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How do trailers help fill cinemas?

Marketing campaigns may use a film’s genre to gain our interest, playing on elements that are familiar to an audience. But at the same time, a marketing campaign must also show us how a new film is different to others in the same genre: this is known as the USP (unique selling point) of the film.

The USP is what separates one film title from another released at a similar time or within the same genre. The USP could be many things, for example:

  • the innovative use of special effects
  • an unusual mix of genres
  • a popular star

Watch the three trailers in the clip viewer.

What do you think is the USP of each of these titles? Give reasons for your answer.

Close

The Host

JARED: One sound and you die. It’s impossible. You’re huu…!

[Music]

JARED: My name is Jared Howe. I haven’t spoken to another human being in two years.

MELANIE: Melanie, Stryder

MELANIE: This is the beginning of a love story…

[Sound of thunder]

MELANIE: It might not seem like a big deal except for one thing, this is the future and humanity is all but extinct. We have been invaded by another species who erase our minds to take our bodies. But there are a few of us left who still fight back.

MEALNIE: I’ll lead them away.

MAN: Hey! Hey!

THE SEEKER: Come with us.

MELANIE: Like hell

[Shattering glass]

TEXT: FROM STEPHENIE MEYER

MAN: Barely a bone not broken nor organ ruptured.

THE SEEKER: This one wants to live.

TEXT: AUTHOR OF THE TWILGHT SAGA

THE SEKKER: Human bodies take a lot of getting used to, they’re not like the others we have inhabited. Their emotions are powerful. If her will has survived along with her memories she may resist from within.

TEXT: THIS SPRING

TEXT: LOVE

MELANIE: Jared

JARED: It’s not human

TEXT: NEVER

IAN: So we stop acting human?

TEXT: DIES

JARED: I miss everything about her and I would do anything to get her back. I gotta know. Is Melanie here?

TEXT: THE HOST

TEXT: WRITTEN FOR THE SCREEN AND DIRECTED BY ANDREW NICCHOL, BASED ON THE NOVEL BY STEPHENIE MEYER

 

The Great Gatsby

JAY GATSBY: I will tell you god’s truth.

[Music]

GATSBY: God’s truth about myself. I am the son of some very wealthy people, sadly they’re all dead now. I live in all the capitals of Europe collecting jewels, hunting big game, painting a little. Then came the war old sport. Every allied government gave me a decoration.

NICK CARRAWAY: Major Jay Gatsby for valour extraordinary.

JAY GATSBY: That’s right.

NICK CARRAWAY: Could it all be true? Gatsby. He had an extraordinary sense of hope but I had the uneasy feeling that he was guarding secrets.

TEXT: IN 2013

MAN: Gatsby – I’d like to know who he is and what he does.

DAISY: Gatsby? What Gatsby?

MAN: My boy!

JAY GATSBY: Mr. Carraway this is my good friend Mr. Meyer Wolfsheim.

MR. MEYER WOLFSHEIM: I understand you’re looking for a business connection.

JAY GATSBY: It happens to be confidential. You understand?

TEXT: FROM BAZ LUHRMANN

DAISY: I’m certainly glad to see you again.

TEXT: DIRECTOR OF ROMEO + JULIET, MOULIN ROUGE

JAY GATSBY: I’m certainly glad to see you aswell.

DAISY: I wish we could just run away.

WOMAN: I’ve just heard the most shocking thing.

WOMAN: It all makes sense.

NICK CARRAWAY: You can’t repeat the past.

JAY GATSBY: You can’t repeat the past?

TEXT: LEONARDO DICAPRIO

TEXT: TOBEY MAGUIRE

TEXT: CAREY MULLIGAN

JAY GATSBY: Why of course you can.

TEXT: THE GREAT GATSBY

TEXT: COMING SOON

 

Warm Bodies

[MUSIC]

R: I wish I could introduce myself but I am dead. It’s kind of a bummer. This is my best friend we even have almost conversations sometimes.

M: (grunts)

R: (grunts)

R: I call these guys bonies. They’ll eat anything with a heartbeat. I mean, I will too but at least I’m conflicted about it.

[GUN FIRE]

[HEART BEATS]

R: Shhhhh!

R: Be dead. (groans)

(JULIE GROANS)

R: That’s too much.

R: (to himself) Don’t be creepy, don’t be creepy.

JULIE: What are you?

TEXT: FROM SUMMIT ENTERTAINMENT

MAN: This is a corpse infected with the plague. It is uncaring, unfeeling, incapable of remorse.

JULIE: I don’t understand but he’s changing and he feels and he’s learning how to be human again.

NORA: Oh my god, is that him?

JULIE: Yeah.

NORA: ‘Sup.

PERRY: You’ve started something here. Whatever it is that you too have, it’s infecting the others.

JULIE: Dad, they are somehow curing themselves.

DAD: They are not curing themselves.

M: Come with me.

TEXT: THIS FEBRUARY

[JULIE SCREAMS]

TEXT: LOVE

MAN: Shoot on sight. We have a breach!

[GUN SHOTS]

TEXT: MAKES US HUMAN

R: We’re changing everything.

MAN: We’re seeing corpses fighting skeletons, Sir.

MAN: Where do we shoot?

M: Shoot this…Hi…

TEXT: WARM BODIES

NORA: So is he your boyfriend? Your zombie boyfriend?

JULIE: Shut up!