The trailer for The Life of David Gale

1. The trailer for The Life of David Gale http://www.imdb.com/video/screenplay/vi3774152985/

2. What makes this trailer well made? • The trailer for The Life of David Gale is well made as the contents need to involve information about the film like who is in it, the narrative of the film, the genre, has to include a taster of the film so the audience knows a little about how the actors act out the story and how the director portrays it. • Another ingredient for a well made trailer is the scenes and the soundtrack the film company include in the trailer, as it is those two elements which sell a film and makes them watch a trailer as, for example, if a trailer has a dull soundtrack and not very interesting scenes from the film, then no one would go and see it as they find the trailer boring even though the film may not be like that as a whole. Also, if the films includes well-known actors/actress then the trailer should include them as some people only go to see a film if it has a certain actor/actress in it. • What makes a trailer a success is for the audience to want to see it, and even a bigger hit if they see it then buy the film when on DVD which is what the production company is aiming for.

3. Codes and Conventions • Codes and conventions are the aspects in a film, or in this case trailer which, through the genre you would expect. An example of this is a horror movie when you expect lightening, dark lighting, scary character, etc. • Though the film that this trailer is advertising for is a crime, thriller and an action film which has more codes and conventions for as there is more than one genre in a film. • However, for a thriller film the audience anticipates a sound track which gives tension to build up the emotional climax, quick cuts, lighting, use of shadow, villain, suspense, etc. • A crime genre in a film includes codes and conventions such as suspense, justice, suspects, a detective, etc. • An action genre for a film grows expectations for the audience like the time is running out, theme songs, speed sound, gadgets, love in interest, blood, close ups, quick thinking, car chasers, etc. • However, in this trailer the codes and conventions included are suspense, villain, lighting, sound track to create tension, detective, justice, love interest, close up and is quick thinking, with a bit of car stalking.

4. Audience expectations • The audience’s expectation of the film is crucial when it comes to making the trailer as this determines whether they like the contents, genre, narrative and actors/actress in the film. • It is ideal to include the actors and actress in the film as some people only watch films with certain actress or actor as one of the main roles, to increase and fulfil the audiences expectation. • Though for this film audiences might have high expectations from the trailer as there is action, crime, drama, up beat sound track, shows information about the story line of the film and the trailer is thrilling.

5. Target Audience • The target audience refers to those who the film is targeted at. The target audience can be a group of people of a certain age, interest, religion, and so the list goes on. • However, it is key to get your film shown in a place where your target audience might be attracted to. For example, if your target audience is teenage girls then perhaps you’d like your film to be shown in a cinema in a place like Westfield's, as it is in a shopping centre surrounded with shops which is were teenage girls are most likely to be attracted to. • But once a target audience has been chosen the film company have to think carefully where to pitch it and where is the best way to get response from various advertising. For example, if your target audience was young families you wouldn’t want your film being shown in a cinema near to a theme park because young families would not be attracted to that activity. However, if you were to show and promote the film near a park or a zoo then there would be more viewers as young families do go and are attracted to the zoo. • Though, for The Life of David Gale the film is targeted to perhaps teenagers and people in their early twenties as it is rated 15 and a few things implied in the trailer might be scary for younger people, but too tame for older.

6. Creative aspects and techniques to engage the audience for the trailer • In the trailer for the film different clips of scenes are merged into a two minute view of the film and makes complete sense, as dialogue overlaps into another scene which is relevant to the trailer as its in the film but doesn’t belong to the particular scene its put with. • Another creative aspect is the dialogue of a character is shortly proven by the various scenes and the various feelings from that dialogue is clearly depicted. • The trailer as a whole puts across the message that the film gives you but in about two minutes in full clarity and understanding for the audience viewing. • To engage the audience, the trailer begins with the introduction between the two characters by a voice over and a few shots. With those few beginning lines and some shots of the set the trailer has the audiences full attention.

7. How does this trailer tease and temp you to go to watch the film? Does it work? • The trailer for this film involves emotions portrayed by the actors, script, camera, voiceovers and angles which turn into full of action and a want to see what happens to this character who is in a sticky situation with no ways of getting out. • As it is a good trailer it sticks in my head for a film I want to see, and this trailer does tempt me to see the film which I later give into, which is what film companies aim for when making a trailer.

8. How effective is the trailer? • The trailer is very strong and powerful from aspects like the script, shots, angles, sound track and emotions released from the trailer. • Also, the way how every scene in the trailer is put with another as they convey strong emotions the actors portray along with the sound track, and the moving dialogue, the trailer becomes very effective. • Another aspect of the trailer which is effective is the mise-en-scene and editing chose throughout, sets the emotional climax which later develops in the film. An example of this is throughout the trailer when what the character is saying as a voice over gets flash backed into reality and the circumstance he is in using dissolve editing which makes the trailer more powerful and effective.