Conventions of a trailer

Conventions:

• Trailers include key moments from the film which are not placed in the sequence of the film, and do not give away any crucial plot details which leaves the audience in suspense and wanting to watch the whole film.

• The title of the film is not usually put on screen until the end of the trailer, often followed by a release date.

• The names of the main starts are put on screen early on in the trailer. This is important as it lets audiences know who they can expect to see in the film. Audiences will often decide they want to see a film just because of the stars in it.

• Sometimes the names of the director and/or producer are included, with phrases such as ‘from the director/makers of...’ This helps the audience to make connections between the film being trailed and previously successful and recognise films.

• On-screen text gives important information about the film, including the stars names, the film title and the release date. 

• Music is regularly used in trailers as it can help identify the genre, style and plot of the film.