Most movie trailers are advertised to feature visual clips which were picked from key scenes based from the story of the movie. All trailers have been made to set-up its own story through a structure. They are built to have there on marking strategy by selling its idea towards a targeted audience in less than 2 minutes. In doing this it has to sell the experience to show that the film has the potential to be great, this is the main purpose of what movie trailers are trying to accomplish. Trailers are mostly executed similar to feature length story, by it being split up into 3 acts. Each act have their own formula to help structure the story; act 1 is the Set-up, act 2 is the Conflict and act 3 is the Resolution. This formula can be applied through the trailer’s timeframe by following a similar patter of the 3 act structure. The set-up of the story is featured around the 0 to the 1st minute mark. Obstacles are later presented around the 1 minute to 1 minute and 30 second mark. On the last 30 seconds of the trailer will feature its highlights.
Trailer Analysis Research (Terminator, 1984)
James Cameron’s Film, The Terminator (1984)
Act 1: The Set-Up
The trailer starts off with then voice over quoting “In The 21st Century, a weapon will be invented like no other.” It later builds up on this quote by describing what this weapon is, along with matching scenes. These scenes are visually showing future advanced aircraft warship, tanks and also some glimpses of a robot threat. The narrator keeps on referring this weapon as “It“. Quotes such as “It can’t be reasoned with. It can’t be bonded with. It will feel no pity, no remorse, no pain, no fear.” All these quotes along with the film’s clips that “It” is not a human. The set-up later climaxes to what the weapon is and what is its goal, later revealing “Its” appearance and name “The Terminator“. In under a minute, this trailer established the movie’s theme of advanced weaponry by man and time travel. These two themes have been presented in mysterious ways presenting the tone and genre of the film, a Sci-Fi Thriller. The set-up climax visually ends by introducing the threat. In conclusion, the set-up’s theme of who the Terminator is and that he has mission to try and prevent the future.
Arnold Schwarzenegger as The Terminator, 1984
Act 2: Presenting Obstacles
YouTube. (2019). Sarah Connor. The Terminator (1984) Official Trailer
When presenting obstacles, good trailers reveal the basic challenges without spoiling anything too soon. The quote “You’re dead, honey” leaves some questions to intrigue the audience. Who is she? why is she so important to the future that the terminator is trying to prevent? The trailer takes its time to set-up the urban streets of the city, tech noir and Sci-Fi elements that are to be introduced. The second obstacle shown in this trailer is “What day is it!?, The date!?” quoted from a gunman who is interrogating someone. His question was answered with “12th, May, Thursday”, but is later followed by the gunman saying “What year!?”. This leaves the audience with more questions to who this man is and why is the date important to him.
YouTube. (2019). Reese, The Terminator (1984) Official Trailer
Act 3: Highlights
The last 30 to 40 seconds of this trailer highlights the intense action sequences from the 3rd and 2nd act. This is accompanied from visual clips featuring chase and shooting sequences from the movie along with intense music. Later on, one of the trailer’s obstacles was answered by the gunman introducing himself to the women, revealing his name to be Reese. He also reveals his mission’s goal to protect the women from being terminated. The quote from the women (Sarah Connor) “Why does it want me, why me?” lets the audience know that her character plays an important role to the movie’s story. The trailer ends with the main title and tagline “The Terminator. Your future is in its hands“
YouTube. (2019). The Terminator (1984) Official Trailer
Conclusion
The Terminator trailer does its job by successfully setting up the story and conflict without it revealing any twists and plot points to the story. Its was able to highlight its intensity and action to entertain its audience.
How Will This Reflect Onto My FMP
This research has given me the knowledge on how to structure a movie’s story into a 2 minute trailer. I could use this 3 act structure technique and apply my project’s story idea towards it. It will also me an idea on how to set-up the story’s premise, presenting questions about the plot an characters without spoilers and action packed scenes for highlights. This 3 act structure will be included in my animated movie trailer to both intrigue and entertain my target audience.
Harvard References
YouTube. (2019). The Art of the Trailer | Story and Structure. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKJs9eV8LUM [Accessed 8 Mar. 2019].
YouTube. (2019). The Terminator (1984) Official Trailer – Arnold Schwarzenegge Movie. [online] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k64P4l2Wmeg [Accessed 8 Mar. 2019].
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