Trailer Analysis - Project X

The trailer for a movie is probably the most important aspect in terms of promoting it, as it gives you a taster of what the film will be like, and builds curiosity and interest. The trailer for Project X in particular builds a lot of excitement about the film, as it shows very fast clips of the party that the film is based around, creating intrigue and the desire to see more. The trailer starts with the words “In 2011, Warner Bros. Pictures invited audiences to a series of exclusive screenings of Project X”. This is then followed by a scene from the film, where the whole neighbourhood is on fire, and the three main characters are standing watching, looking shocked. The way that this clip is shown after we are told that audiences were invited to watch the film, makes you think that something terrible happened and you want to find out more about it. The writing then comes back and it reads “This is what they said…”.  At this point, heavy party music starts playing, as many different clips are shown of parts of the party scenes in the film, and also peoples reviews of what they thought after watching the film at the private screening. This sudden change of atmosphere (the silence that turns into music) instantly creates excitement, making the viewer feel as though they are actually at a party, which is what the film producer’s intentions were. All the reviews then fly into a big letter ‘X’. This creates mystery, as does the actual name of the film, as you want to find out what “Project X” is and what it stands for. We are then shown a clip from the film where the three main characters are inviting a stranger to the party, who then reveals that he’s already been invited and everyone is talking about it, showing the large scale of the party they are throwing. Again, this creates anticipation to see how the party turned out. After this scene of quiet dialogue, a different, upbeat, party song starts to play as we are shown lots of different clips from the party. During this, writing comes on the screen to inform us that the Project X director was the same person who directed Old School and The Hangover, both very successful films. The fast clips and loud music carries on, creating a real party atmosphere, building hype and excitement for the viewer. The viewer is then told to ‘get on the list’ by visiting the Facebook page and being invited to a private screening, again promoting the film as an actual party.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1636826/?ref_=sr_2