Trailer Research - Romantic Drama

The Notebook (2004)

Institutions

-         Distributed by New line Cinema – A Warner Brother’s division, major American film studio.

-          A Gran Via production – Small, only real success-to-date was this film.

Selling Points

-          Based on a best selling novel – a niche audience is already established (i.e. readers of the novel)

-          Big studio in New Line Cinema behind it

-          Two main actors are young and rising stars having won, in the case of Rachel McAdams “Best breakthrough female performance” for her role in Mean Girls earlier that year at the MTV Movie awards. In addition, Ryan Gosling was nominated in 2002 at the Chicago Film Critics Association Awards for “Most promising performer”, for his role in Murder by Numbers.

-          James Garner and Gena Rowlands brought a host of awards and experience in the film industry with them, and therefore must appear in the trailer.

-          A love story which everyone can relate to

Establishing genre, mood and expectations

-          Romantic settings, in the country with big houses, and natural light

-          Non-diegetic soundtrack romantic, classical piece played on piano

-          Cross-cutting between past and present, the story is narrated to help establish mood

-          Pace builds as narrative unfolds and problem is established, contrast in close-ups of joy and happiness when they’re together and the dark, iconic scene in the rain sets a powerful atmosphere.

Successful?

-          I believe this trailer is successful because it reaches out to every audience for everyone can relate to the story.

-          The use of close-ups in particular, on the lead actress showing her times of joy and sadness, I believe makes the trailer more powerful and interesting, and overall draws in viewers.

-          I think the “based on the best selling novel” part should appear earlier in the trailer, so that audiences do not change the channel, as within the first few moments of the trailer there is no acknowledgement of awards or why someone should go see this film.

Target Audience

-          All ages, because of the narrative which everyone can relate to. However the 15-24 year old age bracket will probably be the target audience because of the casting of roles and this age bracket is more understanding to romantic films such as this.

-          There is also a niche audience of an elder age who can relate to the elder characters.

-          Finally, being based on a novel, a niche audience of those who have read it will be established, because they will want to see how the novel is transformed into a film.

How is the audience targeted explicitly?

-          Use of graphic, highlighting that it is based on the novel

-          Focussing on not only the youthful two main characters but also showing the elder characters to target both audiences.

-          Set in and around World War 2 which explicitly attracts the elder generation who can relate to those times.

Another Year (2010)

Institutions

·      Thin Man Films led the production together with Film 4 and Focus Features International.

·      Thin Man Films - production company set up by Mike Leigh, relatively small, but with 8 successful feature films before this one, such as Happy-Go-Lucky (2008)

·      Film 4 – They develop and co-finance films and is known for working with the most innovative talent in the UK.

·      Focus Features International – art house films division of Universal Pictures

Selling Points

·      The official selection at three big Film Festivals

·      Well known director in Mike Leigh

·      Cast who have worked with Mike Leigh before and produced good work, in film and television.

·      In particular, Jim Broadbent, who has won a host of awards in his career and appeared in films such as Harry Potter and Iris

·      Passionate and powerful narrative…”The power of this film creeps up on you by stealth” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian.

Establishing genre, mood and expectations

·      Non diegetic sound is calm, slow guitar piece which suits the narrative being portrayed.

·      Shots of elderly couple going about normal day life is sweet.

·      Pace builds with piano piece and introduction of character who’s life is not as smooth as the others, tears and this music tell the audience that this film isn’t just about the boring lives of a couple.

·      Use of graphics telling the audience the awards that this film has won and the graphic telling the audience the name of the director and his successful previous work, heightens expectations.

·      Final use of graphics such as quotes from critics also heightens expectations

·      Laughter and comic lines establish perhaps that it is a “feel-good” film, mixed in with the dramas of everyday life.

Successful?

·      The focus on something, which seems so boring and mundane, yet still makes one feel it in the heart is a product that is successful.

·      The trailer cleverly tells the audience that this film has been well received at film festivals near the beginning so that the audience does not lose interest.

Target audience

·      Elder generation who can relate to main characters and the narrative

·      Retired couples that can understand the dramas and troubles of life that these people are facing in the film.

·      A film to watch with your partner because it focuses on the relationship of a couple.

·      Film lovers that pay particular attention to winners of film festival awards

How is the audience explicitly targeted?

·      Casting of characters that suit the roles that an elder generation can relate to.

·      Graphics highlighting awards that this film has won at famous film festivals

·      The film does literally revolve around the life of a couple and their friends around them, this is highlighted in the trailer by the use of graphics and shots.

Trailer Research

INCEPTION


1. What cinematic techniques are used to establish mood and tone?


The obvious cinematic technique used in this trailer for 'Inception' is that of CGI or computer generated images. This establishes a target audience and enlightens the audience to what this film is like. The specific use of CGI of the street turning over on top of itself, is used in this trailer because it is the most memorable shot in the entire film. This technique is also used in 'The Dark Knight' trailer where the truck flips up and crashes to the road with a thud, this shot is used in the trailer because it was probably the most expensive scene to shoot and is fairly stunning.

The non-diegetic sound of the soundtrack over this trailer is loud, building in pace and sets a tone of excitement and anticipation of the release of this film because this film looks high-budget and exhilarating.. The music builds to a climax to the point when the narrator gives the line which shows the audience basically what the film is going to be about. Finally, the music is synchronous at the last clip of the trailer to the appearance on screen of the date of release, this dagger of sound shocks the audience and tells them that "summer 2010" is a going to be big!

The majority of the shots included in this trailer are shot with low-key lighting. This helps set a mood of a dark and sincere film which is coming in the form of 'Inception'. It will not be a "feel-good" film or a comedy where you go and come out of the cinema feeling happy and cheerful. The mood set in this trailer is one which tells audiences that they will have to think during the film and at certain points it may be difficult to understand. This is portrayed in the trailer by the use unimaginable events and confusing terminology which literally blow one's mind.


2. How does the trailer establish the themes and narrative?


The use of a narrator in a trailer is commonly used in american trailers, to establish the narrative, specifically in this case the use of Leonardo Dicaprio speaking over complex camera shots, unbelievable CGI and his expansive use of terminology helps add to the theme of this film being big budget and fairly difficult to comprehend.

Another way the trailer enlightens the audience to the themes and narrative of this film is by using graphics saying "Your mind is the scene of the crime", most audiences struggle to multi task and probably cannot take in the importance of the words of the narrator and the importance of the images on screen. Therefore, the trailer contains a sentence which captures the main theme of the film and gives the audience something to take away which will stick in their mind and help them to establish the narrative of the film that they decide whether to go see or not.


3. How does the trailer establish genre?


From the trailer the audience may find it difficult to establish a genre because it probably falls in to so many. For instance, the high budget and expansive use of CGI probably makes the audience believe that this film is going to be a big american blockbuster, and I believe it does fall into this category. However, the use of fast-paced exciting music and a sense of a pulsating narrative make this film feel as though it falls into the thriller genre. Finally, the use of unbelievable concepts and images by using CGI probably makes the audience establish this trailer in the sci-fi genre as well.


4. Who is the target audience and how is the audience targeted in this trailer?


Undoubtedly, the target audience for this film is the 15-24 year old age bracket. The use of complex computer generated images certainly attracts this target audience rather than older audience because younger audiences are probably more welcoming to new technologies and even when they are, like in this case inconceivable, they often find it easier to comprehend.

The casting of this film was important and the use of Leonardo Dicaprio as the narrator, as well as being in the film itself, appeals to the target audience rather than casting someone like Michael Caine for the role. The rest of the cast is also fairly young and this encourages the target audience to see the film as they can relate to them, and this is shown in the trailer by shots of Ellen Page and Joseph Gordon-Levitt.


5. What is the reason/effect for using the director's name and previous work?


Having Christopher Nolan's name in bold and telling us his previous work in the form of the hugely profitable and widely appreciated film 'The Dark Knight', this enables the crew behind the making of 'Inception' to establish a niche audience of followers of Christopher Nolan, because of his incredibly successful previous work. Therefore, before the film has even been made or the trailer even released the film will already have huge publicity for being Nolan's next film and especially as he is following in the footsteps of 'The Dark Knight' by making this next product a sincere, high-budget, exciting thriller. Consequently it is vital that they include his name in the trailer.



SALT


1. How does this trailer promote and focus on the big star?


The opening shot is a close up on Angelina Jolie's face playing Evelyn Salt, already the audience have established the unique selling point of this film. The opening shot is followed by a sequence of different scenes, where in every one Jolie features and although other characters appear they are not present in every scene and are therefore just supporting roles.


2. Action films are thought to appeal to a predominantly male audience. How does this trailer target both female and male audience separately?


Angelina Jolie being cast as the main part in Salt automatically establishes an audience of the feminist kind as they probably feel they can relate to her slightly more than to a male lead role. Female lead roles in action films are much less common than the casting of a man because the male audience is widely expected to want to go see a hard-hitting action film. However in the casting of Angelina Jolie, she brings the history of success in the form of the Tomb Raider and therefore proves that having a woman lead role in an action film brings about success at the box office because it appeals to both genders.

The male audience are attracted to the casting of Angelina Jolie as a leading role in an action film because of her history of success in Tomb Raider which is considered a quality action film despite the unique casting of a woman. Another thing which may draw the male audience to see this film is the casting of Angelina Jolie who is considered an extremely attractive actress and therefore one whom the male audience may and enjoy going to see in "action".


3. How does this trailer use editing to create atmosphere?


The opening to the trailer is rather slow-paced with the editing as the mood and atmosphere of the opening scene begins to be established. However, as the narrative evolves with the questioning and cross-cutting between this scene and another, begins to evolve the pace of the editing begins to pick up with extremely fast paced editing close to the end with a sequence of shots from different scenes showing Jolie just in her underwear and therefore the contrast of the scenes, from what seems as being a slow paced start building to a climax at the end and consequently creates a suspenseful and exciting atmosphere.



HEARTBREAKER/ L'ARNACOEUR


There are a number of differences between the three trailers for the same film......most notably the voice over used in the three separate trailers. For example, the voice over in the English trailer is an american man outlining the narrative of the film and does not use any excerpts from the film which are used in the European and French trailers. The voice over in the English trailer highlights to the English audience that this film may be French but the narrative and comedy in the film can still be enjoyed no matter where you are from. The voice over in the other two trailers are notably in French to appeal to those niche audiences, however in these cases they are sound clips from the film, from the main character. The use of two familiar songs to the English audience in the English trailer in 'Time of my life' and 'Wake me up before you go go', this is dissimilar to the European trailer where a guitar piece is used.

The genre established in all three is fairly obvious as the comedy in a sequence of clips is shown, a number of shots in all three also show the main character in different relationships with a number of women, maybe showing us that this film falls into the rom-com category. The shots are similar throughout all the trailers with the iconic shot of the main character and his crew walking through an airport.