Research: How trailers help fill cinemas

The Teacher Trailers website, published by the FDA, says that a film should be able to clearly signal the genre so that audiences are able to decide if the film would appeal to them. There should also be a unique selling point in the trailer and film too so that it has something new to offer the audience. USP- Unique Selling Point.

• the innovative use of special effects
• an unusual mix of genres
• a popular star

http://thefilmspace.org/teachingtrailers/2019/secondary/theory/how/

Given three trailers, I identified what was the USP in each:

LION KING:

USP- A film which has only animal characters. They speak and the animation quality is extremely realistic. Studio Ghibli creates this hyper-realistic animation too which draws in an adult audience too due to its amazing quality.

LATE NIGHT:

Unique selling point- Star talent EMMA THOMPSON and MINDY KALING

- Focus on strong women and feminism within the work space

SPIES IN DISGUISE:

USP- Star talent- WILL SMITH and TOM HOLLAND

- High quality action- animation + special effects

- Spies are turned into piegons- unique plot

Research: Who are trailers aimed at?

 I watched three film trailers: VITA AND VIRGINIA, FROZEN 11 and APPOLLO 11 

http://thefilmspace.org/teachingtrailers/2019/secondary/theory/who/

Trailers are mostly aimed at the audience who they intend the film to be viewed by. There are different types of films like there are different types of people. Everyone will want different features in a film and the trailer has to highlight the ones their target audience will look for. I looked at and analysed the trailers and tried to look for the audience catagories below:

Vita and Virginia:

I would say that the target audience would be over 25 year olds. It would appeal to literary audiences as Virginia Woolf is one of England's greatest writers and it is an arthouse film. It is about groups such as the Bloomsbury group who Vita and Virgina belonged to. Similarly her views expressed about marriage show her modern stance on women and how she is independent. This would appeal to young women and socially aware women who are interested in the history of feminism. It is set in the 1920s, making it a period piece, which would appeal to people who can appreciate the clothes, costumes and lifestyle from a decade ago. This is shown through the use of the type writer, china tea sets and other props. It could also interest gay people or couples as it follows two women's journey of being together secretly at a time when it was socially unacceptable. The beautiful gardens and scenery would also attract gardening and Naitonal Trust lovers who can appreciate the beauty of it with gardens similar to Sissinghurst. The high production value will appeal to a prestige audience. It is based on a screen play so it is a 

literary adaptation. 

Frozen 2:

This film will appeal to adults as well as children as the quality of animation is so high- the first few seconds show an animated ocean which is very realistic. The production values are very high which would people who appreciate film production. The main character- Elsa- is shown tying her hair up and running through the sea which would attract young female audiences as she is shown to be powerful which represents female empowerment. This is exaggerated through the repetitive shots showing her determination. It shows action, adventure and danger as she is struck down in the sea. This would also appeal to boys as a male character is shown charging through the forest on a reindeer. It has a comedic appeal with the character Olaf being light-hearted and funny. It is a family friendly feel good film which would attract parents to see the film with their children as it has an endearing plot. The vibrant colours will appeal to children as they are engaging. With the music behind it and the beautiful scenes, it is wholesome which is promoting good values.

Apollo 11:

This film would appeal to people who are interested in space as there are rockets and space- gear shown very soon within the trailer. It would appeal to a slightly older audience as space is not something that children can understand in complexity. It is a documentary which would appeal to people who would visit NASA and are fascinated by space history, especially modern. The procution value makes it appear authentic and therefore more realistic and therefore more reliable. The quality of the dialogue is in the style of a ground- control communicator which gives the film more value and more inside information which would appeal to people who are interested in Apollo 11. The footage is completely archives footage. The focus on the 'we were one' highlights the sense of national pride at this time which would appeal to the other Americans who felt that they were part of the 'one' and were happy to celebrate their nationalistic pride. I have watched the trailer for Gravity recently which appeals to a very different type of audience, although they are both based in space. Apollo 11 feels like it is moving towards a triumphant conclusion whereas Gravity is surrounded by danger and suspence. This shows how there is a wide range of potential audience who would like space- related films. 

Research: Why is a trailer made?

RESEARCH: WHY IS A TRAILER MADE?

 I went onto the Teaching Trailers resource which is from the FDA. It is an online resource which I used to develop my understanding on why trailers are made and how the genre of a film is signalled.

I viewed these 3 trailers:

Artemis Fowl:

This film was presented as a children's fantasy film because we saw the main character who was a child with confidence and bravery as they go on a journey. The journey was to uncover truths and dark secrets. This follows the theme of a quest with narrative trope which is typical in the adventure genre. The theme of magic and adventure is also explored with the scenes and props being beautiful and extravagent. Trailers similar to this are not aimed st boys or girls so would be viewed by both. The magical element was shown through the special affects which is anotheer appealing element.

Research: What is a trailer?

RESEARCH: WHAT IS A TRAILER?

Questions on trailers:

•  I looked at the trailer for the film BOOKSMART before I started to answer these questions. I based my answers on general trailers but looking at one beforeband helped. 
• I have started further research into trailers using the FDA's Teaching Trailers online course, from which these resources come. 
• http://thefilmspace.org/teachingtrailers/2019/secondary/theory/what/

The marketing campaign for a film is the different ways in which the film's 'message' is presented to potential audiences.

While studying the film industry last year, I found out about how Hollywood  majors and the UK independent films were able to create successful marketing campaigns which were intriguing for the audiences. The campaigns for film marketing cover many different ways to convey a film's message for the audiences. 

1. What do you think are the mejor elements of a film marketing campaign?

These major elements for the film marketing campaigns are the trailer which is a teaser for the audience which lays out the genre, main characters and a vague storyline. Another main element is the target audience which the production comany aims to reach through genre conventions and adveritising techniques. The Black Panther website had man convergent links which led to the trailer, information about the film as well as links to merchandise which would appeal to the existing Marvel fans who immerse themselves fully in the Marvel universe. More grassroot efforts were made to target different audiences such as a fashion show called 'Wakanda fashion' being set up to engage more female based audiences. A more global audience was reached through the use of social media. For example the #blackpanther was trending on Twitter globally. Star appearences were a large part of their film campaign. 

2. Where might you expect to see each of the different parts of the marketing campaign?

The trailer was avaliable on Youtube but also the convergent link to it was included on the Black Panther website which was a convenient place for viewers to find it. The convergent links to merchandise were also found on the website but could also be searched on the main Disney/ Marvel store. The fashion show and celebrity appearences were mainly announced on social media as it is able to reach the widest audience, globally. Magazine articles were also published about Black Panther as well as radio interviews and regular TV/ Youtube interviews which built the anticipation for the film's release as the marketing campaign started 2 years before its release. 

3. What factors make you want to go and see a film? How do you decide which films to see?

I like seeing ethnicity within a film as well as even gender distributed roles. This is key for me when I see a film I tend to notice this very quickly and will be put off a film that is not inclusive. For example, I look to see weather the white people are always the heroes and people of colour are painted as the villains. I really like action-filled films so the indication of genre in a trailer, for example, is key for me. I also decide films on subject matter. I do not like films which are too sad so if it is a Cinéma vérité, I would be less interested if the subject matter is really sad and serious.