The document analyzes the trailer for the film "American Sniper" and how it effectively captures audience attention to encourage viewership. Specifically, it notes that the trailer uses slow zooms and eye line shots to build tension. It also uses a mix of slow pacing to give perspective and fast editing late in the trailer to build excitement. Flashback scenes provide character background while also creating intrigue. Minimal soundtrack and dialogue allow for suspense and empathy with the main character. Overall, the trailer succeeds by showing just one scene to create mystery and withdrawing information in a way that makes viewers want to learn more by watching the full film.

1. Choose one trailer that you think
successfully fulfils the purpose of a
trailer (to capture the audience
attention and encourage them to watch
the film) and evaluate how it is able to
do this
Research and Planning
Question 8

2. American Sniper (2015)

3. Camera Shots
• A slow zoom upwards is shown at 0:10 leading
to an eye line shot. This allows tension to be
created between the audience and the movie
trailer as they are able to see the main
characters reactions. This is shown in real
time.

4. Editing
• The trailer is mainly slow paced. This allows the
audience to have a perspective in the life of an
American sniper which encourages them to
watch the film giving them a new experience.
• Excitement is created throughout the end of the
trailer by the use of fast editing between the
different scenes used. This allows less attention
to be placed on the content, which makes the
audience want to watch the trailer again,
creating more talk about it.

5. • Flash back scenes are added during the editing. This
allows more information to be giving to the
audience in aspects of the main characters live. As
the main focus of this movie is shown to be
military/action, the audience is left wondering about
his past life making them want to continue to watch
the movie.
• These scenes are also shown during the character
having to make a decision about shooting a child at
1:03, which makes the audience doubt the true
intentions of the character

6. Sound
• There is no soundtrack added to this movie
trailer; which creates suspense as most of the
scenes are silent. This allows for more dialogue
to be used which lets the audience into the shoes
of the character.
• When pace picks up with the ‘action’ a sound
effect of a heartbeat is added. This allows the
audience to empathise with the character, based
on the tackling situation he is in. With this
empathy, the audience is encouraged to watch
the full movie

7. On Screen Text
• From the offset we see the production logos.
Due to Warner Brothers being shown, this
already gives the audience a format of the movie
already based on past releases.
• Clint Eastwood is shown to be the director. This
cam help the release of the movie with audience
as they will have probably already seen Jersey
Boys and True Crime. Clint Eastwood is also an
actor which creates a major fan base

8. Overall
• I think this trailer successfully fulfils the purpose of a
trailer. They do this by;
– Only showing one particular scene in the movie which
creates tension and enigma as this shown different
conventions to other action trailers.
– The fact that only one scene is shown means the
theatrical trailer is withdrawing a lot of information from
the audience, a lot like a teaser trailer. This makes them
want to watch the movie to get all of the information
– Sound is used effectively in this trailer which creates
suspense. The lack of sound allows the audience to focus
more on the content.