre
the close and loving relationship the mother and music. I have challenged this
son share. This is so more tension is created convention because its out of the
when the Mother comes to the realisation that she ordinary and brings in a sense of
has lost her son. Also, the audience will develop mystery to the plot.
more sympathy for the Mother.
I have challenged media conventions through the use of
captions as I included statistics to help enhance the
message in the narrative and creating verisimilitude , so
that the audience will be more drawn in. This
convention is not regularly used in trailers however, I
felt it necessary to include it in mine.