What a difference sound makes
Sound is extremely important in film trailers and can completely change the tone of the trailer. All sounds play an important part of trailers, ranging from the music itself to the sound effects used
There are two types of sounds, diegetic and non-diegetic. Diegetic sound are
sounds the characters in the trailer can make and hear. These can range from two
characters talking to sound effects such as punches and kicks. Non-diegetic
sound are the opposite, sounds that isn't from the world the characters are in.
Voice overs telling the narrative or when the film is coming out is a popular
example. An example of both of these is in the Corpse Bride trailer. At the
beginning there's a narrator voicing over the trailer and explaining what's going
on (non-diegetic), but when the bride is revealed we can hear gasps from the main
character as he tries to get away and the bride asking a question to him (which is
diegetic sound)
Music also plays a huge role in setting the tone for a trailer. Dramatic and
impactful music is used for action trailers while more soft music is used for
romance films. Music in trailers are usually non-diegetic There is a trend of films
doing covers of classic songs and completely changing its genre to fit the trailer.
Maleficent does this to change the original regal and romantic Once Upon a
Dream by Mary Costa into a haunting and sorrowful melody, which fits the tone of
the film being suspenseful while also slightly sad. This also relates back to how
Maleficent is a sequel to the classic Sleeping Beauty
Sound effects are used in many different ways in trailers. Some of the most
recognisable and popular effects are BRAAMS and The Turn Line. BRAAMS are
by far the most used sound effect in trailers. Inception heavily popularised the
sound effect but its not clear who made them first. They are sometimes woven
into the music for the trailer like in the Inception trailer itself, other times they're
merely just a sound effect like for District 9's second trailer. District 9 eventually
does use it to accompany the music but at first the sound effect is the only thing
breaking the silence. BRAAMS are used in rhythm to both of these trailers
The Turn Line is one of the big moments in trailers, when the music dies down for
the characters to say a one liner. The music then becomes bombastic and loud
afterwards for action films, or at least a huge tonal shift happens afterwards. An
example for these are the trailers for Horizon Line and Inception once again. In
Horizon Line the music cuts off for The Turn Line "Lets get off this plane." followed
by loud climatic music and some of the action scenes in the film. In Inception there
are multiple Turn Lines however it doesn't use loud music for them. Instead it uses
its signature BRAAM sound, which makes the scenes snappier and allows for
more Turn Lines in the trailer than usual. Like in Horizon Line there's only usually
one Turn Line which is another way that makes the Inception trailer stand out so
much more than it already has
Foley are sound effects recorded and edited in post (after filming and in the
editing) stage. These sound effects are created to mimic real life noises (like
footsteps and heavy breathing) that would accompany the scene its in. It's name
comes from Jack Foley, the person who developed the technique. An example of
a Foley is in The Room's trailer. There are sound effects of the characters driving
and then running inside the house
Abramovitch, S. (2015) ‘Braaams’ for Beginners: How a Horn Sound Ate Hollywood. Available at: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/braaams-beginners-how-a-horn-793220/. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Bitesize. (Year unknown) Sound. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z2tyycw/revision/1. Accessed at: 20.10.21
MasterClass. (2021) Film 101: Understanding Foley Sound and Why Foley Sound Is Important. Available at: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/film-101-understanding-foley-sound-and-why-foley-sound-is-important. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips Classic Trailers. (2014) Corpse Bride (2005) Official Trailer - Tim Burton Animated Musical HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGACeWVdFqo. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips Classic Trailers (2013) Inception (2010) Official Trailer #1 - Christopher Nolan Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoHD9XEInc0. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips Trailers. (2020) Horizon Line Trailer #1 (2020) | Movieclips Trailers. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH_zew-XjK0. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips Trailers. (2014) Maleficent Official Legacy Trailer (2014) - Angelina Jolie Disney Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIIgXEGAZgE. Accessed at: 20.10.21
ONE Media. (2020) THE ROOM Official Trailer (2020) Olga Kurylenko Thriller Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO0MXSX7zvg. Accessed at: 20.10.21
ShanimalsCrackers. (2011) Once Upon a Dream by Mary Costa--Sleeping Beauty--High Quality. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIh2ELxpKU0. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Sony Pictures Entertainment. (2009) District 9 Trailer #2. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BjWEn5yvmw. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Daily Diary 19/10
Today I had to write about the various effects and techniques in movie trailers. Learning about these different techniques will eventually help me in creating my own genre changing trailer
I liked learning about the different techniques in movie trailers and it made me realise that a lot of these techniques are in all movie trailers no matter the genre (like with The Turn Line or BRAAM sounds), which I think is interesting
Codes and Conventions of Film Trailers
There are common and popular tropes with trailers just as there are with films. Sound effects, transitions and the money shot to just name a few. This has led to many trailers feeling oddly similar, sometimes even despite the genre differences. However in general what people expect from a film trailer is partly based on what genre the film is
The length of trailers are usually quite short. These can be for different reasons such as to capture the audience attention but not for too long to bore them or because they have to be played during TV adverts. Teasers are also released very early into production which is another reason why they're not long. Most trailers are 1-2 minutes long but teasers in particular are usually 1 minute or less. The difference between the length of a trailer and a teaser are quite noticeable, such as with SPENCER's teaser being 1 minute 9 seconds vs it's own trailer being 2 minutes and 17 seconds
Text on screen is always used in trailers for showing: the title, the director, the actors, the release date and its also sometimes used as flavour text to really punctuate the films plot. Text in movie trailers has always been a thing ever since the beginning of film trailers and its extremely rare to come across a trailer that doesn't have any. Some examples for trailers that use text in different ways are The Batman (only uses text at the end to show the title plus when and where the film is coming out) and Blithe Spirit (which uses it for all of the points mentioned: title, director, actors, release date, flavour text and what the movie is based on). Flavour text is usually used more for comedies and movies with a lighter tone as they're seen as kind of corny when used seriously
Voice overs are one of the general expectations from a trailer. These aren't always used as it isn't as popular anymore (for the same reason flavour text usually isn't, its become such a cliche and is no longer as impactful as it was in the 1990s) but its still around like for movies based on a book. Two examples are 1941 (used throughout the trailer to say what's happening) and Little Women (used at the beginning to give us information of the characters). Both voice overs are excitable as they continue talking but the main difference between the two is who is doing the voice over. In 1941 there is a narrator describing what happens to us in the film but in Little Women the voice over is the main character telling the audience their passion in life, which is also part of the plot of the movie. This could be a callback to Little Women being a book at first
Music is extremely important to trailers and is another expectation from them nowadays. Music is used to invoke emotion in the audiences and can be used in many different ways (setting the tone of the trailer, being used with sound effects, to really push climatic moments like the money shot and more). There are even cases of a song being composed just for a trailer. Sound effects are used for the same reason music is but mostly to set a tone or keep the audience engaged. The advantage it has over music is that it can be used multiple times (like the BRAAM effect and Foley). Sound effects like those have replaced voice overs for being the most popular technique in trailers currently. Two trailers that use music effectively are Spider-Man 3: No Way Home and Queenpins. Spider-Man's trailer music is a remixed version of his original theme and features more rises as the trailer goes on. Queenpins uses its trailer music to go with the actions of the characters, the sound effects of beeping accompanies it
Montages are comprised of edited shots and are sometimes fast cuts. Movies can use this to quickly tease the action scenes in a film. Sometimes the music is paused for the characters to give dialogue, often taken straight out of a scene in a film. These can also be used for The Turn Line. Two trailers that do both of these are The Other Lamb and Shazam 2's teaser. Both of these have at least one scene that'll be in the movie itself but the music doesn't pause for either of them, instead playing music over the scenes. Shazam's teaser in particular is a montage that features many fast cuts
As trailers are meant to just be previews of whats to come in the actual film, there's usually a lot of withheld information. Trailers don't show everything to spark intrigue in the audience and to get people to watch the film. If there are any voice overs in trailers they're vague for this reason as well. Not everything is a secret though, they do give an outline of the plot of the film (unless it's an unique trailer like Cloverfield) and you can usually tell what genre the film will be by the trailer. Two trailers that restrict information are Ghostbusters: Afterlife and Army of The Thieves. Ghostbusters tells us whats going on in the narrative of the film (the town is mysteriously shaking) but not how its caused or why it's happening. In Army of The Thieves the main plot of the film is shown and told by the characters themselves and we get to see other supporting characters but not why the narrative is actually happening (why the main character is being scouted out by the organisation)
In general the primary goal of all trailers is to promote the film, all of these techniques are used to entice audiences into watching it
FRESH Movie Trailers. (2020) BLITHE SPIRIT Trailer (New Comedy Movie, 2021). [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7DRAKtQSpM. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips. (2011) 1941 Official Trailer #1 - (1979) HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_KOLqpo7z8. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) ARMY OF THE THIEVES Trailer (2021) Nathalie Emmanuel, Matthias Schweighöfer Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdez758P4LE. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) QUEENPINS Trailer (2021) Kristen Bell, Vince Vaughn, Comedy Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSiP_fFQrjQ. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) SPIDER-MAN 3: NO WAY HOME Trailer (2021) Zendaya, Tom Holland. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GyR3SKRk5E. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips Trailers. (2021) Ghostbusters: Afterlife International Trailer (2021) | Movieclips Trailers. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbtzKaQKiA0. Accessed at: 20.10.21
NEON. (2021) SPENCER - Official Teaser Trailer - In Theaters November 5th. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lagauhb5GyY. Accessed at: 20.10.21
NEON. (2021) SPENCER - Official Trailer - In Theaters November 5. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WllZh9aekDg. Accessed at: 20.10.21
ONE Media. (2021) SHAZAM 2 FURY OF THE GODS Trailer Teaser (2023). [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASv687MKU80. Accessed at: 20.10.21
ONE Media. (2020) THE OTHER LAMB Official Trailer (2020) Drama Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz-jAMZ_ESU. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Sony Pictures Entertainment. (2019) LITTLE WOMEN - Official Trailer (HD). [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AST2-4db4ic. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Thompson, S. (2014) In a world without voiceovers: What happened to the movie trailer voice?. Available at: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/in-a-world-without-voiceovers-what-happened-to-the-movie-trailer-voice/article18806436/. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Warner Bros. Pictures. (2021) THE BATMAN – Main Trailer. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqqft2x_Aa4. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Daily Diary 20/10
Today I learned about the codes and conventions for movie trailers and wrote about them and the power of sound in movie trailers. I have to finish writing about both of those by tomorrow. Over the half term I have to finish researching and writing about three different jobs and create an infography about them (I can do this on canva), I also have to add another example for the Unlocking section of the Genre Changing Trailer page and add visuals to it
I appreciated learning about what film trailers do to engage the audience. Many of the techniques used for film trailers are universal and some have even gone out of style
I think the work I did today was okay but I'm not sure how I feel about how I split up what I had to do. Because I didn't finish my research on sound I have to do both that and the in depth analysis at home. I hope I can finish it in time up to a good standard
Codes and Conventions of Specific Genres
Despite its popularity quickly fading out from most popular genres, romance trailers often have voice overs narrating the plot of the film and can even be used as a replacement for flavour text. Flavour text is usually shown in a single transition by itself with a background and can be a short break from tension for action genres for example. Romance trailers instead can have a narrator saying the text instead of showing it as there isn't any need to ease tension in them and would instead act as a break from seeing the characters, which isn't always needed. Voice overs in romance trailers are often done by the characters themselves, but can also be done by someone not in the film like a "Voice of God". When romance trailers have voice overs by the characters its usually one of the two main characters/love interests talking about their hopes and aspirations, their backstory or talking about the plot of the film like a regular narrator would. This is an easy way to get the audience to become more attached to the characters and want to watch the movie to see what happens to them
When comedies use narrators they tend to use a Voice of God instead of a character from the film. This is because, unlike in romance, the audience doesn't have to be as invested in the characters as the comedy itself is more important. In general comedies tend to use text on screen more, as the plot of comedies are also usually less serious. There are also times of comedies parodying the Voice of God, which is the entire trailer for Comedians
I will use voice overs from the characters in my trailer as it helps the audience feel closer to the characters. With the film I'm doing it wouldn't be too difficult to find voice overs from the characters to change the genre. I may also use some extra text on screen to highlight the movies plot but not too much as the voice overs from characters mostly fill that role already
Sound effects are often used to audibly transition from one scene to the next or to highlight a character's movements. This can give the trailer a snappy feel to it. The effects themselves are like a BRAAM (as stated before, that effect is in all genres) but softer. Romantic trailers often use BRAAM's to transition from another scene, unlike how they're used in action films which is to build tension. However there are times of this being used both ways like in the trailer for As I Am
In comedies the BRAAM effect is less popular as it'd feel like a tonal shift, they instead focus more on using Foley. Foley is used for slapstick humour like in the trailer for Lucky Number but can also be used overall to add realism like in romance and most other genres. In As I Am Foley is used to create the sound of one of the characters slamming a locker
As I don't plan on there being much slapstick humour in my trailer, I won't use Foley for that purpose or much in general since I will have background music playing over instead. Sound effects like BRAAM's will be used for the more climatic moments at the end of the trailer
Montages are more commonly used for romantic trailers than comedy. This is because comedy is more focused on the characters and scenes telling jokes and that can't be done well in a montage. Romance trailers use montages to highlight the dramatic point of the story and to build tension for it like Trust's trailer. Not all romance trailers are that dramatic with montages though, The Nature of Romance uses it to showcase the road trip, hiking and some scenes of the two main love interests interacting and getting closer with each other. When comedies use montages its used to punctuate a joke even more like in Superintelligence
My trailer can have some dramatic scenes from the film but in a humourous tone. If I do that I will add them in as a montage to both make the scene more impactful and to showcase the setting of some scenes, showing an establishing shot as well
Comedies use juxtaposition a lot as a joke, to the point where it's being used as a self aware joke. Romance also tends to do this with one of the main characters saying that they're not looking for love but ultimately getting together with someone at the end of the movie. Dramatic pauses are also used in both of these genres. In romance its sometimes used with a close up of someone's face either to ensue tension or to show a character immediately falling for someone at first sight (slow motion is also used for this, specifically for the other person the character is looking at). Two trailers that do both of these techniques are A Bridesmaid In Love and Half Brothers. A Bridesmaid In Love has both of the characters refusing claims from others that they should be together and dramatic pauses in the trailer to imply that later down the line they do end up together at the end. Half Brothers has the main character saying that they're not going to go to America and then the immediate next scene is of a plane landing and him leaving an airport while an announcer says "Welcome to America.". The trailer also has a scene at the beginning with dramatic pauses when the main character is talking about them not seeing their dad in years
In my trailer I will include a joke with juxtaposition, specifically one with the main character saying they're not in love with the other and then a montage of the two characters getting closer. I will also use dramatic pauses to really highlight the characters connecting with each other
When it comes to transitions almost all romance trailers nowadays have a character talking suddenly in the middle of a scene with no dialogue and then cut to the scene the character was talking in. An example of a trailer that does this a lot is A Love to Remember and Our Lady doing it multiple times during the beginning. Fading to black isn't common in these two genres unless its at the end of a montage. Cutting to the beat is more used for comedies than romance. In Chick Fight its used immediately for the door closing to match the music and to quickly show what producing companies made the film
My trailer will use transitions like the ones in A Love to Remember and Our Lady as I think they flow seamlessly together and would work perfectly for my trailer. I may also use cutting to the beat for a song I'm using in the trailer. Doing these together would create a nice rhythm for my trailer
Romance sometimes use cursive fonts for their titles. This can give the trailer the theme of regality, prestige and can relate back to the romantic era. For the most part though both romance and comedy stick to bold but simple and easy fonts, sometimes with small imagery. An example being The Kissing Booth 3's title, replacing the O's in the title with kiss marks. Romantic films are usually rated PG-13 or General while comedies are normally just PG-13
I will use a cursive font for my title and most likely for any other text I may use (directors, actors, ect.). However, as it is easy to get a fancy font like cursive and make it unreadable, I will choose a sensible font that others can actually read. I will also keep the rating for both of these genres in mind while making my trailer
Establishing shots are used in both romance and comedy but specifically romance. Comedies don't focus on the setting as much unless it's meant to be a joke (like the characters being in a funny place). A romantic trailer that does this is Wild Mountain Thyme. Wild Mountain Thyme is set in Ireland so it uses shots of grassy planes and mountains to really capture the feeling of being there. A comedy that uses an establishing shot is Spy, notably a film with a plot that involves going in different places as an undercover agent. Close ups are used in standard ways for romance, they can be used to show who's talking or to talk about the two main characters holding hands like in Just for the Summer. In comedy these can be used to add to a joke, in Home Alone this is used to show how the traps trip the villains up.
I may use one or two establishing shots in my trailer, but I doubt I'll use many as establishing shots aren't completely needed. Close ups will most likely be used for the reasons romance trailers have them, to show that the two love interests are slowly becoming closer with each other
Both genres don't usually restrict many big things from their trailer (so much so its a complaint people have with trailers nowadays). Mise-en-scene in romance can sometimes be used to foreshadow something later in the movie though, something like that tends to be an item one of the characters hide from others. It can also be symbolism for something, usually of the main two characters eventually getting together, like roses. Locations in romance films can be in many places: a loud city, a high school (which is a very common place for romance films) or off in the countryside. The main characters themselves are almost always conventionally attractive (and if they're not then that's the selling point like in Tall Girl) and dress plainly. The romance genre is usually grounded in reality and so are the plot for them. Comedy can go many ways but they're usually more dramatic to be funnier. Locations can be the same place as romance films are to really sell how weird and different the characters are from regular people or they can be in completely fictional settings. Characters can be real life actors that act wild, have normal appearances or even be animated. Story is usually seen as not as important as the comedy itself, which means if a comedy isn't funny it isn't worth watching. A very obvious part that people expect from comedy trailers are the jokes and one liners themselves. When people first see a cartoon they also assume that it'll be a family comedy. An example for all of these comedy codes & conventions is Space Jam
I will try to use some form of symbolism in my trailer while being careful to not give any spoilers away. The film I'm doing is somewhat of a mystery and while I am changing the genre of the film, I intend to keep the mystery the same as it could still work for a romance. I will follow the codes & conventions of romance films in my trailer, one of the codes is about attractive people, but since I'm doing Phantom of the Opera I will instead turn the "non-attractive" love interest as a selling point. I won't show his face though as that's a spoiler but I will allude to him disliking showing other people his face. My trailer will lean more into romance than comedy but as I am going for both I will make sure to include some of the codes & conventions from comedy as well in my trailer
Bleecker Street. (2020) WILD MOUNTAIN THYME I Official Trailer I Bleecker Street. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kadUgcIxODM. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Industral Scripts. (2021) 10 Brilliant Symbolism Examples: Symbolism in Screenwriting. Available at: https://industrialscripts.com/symbolism-examples/. Accessed at: 21.10.21
melamed1. (2006) Comedian Movie Trailer. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVDzuT0fXro. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movieclips Classic Trailers. (1990) Home Alone (1990) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEDaVHmw7r4. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) A BRIDESMAID IN LOVE Trailer (2021) Romance Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgaq_hVCjwU. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) A LOVE TO REMEMBER Trailer (2021) Romance Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU0W26k_ZDI. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2020) JUST FOR THE SUMMER Trailer (2020) Romance Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW_Xsmg1qEs. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2020) LUCKY NUMBER Trailer (2020) Comedy Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEPvgDYUoFU. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2020) OUR LADIES Trailer (2020) Teen Comedy Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiC96DnC_gY. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) THE NATURE OF ROMANCE Trailer (2021) Romantic Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hret4OVl4U. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) TRUST Trailer (2021) Victoria Justice, Romance Drama Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnr9frEhy7E. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Netflix. (2019) Tall Girl | Official Trailer | Netflix. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfpXeLVzJIw. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Netflix. (2021) The Kissing Booth 3 | Official Trailer | Netflix. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKn0Dhj64w. Accessed at: 21.0.21
ONE Media. (2020) CHICK FIGHT Official Trailer (2020) Bella Thorne, Comedy Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiAru48QZgw. Accessed at: 21.10.21
ONE Media. (2020) SUPERINTELLIGENCE Official Trailer (2020) Melissa McCarthy, James Corden Comedy Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFMp--PxIII. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Warner Bros. Pictures. (2021) Space Jam: A New Legacy – Trailer 1. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olXYZOsXw_o. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Foley Experiment
wix doesn't allow videos over 10 minutes
Daily Diary 21/10
Today I wrote about the codes & conventions of the two genres I'm going to do a genre changing trailer on (romance and comedy). I have to finish writing a trailer analysis over two trailers in both genres over the half term (due the first Wednesday we're back) and research three different jobs to create an infography on them (due the first Wednesday we're back). I also have to add another example for Unlocking in the Genre Changing Trailer page and add visuals
I liked doing the Foley experiments and learning about two different genres of trailers was interesting. The work I did was good today, I was ahead of some people in the class which I never thought I would be. I've halfway finished my first trailer analysis even if it took awhile
Trailer Analysis
Romance
Comedy
The storyline for The Princess and the Frog is not presented chronologically. It shows the two main characters talking, what happened to one of the characters, and then back to the main two characters talking again. The most important factor is we don’t see how they met yet. For Sonic the Hedgehog its in chronological order. We're first introduced to Sonic, the main character of the film. He talks about why he left his planet to go to Earth (the setting of the movie) and then we get a scene of him being found by other people. Sonic tries to reason with a person to help him, otherwise someone will use his powers to conquer the universe (the person later revealed to be Robotnik). The Princess and the Frog cut important details from its trailer to get to the main gimmick of its story and give the audience a reason to watch the film and find out themselves. Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't as its story is more simple and has mostly already been established in the series games. It's also important to note that Sonic the Hedgehog has a safety net of the star being a character everyone knows, unlike The Princess and the Frog
The title of The Princess and the Frog finally shows at 2:12, almost at the end of the trailer. The font is elegant even with the word Frog. That word has almost a green filling to it. The crown in the O is meant to symbolise how Naveen is actually a prince. The green stands out boldly against the gold used for the rest of the text and is almost a metaphor for how this is different from typical princess films done, especially from Disney. Gold was used as its commonly associated with wealth, power and royalty. The title for Sonic the Hedgehog appears at the end, around the 2:38 mark. The title is all in italics to emphasise Sonic’s speed and is bold like his personality. The C in the title is shaped like Sonic’s spikes because its a movie about him. The font used for SONIC stands out for being bigger than the rest and is blue like he is. Its outline has lightning sparks on it to show how fast he is and because that’s his power in the film. THE HEDGEHOG is smaller (as Sonic is a gaming icon which means most people recognise him just from his name alone, “The Hedgehog” not being needed) but still bold and impactful. It’s red to signal his shoes and makes the title look like Sonic’s super peel out, a mode where Sonic runs so fast his legs become an 8 shape on its side. The Princess and the Frog goes for an elegant theme because its a romance film about a princess and a prince falling in love, while Sonic the Hedgehog goes for a bold font thats more simple. Romance films are more likely to go for a symbol in the title (like The Princess and the Frog does with the crown in the O) while comedies usually just go for a bold font with minimum detail



For The Princess and the Frog, Walt Disney Pictures is the only studio credited in the trailer as it owned and produced the movie. The company is also the one that uploaded the trailer onto YouTube. In Sonic the Hedgehog both Paramount Pictures and SEGA are credited. Paramount Pictures is the studio making the film and SEGA is the company that owns Sonic
The voice of Tiana in The Princess and the Frog is Anki Noni Rose, an actor who’s mainly known for this movie and Everything, Everything. Both films have romance as the main focus. Another film she’s known for is Dreamgirls, a musical about three soul singers. The Princess and The Frog is based on the Jazz era and is also a musical. Bruno Campos is the voice of Naveen and stars in Crazylove and Jesse as well. All three of these are about unconventional romance: Crazylove is about two institutionalised people, Jesse is about a single mother trying to find love again and The Princess and the Frog is about a frog trying to get a princess to kiss him. Meanwhile Ben Schwartz (the voice of Sonic) is most known for being in Parks and Recreation. The character he plays is described as “annoying yet lovable” which fits Sonic somewhat. Parks and Recreation is also a comedy. Jim Carrey (the actor who plays Robotnik) is famous for his cartoony expressions and movements. He mostly stars in comedy centric media (like Ace Ventura: Pet Detective and Bruce Almighty) because of it. He’s also a producer. The actors for both of these films understand the genre of their respective movies and are familiar with acting in them
There’s a bit of slapstick humour in The Princess and the Frog's trailer but ultimately when the book is being read it’s clear that this film is a romance, possibly also being a romantic comedy. This is cemented when the two characters kiss.
Sonic the Hedgehog's genre is an action and a comedy. Its obvious that this is a comedy due to how many pauses there are in the trailer to tell a joke and with how many scenes are in there just to tell one, like the dart scene. Another way is with there being a juxtaposition used as a joke with the rubber-band ball scene where Tom tells Sonic they’re not going to see it but Sonic does it anyway. The easiest way to tell that this is a comedy though is Sonic himself as he’s a cartoony character in a real life setting, something the trailer does use for jokes like in the scene after the title screen. Comedy is also very common in his franchise. Its also clear that this is an action because of the main plot with Sonic being hunted by robots for his powers. We are introduced to the main villain who does physically threaten the main characters in one of his first scenes in the trailer, showing that this film will at least have tension. Its also obvious that this would be an action film due to Sonic’s branding, his franchise has always been about action since the very first game. Both genres have distinct codes & conventions and follow them as usual
The first actual scene from The Princess and the Frog is a close-up of Tiana and the camera pans down to the shot also having Naveen. Tiana looks at the sky and then notices the frog next to her and screams. This type of shot was used to fully show her expression. When Naveen talks in this movie trailer the camera only focuses on him. For Sonic the Hedgehog the first scene is an establishing shot of Sonic’s world and then a close-up of his eyes as he’s about to start running. Most of the establishing shots are used to show how fast Sonic can run in a space. The close up of him getting ready to run with his eyes show that he’s a determined person and that he possibly enjoys running as he’s smirking. Both of these use close-ups to highlight a characters emotion (Tiana screaming and Sonic smirking) but use different shot types for their first scene. Tiana looking at the sky is associated with thoughtfulness and possibly longing, two things that can be viewed as romantic. Sonic the Hedgehog has an establishing shot to show Sonic's speed through it and to also show the scenery as its a callback to the original games
When Tiana smacks Naveen with a book in The Princess and the Frog there’s a slightly low angle shot of her, this shows how Naveen sees her as he’s very small. It also emphasises the power she has over him because of his height and makes you feel slightly bad for him as he just got hit by a book. There’s also a low angle shot in Sonic the Hedgehog of Sonic, Tom, a drone and Robotnik in the house. The angle exaggerates Tom and Robotnik staring surprised at Sonic and may also represent how Sonic feels as he suddenly comes out of hiding, scared and worried. Both use a low angle shot to emphasise a character feeling (and physically being) small and afraid
There are not that many examples of camera movement as this film is only animation but in the first scene it focuses on Tiana and then it pans down to Naveen. After the scene with Naveen holding the book, there’s a zoom focusing on Naveen as he sits down. That scene is also when the “Voice of God” narrator starts talking. After the kiss the camera pans down from Naveen to Tiana, who has now turned into a frog. As Sonic the Hedgehog is filmed in real life, there are more camera movements in that film. As Sonic reads more comics in a scene the camera pans out to show how many he’s read. This is to further emphasise his speed and show how fast he can read them. In the baseball stadium scene there’s a tracking shot of the ball flying in the air, a simple way to tell the audience when Sonic finally throws the ball. This also breaks up from all the mid and long shots in this scene. When the stadium breaks, the camera pans up from the stadium to the woods around it. This shows that Sonic didn’t just affect the stadium and actually damaged the space around it. In the establishing shot of a house, the camera pans to the left where the drones are flying towards it. This helps emphasise the drones movement and naturally show here the next scene is happening. When the drone is scanning Tom, there’s a short shot of it zooming in on the drone. This acts as a point-of-view shot for Tom as well. In one of Robotnik’s scenes, the camera is sideways and then flips over correctly closer to Robotnik. This may be a hint to how crazy Robotnik is and how he’ll go at any lengths to catch Sonic. Its also notable that this movement doesn’t look natural and may have been done in editing. The Princess and the Frog use movement to naturally get the audience to look at where the director wants them to, while Sonic the Hedgehog uses it more stylistically like with the tracking shot of the ball and Robotnik's scenes halfway in the trailer
The Princess and the Frog has a full theatrical trailer as its 2 minutes and 24 seconds. As this is an animated movie, there are not any special effects. The trailer for Sonic the Hedgehog is 2 minutes and 51 seconds long, being a full theatrical trailer. It’s also titled as being the “New Official Trailer”. As Sonic is a cartoonish character in the film, his entire character is CGI. The drones are also CGI. This was done as CGI was the best way to “cast” them. As they're both main parts of the film (one literally being the titular character and the other being a lackey for Robotnik that often come in groups) they couldn’t just be taken out. Naturally the sparks from Sonic as he runs, the stadium collapsing, the Earth’s lights suddenly going off and the car flipping over on its side are all special effects. There was no other way to do them and have them look realistic otherwise. Most of the stunts in the movie are done by Sonic, who is already a CGI made character, so it should be obvious why the explosions and stunts in his scenes aren’t real. In the scene of Sonic dancing, the rubble from the car and the smoke coming out of it are clearly CGI. This may have been done as they couldn’t do it at filming or because it’d be easier to do it in editing. Comedies are more likely to do special effect than romance films as a joke like to exaggerate something. It's also noteworthy to mention that Sonic the Hedgehog is also an action and that many action films have CGI and stunts as well
The first scene we see in The Princess and the Frog is of Tiana staring up at the sky. The sky is blue and matches her dress, but there’s also light behind her that’s more warm. We later find out the warm glow is coming from a room inside. Blue is often a colour associated with calmness and tranquillity while red is the opposite. This contrast between colours may represent how Tiana feels while looking up at the sky and hearing Naveen speak, torn between hearing out what he has to say or leaving him. In the movie the reason why she’s dressed up so formally is for a party, but it’s never shown or mentioned in the trailer. As the camera pans down onto Naveen we see the red glow on him as well with there being noticeably less blue on him. In Sonic the Hedgehog the first scene is of Green Hill. The lighting is bright and the scenery is lush with trees and waterfalls. This is meant to show that we’re clearly not on Earth and that this is somewhere completely different. Green Hill is also a place in game (most likely the most famous one that everyone can recognise) so the producers wanted to stay true to the setting. The places ground is checkerboarded and some have square chunks missing, a direct reference to the pixel art in the game. The scenes in Green Hill make sure to utilise its rich setting with a shot of the waterfall cascading down a bridge. These scenes set up the tone of the films well, with The Princess and the Frog being serene and Sonic the Hedgehog focusing on being beautiful and interesting. Sonic the Hedgehog purposely chose Green Hill as its a familiar place to fans and to showcase Sonic's world in contrast to Earth
In another scene of The Princess and the Frog the lighting suddenly becomes a very bold pink and purple, the background being many scary masks around Naveen. This lighting gives off the feeling that this is unnatural and maybe even magical of some sort, especially with Naveen talking about how he was cursed alongside it. In a scene with Dr. Facilier there are curtains that open with a poof before a large mask appears. The shot afterwards has him lifting green goop with white symbols flying around him. The green goop could be a representation of Naveen turning into a frog and Dr. Facilier gaining power from it. The purple lighting with him gives off a sinister and magical vibe with how bold it is. These scenes strongly implies that he has magic of somewhat, specifically voodoo magic. Sonic the hedgehog presents its villain differently. The “ANOMALY DETECTED” sign is red, a very common colour used for danger. It stands out against the blue of everything else around it to emphasise the danger. The people in that scene also wear black, making the audience assume that these are people with power and could possibly be the government. At the beginning of Robotnik’s montage the lighting changes from bright white to red. This may be a call back to how the “ANOMALY DETECTED” sign is also red as Robotnik is trying to track down Sonic. As he is also wearing black clothes, this may imply that he works with or for the people that first saw the sign in that previous scene. The colour can also be a call back to how his design in the games is mostly red as Robotnik in the trailer is seen with red lighting. Both villains have signature colours (purple & pink and red & black). The Princess and the Frog uses the fact that its animated to have Dr. Facilier have exaggerated backgrounds and lighting. Sonic the Hedgehog meanwhile uses bold lighting and colour coding to present Robotnik, being heavily associated with red in the trailer
The first 30 seconds in The Princess and the Frog trailer is actually a sizzle reel showcasing all the previous films Disney worked on and produced. It first shows a sketch of the most iconic scenes in these films and then they glow and turn into the fully animated scene in the original movie. The reel finally ends when it shows the main character of the film (Tiana) in the same way as the other previews and the actual trailer begins. Sonic the Hedgehog doesn't have a sizzle reel as there's no need for one, its the first film of it's franchise and is already associated with SEGA. However during SEGA’s logo there’s a short clip of Sonic in game. This is just there for reference and to recall Sonic's history
The scene with Naveen in a chair and snakes has a flash of light before and during it. This shows that this is a flashback and may be a retelling of what’s happening. Sonic the Hedgehog has a transition like this with the scene of Sonic reading comics as there’s a quick fade from black. This shows that there’s been a bit of a time-skip of Sonic finding somewhere to live. For most of the trailer there’s not many transitions as hard cuts but a lot of shot changes, the only other transition is Robotnik and Tom first meeting and we hear them talk before seeing the actual scene. This gives the trailer a fast-paced feel, fitting with the titular character. The Princess and the Frog and as its animated it lends well to some of the more interesting ones (Dr. Facilier blowing smoke towards the camera, which could symbolise him not wanting people to know his sinister plans, for example)
The Princess and the Frog has a "Voice of God" voicing over a few scenes around the one minute mark. The narrator is used for flavour text and to further give intrigue to the audience with lines such as “No one knows what happens after the kiss..”. The narrator also reads some of the text on screen such as the title and “This Holiday Season”. Most of the trailer is dialogue between two characters, mostly Tiana and Naveen as they are the main ones. Sonic the Hedgehog starts with a voice over from one of the characters, Sonic, talking about themselves and their planet. It then goes over to scenes with dialogue. This helps to introduce the story to the audience in an understandable way especially since the film goes in chronological order to tell its plot. Voice overs from the characters are used a lot in this trailer since its an easy way to get the audience to care about the characters, especially the original characters since they’re new and don’t have the safety net Sonic and Robotnik do because of that. Narrators are prevelent in both genres, but they both use it differently. Sonic the Hedgehog uses it as a way for the main characters to introduce themselves and describe how they're feeling (like how Sonic feels about being lonely on Earth but still enjoying his time). The Princess and the Frog uses a "Voice of God" narrator to make the story feel more grand and to reference the fact that the original story is a fairy tale from a book, stories that are usually read outloud
The Princess and the Frog's trailer music is mostly quiet and subtle to allow the characters to talk over it. It builds up right before Tiana squashes Naveen with a book, suddenly stopping right after. The music builds up again with vocals as Tiana gets turned into a frog, it pauses for a moment when she starts talking but it quickly picks up again. The music then stays impactful and emotional throughout the trailer to further highlight the dramatic scenes. After the title is revealed, it stops. In Sonic the Hedgehog, rock music plays halfway through the trailer as Robotnik dances and it stops with a thud sound effect so Robotnik can tell a joke. The thud effect is used to give more effect to the song suddenly stopping. Stopping the music to tell a joke is something comedy trailers do very often, to the point where its usually expected. In The Princess and the Frog the music builds and rises, it's the same song throughout the trailer. Meanwhile Sonic the Hedgehog has multiple songs in its trailer and uses it more quietly to allow the characters to tell jokes over them
Bibliography
Abramovitch, S. (2015) 'Braaams' for Beginners: How a Horn Sound Ate Hollywood. Available at: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/braaams-beginners-how-a-horn-793220/. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Bitesize. (Year unknown) Sound. Available at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/z2tyycw/revision/1. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Bleecker Street. (2020) WILD MOUNTAIN THYME I Official Trailer I Bleecker Street. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kadUgcIxODM. Accessed at: 21.10.21
FRESH Movie Trailers. (2020) BLITHE SPIRIT Trailer (New Comedy Movie, 2021). [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7DRAKtQSpM. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Industral Scripts. (2021) 10 Brilliant Symbolism Examples: Symbolism in Screenwriting. Available at: https://industrialscripts.com/symbolism-examples/. Accessed at: 21.10.21
MasterClass. (2021) Film 101: Understanding Foley Sound and Why Foley Sound Is Important. Available at: https://www.masterclass.com/articles/film-101-understanding-foley-sound-and-why-foley-sound-is-important. Accessed at: 20.10.21
melamed1. (2006) Comedian Movie Trailer. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fVDzuT0fXro. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movieclips. (2011) 1941 Official Trailer #1 - (1979) HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6_KOLqpo7z8. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips Classic Trailers (2013) Inception (2010) Official Trailer #1 - Christopher Nolan Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YoHD9XEInc0. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips Classic Trailers. (1990) Home Alone (1990) Trailer #1 | Movieclips Classic Trailers. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jEDaVHmw7r4. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movieclips Classic Trailers. (2014) Corpse Bride (2005) Official Trailer - Tim Burton Animated Musical HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AGACeWVdFqo. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips Trailers. (2014) Maleficent Official Legacy Trailer (2014) - Angelina Jolie Disney Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JIIgXEGAZgE. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips Trailers. (2020) Horizon Line Trailer #1 (2020) | Movieclips Trailers. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WH_zew-XjK0. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movieclips Trailers. (2021) Ghostbusters: Afterlife International Trailer (2021) | Movieclips Trailers. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbtzKaQKiA0. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2020) JUST FOR THE SUMMER Trailer (2020) Romance Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DW_Xsmg1qEs. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2020) LUCKY NUMBER Trailer (2020) Comedy Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEPvgDYUoFU. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2020) OUR LADIES Trailer (2020) Teen Comedy Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qiC96DnC_gY. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) A BRIDESMAID IN LOVE Trailer (2021) Romance Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgaq_hVCjwU. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) A LOVE TO REMEMBER Trailer (2021) Romance Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PU0W26k_ZDI. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) ARMY OF THE THIEVES Trailer (2021) Nathalie Emmanuel, Matthias Schweighöfer Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mdez758P4LE. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) QUEENPINS Trailer (2021) Kristen Bell, Vince Vaughn, Comedy Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSiP_fFQrjQ. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) SPIDER-MAN 3: NO WAY HOME Trailer (2021) Zendaya, Tom Holland. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6GyR3SKRk5E. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) THE NATURE OF ROMANCE Trailer (2021) Romantic Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hret4OVl4U. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Movie Coverage. (2021) TRUST Trailer (2021) Victoria Justice, Romance Drama Movie. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tnr9frEhy7E. Accessed at: 21.10.21
NEON. (2021) SPENCER - Official Teaser Trailer - In Theaters November 5th. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lagauhb5GyY. Accessed at: 20.10.21
NEON. (2021) SPENCER - Official Trailer - In Theaters November 5. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WllZh9aekDg. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Netflix. (2019) Tall Girl | Official Trailer | Netflix. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfpXeLVzJIw. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Netflix. (2021) The Kissing Booth 3 | Official Trailer | Netflix. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5fKn0Dhj64w. Accessed at: 21.0.21
ONE Media. (2020) CHICK FIGHT Official Trailer (2020) Bella Thorne, Comedy Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wiAru48QZgw. Accessed at: 21.10.21
ONE Media. (2020) SUPERINTELLIGENCE Official Trailer (2020) Melissa McCarthy, James Corden Comedy Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sFMp--PxIII. Accessed at: 21.10.21
ONE Media. (2020) THE OTHER LAMB Official Trailer (2020) Drama Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz-jAMZ_ESU. Accessed at: 20.10.21
ONE Media. (2020) THE ROOM Official Trailer (2020) Olga Kurylenko Thriller Movie HD. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZO0MXSX7zvg. Accessed at: 20.10.21
ONE Media. (2021) SHAZAM 2 FURY OF THE GODS Trailer Teaser (2023). [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ASv687MKU80. Accessed at: 20.10.21
ShanimalsCrackers. (2011) Once Upon a Dream by Mary Costa--Sleeping Beauty--High Quality. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UIh2ELxpKU0. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Sony Pictures Entertainment. (2009) District 9 Trailer #2. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_BjWEn5yvmw. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Sony Pictures Entertainment. (2019) LITTLE WOMEN - Official Trailer (HD). [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AST2-4db4ic. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Thompson, S. (2014) In a world without voiceovers: What happened to the movie trailer voice?. Available at: https://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/in-a-world-without-voiceovers-what-happened-to-the-movie-trailer-voice/article18806436/. Accessed at: 20.10.21
Warner Bros. Pictures. (2021) Space Jam: A New Legacy – Trailer 1. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olXYZOsXw_o. Accessed at: 21.10.21
Warner Bros. Pictures. (2021) THE BATMAN – Main Trailer. [Online Video.] Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqqft2x_Aa4. Accessed at: 20.10.21
