Comparing Different Types of Trailer - Conclusion

Comparing Different Types of Trailer - Conclusion

I am going to consider the differences and similarities in the trailers for 'Nosferatu' and 'Red One'.

The theatrical trailers are considerably longer than the other trailers, at about 2 minutes and 30 seconds. They provide more narrative/plot information for the audience so that they can decide if they want to see the film or not. There is a vague reference to the time of the release but not the exact date, though commonly in theatrical trailers a clear release date is given. The teaser will be the next longest in terms of length of time and the the TV Spot will be the shortest (usually 30 seconds) but is much more specific on the release date of the film identifying exactly the date it will be released, or even saying that the fim is in cinemas now. 

The pace of editing is also different between the trailers. Theatrical trailers have more of an opportunity to show more about the film and so whilst there are rapid cuts (almost a montage at the end), the pace of these trailers is often quite slow at the beginning as characters and important plot points are revealed. The speed and intensity of the editing increases dramatically in the TV Spots and in the teasers for 'Nosferatu' and 'Red One', though it is quite common for the pace of the editing to be slow in teaser trailers.

It is conventional to include favourable reviews from critics in the TV Spot rather than the other trailers. The closer the film is to a release, the more time that critics will have had to see the film and have been able to comment. Typically only favourable reviews will be included, and these are an important element to drive audiences to the cinema in the week or so before the film when TV Spots are generally released. 

The theatrical trailers, being longer have more of an opportunity to reveal more about the plot and the characters in the film. Teasers hold back the information provided to create more of a mystery as to what the film is about to entice the audience to learn more about it, often focusing on elements from previous films in a franchise. The TV Spot will focus on eye candy (exciting bits from the film) and new reveals of images not seen in previous trailers. Sometimes TV Spots will be focused around a particular theme or character, or be directed to a particular demographic, and there are often a number of TV Spots released in the last week before the film is in cinemas.

Idents feature in all of the trailers, usually at the start, though they appear more briefly in TV Spots and teaser trailers than in theatrical trailers.

All of the trailers feature title cards, with the name of the film, release dates, reviews and references to the director and other films, common examples.