This document provides background information on film trailers and analyzes trailers for three films: Snatch, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels, and Drag Me to Hell. It discusses the history of film trailers and conventions commonly found in trailers such as using exciting scenes to entice viewers. The analyses identify character and genre tropes and how the trailers immerse viewers in the action and tone of each film through the use of shots, music, and pacing.

1. Advanced Portfolio Brief 2 A promotion package for a new film, to include a teaser trailer, together with two of the following three options: a website homepage for the film; a film magazine front cover, featuring the film; a poster for the film.

3. Snatch: film synopsis A diamond of prodigious size is stolen from Antwerp by an American thief. En route back to New York, he takes a slight detour in London, at the suggestion of a treacherous partner, who sets the thief (Franky Four Fingers) up with his cousin, Boris. Boris hires incompetent thieves to retrieve the diamond from a bookies, where FFF went to place a bet. The bookies belongs to Brick Top, a local underworld kingpin who runs illegal fights. In his fights, a fighter is being staged by two boxing promoters, Turkish and his partner Tommy. Turkish decides to improve his office a little bit, and sends Tommy to a gypsy campsite to buy a caravan. The boxer, Gorgeous George, is knocked out at the campsite, and Turkish decides to replace the boxer with Mickey, the gypsy leader. After Brick Top's bookies are robbed, Boris double-crosses the two incompetents, and kills FFF. Franky's boss comes to London for the sake of the diamond, and this is the final event which sets off a chain of events and characters involving wild gypsies, phenomenally stupid thugs, hapless boxing promoters, immortal Russian arms dealers and... a stray dog

4. Analysis of trailer for Snatch (Guy Ritchie,2000) This is the opening scene of the trailer and straight away we can get an idea of the genre by the weapons and settings. It is a common convention of film trailers that there opening shot immediately drops the audience into action. The low angle shot is of an aggressive character in the film doing his business. The character is stereotypical to this genre as the ultimate bosses always have tall, intimidating aggressive looking characters to do the physical work . The anguish on the faces of the 2 actors in this two shot is a typical convention in the crime genre when it all goes wrong and their whole life has just taken a turn for the worse.

5. This mid-angle medium length shot shows the lower class involved in most Crime/Gangster films. The main focus is on the ring leader of group who is backed up with the unknown factor of the others. Again this genre of film represents social groups stereotypically. This is a clever POV shot shows off the cards in a high stakes game, representing the class of the character and shows his skill in card game when getting 3 jacks. This is a highly aggressive mid-range shot which shows the power of a character with a large gun. In the film it is called an “anti-aircraft gun” but with a slight comic twist of there being a small dog sitting next to him. Analysis of trailer for Snatch (Guy Ritchie,2000)

6. Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels: Film synopsis Eddy has been known as a cardsharp since he was young. So he and his three friends Soap, Tom and Bacon all decide to chip in £25,000 each to allow him to play in an illegal high-roller game run by one of the local villains, Hatchet Harry. However, Eddy didn't realize the game was crooked and he ends up owing Harry £500,000 with dire threats about losing his fingers one at a time if he doesn't pay within a week! Eddy and his friends discuss various completely illegal schemes to obtain the money and eventually decide to rip-off the gang of thieves next door who themselves are planning to raid a clandestine drug growing operation which keeps all of its money in shoe boxes where they grow the cannabis plants. The scheme is simple enough but the best laid plans of mice and men always seems to go awry as does this one. As extreme chaos breaks loose the violence and associated body count spiral out of control, Eddy and his friends realize that they are out of their depth and desperately try to find a way out before they too find themselves among the casualties!

7. Analysis of trailer for Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (Guy Ritchie, 1998) This title shot is very strong the bold and electric font shows of the film name with the background having a typical convention within the genre bullets which has a connotation of death, violence and danger which is included in this film. This clip of the film shows a credit describing what is occurring in the film, the bold font highlights the fact that this is a key element in the film trailer. the background is also has a big influence in this clip piles of money which could connote high risks either with the law or with gangsters. Straight away from this shot we know that there is dangerous weapons and that this film is not about the “average Joe”. This is a media convention often used in film trailers to excite the target audience and to make the audience want to see the film.

8. This shot represents this genre extremely well it has the intermediating man on his knees with his hands up known he is in danger but the expression on his face thinking of after and how he will get his revenge. The gun also gives a strong representation of the film and the clothes (jackets) are represent of the date of the film. The aggressive face and jewellery show the characters type also the motion shot of a fist about to be thrown represent the dangerous character which is always used in this film genre. The camera shot is a low angled point of view shot. which represents the character to be strong and intimidating . This low angled shot represents the character in this film trailer to be very strong and dangerous, low angled shots are often used in these genre films to show of these powers in people, also the weapon is a convention prop used. Analysis of trailer for Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (Guy Ritchie, 1998)

9. Drag Me to Hell: Film synopsis Christine Brown is responsible for loans in a bank and expects to be promoted to the open position of assistant manager after dealing a big contract. However, the new hire Stu Rubin is a collusive co-worker that scheming against Christine to be selected by the manager Mr. Jacks to the position. When Mrs. Ganush, an old gypsy with appearance of witch that has been evicted by the bank, requests a third extension of her mortgage, Mr. Jacks tells Christine that it is her call. Christine denies the loan to prove her boss that she can take tough decisions. Mrs. Ganush begs for the loan but Christine shames the woman calling the security. In the night, Christine is stalked by Mrs. Ganush in the parking lot and they struggle. Out of the blue, Mrs, Ganush removes a button from Christine's coat, curses it, returns the button to her and vanishes. Later, while going home with her psychologist boy-friend Clay Dalton, they pass by the fortune teller Rham Jas, and Christine decides to consult him. He advises her that Christine has the fiend Lamia, the Black Goat, upon her. When Christine is haunted by the dark spirit during the night, at home, she tries to fix the situation releasing the loan of Mrs. Ganush .

10. This is a classic convention of a film industry in getting there name into the trailer to promote themselves, this is a convention in every film trailer, it provides knowledge and understanding to the audience of who the production company is. They have used the idea of a date on a separate slide as this gives time for the viewers to read it and remember the date in which it is out, this is a also a typical convention in film trailers setting the date allows the target audience to know when they are going to see it, gives them excitement and anticipation They get the name in a number of times to reiterate the name of the film to make it a long term thought and want the target audience to go out and pay to go and watch it, the title of the film gives an understanding to the audience is almost a slogan for the film as well as the film title. Analysis of trailer for Drag Me to Hell (Sam Raimi, 2009)

11. This is a scary heart jumping moment in which the trailer uses, it’s a scary point in which attracts the target audience to it as it shows it to be a great scary film and attractive for the target audience. This has been used in many films in which the character relates to a book in which tells them about the curse. The boldness of the 3 days and font it is in highlights the fact that this amount of days in key in this film and could a big part of the script. This is a classical feature in which there is a quick flash of the beast followed after by its victim, the setting is in a old styled house with the perfect little fruit bowl and candles this is a ideal house, where it is all about to go wrong. Analysis of trailer for Drag Me to Hell (Sam Raimi, 2009)

12. The Last House on the Left: Film Synopsis While being transported by two detectives in a car, the dangerous criminal Krug is rescued by his brother Francis and his girlfriend Sadie, and they brutally kill the detectives. Meanwhile Emma, her husband Dr. John and their seventeen year-old daughter Mari Collingwood head on vacation to their house nearby the lake. Mari borrows the family car to meet her friend Paige that is working in a store in the town. They befriend the teenager Justin in the store and he offers some marijuana to the pothead Paige in the motel where he is lodged. While they are smoking grass in Justin's room, Krug, who is Justin's father, Francis and Sadie arrive and abduct the girls. Krug drives Mari's car and she provokes a crash on a tree. Krug stabs Paige and rapes Mari; however Mary manages to escape, swimming in the lake, but Krug shots her on the back. They walk through the isolated road in the woods and they reach Collingwood's house telling that they have just had a car accident. Emma and John welcome the strangers until they discover what happened to their beloved daughter.

13. This is a stereotypical screenshot of a thriller trailer, it’s a dark scary place with an old sign post which could potentially be danger. These conventions are often used in thrillers to build tension and give general background settings to the film. Writing is an often occurring feature in thriller film trailers it is a crucial convention, due to the fact that it informs the audience. Analysis of trailer for The Last House on the Left (Dennis Iliadis, 2009) The sign is the main feature in this clip, is shows danger due to the colours and its dark background, the sign has been put up by a person to scare people. The people in the background signify part of the story, this is a strong convection often used in film trailers.

14. Often in thriller films, there is violence, this screenshot represents this, the women within the shot is trying to escape but is in danger and trapped. This often is a common storyline used. This shot is showing a bullet just missing a lady, which is connoting attempted murder in the trailer which is a risk for the film company due to some people are saying its giving away to much other of the target audience want to see more and see this main clip as an attraction. This is a typical convention in thriller films a murder has occurred, it’s a high angle shot to show the injury and vulnerability of the tiny figured lady. Analysis of trailer for The Last House on the Left (Dennis Iliadis, 2009)

15. Summary of trailer conventions Lock Stock Snatch Drag me to hell Duration 1:58 2:02 2:20 Titles Production Company’s; soundtrack; description of what going on. Production company, director credit; previous films; actors’ names; what's happening Production company; directors credits; film title; from the makers of. . . . Editing (cut/flash/dissolve/fade in & out) Mainly Cuts; one fade out. Cuts; flash dissolve; rotating chamber effect; accelerated footage Fade to black; fade from black ; cut on action. Audio (non/diegetic) Diegetic – slamming of boot; footsteps; car engine. Non diegetic - soundtrack Diegetic- speech & grunting Non-diegetic - soundtrack spinning of barrel Diegetic- dialogue; general office sounds; footsteps in car park. Non-diegetic – the orchestral score (violins/drums) Coding (action/enigma) Action- storyline very clear. Enigma: “where is the stone?”; reload of gun. Action: clip- “Your going down in the fourth round.” Much more Enigma coding due to horror/thriller genre.