2 Trailers For Different Films example essay topic

Comparing the 2 film trailers 'Shrek' and 'Final Fantasy' SECTION ONE Film trailers are 1 of the main ways that film-makers advertise their film. In this essay I will look at the different techniques that film trailers use to persuade viewers to go and see the film at the cinema. To do this I will look at 2 trailers for different films that seek to appeal to different types of cinema-goers. The films are Shrek and Final Fantasy. Shrek is aimed at children because it is a fairytale comedy & Final Fantasy is aimed at all Sci-fi fans. Images The colours used in the trailer for Shrek are bright & bold, this gives the impression it is made primarily for kids, as kids enjoy bright and bold colours.

The style of animation is 3 D computer enhanced graphics, but still retains the cartoon style. The impression this creates is that it is intended for kids. In comparison, the colours used in Final Fantasy are dark, dull & dingy and the animation style is more realistic. This will make the viewer think the film is more serious, less jokey & intended for the older, Sci-fi fan. Pace The pace of the trailer for Shrek is fast with lots of action and excitement, the effect of this is to excite the viewer and convince him that the film is worth watching. In Final Fantasy the pace starts off fast with lots of action, this then slows down while explaining the plot, then speeds up again to show more action.

The effect of using a variety of fast & slow pace in the trailer is to build up tension then show lots of action. Music The music in the trailer for Shrek is lively & light-hearted it seems to be of a Latin American origin. This makes the viewer think that the film will be fun, exciting and funny. Contrasting with Shrek, the music in Final Fantasy is slow, tense & like a drum beating. This makes the film seem less funny, more serious and generally a more complex storyline.

Dialogue / Script in the trailer Things that's characters say in the trailer for Shrek include, "you defiantly need a tic-tac or something cos' your breath stinks" This is a quote from the donkey character who Eddie Murphy plays. In the film Eddie Murphy says the most because he is the most famous of all the actors in Shrek. This would give cinema-goers the impression that the film is very funny throughout. However in Final Fantasy the characters say things such as "we " ve found it... , were closing in on the life form" when they say "were closing in" this implies they will attack something, by "the life form" this shows it is some sort of alien creature which implies this is a sci-fi film with action. I cannot tell who speaks the most as there are 2-3 main characters. This has the effect of making the audience think the film is a serious, sci-fi film.

SECTION TWO The type of Vocabulary used in the trailer suggests that the film is a modern, fairytale comedy. The effect of the verb "invites" at the start of the trailer is to show that the film is inviting & kind. By mentioning "action", "adventure" & "romance" the trailer may make the viewer expect lots of action, adventure and romance. However, the images in the trailer suggest the film is very humorous, with lots of action, a bit of adventure and a bit of romance. There is no alliteration in Shrek voiceover, they do use repetition where they say "one name spells... ". they use this phrase 3 times, this builds up tension up to the point where they actually state the main characters name, "Shrek". The types of words that are used in the Final Fantasy trailer especially "evolution" & "universe" suggest that this is a sci-fi film.

By calling the main characters "they" makes the trailer tense & more mysterious. This is because the viewer does not know who "they" are. Mystery is continued as it says "they came to unlock a ancient truth". This mystery makes the film tenser & persuades people to see the film & find out all the hidden secrets. Conclusion In my opinion Final Fantasy is the most effective. This is because it is the most effective at building a tense and mysterious atmosphere, this would make more people more likely to see it.

I think that the unique selling point of Shrek is that it features a very well known all-star cast which features mostly comedians, this appeals to me because I am a fan of the all-star cast in this movie. I think the selling point of Final Fantasy is that it is a well thought out, tense & mysterious sci-fi film which links in the original console game version, this doesn't appeal to me because I am not interested in the console game and this particular film doesn't fit in with my tastes.