Comparing Different Types of Trailers 1 - 'No Way Home'

The first set of trailers I am going to compare are from the superhero film, 'No Way Home', released in 2021. As a big budget Hollywood blockbuster it already had an existing audience, so is exactly the kind of movie that is likely to release a teaser trailer many months before the release of the film itself. 

Also because of the kind of film it is, there were many TV spots released in the couple of weeks before the film came out in cinemas. 

It is therefore a good film to use when comparing different styles of trailers so that I can see the similarities and differences between teaser trailers, theatrical trailers and TV spots.

TEASER TRAILER

The teaser trailer for 'No Way Home' contains the following conventions:

• Very little narrative information - in fact there are no images from the film
• Short in length (roughly 30 seconds)
• Main actors appear on screen (but they appear as the actors rather than the characters)
• Director's name
• Intertextual reference to Tom Holland slipping up and revealing the name of the previous 'Spider-Man' film before it had been released (only works because this film is part of a franchise and has an existing audience)
• Title of the film - it appears at the end of the trailer
• Dramatic, exciting music (at the end) - recognisable theme/style
• Production company logo (Marvel Studios)
• Vague release date 

THEATRICAL TRAILER

The theatrical trailer for 'No Way Home' contains the following conventions:

• Footage/shots from the film - lots of different scenes from different points in the movie
• Fades to black as the most common editing technique (typically found in trailers)
• Change in the pace of the editing - slightly slower towards the beginning (when they are introducing the characters and the narrative) and quicker, montage style of editing towards the end
• We get a much clearer sense of the narrative and we are introduced to multiple characters (than in the teaser trailer)
• Production company logos near the beginning (Sony, Columbia and Marvel)
• Lots of 'eye candy' - visually pleasing shots of exciting scenes/set-pieces such as explosions, fight scenes, chases
• Vague release date (This Christmas), plus specific release date (December 17) at the end of the trailer
• Loud, dramatic music that is appropriate for the genre
• Iconography of the genre (costumes, props, settings)
• Title of the film (towards the end of the trailer)
• Reference to specific formats - such as IMAX and 3D
• Advance notice of ticket sales (with a specific date)
• Social media and online links
• Production company logo (Columbia)
• Reference to certificate/rating ('This film is not yet rated')
• Reference to merchandise - shows that the soundtrack is available through another company owned by Sony
• Voiceover

TV SPOT 1 - "Annihilation"

The first TV spot for 'No Way Home' includes the following conventions:

• Lots of footage from the film (many of the shots are similar to those found in the theatrical trailer, with some additional shots) - though the editing is much quicker, right from the beginning, almost like a montage
• Much shorter than the theatrical trailer
• Production logos at the beginning, but they are on screen for a much shorter time
• Dramatic, fast-paced, intense music that matches the tempo of the quick editing
• Title of film at the end of the trailer
• Even more specific release date ('Thursday'), indicating that this type of trailer comes out just before the release of the film
• Reference to specific formats - such as IMAX and 3D
• Advance notice of ticket sales (on sale now)
• Social media and online links
• Production company logo (Columbia)
• Reference to merchandise - shows that the soundtrack is available through another company owned by Sony
• Voiceover

TV SPOT 2 - "Sacrifice"

The second TV spot for 'No Way Home' includes the following conventions:

• Lots of footage from the film (many of the shots are similar to those found in the theatrical trailer and the previous TV spot, with some additional shots ) - though the editing is much quicker, right from the beginning, almost like a montage (though there are some fades as transitions)
• Much shorter than the theatrical trailer
• Production logos at the beginning, but they are on screen for a much shorter time
• Dramatic, fast-paced, intense music that matches the tempo of the quick editing
• Title of film at the end of the trailer
• Specific release date, indicating that this type of trailer comes out just before the release of the film
• Reference to specific formats - such as IMAX and 3D
• Advance notice of ticket sales (giving a date they can be purchased)
• Social media and online links
• Production company logo (Columbia)
• Reference to merchandise - shows that the soundtrack is available through another company owned by Sony
• Voiceover