Film Promotion Methods

History and evolution of film trailers

Originally, trailers were sold to theatres to be shown at the end of a feature film, small previews that would persuade the audience to come back another time. Nowadays, trailers are shown predominantly on the Internet, or before feature films. They are easy to access and encourage lots of viewers from a much wider audience. The use of social media advertising the film also leaves audiences in high anticipation for the release.

Trailers during the silent era typically contained a title, a tagline, snippets of the film and a rundown of the cast. The introduction of sound changed everything and film companies used the new technologies to entice audiences. The jazz singer was not the first time this advancement was used however, in 1926, a seven minute trailer for Don Juan announced the industry’s change in a variety of ways. It opened with a man clearing his throat, and via a synchronised sound track saying ‘Ladies and gentleman, I am privileged to say a few words to you’. The direct address to the audience, newsreel like footage, interspersed celebrities and voiceover narration set a new template for trailers.

1930s-1940s

Throughout the 1930s the mode of selling movies became more sleek and sophisticated in format. It was not until the 1940s when several innovations now associated with Hollywood trailers were introduced, such as third person narration and titles appearing from below the frame. Trailers began to represent a transitional moment between old and new technologies.

1950s

In the 1950s, trailers over exaggerated praises such as ‘classic’ and ‘sensation’ to entice audiences. They also promoted and revolved around famous actors such as Humphrey Bogart and Katherine Hepburn, instead of focusing on the plot. Narrators also became more common and were used as often as actual dialogue. In the 1950s, widescreen views and more intense colours were used, however as production costs increased, so did costs of tickets.

1960s

In the 1960s it became more common for directors to make appearances in their trailers, further encouraging the audience to see the film. Fast cuts were also used more frequently, within the Dr Strangelove trailer, 220 shots were used within 97 seconds, fast cutting became the norm by the 1990s but here the rapid fire pace made viewers feel like the were spinning out of control. This created a faster pace and more excitement as well as meaning more footage could be used in the trailer. Close ups also became more common as widescreen films did not look as good on small square televisions, meaning more focused and condensed shots were used.

1970s

In the 1970s, the NSS began to crumble, and movie studios and production companies reasserted control over promotion. One of the key points of the distribution strategy was the release of Jaws. The trailer was shown a lot on televisions and was the first successful film to have a wide release. Usually films would start small and then expand to more theatres but Jaws opened in 464 theatres and the move to 675. The aim of the wide release was to get the most out of the advertising budget. It became known as the ‘blockbuster era’.

1980s-1990s

Movies were making more money than ever and budgets were higher and they began honing new trailers consisting of setup, confrontation and climax. Within the 80s and 90s, Don Lafontine’s voice became very well known, with his voice attached to over 5000 trailers. This created a new template for upcoming trailers, audiences knew more about the film before they bought their tickets. The independence day trailer also shows the film industry’s development in special effects, explosions of well known architecture enticed audiences and more of the narrative was revealed, closing on a cliff-hanger, leaving the audience wanting more. It was also the first trailer to play during a super bowl broadcast, virtually guaranteeing a massive audience.

2000s onwards

over the next fifteen years, trailers became one of the most popular forms of entertainment on the web, littering the internet with recaps, reactions and reviews. Sound and structure play a huge role in selling movies, introducing the audience to characters, their relationships, and other aspects of the film. Studios test their products more thoroughly, changing to tone and story to attract a wider audience, encouraging increased profit. Studios, marketing teams, and editors will change what they look for in trailers. At the moment, big, loud, plot heavy trailers are popular however in the near future they may be more subversive or a different genre with new effects and music. As budgets climb, the marketplace will adjust to what people respond to.

Comparisons of teaser trailers and theatrical trailers

Teaser vs Theatrical

Research and planning

Real media conventions

Post-production

In our preliminary task we used iMovie to edit our footage together, using fast cuts to create tension, adding sound to create suspense and enhance the atmosphere. Post production of our preliminary task was relatively basic as it was our fast piece of work and so we had limited knowledge.

During our coursework we once again used iMovie to edit our footage and produce our final film opening. We used a mixture of fast and slow cuts, to create suspense and tension and create an uneasy atmosphere. We then uploaded our final piece to YouTube and our blogs for others to view.

In A2 I would like to experiment more with post production, using more available features on editing software. I also plan to use photoshop to create a film poster, meaning I will develop more skills on a wider range of software.

Creativity

Reflection on AS

Digital Technology

Starting the preliminary task I had no previous knowledge of how to use iMovie. It was however relatively simple to understand and as the necessary editing was very basic we did not struggle to achieve what we needed to. We used the software to create a short, chronological piece which flowed relatively well and covered all the necessary aspects.

Throughout our AS coursework we experimented more with iMovie, becoming more confident in using the software and discovering different features that aided our editing, such as slow motion, dimming sounds, and inserting titles. We also used YouTube to allow others to view our product. Finally we used blogger to document the development of our coursework, explaining certain aspects and showcasing our research planning, and experimentation with various technologies.

For A2 I would like to develop my skills in using other software such as Photoshop, enabling me to explore different effects and create something which is more exciting, innovative and different. Throughout the A2 course I will also continue to use blogger as it is a successful and creative way of documenting work through the course, however I will try to be more creative with the ways I display my work and the navigation of my blog.