Trailer Conventions

Trailers are advertisements for a film; they usually include actual footage from the film and are used as a teaser to tempt people into watching the film. They are very specifically aimed at the films target audience and are designed to make the viewer want to know more about the film. They all will indicate the genre of the movie, the name of the movie and the production values of the movie (stars, budget, special effects ect). They will include a soundtrack that will keep with the genre and will emphasise a build-up leaving the viewer with a sense of ‘wanting more’. Most trailers are between 60 and 120 seconds long, however some do go against this key trailer convention.

Saw 7

• Title of the film at the end, makes the audience watch the whole trailer to find out this.
• Introduces actors         
• Introduces nature of the film (toture)
• Very emotive sounds track builds tension.

Insidious 2

• Emotive soundtrack builds up tension through out the trailer
• Title of the moive at the end of the trailer
• Introduces production values early (shows actors and special effects)
• Tells us that it is a physiological horror

The purge

• Very tense music to create suspense
• Introduces actors early on
• Sets the scene early on (America)
• Includes title of the movie at the end