What is the purpose?

 

As part of our research, I thought it was important to analyse the purpose of a film trailer and what it tells the audience.

I picked 'Safe Haven' as I had never seen the trailer before and knew nothing about the film or book. After watching the trailer,I made some key notes on what the trailer actually tells us.

• #Safe Haven

Here the trailer uses the social networking hastag idea. This is an attempt to advertise their film and promote it through social media sites such as Twitter. The hastag function allows people to click on the trend and be directed to a feed purely based on tweet's regarding the hashtag.

In this instance, even the stars of the film are promoting it through Twitter and #safehaven. This is a perfect way for films to be advertised as one retweet from a follow, allows a whole network of other people to see, adding intrest and anticipation for the film.

• Based On Book!                                    

The beginning title screen shows the the film is a screenplay based on a Nicholas Sparks novel. For many people that would have been aware of the author; this tells them alot about the story even if they haven't read the book already due to his style.

By showing this at the beginning, it is likely to gain the attention of the Nicholas Sparks fans and his books.

• Story Line

Within the trailer; the audience are given several indications to storylines and subplots that will feature in the film.

For example;
 

• Running away from past - who? why?
• Love Story
• Moving Location/ To new town

• Actors Are Not Played Up

The fact that the two leading actors are not played up, shows to the audience that the film is more about the storyline and is trying to gain more attention from the fans of Nicholas Sparks as to the actors fan base.