TEASER TRAILERS

What is a teaser trailer?

• A teaser trailer is a short trailer used to advertise an upcoming film. It is usually released quite a long time before the actual release of the product, so it will wet the appetites of the target audiences leaving them wanting more and anticipating the actual release of the product.

• Teasers are typically released months in advance, sometimes as much as 18 months before the expected release date of the film, and they are used to build anticipation and curiosity about the films they advertise. Teaser trailers can be seen before feature films in some movie theatres, and they are also released online and shown on television.

• Movie teasers, unlike the usual typical theatrical trailers, are usually very short in length (between 30–60 seconds) and usually contains little, if any, actual footage from the film.

Important aspects in teaser trailers

• Characters- (sometimes both minor and main characters are used)

• Genre – (e.g. Animation, Horror or a mix like horror/thriller)

• Storyline- (though sometimes the trailer may have little to do with the film)

• Locations, backgrounds, scenes (to create a certain atmosphere/ genre, it helps to set the scene for the audience and to give a feel what the films about)

• Music & sounds –(to set the tone/ genre of the trailer- with the use of both diagetic and non-diagetic sound)

• Voice over's- (sometimes teaser trailers use voice over's to provide the audience with more info about the film or to add mystery and tension with open ended questions “ are you safe? Also voice over lines from the film may be added for dramatic effect.)

• Colour schemes ( again it is used to emphasize the genre e.g. Horrors are associated with black and red)

• Vague release date- (a rough estimated date is usually shown at the end of the trailer e.g. April 2012- it is not specific)

• Length- ( it usually lasts around 30 seconds to just over a minute)

• Time of day it is shot in- ( this again can identify the genre, such as a horror is associated with the dark)

• Preview shot- (this is the first shot in teaser trailer- its is important as it the first shot to grab the audiences attention.)

• Institution logo- (this is the company logo who produced the film- it is usually shown at the start)

• Narrative text- ( this is shots which give brief sentences revealing aspects about the movie while also adding to the atmosphere)

• A black dark screen at the start and finish of the teaser trailer – (usually it is faded in to and out of shots).

• Long dark pauses- (this is used in most horror trailers for dramatic effect)

• A shot of the usual rating shot “the following preview has been approved for...” at the start of the trailer to notify who the trailer is suited for.

• Shot types and camera movements- (low angle shot, panning).

• Effects- (such as speeding up or slowing down a clip for a certain effect)

• Movie website

Coraline

Distributor logo Establishing shot Close-up shot

Mid shot Long shot Narrative text/ lure frame

• The trailer though showing very little of the plot or actual movie footage, engages its audience through an array of eerie, mysterious, brilliantly animated senses.

• The non- diagetic chiming music though simple, provides an inviting yet eerie atmosphere to the teaser trailer which keeps the audience on edge. As the teaser trailer progresses so does the texture and speed of the music, this again adding further tension and indicating the films true nature.

• While the low dark toned voice over focuses the audiences attention on important content such as the directors names “director of the nightmare before Christmas”. It also adds dramatic enfaces to complement the images on screen and adds to the tension of the trailer.

Coraline- analysis 1

• The constant theme of sowing/creating provides a puzzling content for the audience as it had very little to do with the actual film and so leaves the audience in greater suspense for the release of the film, “what is the doll all about?”.

• The close up shots of such aspects as the hand and needles provides an unnerving atmosphere, adding fear and tension due to the objects frightening nature.

• The narrative text, “some doors shouldn't be opened” suggests what's behind the door is evil and so the adventure begins for Coraline...only the audience are going to have to wait a while for the films release.

The Matrix

Distributer logo Close-up shot Mid-shot Side view

Extreme close-up shot Low angle shot High angle shot

The Matrix- analysis 2• Through the trailer there is a heavy assault of random flashing

images shown, it is done in such a way that the viewer is so bewildered and confused that they MUST see the film to get the answers to what they just witnessed.

• To further the tension the audience also hear a range of both diagetic and non-diagetic sounds to add to the atmosphere and dramatic effect. While an increasingly fast drumming beat accelerates the viewers adrenaline, giving the images more of an impact.

• The audience probably wont even see most of the images due to their speedy nature, though it also means it will keep the audience at the edge of their seat, as they wont want to miss a thing as the random content is so mesmerising.

• Such aspects as adding the constant jumble of letters- (which eventually spells the films name), helps keep the audience focused on the trailer and thinking about the plot.

• The audience can obviously see the film is a thriller/ sci-fi due to the range of guns, impossible stunts and just plain weird scenes such as a persons mouth melted together.

• There is a constant theming of monitors, computer giberish and codes which symbolises the film has a lot to do with technology and is also very complex.

• The whole content of the trailer is very random and really doesn't give anything about the plot and leaves the audience totally confused. This gives an opportunity for more marketing in the form of a website “www.whatisthematrix.com which provides the audience more information about the film.

Insidious

Distributer logo Close-up shot Low angle shot

Extreme close up shot

Narrative text/ lure frame

Point of view shot

Insidious- analysis 3

• This really is your classic average horror with ghosts and haunting with a little possession thrown in for fun.

• It uses the traditional colour schemes of red and black through out. It also uses a dulled black effect versus a glowing effects to add a more spooky/ ghost like atmosphere in its shots.

• It uses an assortment of frightening and sometimes blurred shots which flash across the screen at great speed, this adds to the growing tension and excitement.

• The use of loud swishing, dripping, clanking, slicing and screaming noises are the usual faire for horrors yet these simple noises still create a great deal of fear and tension.

• This particular teaser trailer gives basically the whole plot away though both voice over and its narrative text “the house isn't hunted its your son”. Though in all fairness, horror films are usually very easy to suss out as plots are not usually very imaginative.

• Blood is dominant through the shots and in the narative shots of writing, showing that the film will contain graphic violent scenes.

• With the mixture of eerie silences and fast moving scenes of terror, the audience will be at the edge of their seat in anticipation.

HORROR

• A after the analysis of my three teaser trailers I have decided to choose the horror genre for my own teaser trailer. And so I analysed a further two Horror teaser trailers to find out more about their specific codes and conventions found in this genre. Namely...

• SAW 3D & PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 2

Conventions found in Horror teaser trailers

• Usually The company logo is shown at the start of the teaser trailer and for horrors it is usually changed slightly (like in colour) to in keep with the horror genre. Such as the Lionsgate logo in “SAW 3D” which has changed from white/grey to a red/black colour scheme.

• Through out Horror teaser trailers in particular, they use the simple effect of a dark screen for a couple of seconds. This can build suspense, just before something terrifying appears, like when the ghost appears out of know where. in “paranormal activity 2”. It can also be used to help the audience focus on what a voice over is saying as there is no distracting images like in “saw 3D”.

• Another popular convention is that of continuous narrative text which continues between slides through out the trailer. It is used to probe the audiences fears and keep their attention as the trailer progresses. The slide is usually black with white writing for maximum impact.

• The colour scheme in horror teaser trailers usually consists of darks colours like black and red. Also most of the shots are very dark to increase the fear and tension. As we are the most vulnerable and afraid in the dark.

• Fast editing is an extremely common factor in Horror teaser trailers as the quick speed gives the audience a sense of adrenaline and increases fear/ excitement. It also shows a wide variety of content with out giving the plot away.

• Other common conventions include creepy voice over's to increase tension such as the villain in saw voice over.

• There usually both non- diagetic and diagetic sound used such as exciting music, screaming, dripping, screeching, clinking, whispering and sometimes silence can be the most terrifying of all.

• Horrors also use a mixture of different shot types on the same object to make the scene more intense.

• There is usually a running theme through the trailer, like in Saw 3D all the writing was dark and metallic and followed after a persons death while in Paranormal activity 2, all the shots were in night vision view for a ghostly effect.

• Horror teaser trailers main premise is to scare the audience and so they often lull the audience into a false sense of security and then attack them with a frightening image. Such as in saw they show the title name and as soon as you think you are safe, they throw an array of weapons at you.

• Another important convention is that of the showing of the release date and other important film information like a website address so that the audience can find out more. These are usually shown at the very end.