Reasearching film trailers - conventions

Collage of thriller films

To further my research on film trailers, I decided to watch lots of trailers on YouTube that were of some of the most popular thriller films to date, in order to help me gather information that will help me when I come to create a thriller trailer for my coursework. I created a collage of movie titles, front covers and scenes from these thriller films that represent a stereotypical thriller film, in order to help me when I create my trailer, so I know what to include. The collage shows me what title fonts and colours are most present, what props are effective, typical settings of a thriller film etc. In studying these trailers, I have learned a lot on what conventions are most consistently present in these trailers, and these are conventions that I will be sure to use in my product in order to make it successful. Below is a list  of the conventions that I found are most typical in trailers for this genre:

• Low key lighting
• Fast paced cuts
• Chilling music that creates suspense
• Black and white shots
• Protagonist in danger
• Antagonists appearing as a major threat
• Props usually consisted of weapons - guns, knifes, chainsaws, axes etc.
• Almost always starred young male and female actors to appeal to the audience
• Voiceover
• A wide range of camera angles - close-up most effective to present the emotions
• Titles are usually red or white coloured and usually bold
• Costumes are usually black or other dark colours
• Non-diegetic sound effects - e.g. the shot of a gun in the distance
• Amplified sound for chilling effect - e.g. the sound of footsteps or heavy breathing
• Slow motion
• Protagonist usually always a young and strong male you will try to solve the equilibrium
• Shots of the antagonist cut very quickly in order to hide their identity
• Cross cutting

There are many more conventions that can be noted, however these are the ones that I picked out from analysing thriller films on YouTube. A lot of them carry out the same person, and this is to try and scare the audience, or to keep them interested in the narrative. Low key lighting, use of dangerous props, chilling music, amplified sound etc are all conventions that are used to try and give the audience a chilling effect, which will appeal to the right type of audience and will convince them to watch the film. 

Conventions such as voiceovers, titles (that usually relate to the narrative), cross cutting and the representation of the protagonist(s) and antagonist(s) are the exact conventions that will keep the audience so engaged. These types of conventions will keep the audience interested in the product and will convince them to see it. Particularly representations of the characters when the narrative is something that could potentially happen to them (the audience) - as it leaves them wanting to find out what happens and wanting to discover how the protagonist(s) solves the equilibrium.

All of the conventions are particularly useful in their own way, some are done very discretely and are hardly noticed by the audience yet they have a massive impact on the overall success of the trailer. For example; fast paced cuts, range of camera angles, amplified sound and red and white titles are all conventions that are very minimally recognised or taken much notice of by the audience, yet they will have an impact on the trailer. Fast cuts, range of camera angles and amplified sound will make the trailer more mysterious and chilling, whereas red and white titles will make a difference to the view of the trailer, and will connote the genre of the film more obviously. 


Below are the links of some of the thriller trailers I viewed:

Saw: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OCZp5v8V-94 

The Silence of the Lambs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lQKs169Sl0I 

Would You Rather: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=it5XICr93wU 

Se7en: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4YV2_TcCoE

American Psycho: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2GIsExb5jJU

Girls Against Boys: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZRforhAoA3Y

Lucid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HlGCdavzMNI

Awake: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3eEauXSQIA