3.Deconstructing Film Trailers: How Narrative and Editing Create Audience Appeal”

 Purpose of Research

The aim of this post is to analyse how film trailers use narrative structure, editing, and sound design to engage audiences and communicate genre conventions. This research will inform the construction of my own film trailer for the coursework component of my A Level Media Studies portfolio.

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Analysis

Film trailers are one of the most powerful tools in film promotion because they combine narrative hints, character teasers, and spectacle to persuade audiences to watch the full film. I analysed three trailers: Get Out (2017), A Quiet Place (2018), and The Batman (2022).

Across all three, the narrative structure tends to follow Todorov’s theory of equilibrium: a sense of normality is quickly disrupted by a disequilibrium — often through a sudden cut or a shift in tone. This aligns with the trailer’s function: to create enigma codes (Barthes) that generate curiosity without revealing full resolutions.

In terms of editing, I noticed that all trailers use rapid montage sequences towards the end to build tension, often in time with a musical crescendo or percussive beat. For example, The Batman trailer uses a rhythmic edit synced to the Nirvana track Something in the Way, creating an intense, gritty aesthetic that appeals to fans of dark crime thrillers.

Sound design also plays a crucial role — non-diegetic sound (music, voiceover) establishes tone and genre. The use of a slow build-up leading into a “sound drop” or blackout moment is a common technique to leave audiences in suspense.

Key Findings for My Own Production

• I will use a three-act teaser narrative (establish equilibrium → disruption → cliffhanger).
• My trailer will employ montage editing and a sound-driven climax to evoke tension.
• I plan to integrate enigma codes around character identity and motivation to attract my target audience.