Trailers are used to introduce audiences to films by showcasing characters, themes and stories. Audiences can now access trailers through various online and social media platforms like YouTube, Facebook and Twitter, as well as on TV and in cinemas. Social media allows audiences to easily share and discuss trailers, and encourages engagement with competitions and games. The platform and rating of trailers shown depends on the intended audience of the film. For example, children's films will have trailers on kids' TV and before lower rated films. Trailer exhibition has significantly changed over time with greater online access on various devices. Trailers are regulated and rated to be compatible with their associated films while suitable for all audiences on social media.

1. Trailer Exhibition Research
Emma Marshall

2. Purpose?
The purpose of a trailer is to give an introduction to the
characters, themes and story of a film.
How and where can audiences watch them? What
platforms are used?
Audiences can watch trailers online and on social
networking sites. For example, on Facebook, Twitter or
YouTube. They are also available to watch on TV during
ad breaks or during the adverts before a film at the
cinema.

3. How do audiences engage with trailers?
Audiences can engage with trailers by sharing
them amongst friends and people they know
(largely on social media). Trailers will usually
have their social networking at the end, allowing
for the audience to find them online, discover
more information and interact with them.

4. Are there relationships between exhibition platforms for
trailers and their audience?
For films which are targeted at children, the trailers are
more likely to appear on TV on children’s channels or during
the ads during children-friendly shows. In the cinema, they
would be shown before films rated U or PG.
Films targeting more teenagers and adults would appear a
lot more on social media, for example on Facebook and
Twitter. The trailers for films targeted at this audience are
going to appear before 12A, 15 and 18 rated films at the
cinema. As well as this, you might see them during the ad
breaks on TV after children’s TV has come to an end.
(Usually past 9pm).

5. How do institutions
encourage audiences to
‘investigate’ and find out
more about a film’s details?
Again, this is done largely
through social media, by
placing their social
networking at the end of the
trailer. Often, institutions will
hold competitions, draws and
games on their websites and
their social networking to
encourage audiences to
engage more. This also leads
to more talk and ‘hype’ about
the film itself.

6. Explain the role of social media for film trailers…
Social media can be an amazing way of advertisement for a
film. By uploading a trailer to YouTube or Vimeo, it can be
easily shared with the entire world at a click of a button.
This is a great advantage of social media for the promotion
of trailers as it can be distributed to a wider audience (a
mass audience). It’s also a brilliant way to get the audience
to interact with the institution and the film.
However, there are disadvantages too. For example, it
becomes a lot easier for criticism to be given to a trailer.
Some people could be discouraged to watch a film if the
trailer got a bad review on ‘Rotten Tomatoes’ or if they read
something negative online. Also, not everybody uses social
media, so you are still not capturing everyone.

7. If trailers could not be accessed by social media, what
impact would this have on audiences and institutions?
Overall, this would have a negative impact, as although
there are disadvantages to using social media, the
advantaged outweigh them. The product, in this case a
trailer, wouldn’t be able to reach a global audience as
easily. Also, audiences would be a lot less likely to
engage with the film and the institution, therefore,
affecting them negatively. They would become reliant
on audience’s promotion via word of mouth, which is
not always a reliable way of promotion at all.

8. Has trailer exhibition changed much over time?
Trailer exhibition has changed hugely!
There is much more access to trailers now, through
cinema, home, and even on the go (like on tablets and
mobiles). Before, exhibition was a lot more limited,
only using platforms such as TV and in the actual
cinema itself.
Now that social media exists and it is a huge part of
most people’s lives, the change in exhibition has made
it a lot easier for audiences to access them any time
and anywhere.

9. How are trailers regulated and
rated?
MPAA – “The key to movie advertising
is compatibility. With trailers, we
consider many factors to ensure their
compatibility with the feature.
Ultimately, we strive to make sure
that if parents are comfortable with
the content of the feature, TV
programming or other media, then
they will be comfortable with the
trailers or other ads that go with
them.”
Trailers must be given lower ratings as
they are accessible in so many
different ways on social networks by
everyone, everywhere. Therefore
they have to be suitable for all kinds
of audiences.

10. Does the rating of a film trailer affect audiences?
Yes, the rating may affect a range of audiences. Certain
groups of people may find one thing inappropriate to
show, while others may think it perfectly fine .
This can be negative and positive. Minority groups
might be against homosexuality for example, and
would not want any images of homosexuality to not be
seen, or not to be seen by their children for example at
a young age.
On the other hand, it can allow children to not be
exposed to dangerous things such as violence.