Comparing Different Types of Trailers 2 - 'West Side Story'

The second film I am going to look at is Steven Spielberg's musical 'West Side Story'. Again, this is a big budget Hollywood film, that already has an existing audience because it is a remake of a very popular film from the 1960s. Audiences are already familiar with the story, so this is again exactly the kind of film which will have a range of trailers, including a teaser trailer.

I hope to find that despite belonging to a different genre that the different trailers for 'West Side Story' share a lot of conventions with the equivalent trailers for 'No Way Home'. 

TEASER TRAILER

• Small amount of dialogue 
• Short in length compared to a theatrical trailer (though it is a bit longer than a normal teaser trailer) 
• Main characters are introduced 
• The editing is a combination of cuts and fades 
• Name of director is presented (Steven Spielberg)
• Sad and mellow music is played throughout 
• Title of film - appears at the end of the trailer 
• The cast and crew are featured - the credits/billing block shown after title of film 
• Vague release date (This December)

THEATRICAL TRAILER

• More characters are introduced through dialogue and singing there voices - these characters are developed a little and we are introduced to their character traits and get a greater understanding of their role in the narrative
• Much more footage/shots from the film - more dialogue, which helps the audience gain a greater understanding of what the film is about 
• The editing is a combination of fades to/from black and cuts
• Change in pace of the editing - (slower towards the beginning when they were introducing characters and narrative, then gets quicker towards the end, almost a montage of important moments from the film) 
• There is more information about the film given away and we have a much clearer understanding of what happens in the narrative 
• Production company introduced near the beginning - (20th Century Studios)
• Vague release date in the middle ('This December') - however right at the end it gives a less specific release date ('December') - this is unusual as normally a theatrical trailer would have a very specific release date
• Happy and up beat music that is necessary for a musical - the music is typical of the genre (though some of the music sounds a little sad)
• Iconography of the genre - (settings, costumes, props, dance sequences, characters breaking into song) 
• Title of the film along with the name of director is shown towards the end of the trailer 
• Cast and crew are featured at the end 

TV SPOT 1 - "Celebration"

• Lots of footage from the film (many shots were similar and found in the theatrical trailer) - with one or two additional shots
• Lots of fades
• Much shorter than a theatrical trailer (approximately 45 seconds)
• Even more specific release date at the beginning (on December 10th)
• Quicker in pace - the editing is much faster, almost a montage
• Lots of 'eye candy' - visually pleasing shots of exciting scenes such as forming a romance, feuds, song and dance scenes 
• Focuses more on the main characters 
• Fast and up beat music which matches the tempo of the quick editing 
• Reference to specific formats - 'only in theatres' 

TV SPOT 2 - "Trouble"

• Lots of dramatic footage from the film (many of the shots are similar to the theatrical trailer and the previous TV spot) - though the editing is much quicker right from the beginning 
• Main characters are shown and have speech 
• There are quick shots with cuts, fades and transitions 
• Much shorter than a theatrical trailer (45 seconds)
• Director is shown at the beginning (Steven Spielberg)
• More dramatic, jumpy and excited music which matches the quick editing 
• Title at the end of the trailer 
• Same specific release date and locations  (December 10th only in theatres) 
• Cast and crew shown at the end