Teaser Trailers Textual analysis

Fences
In this trailer, which is just under 2 minutes, it begins with all the studio idents lasting for approximately 10 seconds. There is then a 10 second clip from the film then information about the film, the previous clip then continues until 45 seconds in when the top actor (Denzel Washington) is stated. Multiple short clips are played for 10 seconds and then another actor is named. Short, but dramatic segments of the film are played and it ends with the title of the film, the director and then finally the release date.



Voicemail
This is another trailer, produced by an A2 Media Studies student. This is produced to a high quality, clearly with a good quality camera; it is impressive and I probably will not be able to produce something to this level due to the fact that my camera will be borrowed from the school and it is merely a basic handheld one.

It would appear that teaser trailers are shorter in length than these trailers, typically a minute and no longer than 2 minutes.



Unknown
This is a teaser trailer by a former student, it is only 39 seconds in length and really plays on the idea of 'teasing' the film to audiences. In this trailer there are many short takes with the first two scenes lasting 3 seconds together. The trailer reveals a short, brief synopsis for the film but does not go into depth with the characters; this is a mystery thriller film which is presented firstly ten seconds in when the camera pans to a female character in the background who then exits, text on the screen 'secrets can ruin lives' also plays on the idea of enigmas.




Dunkirk
This official teaser trailer, lasting 1 minute and 6 second, has music representing the tone of the film, many shots from multiple scenes. Between each shot, there is text (approximately every 5 seconds) where it uses the director and his other work he has done. There is then a long take, to draw tension and suspense due to a bomb about to be dropped onto them. With 15 seconds left, the title is then displayed and followed by the release date.

In this teaser trailer, only the genre (and sub-genre) are introduced to the audience. There is no character introduction, nor is there a synopsis given. This film contains big names such as Tom Hardy, Harry Styles and Cillian Murphy but it is not given to the audience.

It is therefore clear to discover that 'teaser trailers' conventionally give away little about the film. The trainspotting teaser trailer demonstrates this, as seen below:



The Trainspotting teaser trailer, which I would like to replicate with some aspects, contains one scene from the film and, with the title and release date displayed for the last 15 seconds. The camera shots include a POV shot for approximately 7 seconds, followed by a few seconds of an over the shoulder shot, then a close up. The trailer repeats these shots as the character talks to the audience, breaking the fourth wall.

In my trailer, I want to represent teen life, but to an extreme. Skins is a TV show which I would like to take aspects from in my film, with a small amount of simulacra; alongside this, I enjoy the idea of soap operas and the involvement the characters have in ordinary life and I would like to use aspects from that for a film.