Film trailers introduction - A2

1. INTRODUCTION TO FILM TRAILERS
Film trailers are intended to get audiences excited about seeing a film at the cinema. However,
trailers are also a form of condensed storytelling. In just a couple of minutes a trailer can establish
genre and mood, introduce character and setting and establish plot and key themes.
As narrative and persuasive texts, trailers are ideal for primary literacy. The short duration and strong
visual and auditory content means that trailers engage pupils of all ages, abilities and learning
styles. On-screen texts are a good introduction to strands 9 (Creating and Shaping Texts) and 10
(Text Structure and Organisation) of the literacy framework and create opportunities for children to
discuss and articulate their knowledge and understanding.
Genre and narrative structure
It is important that genre is established in a trailer as it grabs the attention of audiences that studios
know will want to see the film. If it’s a fantasy then fans of that genre will want to see your films more
than the very different audience demographic who will be more interested in the latest romantic
comedy. The trailer’s voiceover or text on screen will sometimes quite overtly compare a new film to
a previous, successful film that the studio released in the same genre (e.g. "From the people who
bought you…"). Of course, when choosing moments from the film the film studio will often choose a
range of sequences (action, romance, comedy) to show that their film has ‘something for everyone’.
Typical narrative structure is often broken down in this way:
1. Opening: establishes setting and introduces character
2. Build up: Relationships established. Development of characters and their world
3. Problem: a dilemma or series of complications. Characters are faced with an obstacle to overcome
a mystery to solve, or often more than one
4. Events: a series of events/action as characters try to overcome obstacle, solve problem, discover
truth and so on. Further complications may arise in the process
5. Resolution: the protagonists are victorious, problems are solved, truth revealed
6. Ending: characters reflect on events, reinstate relationships and look forward.
The narrative structure of a film trailer could be simply shortened to this:
 Opening
 Build Up
 Problem
 Events
Occasionally people complain that film trailers give far too much away. An effective trailer avoids any
suggestion of resolution and ending, perhaps just a hint that the protagonist is going to learn an
important lesson. The intention is to leave audiences wanting more, not feeling they have seen all the
‘best bits’ already. The key events are often put in non-chronological order so the actual film will not
be too predictable.