Codes and Conventions of Teaser Trailers

• after doing a very large amount of research into teaser trailers the most important aspect i have found has been the structure of the trailer. This is usually similar throughout all trailers but in particular horror teasers, from what i have gathered they are usually layed out like so, for the beginning of the trailer it will start with a narrative generally with a voice over from a narrator or one of the main characters it could also include titles to give clear denotation of what is happening, it will then carry on with some slow pace music setting out very briefly the kay parts of the story line, about half way through the teaser the music will stop for a key line or tagline from one of the main protagonists or characters, as soon as this is said fast paced music and clips of violence will be shown, the pace will then usualy slow down for the title of the film, in allot of cases throughout the teaser the music will completely stop for a key line from one of the characters, for example this technique is used in both the hot fuzz and shaun of the dead teaser trailers, after the title of the film has been shown it will usually finish on a final clip such as a tagline, explosion, comcial expression etc which will then lead into the credits of the trailer
•  most of the teaser trailer tend to be around 1 minute - 1:40 minutes however some teasers can be very short such as the Coen brothers Fargo, where the teaser only lasts for 29 seconds
• the titles and writing in the horror and action trailers that i have analysed tend to be done in a serif font which tends to match the style of the film, for example the titles in Kill Bill, where they are all done in block yellow lettering to match that of the main characters clothing
• they tend to show as much action or love scenes as possible to attract there intended audience, hot fuzz have created a preffered reading for a young audience with a clear amount of explosions and guns

Teaser Trailer Analysis

Shaun Of The Dead 

Release Date: 2004

Budget: $4m

Production Company: Studio Canal, Working Title

Director: Edgar Wright

• begins with serious music played over the narative
• comcial music is played, signifies it is a horror comedy
• stereotypical chracters play the clumbsy comical roles
• gore and swearing connotes it is either rated a 15 or 18
• music changes to a fast pace which connotes action
• music changes back to a comical fashion, signifies comedy

Zombieland 

Release Date: 2009

Budget: 

Production Company: Columbia Pictures

Director: Ruben Fleischer

• begins with a male voice over which sounds serious
• at the frist sight of a zombie the music begins, fast apced music which signifies action
• main potragonist is a steretypicfal butch male
• high camera angle as the establishing shot, signifies threat
• music is in que with the action
• sllo-motion editing is added to enahance parts of the action
• fast paced editing along with sans serif titles are used
• music stops when it comes to a key comedy part

Dawn Of The Dead 

Release Date: 1978

Budget: $650 000

Production Company: Laurel Group

Director: George A. Romero

• begins with a male voice over
• makes use of meantioning past films which the director has made, brings in a familiar audience
• unusual colours are used to signify something is not right
• dark, horrific msuic is used to connote horror
• title of the film done in a red serif font to signify blood and horror
• shows violence and action to bring in it's target audience
• a large amount of point of view shots are used to create the image that the viewer is part of the film

Hot Rod 

Release Date: 2007

Budget:

Production Company: Paramount Pictures

Director: Akiva Schaffer

• music begins as the main protagonist starts his motorbike engine
• shows a shot of both the female and male protagonist, stereotypical for romance between characters in a comedy, man thin, shy, average looking, female good looking, slim, kind
• music volumes lower when characters speak
• general plot is given away
• displays the main actors/ actresses names
• serif font and matches the style of the film i.e. comical bubble writing
• the last title isthe release date so that it stays in the mind

28 Days Later 

Release Date: 2002

Budget: $8m

Production Companies: DNA Films, British Film Company

Director: Danny Boyle

• Starts with fox production logo, and is edited accroding to the film i.e. the searchlights turn off, signifying that something is not right
• clear denotation as two what is happening is given through the use of titles with quick flash scenes and sound played inbetween them again signifies something is not right
• the tempo of the music and scenes slows down as a man wakes up in what can be deconstructed as a hospital again signifying that something is not right
• music is qued with the alarm of a car
• as the music starts again it returns to quick paced editing but instead of titles a voice over is added which could connotate that people are still alive whereas titles leave narrative enigma to wether anyone is still living 
• makes use of showing other film done by the director, brings in a wider range of audiences
• the action and quick paced editing creates a preffered reading to a younger audience
• the main protagonist is played by a countertype, much like the main male protagonist in a rom com, thin, average looking etc
• finishes with a tagline, then quickly jumps back into the music and action again for 3 seconds or so

28 Weeks Later 

Release Date: 2007

Budget: 

Production Companies: Fox Atomic, DNA Films, UK Film Council

Director: Juan Carlos Fresnadillo

• Production logo done in red which signifies blood
• high angled shot over london makes it look weak
• denotation is given by thde title "quarantine" i.e. london has been locked down away from zombies
• military and guns denotes violence
• music slowly gets faster which signifies violence is about to happen
• music is qued with the siren and the voice over saying "code red"
• quick paced editing creates a preffered reading for a young audience
• gives the release date at the end

Dawn Of The Dead 

Release Date: 2004

Budget: $28m

Production Companies: Strike Entertainment

Director:  Zack Snyder

•  starts with slow music over the production companies logo's
• merges into the first few shots of what can be denoted as a shopping mall, with only a few people in it, possibly abandoned 
• pace of the trailer and music changes when it shows the news, people abaondoning streets and cars, things on fire etc
• shots get faster and faster and then slow down as denotion from the newws reporter is given as he says "we're going off the air"
• people holding guns suggest action and violence
• a series of fast paced editing where zombies are attacking people and there is generally a large amount of action and violence
• music slows down again as the title and credits come onto screen towards the end of the trailer
   
  
  

Day Of The Dead  
Release Date: 1985

Budget: $3.5m

Production Companies: Dead Films inc, Laurel Entertainment inc

Director: George A. Romero

• begins with the production logo on the screen whilst spooky music is played in the background
• has a male voice over as titles of previous films come onto the screen 
• blue tint on the titles suggests something supernatural
• gives the name of the director, clear denotation 
• in the whole trailer there is only one shot where hands come out of the wall, this creates narrative engima and makes more people want to see the film
• finsihes with credits
   

Halloween 

Release Date: 1978

Budget: $320,000

Production Companies: Compass International Pictures 

Director: John Carpenter

•  Comapny credits come onto the screen as light harted oppositional music is played over the top
• opening shot appears to be a point of view shot
• denotation to the time is given via a title reading "October 31st, 1992"
• has clips of what can be denoted as a boyfriend and girlfreid which could signify jealousy of a certain chracter
• music changes as a mask is thrown ointo the floor, which could signify the mask of the main killer
• point of view shot shows a girl looking at herself in the mirror makes her appear in trouble
• shouts micheal like she is anoyed giving conotation that he could be the killer
• a voice over reads out the title "halloween" which is written in a serif font
   

Transformers 2 

Release Date: 2009

Budget: $200m

Production Companies: Dreamworks, Paramount Pictures

Director: Michael Bay

•  begins with a shot of meteors crashing into buildings which creates narrative engima as to what they are
• keeps on switching between fast paced scenes and titles
• music is in que with explosions and the action
• states who the director is which brings in a wider audience
• sound and mood of the trailer slows down in the middle to hear some of the dialogue, it then speeds back up again as it goes back into the violence
• stereotypical male and female characters, slim and good looking
• scene cuts are done in a sci-fi style
• the tagline is displayed in a serif font, similar to the style of the movie
  

Saw 

Release Date: 2004

Budget: $1.2m

Production Companies: Evolution Pictures, Twisted Pictures

Director: James Wan

• begins with pictures been taken, possibly signifes spying on someone, he should not be there
• music begins as someone in a mask comes towards the screen
• the sound of a heart beat can be heard over the top 
• quick cuts to different clips signifies violence or action
• voice over gives denotation as to what may happen in the storyline
• dark mysterious voice over signifies horror
• green and blue tinted lighting is used which also signifies horror
• titles appear on the screen inbetween each clip
• msuic and clips speed up towards the end of the trailer and then slow down when the tagline is spoken
  

Nightmare On Elm Street 

Release Date: 1984

Budget: $1.8m

Production Companies: New Line Cinema

Director: Wes Craven

• begins with dark music played over the production logo
• establishing shot is of a quiet warehouse at dark with a blue tinted light signifying something supernatural
• rips off his coat rto reveal a red and black stripey jumper, gives denotation to the fatc that he is freddy kruger
• directors name is hsown and titles are done in a blood writing style to signify horror and violence
• voice over begins and gives denoation to the storyline
• music sung by what can be deonted as a little girl creates a spookmy atmoshpere
• faster louder music begins as freddy scrapes his claws against some metal
• scene cuts are in time with the music and get faster amnd faster
• last clip is of jason speaking some lines calmy and then quickly lashes, where the music starts up again
  

Dead Snow 

Release Date: 2009

Budget:

Production Companies: Euforia Film, Yellow Bastard Production

Director: Tommy Wirkola

• begins with two of the characters counting down which sets a good start for the trailer
• rock music kicks in with the snow mobile and coincides well with the young people that are on the mountains
• a clip of a woman in a bra is shown to bring in more of a male audience
• the music changes and slows down as a more older character begins to talk
• the music slowly begins to pick up again as the title of the director is shown on screen
• a black and white movie ois shown about the history of the area as there is a voice over and removes narrative engima from the plot
• music gets faster again as what can be denoted as a zombie hand comes out of the ground
• titles are done in a serif font made to look like gore/blood
• and comical line is the last clip at the end
  

American Werewolf In London 

Release Date: 1981

Budget: $10m

Production Companies: Polygram Filmed Entertainment, American Werewolf Corp.

Director: John Landis

• narrator starts the first set of the trailer, gives small information on the two male characters
• wolf houl signifies there could be a werewolf involved
• quickly cuts to the werewolf attacking them, shows action and creates a preffered reading
• narrator says who the director is and past films that he has made
  
• aswell as showing clips of horror and violence the music changes to show comical parts of the film
• light hearted music over the horror and violence could signify that it is a black comedy
• the narrator speaks of the tagline "something different" as the horror film is done in a different style to most that you would usually see
  

Scary Movie 

Release Date: 2000

Budget: $19m

Production Companies: Dimension Films

Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans 

• to create comcial horror over the top blue tinted lighting is used
• clear intertextual references to scream are made very early on in the trailer which should bring in a wider audience
• non-diegetic sound of a narrative is added over the top to reinforce any narrative engima
• peoduction logo is in sync with the knife slash
• horror music stops as a comical clip begins, the narrative then ends
• steroetypical blonce woman is used running away from the killer
• over the top sterotypes and situations are used as a comical factor
• title at the end is done in a large white lettering and fits in with the white mask from scream
  

Severence 

Release Date: 2006

Budget: 

Production Companies: Dan Films, HanWay Films, UK Film Concil

Director: Christopher Smith

• non diegetic sound mixes in with diegetic sound 
• light hearted music at the start creates a contested reading and leaves narrative enigma to what genre the film is
• non-diegetic sound is in sync with the titles
• good looking half naked blonde woman brings in a larger male audience
• faster rock music begins with the shot of a shotgun which signifies violence
• music then stops again for a comical clip
• scraping of carving knies also denotes violence
• music speeds up as the clips speed up
• connotation between the last title and clip can be seen as the man is hanging from a tree about to be cut down and the title reads "the company is making cut-backs"

Fargo 

Release Date: 1996

Budget: $7m

Production Companies: PolyGram Filmed Entertainment, Working Title Productions

Director: Coen Brothers

• very short teaser trailer mainly getting the most imp[ortant parts of the film across to the audience such as the directors i.e. "The Coen Brothers"
• shows ratings from newspapers, magazines etc. 
• gives the genral idea of the film through the use of titles "murder" "A Homespun Story" etc
• only music is used no diegetic sounds etc.

The Hangover 

Release Date: 2009

Budget: $35m

Production Companies: Warner Bros. Pictures, Legendary Pictures

Director: Todd Phillips

• sound of the telephone comes in over the production logos
• music starts on one of the main lines
• titles are done in a serif font to match vegas style billboards and signs
• as much comical lineas as possible arwe packed into it
• music usually syncs in with something at the start of the trailer however here it syncs in at the end of the trailer with one of the most comical clips

Kill Bill 

Release Date: 2003

Budget: $55m

Production Companies: Miramax Films

Director: Quentin Tarantino

• titles done in bold yellow writing on a black background which makes them stand out
• "the 4th film by Quentin Tarantino" brings in a wider audience of people who adrmire his work
• non-diegatic sound is synced with the diegetic sound
• quick cuts create a prefferede reading of violence to a young audience
• all diegetic sounds stop for a few seconds to hear important diwegetic sounds
• last title is done in red, which makes it stand out from the other titles and can also signify blood or love

The Ring 

Release Date: 2002

Budget: $48m

Production Companies: DreamWorks SKG, Bender Spink

Director: Gore Verbinski

• blue tinted lighting is used right from the start to signify something supernatural
• narrative enigma is added to the title, "there is a videotape" which makes the audience wonder what is on the video tape
• titles done in a spooky serif font to give thwe effect of horror
• quick cuts between a fuzzy screen and movie images creates the effect of an old video
• spooky music is played in the background 
• stereotypical female good looking character plays the lead role
• non-diegetic music is played throughout the trailer, i.e. a voice over created a spooky effect
  

The Hills Have Eyes 

Release Date: 2006

Budget:

Production Companies: Craven-Maddalena

Director: Alexandre Aja

• production logo is edited according to the style of the trailer, i.e. black and white poor quality picutre which signifies something which has happened in the past
• begins with what has happened in the past, which can be connoted as where the film will be set
• the style and editing then changes to signify the present and light hearted music is also played
• the non-diegetic music mixes in with the diegetic music
• music changes to a moor spooky style as what can be connoted as the killer or evil person in the film comes into the clip
• a large amount of point of view shots along with heart beat sounds are used to signify that something is watching the main group of characters
• sterotypical american family and boyfriend and girlfriend, i.e. males take control of the situation whereas the females are blondwe, good looking and generally get easily captured or killed
• non- diegetic music mixes in with the diegtic heartbeat sounds to create a preffered reading of horror within the audience
• generally the main evil characters are not shown just mainly shadows of their figures or outlines
• quick paced editing is used inbetween clips and also pictures, which also links into the heartbeat sound and the transitions between each become faster as the heartbeat becomes louder and faster
• the name and tagline of the film are the last titles to be shown and are done in a serif font
  

The Hills Have Eyes 2 

Release Date: 2007 

Budget: $15m

Production Companies: Craven-Maddalena, Fox Atomic
Director: Martin Weisze 

• calm music fits in well with the desert setting, abandoned as it seems
• chracters feet come into the screen, can be dennoted as bad characters in the film due to their scruffy clothing
• low angled shot makes them appear big and powerful
• carry a sack which can be denoted as a body due to the feet hanging out
• when the second character comes onto screen and drags the rope, the camera then changes to a point of view shot, and turns on it's side, could also represent a dutch angled shot
• title done in a serif style and mixes in well with the desert setting
• gives the title, release date and company credits at the end of the teaser
  

Wolf Creek 

Release Date: 2005

Budget: $1m

Production Companies: Australian Film Finance Corporation, 403 Productions

Director: Greg Mclean

• starts with drinking and girls in little clothing, signifies that they are doing something wrong and stereotypically in most horror films they must be killed
• ametuer camera work is mixed in with porofessional camera work
• titles are done in a serif font and look supernatural therefore signifying that something may go wrong and also creating a preffered reading within the target audience
• stereotypical good looking dfemale and male characters
• spooky music is played over what can be connoted as the killer in the film
• fast music starts up after the line "i'd tell you, but then i'd have to kill you" which is a clear signifier that he will be the killer in the film
• gives information on the release date, still in the serif font used throughout the trailer
  

The Others 

Release Date: 2001

Budget: $17m

Production Companies: Cruise/Wagner Productions

Director: Alejandro Amenabar

• begins with a narrative and sets the groundwork for the trailer
• the music changes after the production logo which almost acts as a transition
• an old spooky house is used to create a good horrific setting
• blue tinted lighting is used to signify something supernatural
• anchorage is given to the role of the old woman, i.e. the nanny, when she tells, what can be denoted as the mother and her two children, that she is their new nanny
• stereotypical good looking blonde female character plays the lead role
• graveyard outside the house signifies death and therefor ghosts
• main title is done in a serif font, and appears as if a ghost
• last clip is of what can be denoted as one of the ghosts and scares the audience
  

Creep 

Release Date: 2004

Budget: 

Production Companies: UK Film Council, Dan Films

Director: Christopher Smith

• first shot is what cana be denoted as a point of view shot with what sounds like a woman out of breathe, signifies that she has been running away from something
• stereotypical good looking blonde woman plays the lead role
• blue tinted lighting is used on the train to signify something supernatural
• titles are done in a serif font which gives further anchorage to something supernatural
• diegetic sound of a heartbeat is in sync with the clips in the trailer
• clip transitions and sound gets faster towards the end of the trailer
• titles are edited to look like the train in a tube station

Hostel 

Release Date: 2005

Budget: $4.5m

Production Companies: Hostel LLC, International Productions

Director: Eli Roth

• begins with dark spooky music over the production titles and then cuts into the first clip of what cna be denotted as a run down house or cabin
• taking the bag off a mans head suggests that he has been taken against his will and could signify that he will be tortured
• titles fade in and out and are done in a serif font
• music gets faster and louder as more and more violent clips in the trailer are shown
• makes note of the director of the film and past films that he has directed
  

Texas Chain-saw Massacre 

Release Date: 1974

Budget: $83,000

Production Companies: Vortex

Director: Tobe Hooper

• first shot in the trailer is of a chainsaw, gives clear denotation as to the type of film
• main killer is big and strong, sterotypical for a horror movie
• a male voice is added as a narrative to explain that it is based on a true story etc
• finishes on a close up of the main killer and the sound of a chainsaw which sticks in the mind of the viewers
• all fonts are in yellow, which is an unusual colour as is the film
  

House Of Wax 

Release Date: 2005

Budget: $30m

Production Companies: Warner Bros Pictures

Director: Jaume Collet-Serra

•  quick cuts between the production logos are used which are also edited according to the serif fonts style used in the trailer
• stereotypical teenage characters are used, good lookingbutch males and blonde females
• quick cuts between eahc lcip creates a preffered reading of horror and violence
• main title done in a wax style which links in with the actual title
  

Resident Evil 

Release Date: 2002

Budget: $32m

Production Companies: Constantin Film Production

Director: Paul W.S. Anderson

• starts off with what looks like an average office
• female voice over sounds like a computer which creates a preffered reading of possibly sci-fi
• the voice over describes the basic plot of the film
• stereotypical female and male chracters are used
• quick cuts mnixed in with quick music creates a preffered reading for a y9oung terget audience
• a large amount of explosions are packed into the trailer to make it look more appealing
• countertypical female character plays the lead role and fights 
• makes a point of showing the main actors within the film
• music stops for the tagline of the film
  

Hot Fuzz 

Release Date: 2007

Budget: $16m

Production Companies: Studio Canal, Working Title Films, Universal Pictures

Director: Edgar Wright

• very fast cuts between scenes are used to draw in a young audience
• a large amoutn of guns are shown which denotes violence
• titles done in a serif font to match the style of the film
• makes a point of the director of the film to bring in a wider auience
• diegetic voice over is added to describe what is in the film unintentionally
• mixes comical clips withg violent clip