Structure
A trailer will often be structured around the most appealing aspects of a film disregarding the conventional narrative order. For example, you might see a funny moment taken from the ending of a comedy near the beginning of the trailer for that film, or a selection of clips chosen to attract the widest possible audience, such as a romantic clip in the trailer for an action film. Some trailers will aim to provide a basic narrative structure to guide us through the film’s storyline.
Watch the trailer for The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones in the clip viewer.
Try to spot and describe the different structural conventions exemplified in the trailer. Use the headings below.
- Opening
- Build-up
- Problems
- Events
You can use this downloadable diagram to collect your notes.