Initial Research: Chosen Media & Conventions

Chosen Media

For my A2 piece of media coursework I will be creating a 2 minute film trailer. 

I want to create an effective product that achieves the brief that we have chosen from the exam board, for me to do this I need to conduct further research into the conventions of my chosen product and what makes them successful when creating awareness of a films release. 

A film trailer is a technique that gives advanced publicity for a film by releasing extracts of the film giving hints towards the narrative, whilst leaving out certain facts which encourages viewers to watch the full film when it's released.  Also a film trailer is created around 3-6 months prior to a films release in cinema.

Stereotypically a film trailer is shown in the cinema before another film but it is also shown on different types of social media sites e.g Facebook, giving film trailers a chance to be viewed by a large demographic. They are usually made up of a montage of clips that are put together with  film score fitting in with the films genre. The maximum length that a trailer should be is 2 minutes 30 seconds, which is the time issued by the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA)

Common Conventions 

-Some drama products have a narration. 

-Deliberately using camera shots to portray the power between characters.

-Follows mainly one character. 

-Use of lighting to create the emotion wanted in the scene for example dull lighting to convey emotion and sadness. 

-Storyline could also follow modern day events making the product informative as well. 

-The storyline could include a romance and then there could be a bad ending to the story.

-Includes dramatic music for the emotional scenes, contrasting the silence of the rest of the scenes

-Point of view shots-storyline could be based on a true story 

-Typically set where drama is known for example a school (teen drama), a workplace or a social area like a supermarket or shopping centre.

-Includes emotional scenes (close up shots showing emotions). 

-The typical props that are found in drama media products are guns, knives, alcohol and mobile phones.