During the first stages of creating my three media texts, I made sure that I allowed myself enough time to gain valuable research. This would ensure that I had fully utilized codes and conventions that would be seen within a teaser trailer and it's ancillary products which had been produced by a real production company. As technology's ability to do more is quickly advancing, I was able to use the internet to view a wide variety of teaser trailers, film posters and magazine covers. During my research I viewed teaser trailers which used different techniques to engage with audience members, through voice overs, inter-titles and personal interaction, where the protagonist character asks questions to the audience in character, however not using a scene from the original film (which would be a convention usually seen within teaser trailers). These effects work differently to create different impacts depending on genre; and are mainly used to connect with different target audiences.

Annotated trailer

Annotations:

Youtube wouldn't allow me to upload the same video more than once, so my original annotations are below with the specific times for each one:

• 0:00("Toni Classic Movie pictures..."); Here I have given an introduction by using the production company. Within all teaser trailers and full length trailers, they will use this convention. More recognisable production companies would be 'River road', 'Fox Searchlight', 'DNA' and '21st Century Fox'. As my trailer is suggesting an independent drama, I decided to create my own production company, as it suggests a lower budget film.
• 0:00:03 (character eating on bed); The opening shot of my trailer suggests a home atmosphere. It is ambiguous in the way that you don't know what she is doing. This does not create a trailer which gives a conclusion at the start and then the story, which means that my plot has not been exploited. Her running to the toilet could either suggest that she needs the toilet or something else. Because it has not been stated through the use of inter-titles or voice over, it means that viewers are left in suspense, as they want to know more about my character.
• 0:00:6.5 (Close up of light); I have used natural lighting which creates an ambient effect, also fitting in with the genre of my film to suggest a film based on social lives. Representation has been created by making my protagonist centre shot whilst she is dressing herself. The shirt she is wearing would be considered to my target audience as 'fashionable' which helps to create a bond between the character and viewer, as they want to see whether she is the same to them in terms of personality, likes and looks.
• 0:00:15.7 (aerial shot of character reading book);his shot could imply that the book my character's reading is a life book because of the inter-titles. The titles tell a story, however so does the original shot without the title. This has been done to imply that my character is alone, as she is not filmed with an other cast member next to her.
• 0;00;19.1 (pan of main character underneath tree); This shot is one of my favourites as it helps to progress my teaser trailer, however not giving so much away. This has been done by:
• Panning; as it helps to suggest that she is completely alone. This gives insight into more of the storyline, as it suggests a turbulent part of her life.
• Setting; as it establishes that there is not many places for my protagonist character to become more sociable.
• 0;00;28.9 (overlay of shots); This technique that I used was with the pen tool, where I was able to change the opacity of shots to create a metaphor of my protagonists mind. I feel that the shot helps to imply what my character is like, however it doesn't give away the storyline. This is a similar effect in the teaser for "Welcome To The Rileys" as they filmed in a setting which was more run-down suggesting a film based upon something more realistic, as opposed to the more fairy-tale film where everything that you want to happen happens.
• 0;00;36.0 (re-visiting eating in the bedroom); This shot that has been used implies that there is more than one location that has been used within my trailer, but would also be seen within my overall film. This is a common feature usually seen within teaser trailers, as it helps to suggest more about the theme. I have purposely filmed in this bedroom as the wallpaper suggested more about my protagonists personality through the colour pink and the flowers; as the pink suggests she is girly, who is in touch with her emotions and the flowers suggest that she is caring.
• 0;00;41.8 (shot of main character laughing with book); I filmed this shot purposely, as I wanted the audience to empathize with my main character, as she seems emotionally involved with her book whilst she is laughing which helps to suggest that she has no friends.
• 0;00;48.1 (inter-titles); I feel that these inter-titles help to involve the viewer, even if they weren't to watch the main film. This is because they've seen my main character alone which could possibly 'hit a nerve' with the viewers emotions. This, I feel inspires the viewer to try and get themselves out there before their life cuts short as "you only live once". These inter-titles also emphasize the opposite of what my main character has or, more so, hasn't done in her life so far. I wanted the end inter-titles to appear as deep and meaningful which is what is usually seen within this particular genre of film. Whereas my trailer is made to make you see reality, horror film trailers would want to scare you and 'dare' you to watch the film.
  

Above is an annotated trailer which states my reasoning behind certain aspects of the teaser. I felt that annotations on the trailer would let me help you understand my teaser more in-depth.

Use of voice overs - inter-titles

In the trailer for '500 Days Of Summer' a voice over has been used as a narrative to emphasize the protagonist character's feelings. Voice overs are commonly used within teaser trailers to explain parts of the film's plot, however making it sound like a new story. What this does to the particular viewer is distract their connection with the main character(s), which could a) make the audience not want to watch the film or b) entice the viewer, allowing them to bond fully with them in the film. For this reason, I have researched into inter-titles as an other way to connect with my audience, as I wanted them to establish a connection immediately; which would then allow them to empathize with them more in the film. This has successfully be done in the trailer for "Welcome To The Rileys", using them consistently to ask questions which relates to the plot, but can also make sense on their own.

Because "Welcome To The Rileys" has a similar plot, genre and storyline, I felt that using their trailer for inspiration would help develop the quality of my own teaser trailer. For this reason, I decided against the use of a voice over as it would've meant that my target audience wouldn't have empathised immediately with my main character - which is what happens with all of the protagonists in the trailer for "Welcome To The Rileys".

The main reason why I made my inter-titles similar, was merely so my target audience would recognize my inspiration from "Welcome To The Rileys" which would allow them to think that the trailer promoting the full film could be similar. This could possibly attract a wider niche audience because of this. This is often done within teaser trailers and trailers so that an audience is able to grasp a similar overall genre.

Representation within trailers

The representation within a trailer is a very important factor, as it means that a lot can be said about the protagonist character(s) in terms of personalities. For example: 'Summer', the main girl from the film "500 Days Of Summer" wears a lot of flowy dresses. This suggests a romantic person, which is a theme seen within the trailer, however, in the film it is a more 'developed' storyline.

The bottom shot further suggests romance, as the two characters are holding hands. I feel inspired by this shot, as it told me that I should imply themes using the props and costumes on the particular characters. The over the shoulder shot above suggests innocence with the bow in her hair juxtaposed with her outfit suggesting an elegant woman. I liked how a simple element of the film can say so much about a character.

Within the main film the purple bow may not be noticed, but because the point of teaser trailers is so that we understand as much about the plot and characters as we can within such a short time space, this was a good idea to add this in as we understand about the character of 'Summer'.

Even though the theme of romance has not been suggested within this shot or trailer, I feel that my pan within my trailer suggests the theme of emptiness which then connotes finding your path in life, which is what my overall theme would be. The spacious setting acts as a metaphor for having room to change, also implying that there is more out there than just being alone with no-one to turn to. Because there is a tree within this shot to separate my protagonist from the horizon, meant that it implied that she will almost turn around and explore, but because we don't see her turn around it creates annoyance for the audience members who feel involved with my character, as they want the best for her. This pan has been explained in more detail on my annotated version of my teaser trailer (above).

The timing of trailer

The overall length of my trailer is 1.01. Teaser trailers are within time limits of 30-60seconds, so I feel that I've fitted that in well with the conventions of a real teaser trailer. I felt that challenging this aspect of teaser trailers would mean too much of the plot could possibly be given away; so only suggesting that my character was 'lost' meant that my target audience felt the urge to find about more about the 'messed-up' life which has been represented. 1 minute is a perfect time to have my teaser trailer, as my particular genre should be allowed to give away some inkling into the character's life.

The use of no speech

Finally, within the trailer for '500 Days Of Summer' there is no speech, but instead, music which helps to suggest the particular genre. As the target audience will be aware of the less mainstream artists, this element also helps to give away the genre of film more. Within such a short space of time I feel that music helps to say the things that cannot be expressed during the 30-60 seconds of a teaser, which I feel was done perfectly during my teaser.

The minor chords at the start of my trailer help to suggest that the story line is sad, which is then nicely juxtaposed at the end with the fast paced editing. The lyrics in the fourth line or so reads "this tempest of desire, just wont let me be" which suggested that something is possibly holding my main character back. An other word which has been used within the song is "fantasy" which then helps to imply that my character wishes that she could be something that she is not quite yet.

Within the teaser trailer for "500 days of summer", it starts with the voice over, and then the song Sweet Disposition by the temper trap. The opening line for this song is "sweet disposition" which immediately sums up the overall plot of the film. To some extent this song could possibly give away too much of the plot, as well as the shots used, however this backs up my point about songs saying what shots aren't able to say in such a short period of time.