Through careful consideration, I have chosen my genre to be action thriller. This is a genre that has varied conventions between each different trailer, some of which I will discuss, such as The Dark Knight, Kingsman and Looper. That being said, there are some common conventions amongst these films that I plan to develop and stick to.
Thrillers themselves have many common conventions, particularly through the choice of camera work. The Dark Knight incorporates the use of many slow pan shots and tilt shots, often tracking a single character with a slight zoom. This is used to continue the dramatic feel of the trailer, that would otherwise be lost if it consisted of still shots. This is mostly seen when following the ‘Batman’ on his bike, as the camera tilts quickly to follow him as seen in the screen grab. I will incorporate this into my trailer as it develops, to slowly build the intensity. This is a common convention that I have seen, where instead of using still shots, it is the use of fast moving shots, used alongside the music to make the film seem more interesting and action filled.
This is a convention commonly seen in Looper also, as the camera track whatever is moving, for example in this shot it is the truck, which makes the simplest of shots seem more lively. This will be something that I stick to strongly within my piece, in order to keep the sense of drama and keep the intensity throughout the trailer.
The camera angle, as well as the camera shot also adds to this build up of suspense. The most commonly used shot, from what I have researched, is the close up. This shot not only introduce the character, but often to also build up suspense. These can also be used to add a sense of horror, for example in the Suicide Squad trailer, the ending close up of the new ‘Joker’ leaves the audience feeling uneasy, yet enticed to see the film. This, much like the ending to the trailer of Suicide Squad, is what I hope to use at the end of my trailer, possibly ending on a more sinister note, which, as this trailer did, leaves the audience uncomfortable, yet wanting to know and see more.
The camera angle mimics the movement and shot, as it is also used to re-enforce the intensity. A common shot is the high angle shot, which presents a character to be in control, here being ‘Iron Man’, which develops the trailer as to present him as the ‘good guy’. This is something not so commonly seen in the previous trailers mentioned, as they generally use the high angle shot to show the ‘bad guy’, making the ‘hero’ seem like the underdog. Yet as effective as this can be, it is not a convention I wish to follow, as strongly, though is still something to consider.
Editing is a key part to the feel of the trailer, as often it incorporates a montage of fast pace cuts, as well as jump cuts from different shots, which is used to reveal small amounts about the fill while still being relevant. The fast pace cuts can be used to intensify the situation, which contrast still shots and slower cuts to make the action scenes seem more intense. These are commonly seen in The Dark Knight, Looper and Captain Philips. It is Captain Philips that is the most interesting, as the trailer reveals a lot about the movie itself, however it contrasts the slow pan shots with high speed cuts to make the action scenes seem more dramatic. This is seen in the scene where the pirates open fire, which (along side the music) creates a sudden change in pace to feel more intense. These are all conventions of trailers that I will follow strongly, as this is key to making the tension within the trailer, and making it enticing for the viewer.
The format of the trailer is also key, as two there are two possible formats I am considering; one from Looper and the other form The Dark Knight. Looper initially is much like The Dark Night, in that it is split into three sections. The first presents the outline of the plot, while then triggering a series of difficulties that the antagonist must face, followed by a voiceover which reveals a little bit about the plot as some of the action scenes from the film are shown. This then ends on a montage of snap shots from different moments in the film, as quotes and titles come up to further sell the film. However, The Dark Knight begins with a montage and a voiceover of the Joker, which darkens the mood, as he sounds threatening and mysterious. This swiftly moves on to an explosion, which leads into the second act of the plot development, but still with short shots. The final act is then a montage of the action shot from the film. Both these formats are considerable as they both build the tension and sell the film. However there is no set format for a thriller, so I must choose the one most suitable for my trailer.
Mise En Scene is what changes most; as it depends greatly on the film plot itself. For example, The Dark Knight uses more elaborate costumes then the other trailers, as obviously the trailer includes the ‘Batman’ and the ‘Joker’. However some of the props are very similar, as many of the trailers include weapons, something that will be harder for my own piece. The framing of the shot varies a lot also, with many being closed frames when the characters are shown, and open frames at scenes of pyrotechnics and locations.
Expressions is something that doesn’t really change, as there is often a villain, shown to have some darker aspect about their smile, compared to the ‘good guy’ who often is emotionless and shown to be more stern, such as in Looper and The Dark Knight. However, Mise En Scene is the area of the trailers where I will have to change conventions and use different conventions from different films, as it is generally so varied.
Sound has several common conventions, particularly in the music choice and editing of the music. There is always a sound bridge at the start, and the music often consists of some rhythmic soundtrack, sometimes with guitar, sometimes not. The soundtrack is non-diegetic, and tends to build throughout the trailer, mirroring the camera angles to build tension as the trailer continues. There is a point in both Looper and The Dark Knight, where the music started slow then there is a sudden occurrence and the music comes in heavier. This is a convention I will stick to closely. Both Looper and The Dark Knight both have a voiceover to start, before changing as the music comes in, which is a convention that works well if done correctly, but possibly very hard to achieve. As for sound effects, these seem to be used mostly at the start, and for titles, which builds the intensity slowly.
To conclude, the conventions in thriller trailers are common, some of which I will follow, such as the fast cuts, fast moving camera movement and close up camera shots. The music will also be followed carefully with the use of the rhythmic base heavy songs to build the tension. However, as for mise en scene, I will just have to follow whatever my plot is most like, and the voiceover and dialogue will happen if the plot needs it. There are clear conventions that I will follow, and others that I will not, all depending on the plot of my proposed film.
EL
