Analysing Trailers
Orla Caden

Purpose of My Research
To see techniques commonly used by professional editors to make sure the film
has the best chance of being sold and successful on the market
To take away ideas of what techniques I would want to include in my trailer
To understand how trailers can effectively get the audience engaged with the
film from the outset
To know which techniques are conventional throughout trailers and how they're
effective
To acknowledge what works well in trailers which evidently makes them
successful
To understand how music can enhance the atmosphere

The Elements of a Trailer
DYNAMIC CUTTING- between various different shots and points within the film
MONTAGE SEQUENCES- of significant parts
L-CUTS/J-CUTS-to enable dialogue of and between characters to be heard
whist other footage is shown
TITLE CARDS- in between footage to help demonstrate the narrative/plot to the
audience or to inform audience of the actors/actresses/directors names. Title
towards end on separate card
CREDITS
RELEASE CARD
MUSIC/MUSIC MONTAGE- very significant in helping to create atmosphere

Trailer One
WONDER
Wonder is an upcoming American drama film,directed by Stephen Chbosky. It is
based on the 2012 novel of the same name by R.J.Palacio. The movie is inspired
and based on the three books, ‘Wonder’, ‘Auggie & Me’ and ‘365 Days of
Wonder’. The film stars Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson as the parents of a young
boy struggling to overcome a facial difference. The film will be released on
November 17, 2017 by Lionsgate.

Brief Outline of the story
August “Auggie” Pullman is a young boy with a facial difference who has been in
an out of hospitals for years. With the help of his mum, Isabel and his father, Nate,
he tries to fit in at a new school and tries to show everyone that he is just an
ordinary kid, no different than the rest of the world. He strives to teach others that
beauty is not just on the outside
This film is not yet out so I haven’t seen it. From the plot I really think this type of
film is very my type of film genre and really want to see it before even watching
the trailer.

Analysis of the Trailer
The trailer begins with the editing technique of voiceover of the main character,
Auggie, ‘My name is Auggie Pullman and next week I start fifth grade’. The first
shot we see is a long shot of a child wearing a helmet. This shot makes the trailer
sell the film as an audience member I want to know the story behind this boy and
why he feels the need to wear this helmet.

Analysis of the trailer
After listening to Auggie introduce himself the enhanced sound of a school bell
sounds with non diegetic music underneath Auggie’s continued voiceover. J cuts
& L cuts are then used as his parents dialogue becomes apparent. Auggie’s voice
over continues over the non-diegetic music, allowing us to understand his story
and making us want to know more about his story, therefore showing the success
of the selling point when it comes to the trailer. The technique of intertitles is used
so we know this film has come from a best selling novel intriguing whi9ch gives
the film a good pedigree.

This trailer includes some formal elements such as dynamic cutting- (showing
Auggie’s progression at school), montage sequences towards the end of the
trailer, Title cards were used as well as music and release dates.
The shots used in this trailer are effective as they pull on your heart strings you
want to know what's going to happen in this film and how Auggie will deal with the
harsh realities of a judgemental society.

Trailer Two
BRIDESMAIDS
Bridesmaids is a 2011 American comedy film directed by Paul Feig, written by
Annie Mumolo and Kristen Wiig, produced by Judd Apatow, Barry Mendel and
Clayton Townsend.
The film was distributed by the film company Universal Pictures on April 28th 2011

Awards
The film was nominated for a Golden Globe award for Best Motion Picture-
Musical of Comedy. It has received multiple other accolades. On January 24,
2012, the film was nominated for both Academy Award for Best Supporting
Actress for Melissa McCarthy and Best Original Screenplay for Wiig and Mumolo.
This made is the first Apatow-produced film to be nominated for an Academy
Award

Plot
The film is about two friends Lillian and Annie, with Annie's life slowly falling apart
after her business failing, Lillian gets engaged asking Annie to be her maid of
honour to which she accepts. Annie is then introduced to the other bridesmaids
who she takes a disliking to Lillian's boss's wife and they both clash. Through a
series of events Annie and Lillians relationship suffers and they fall out but soon
make up before the wedding.

Analysis of the Trailer
This trailers shows a montage of different important scenes throughout the course
of the movie. Being of the comedy genre, dialogue between characters is used
frequently. Sometimes this operates as voice over in some shots of the trailer, this
being the use of the technique L-cuts and J-cuts. As I have seen this film, I
understand that none of the major punch lines are really used in the trailer making
me want to watch it again and again. The trailer starts with the dialogue, ‘I’m
Engaged’ over an establishing shot of New York.

The shot below indicates to me that this film is of the comedy genre because of
the use of sound of Annie's nervous laugh adding to the overall picture of the
comedy film.
Throughout the trailer intertitles are used clearly like a wedding invite allowing us
to understand the film may end with a wedding but anything could happen
because it is a film of the comedy genre.
The use of non-diegetic music of what sounds like a guitar playing underneath the
dialogue is vital when establishing the atmosphere of the film the use of music
allows us to understand how many takes they have used for the trailer.

What I think they’ve missed
From watching this trailer I understand they have left out a major part of the story
in Bridesmaids where Annie meets an Irish policeman who she falls in love with.
None of these shots are shown allowing us to be more surprised when watching
the movie for the first time.

Trailer Three
HOME AGAIN
Home Again is an upcoming romantic comedy film, written and directed by Hallie
Meyers-Shyer in her directorial debut. It stars Reese Witherspoon, Candice
Bergen, Michael Sheen, Lake Bell, Nat Wolff, Reid Scott and Pico Alexander.
The film is scheduled to be released on September 8, 2017, by the Distribution
company Open Road Films.

Brief outline of the story
A recently separated mother of two young girls, Alice (Reese Witherspoon) goes
to start a new life in Los Angeles wiht her two young daughters, however this turns
out to be complicated by her decision to house three young charismatic guys.

Analysis of the Trailer
This Trailer allows me as a watcher to forge a relationship with a vulnerable Alice I
can understand she is struggling with her current life situation. The technique of a
track in on Alice at various points throughout the trailer allows the audience to
understand her vulnerability.

Throughout the Home Again Trailer music and sound is used, this is a very
significant technique in helping to create atmosphere and to build and create
various different paces. In this trailer a mix of voiceover and dialogue is used, at
the start of the trailer there is a black screen and over the top is the enhanced
sound of Alice crying. This cuts quickly to a close up of Alice, allowing us to know
who the main character is straight away. Also non-diegetic music is used
throughout the trailer. It is very upbeat with the lyrics of, ‘I guess you're just what I
need’ maybe foreshadowing the end of the movie meaning she may fall for one of
these charismatic guys

Title cards are used in the trailer in between footage this helps demonstrate the
narrative, plot to the audience or to inform the audience of the actors/
actresses/directors names. The title appears towards the end on a separate card.
The title cards used are below..
There are two different styles - black with white text or the location of Los Angeles.

Trailer Four
THE IMPOSSIBLE
The Impossible is a 2012 English-Language Spanish disaster drama film directed
by J.A Bayona and written by Sergio G. Sanchez. It is based on the experience of
Maria Belon and her family in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami. The Cast Includes
Naomi Watts, Ewan McGregor and Tom Holland
The film was distributed by Warner Bros. in Spain and in the US and
internationally by Summit Entertainment
I saw this film as soon as it came in the winter of 2013 and loved it.

Awards
The film received lots of positive reviews from critics, I feel like this iand the trailer
influenced my already loving of the film before i saw it. Naomi Watts who was
nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress and the Golden Globe Award
for Best Actress – Motion Picture Drama, she was also nominated for Screen
Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading
Role. I feel like this just shows what a success the film was through its trailer.

Brief Outline of the Story
Henry Bennett , his wife Maria, and their three sons Lucas , Tomas and Simon go
on a Christmas holiday in 2004 to Khao Lak, Thailand. Two days later on Boxing
Day, the massive 2004 tsunami hits the area. Maria and Lucas eventually emerge
from the swirling water and find each other, with Maria having sustained serious
injuries to her leg and chest. Meanwhile, Henry, Thomas and Simon have also
survived and are together. Henry leaves the two boys with another family who
head to the mountains for safe shelter while he stays behind to search for Maria
and Lucas. Henry promises Maria's father he will look everywhere for his family
and that he will find them. After Maria's Operation, the family are reunited as the
brothers meet first and then there Dad comes out of nowhere. The film ends with
the family heading home on a plane.

Analysis of the Trailer
The trailer opens with what seems to be a drone shot of a car with a soft tranquil
piano music underneath. In previous slides I have stated that music is important in
creating the atmosphere. We understand from the soothing music that the setting
is very peaceful until disaster happens, juxtaposing the events to follow.
There is a transition of a group shot of the family of five. This shows the audience
the unity of this family, making it hard for the audience when the tsunami hits as
earlier on in the trailer we have already forged a relationship with the family.

The trailer is effective in making audiences who want to see the film as there are
lots of shots before the Tsunami hits, during and after so the audience gets a
rounded picture of the lives of the characters. Throughout the trailer title cards are
used to help us understand the true story behind this film allowing us to know that
this is in fact a true story.

Throughout the trailer there is a real sense of survival. This is portrayed through
‘I’m going to keep looking for them’ as a key soundbite piece of dialogue. Dynamic
cutting is used throughout. The audience are encouraged to think if the family will
ever be united again as we never see a shot of the whole family together after the
Tsunami.

Trailer Five
DUNKIRK
Dunkirk is an upcoming English-Language War film, written, co-produced and
directed by Christopher Nolan. Dunkirk is set during World War II, it portrays the
Dunkirk evacuation. The film is a co-production between the Netherlands, the
United Kingdom, France and the United States.
Dunkirk is scheduled to be released on 21st July 2017 in IMAX. The film will be
distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Brief outline of the Story.
Christopher Nolan wrote the story with the intention to tell it from three
perspectives of the air, the land and the sea. The story will tell the true effects of
what happened in Dunkirk in 1940.
As this film is yet to be released I haven’t watch it, this is also the first time I am
watching the trailer. This genre of film normally doesn’t appeal to me.

Analysis of the Trailer
The trailer starts with an establishing shot of soldiers walking in what seems to be
an abandoned street in Dunkirk. This creates a subdued feeling as an audience
we already know about the story of Dunkirk this cements a feeling make us relate
to the soldiers.
As soon as the trailer starts, intense non-diegetic music at a high pitch
accompanies the visuals. Over this music there is the enhanced sound of a clock.
This creates a tense atmosphere, making me want to know what will happen
throughout the course of the trailer and film.

The trailer shows the three perspectives of air, land and sea; the enhanced sound
of the planes is used portray we our now in the perspective of the air, for example.
Dynamic cutting is used. We go from voiceover of a conversation to the
conversation being shown mid-way through – a J cut, a classic trailer editing
technique.

The trailer shows a sense of united men throughout. Portraying this sense of
patriotism making me want to see what happens throughout the film. The way the
trailer has been edited has encouraged me to want to know what happens during
the film and also how it will end.