Trailer Definition

A trailer is a summarized production of a film according to its promotion and dissemination in society, considered an advertising genre, and whose conception extends to other areas, such as the video game industry.

When we go to the cinema it is common, before the film of interest begins, for a series of promotional shorts for productions that are about to premiere or are already on the billboard to be broadcast on the big screen. Its transmission is carried out in the interest that it captures the attention of people and seeks to see it.

History

Although there is no historical chronology that presents its evolution to understand its current characteristics, it is closely linked to the history of cinema. The difference is that the film responds to artistic and entertainment objectives, while the trailer responds to advertising patterns and their effectiveness.

The promotional activity of films began at the same moment that they began to be exhibited to an audience, seeking massive attendance at these screenings. The relationship between these two factors is simple: the more public that attended, the greater the profits the projected installation would have, and, therefore, the people involved in the production. This has to do directly with the distribution of the film and the agency that carries out this activity, which generally allocates a budget to the production, which is recovered with its distribution.

There is a small controversy as to what was the first trailer in the history of cinema. Vincenz Hediger, a film professor, believes that they were small fragments that were broadcast at the end of each episode of the series “What Happened to Mary”, by Thomas Edison in 1912. These video segments contained text that invited to watch the next episode. On the other hand, the director of the trailer department of the Paramount company, Lou Harris, believes that it was a promotional video for a series called “The Adventures of Kathlyn”, broadcast in 1912. In this case, it consisted of a video sequence in the in which the protagonist entered a lion’s den, after which the text on the screen raised questions about the fate of the girl, which would be answered in the following episode.

In its beginnings, the audiovisual sequences were very similar to print advertisements, followers of the graphic tradition in newspapers and tabloids. But little by little a concern began to include captivating scenes, those that would attract more public attention for the subsequent presentation of the complete tape.

Its existence is also due to the measurement of market responses in the field of cinema, since this determined the ways of editing and editing the trailer. In addition, it was another way of measuring the responses of the public to a specific film, which over time became the so-called “screening”, a screening prior to the premiere that could mean the reissue of the film for better results.

It should also be noted that the current spelling of the term includes an orthographic accent on the first syllable, to comply with the rules of the Spanish language. This is because the word was a neologism, included in our language due to the lack of a complete translation of its meaning.

Characteristics

One of the most important characteristics of the trailer is its duration, since it is intended to capture the viewer’s attention by giving the right information, without fully developing the plot of the film it presents. That is why they usually last less than three minutes.

It consists of texts on screen and voice and off, accompanied by interesting dialogues that are included in the entire film. It is usually a quick montage, with the appearance of the most relevant characters (actors). This sequence or model has remained more or less invariable throughout history.

The ultimate goal is to convince a viewer to watch the movie. Its language is persuasive and obeys, exclusively, an advertising goal that seeks to increase the number of people who are willing to consume the audiovisual product. That is why they are edited in such a way that you can predict what a film is about, but without presenting outcomes or important elements of the plot.

Trailer as cargo vehicle designation

Another of the recurring uses of the word is to designate that non-motorized cargo vehicle that at least consists of a chassis, wheels, loading surface and its own brakes. It is often referred to as a trailer or trailer as well. The peculiarity that it presents is that does not move under its own power but needs to be pulled and steered by another vehicle. Due to the fact that these obstruct the vision, both of the license plate and of the lights of the vehicle that is towing it, the trailers, even if they do not have their own mobility, must carry a copy of the license plate and a set of lights on the back that will be activated by an electrical connection.

Generally, a trailer is made up of a chassis that contains a certain load surface, wheels that will allow it to move when the vehicle that tows it carries out the action of mobilizing it. An ordinary car, a van, a truck, a motorcycle and even a bicycle can carry a trailer according to the possibilities.

It is used to transport different types of loads, from motorcycles, tents, animals, to food and other substances. For example, when horses have to be moved from one place to another, to participate in a contest, to cite a recurring case, this type of vehicle is often used because it is a safe way to move them.

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