Film production logos – Generally, within the opening of a trailer the film production logo will be shown e.g. Warner Bros or Universal. This sets the audience up so they know what type of film they are about to be watching for example Blumhouse productions are well known for producing horror films. Also, the audience know whether they are watching a mainstream Hollywood film or an independent film. The audience may also associate the production company with another film they like, therefore may be inclined to go and see the film. Such as in this film:
Film title – The film title usually occurs at the end of the trailer so it sticks in the audience’s mind. This can contribute to the genre of the film as if the colour, font and size of the text is pink, girly and big it could predict that the genre is romance.
BBFC age certification – During a trailer a BBFC rating will usually be shown, if not the film still has one. This gives the audience an idea of what the target audience e.g. a film like “Up” is rated a U which means it is suitable for a child to watch whereas a film like “Ted” is rated a 15 meaning no one below the age of 15 should go and see the film. A film needs a rating so a child isn’t revealed to the things that accompany a certain rating such as the violence and drug abuse that could be used in an 18 rated film may affect a child negatively.
Social Media – Usually involved in a trailer is hashtags, links and accounts are shown towards the end of a trailer so the audience can chase the film up and find out any information they may need. This is a way of encouraging the audience to get involved with the promoting and advertising of the film and create a successful campaign for the film, as social media is a huge aspect of market in today’s society.
Character introduced – The protagonists within a trailer are usually introduced so the audience can associate themselves or relate to a particular character. This contribute to understanding the plot and genre too, for example a girl is staring lovingly at a something we might think it is a romance.
Music and/or Voice-overs – Music (or voiceovers) play a vital role in the making of a trailer. The music has to fit the type of genre for example in a horror film it is likely they will include dramatic sounding instruments e.g. violins to create suspense. The sound used should be memorable and make people remember where it came from. Voice overs give a guide for the audience whether they are talking about the plot or character.
Short snippets of scenes- Trailers usually don’t include prolonged scenes with lots of dialogue. Therefore, the short snippets of scenes included are used to draw the audience in and reveal the genre too. For example, in a comedy film the trailer will show the funniest bits and jokes in the trailer but not linger for too long on them. This is done to encourage the audience to come and see the film by leaving them hanging and wanting more.
Time length – The majority of trailers are roughly 1:30-2:30 minutes, however a teaser is about 30 seconds to a minute long.
Any A-List stars named- This is a marketing technique and may persuade the audience to come and see the film if they like the actor/actress. Also the celebrities can promote the film by using their fame therefore the trailer will tend to include the stars as it’s a way of drawing people in.
Releasedate – This comes up towards the end of the trailer as it tends to stick in people’s minds, and therefore creating a large profit on the opening weekend. The release date is usually shown a few weeks/months before it is released so people can plan ahead.
Jess Stevens' A Level Media blog 