The trailer for The Hunger Games uses various techniques to engage the target audience. It follows the hero's journey narrative structure. As the main female character is drawn into a fight to the death on television, the pace quickens and tension rises. Special effects are utilized to make the action scenes exciting. Intertitles at the end leave viewers on a cliffhanger to generate interest in seeing how the story concludes in the film.

1. Trailer Analysis:
The Hunger Games

2. Genre: Action/Romance
The hunger games is a hybrid genre its consists
of both action and romance. This is clear from
when the female character and the male
character are sitting speaking to each other
about running away. But is also clearly action
from the use of bow and arrows and the
special effects and fast pace that is used.

3. Narrative
The narrative of The Hunger Games links in
with Campbell's narrative theory. Campbell
believes in the heroes journey; the trailer
appears to follows each stage of his theory
as the main character lives an ordinary life
then she is called to battle where she must
go on a journey before returning back to
normality. The story is about a female
character that is called to fight on a
televised show where the contestants have
to fight to their death. This follows each of
the stages in which Campbell believes each
narrative follows.

4. Unique Selling Point
The Hunger Games was a best selling novel before the film was made
which could be the unique selling point of the film. This might be the
unique selling point as people who had not read the book but had
heard good things about it may want to go see the film and people
who had read the book will be interested to see how it is portrayed as
a motion picture. Also the protagonist of the film is a female character
which is not as common as having a male protagonist. The Hunger
Games is the first of a trilogy which suggest that’s after this film we can
expect two more to be released.

5. Target Audience
The hunger games has a wide target audience as it is a global best
selling novel. It appeals to a wide age range from around 15+, people
who had read the books will be a main target audience of the film as
they will try to make it as much like the book as possible. The trailer
has to be able to appeal to a wider range of people that the film itself
so people will want go and see the film. They also have to ensure that
the trailer isn’t only aimed at people who already know the story, they
do this by setting the story in place and also aiming it towards them
who want to know what it’s about.

6. Music
The trailer starts with non – diegetic sound as a sound track starts over the top. This
is played throughout the trailer although picks up the pace when the action starts
this is done to create a more dramatic effect for the audience and adding to the
suspense. Non – diegetic sound is also added when she shoots the arrow this is done
to give it a better effect. Diegetic sound of the actors having a conversation is used
this done to give the audience a better understand of the story and an insight to
what the characters are like.

7. Shot Types/Camera Angles
The trailer starts with a wide shot containing the main character and giving the audience an
idea of the setting she is in. This sets the mood of the trailer allowing the audience to get an
idea of what type of film it might be like. We then have an extreme close up of a danger sign
that she passes which leaves us to presume that she is doing something she shouldn’t be. Eye-
line matches are used throughout the whole trailer to allow the audience to see what the
characters are looking. Half way through the trailer we have a close up of one of the male
characters face which is clearly full of fear, followed by an eye-line match of an establishing
shot of the city which we assume they are arriving to. This shot sets the scene of the filming
allowing us to have a better idea to what type of film it is going to be.

8. Pace
The pace of the trailer starts off slow and peaceful which makes the
mood feel calm. As we get further into the trailer the pace picks up
which adds dramatic tension. This is shown when the main character
volunteers to take her younger sisters place in the games. As we move
towards the end of the trailer the pace is even faster, this starts to
happen when the action starts to kicks in. The pace changes speed
constantly throughout the trailer and is done using fades. This makes
the audience on the edge of their seat wanting to know what is going
to happen next.

9. Dialogue
The dialogue throughout the trailer varies. It is used to build up he story line, to add
effect to the scene and to give us a better understanding to how the characters are
to be portrayed. It starts with the conversation between the main female character
and a male character speaking about running away. This straight away makes the
audience curious to what they are running away from. Further on into the trailer
dialogue allows the audience to see the seriousness of the people being chose to go
into the games when the main female character says ‘I volunteer as tribute’ in
replacement of her sister. We are able to hear the panic in her voice which suggest
she doesn’t want to be has to do it. Dialogue is used to make the trailer more
exciting and edging the audience to go see the film to find out the rest of the story.

10. Special Effects
Special effects and CGI are used throughout the trailer, we first see it when the main
female character shoots her arrow at the bird in the woods. This is done to make the
shot more exciting as the actor possibly couldn’t do it themselves. It is also used to
put things there that don’t exist for example when the hover craft appears over the
top of the wooded area. CGI is used on the establishing shot of the city that they
enter into later on, this is used as the place they are going to doesn’t physically exist
and is done to give a greater effect. Using special effects and CGI throughout the
trailer adds to the drama and excitement of the film; making it more interesting and
have the wow factor.

11. Credits/Intertitles
Towards the end of the trailer of The Hunger Games, a few
intertitles are used to add dramatic tension to fast pace and action
that is happening at the end. The intertitles say ‘the games will
change everyone’ which makes the trailer much more intense and
attention grabbing. These are added to make the audience feel
pulled into what is happening then left with a cliff hanger which
make them want to go to see the film. Then at the very end we have
a closing credit of the date which the film will be released which
allows the audience build excitement to be able to go see the film.