Where might a trailer be seen?

How will different formats affect the viewing of the trailer?

Trailers in the Cinema One way that trailers can be viewed is at the cinema, this is a traditional way and where the first trailers were presented. The name ‘trailer’ comes from the fact that trailers were played in the cinema after a film. Although this wasn’t effective because the viewers would leave straight after the film and miss the trailers – hence why the trailers are at the beginning of the film now, though the name has remained. This is done as the producers of the trailer will know they are attracting the right audience, as they are already in and mostly interested in film and going to the cinema - Their target audience.

When viewing a trailer in a cinema, the tension and atmosphere will be largely increased to watching a trailer else where. This will make the trailer more effective and again encourage more people to go and watch the film because the trailer had so much of an effect on them. This is because the screen is much larger, helping the audience to see everything fully maximized, especially in a dark room where other people’s reactions could increase their own. With good quality sound and view.

DVD / Blue-rayAnother place that trailers can be seen is on a DVD or Blue-ray. More recently these have taken over the VHS tapes, mainly because of the large technological improvements. When trailers were played on VHS tapes they were played before the film had started, although some would be played after. If the trailers were played after then a warning message would come up saying “stay tuned after the feature for more previews”. Mainly these trailers are shown on the DVD before the film has begun, with a variety of different film genres being shown just like the majority of the VHS tapes.

More recently these trailers are seen more as a special feature and can be seen wherever the viewer chooses, before, during or after the actual film itself. This however makes the trailers less likely to be watched as the viewer has a choice whether to watch the trailers or not.

DVD trailers are often watched from home, this means the viewer will be more comfortable, but there is also a lot more distractions at home so the viewers attention may not be fully directed at the trailer. Another feature is the quality of the persons TV, if it’s an older TV, it will have less quality and the trailer will be less effective. This is vital to horror films as the full impact wont be given out, making it less scary resulting in less people going to watch the film.

InternetThe internet offers a large market for trailers to be viewed, this is mainly through sites such as YouTube, where the viewer can sometimes choose to watch trailers or when they’ve chosen to watch something on the site often different trailers are played before this video is able to be watched. This makes it really quick and easy.

On the other hand you need to have WIFI or internet connection to be able to watch the trailers, this means there are limited times when you are able to use the internet or watch trailers. You are not always the effected or impacted by trailers when watching it through the internet as you are watching it quickly and probably doing more than one thing at a time. Laptops are also limited as they will need Wi-Fi, this could mean your restricted to watching them at home, also laptops have smaller screens and the speakers wouldn't’t be as good quality, again so less effective. Also a laptop may need to be plugged in if the battery starts to die, this will be another factor of limiting where trailers can be watched.

Mobile phones Mobile phones are another source of media where trailers can be watched. This is a positive way of viewing because where people constantly carry their mobile phones around, trailers can be watched wherever. This benefits the trailer and the film because friends can show one another and their for more people will want to go and watch the film, increasing the publicity.

On the other hand watching trailers on mobile phones would mean that this would have less effect on the viewer. This is because the screen is much smaller so the trailer wouldn’t be as clear. The sound quallity would be less clear so again wouldnt be as effective. Especially in a horror film because the sound is crucial to make it scary and want the audience to go and watch it.