Trailers are a particularly interesting form of advertisement because for the average moviegoer, it is the only means of exposure they will have. While a product or service can take multiple approaches of selling itself to the people, or even succeed despite a lackluster campaign because its quality and usefulness are so renowned, a movie’s only hook is in the cut of its trailer, and if that doesn’t grab an audience then it’s bad news for the film. It’s also a tricky line to walk when cutting a trailer together because essentially its pitching in give or take two minutes, what the whole experience will be like to see it in theaters without giving the film away entirely. The typical trailer tries to get across the film’s basic plot, tone, and audience draw, whether it be special effects, a star studded cast, or an engaging high concept, while still making a viewer feel as though there’s more to come. A movie trailer can be a paint by numbers pitch or a well constructed piece of art. Here, I’ll be breaking down the trailer for the Coen Brothers’ latest picture,
True Grit:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RR_1z03CAj8
An appeal discussed in professor Straubhaar’s lecture on November 1st was the concept of celebrity endorsements. A notable name attached to a product, or in this case a film, gives it a certain stamp of quality. Depending on the general public opinion of that celebrity, those are the qualities that are attributed to the film they’re advertised in. If you have Lebron James endorsing Nike sneakers, then people subconsciously attribute Nike to athletic prowess. If you’re advertising The Beaver with Mel Gibson, then the public will deem you film unpleasant, misogynistic, and anti-Semitic (joke, but you get the idea). In the one minute and fifteen second trailer for True Grit, we are advertised that this is a film by Academy Award winners Joel and Ethan Coen, who directed the Academy Award winning film No Country for Old Men, and stars Academy Award winners Jeff Bridges, Matt Damon, and Academy Award nominated Josh Brolin. While not all of these names may mean much to typical movie audiences, the phrase everyone will understand is the one I repeated four times: “Academy Award.” This creates a pedigree for the film, a guarantee of quality as it has numerous recognized talents starring together in a western that promises to be dark and engaging. It may not be a typical blockbuster that appeals to all ages, but it suggests awards caliber qualities that will draw in a more cultured crowd. And amidst all this, an eerie tone is created through a haunting girl’s choir song in the background, establishing a mood as well as building on the intended time period. In addition, we see beautiful shots and frames throughout, suggesting that not only will this be an entertaining film with a grand scope, but it will be gorgeous to watch as well. Considering the number of times I’ve watched this trailer consecutively, this may already be my favorite film of the year, and it builds a great deal of anticipation for the movie’s release.
