Different Examples of how a trailer can be structured:
Chaotic
This trailer doesn't contain a lot of the story and instead focuses on action set pieces, a high volume of clips that are rapidly shown together, this shows the very fast pace of the film as a result with minimal dialogue and plot being shown. As I am relying on minimal dialogue this could be a very appropriate structure for my trailer to follow. Within the trailer, audiences are introduced to the setting of an apocalyptic world, the mentality of the characters and the way the characters live. Strong visual imagery could serve as a means of communicating important characters and story points.
Story/action orientated
This trailer for Inception devotes a lot of time to it's story, easing the audience into some of the weighty ideas that are explored in the full film. The trailer also shows its genre as an action film, bringing in fans of the genre with the films mind-bending action. As this trailer falls into the genre of action, the film teases its massive action as well as its thought provoking story themes. I could replicate this by using the story as a platform to introduce action within the trailer.
Character based
As this film is a story about a group of characters, the trailer attempts to introduce each of them to audiences while giving some plot details along the way. Since these are characters that audiences may be unfamiliar with, it is important that the trailer gives each character their own moment to feature in the trailer. Certain story elements are also introduced, such as the 70's soundtrack that plays such a massive part within the film. I could use a song instead of a score in order to directly match the tone that I am attempting to set within my trailer and manipulate the recording to set the pace of the trailer.
Tone driven
This trailer focuses a large amount on establishing its tone by dwelling on a single moment of the film about a coin toss. This perfectly establishes the direction that the film makers have wanted to go in, with complex characters. The plot is revealed as the trailer continues adding to the suspense of the story. I would like to reflect this direction by taking some time to introduce important characters and their roles within the film.
My Film Trailer:
If I were to do a film trailer I would probably blend the story and character elements of the trailers above, while trying to keep dialogue to a minimum due to the performances of the actors being used. This would help me communicate important story aspects while not taking the audience out of the experience due to the use of non-professional actors. I would introduce the important starting point of the trailer through a line of dialogue. I would then adopt the use of title cards much like the Mad Max trailer in order to give the audience plot points which they can piece together while still being intuited about elements of the story which remain a mystery.
