In what ways does your media product use, develop or challenge forms and conventions of

real media products?

TYPICAL CODES AND CONVENTIONS OF A TRAILER

A trailer has to achieve its purpose in less than 2minutes and 30seconds. This is the maximum length allowed by the MPPA. However, teaser trailers can be very short varying from 30-60 seconds.

Its purpose is to attract an audience to the film, therefore the trailer contains short sequence of the clips that are the most exciting (which do not have to be in chronological order) keeping in mind that it does not spoil parts of the film.

Trailers contain voice overs (non-diegetic) which is used to provide aspects of the narration without revealing its whole detail. It allows viewers to focus on the events on screen without being distracted by a visible actor.

Captions are used in trailers which usually contain; release dates, information about the plot, rhetorical questions, quotes from viewers, the rating it has received and so on. The purpose of this is to lure the audience in.

Trailers use conventions associated with the genre for instance, a horror trailer would feature terrifying footage and gradually more tension and suspense would be created. Whereas, a historical trailer would include period imagery, lavish costumes and so on.

Most trailers start with slow transitions which will gradually increase in speed towards the end of the trailer once the point has been presented.

Background music is often used in trailers which is not always from the film's soundtrack. Its purpose is to complement, support and integrate the sales messaging of the film trailer.

A FATHER WHO FIGHTS FOR HIS CHILD

EACH TRAILER FEATURES THE TITLE OF THE FILM AT THE END.

THE CAPTIONS DURING THE TRAILER HINT SOMETHING ABOUT THE NARRATIVE WITHOUT REVEALING IT ALL.

FILM RELEASE IS ALSO MENTIONED.

MY TRAILER

EACH TRAILER CONTAINS A STUDIO IDENT AT THE BEGINNING WHICH INFORMS THE AUDIENCE WHO THE FILM IS MADE/PRODUCED BY. IT ALSO DRAWS THE AUDIENCE IN AS THEY MAY BE FAMILIAR WITH THEIR PREVIOUS PRODUCTIONS.

MY TRAILER

ALL THE TRAILERS HAVE AN ESTABLISHING SHOT WHICH SET THE SCENE ALLOWING THE NARRATIVE TO DEVELOP.

THE GREEN PREVIEW SCREEN IS A CONVENTION USED BY ALL PROFESSIONAL TRAILERS ASSURING THE VIEWER THAT WHAT THEY ARE ABOUT TO SEE HAS BEEN ‘APPROVED’ FOR BY ALL AUDIENCES. ALL THESE TRAILERS <- INCLUDE THIS.

ALL OF THE TRAILERS USE BOTH DIEGETIC AND NON-DIEGETIC SOUND WHICH HELP SUPPORT THE MESSAGES REVEALED IN THE NARRATIVE.

IN MY TRAILER I USED THE CONVENTION OF HAVING SOFT SLOW GENTLE MUSIC AT THE START. THIS EVENTUALLY PICKS UP IN SPEED AND TEMPO EXPRESSING AN ATMOSPHERE OF INTENSITY.

USING A VARIETY OF CAMERA SHOTS IN A TRAILER IS A CONVENTION SO THAT THE AUDIENCE CAN SEE ALL ASPECTS OF THE NARRATIVE AND UNDERSTAND THE EMOTIONS FROM THE CHARACTERS.

USING A VARIETY OF CAMERA SHOTS

The over the shoulder shot creates a sense of mystery as the audience will question who is this individual watching the Mother and child.

The close up shot highlights the cheerful and loving scenes with the mother and child playing.

This hand-held shot creates uncertainty as the audience would want to know who is following the mother.

HOW MY TRAILER CHALLENGES CONVENTIONS OF REAL MEDIA PRODUCTS

A typical trailer will display a variety of short clips throughout. I have however, challenged this convention and have used lots of long shots to establish the playground scene more, highlighting the close and loving relationship the mother and son share. This is so more tension is created when the Mother comes to the realisation that she has lost her son. Also, the audience will develop more sympathy for the Mother.

I have challenged media conventions through the use of captions as I included statistics to help enhance the message in the narrative and creating verisimilitude , so that the audience will be more drawn in. This convention is not regularly used in trailers however, I felt it necessary to include it in mine.

At the beginning of my trailer the music appears very astronomical. Some may question whether this links with the stereotypical drama genre music. I have challenged this convention because its out of the ordinary and brings in a sense of mystery to the plot.