1. Film Trailers Codes and Conventions

2. Purpose of Trailers
The stimulus material for question 1 of your exam may be film trailers or an extract from a film, for example an opening sequence.
Film trailers are an important way for the film industry to market their product.
The purpose is to raise audience expectations so that they will want to go to see the film.

3. Conventions The main codes and conventions are:
The name of the film. This will usually feature prominently in the trailer. If the film is new then the name may give a clue to the film's genre. For example IT.
If it is a sequel then the audience will already be aware of the film's genre. For example Kingsman: The Golden Circle.

4. Conventions
The use of graphics to reinforce the name of the film and its stars. The font style may help to establish the film's genre. Here the name of the film Baby Driver is bold and is surrounded by a birds eye view of an city landscape which connotes action in an urban location.
The main characters are often introduced using technical codes, for example close-ups, to establish them in the minds of the audience and to help sell the film to their fans.

5. Conventions
A tagline may give a clue to the genre and the narrative. For example, ‘Say Something’ for the film Get Out.
Audio codes.  These may include a theme tune or soundtrack which may be recognisable to an audience.
For example the same theme tune was used in all of the Star Wars films.
There may be sound effects placing the film in a particular genre, for example gun shots, explosions, in an action genre film.
Atmospheric music may be used to create a mood and suggest the film's genre.

6. Conventions
The use of voice over. The purpose of this is to establish continuity between the montage of clips chosen for the trailer, to establish the narrative and to give promises of pleasure to the audience. Genre specific lexis. This helps the audience to know what to expect from the film e.g: “It’s time for the Jedi to end’ = Star Wars (Sci Fi) or ‘My life is better with you in it’ = Everything, Everything (Romance). Naming the stars that are appearing in the film. This feature is important as some stars tend to appear in specific genres and often the star will be the key selling point of the film.

7. Conventions
Editing
The trailer will be constructed and the best extracts from the film will be selected to attract the audience. The chosen extracts will also establish the narrative strands in the film and may include some of the plot situations. These may be recognisable to the audience who may be familiar with the genre.
These stills from the trailer for IT demonstrate that the film is from the horror genre.

8. Conventions
The lighting is mostly low key. In the final shot the character is surrounded by darkness. The codes of costume and expression represent the family as vulnerable.
The use of the distorted reflection is also a conventional technical code and is enigmatic for the audience.
The iconography of the run down house and the family screaming are genre conventions for this type of film.

9. Conventions
Enigma codes. Trailers withhold information from the audience to encourage them to want to watch the film to find the answers. Sometimes rhetorical questions will be asked by the voice over or by words appearing on the screen. For example, ‘What are you afraid of?' appears on the trailer for IT.
This, combined with the narrative clues, increases the enigma effect for the audience.
Promise of pleasure. A way to make the audience feel that this is a film worth watching, whether it is the use of stars, successful studios or based on a best selling book/series.
Additional information. This may include the release date for the film, certification, website for further info or social media info.

10. Task:
Identify visual, audio and technical codes within the trailer for IT.
Comment on the genre conventions and the narrative codes. Indicate the purpose and effect of the conventions.