Trailer Research: Soundtracks

Overview

From using evidence from personal experience of viewing trailers and in particular the trailers I am analysing for my production ('Kidulthood' and 'Top Boy'), I noticed that there was a conventional use of a soundtrack(s) in the programme/films trailer.

Both 'Kidulthood' and 'Top Boy' had a similar soundtrack style - each trailer generally conveyed a 'grimy' feel and I felt that the soundtracks work in a significant manor to help the audience feel the lives of the characters in each TV show. For example, the first soundtrack in 'Kidulthood' portrays some diegetic sound - the audio relates to what we are shown on the trailer. So in this case, we see a glimpse of a man 'rapping', which in my opinion helps to add to the 'gritty' and 'underground' feel that the film portrays.

This is similar to 'Top Boy', which although doesn't include anyone rapping in the soundtrack, it uses quite a simplistic soundtrack with a heavy baseline. This helps to create an enigmatic feel for the trailer as it doesn't reveal too much about the trailer thus making the audience more likely to watch the TV series a they want to find out more. This links to my next point about how the soundtrack ambiguously adds to the 'gritty' feel of gang life as well as allowing the audience to focus more importantly on the visual aspects of the trailer - and not being too distracted by the soundtrack like 'Kidulthood'.

Ideas for my soundtrack(s)

So after carefully researching different soundtracks from successfully made trailers, I begun to plan ideas for my soundtrack, as listed below:

- Convey a meaning for my trailer and adding to the 'gritty' mood
- Work in a subtle manor - my soundtrack(s) shouldn't distract the audience from the trailer and instead
  should help the trailer flow naturally
- Must be the right flow which helps to maintain the intensity of my trailer e.g. if its too slow it may
  drag my trailer and make it seem too slow and potentially boring

Because my trailer is two minutes long, I felt that it would be a good idea to use two soundtracks, so that the audience don't become bored by the same soundtrack. Additionally, I am planning to use the soundtracks to almost split my trailer into two different sections. The first section (around the first half of the trailer) should be used to help set the scene for my trailer, such as showing the characters, location, etc. This means that the soundtrack should be quite slow and more effectively be emotive to help the significance of setting the scene.

The second section (the rest of the trailer) however is all about the plot - the main and essential parts od my story. This means that the second soundtrack should be more upbeat and faster, almost so that it pumps adrenaline into the audience as they are watching my trailer. I was also hoping to include a rapper similar to 'Kidulthood' as I felt this worked effective to set the scene.

My Soundtracks

'The Streets - Blinded by the Lights (Instrumental)'

I have chosen to use this soundtrack as my first as I feel it works perfectly to set the scene. It begins with a slow and simplistic beat where eventually the music builds up thus adding an emotive side to my trailer. I have decided to use the Instrumental version only as I am planning to include rapping for my second soundtrack, as this one should focus primarily on setting the scene for my trailer. Additionally, I feel that this soundtrack is also quite emotive - the high - pitched lyrics of 'blinded by the lights' etc almost make the location of my trailer seem depressive and sad, which also works perfectly as I am purposely trying to show a place where poverty and crime has effected the community. Therefore, I will be using this soundtrack for roughly the first half of my trailer.

'Skinnyman - Day to Day Basis'

This soundtrack works in a similar way to my first one. It is slightly more upbeat thus working better for the second half of my trailer and isn't too 'in your face', meaning that the audience aren't distracted by the soundtrack. It also includes someone rapping (Skinnyman) which works in a diegetic way as when listening to the lyrics the rapper talks about the harsh lives people face, thus linking to the harsh lives my characters face. This therefore fits perfectly into how I wanted my second soundtrack as it maintains the emotive side of my trailer as well as being slightly more upbeat and including a rapper.

Soundtrack changes

At first, for my first soundtrack, I was going to use the song 'Skream - Snarled'. At first, I thought I would try and use a completely different and unconventional soundtrack which when researching din't appear in any trailers. The soundtrack consists of the dub step genre which initially I felt would be effective, as the genre of music is rising and becoming familiarising with the younger generation - thus suiting my audience. Additionally I felt that the soundtrack added to the 'gritty' feel of my trailer - it included a heavy baseline (like 'Top Boy'). However, when adding the soundtrack to my trailer, I felt that it didn't actually help to convey a meaning - it didn't work the way I wanted it to work. So after showing Simon, I was given similar feedback  - it worked in a  non-diegetic way and almost made my trailer look like a music video. Therefore, I decided to change this soundtrack with 'The Streets - Blinded by the Lights' as mentioned previously.

To conclude, I feel that researching soundtracks has generally had a huge impact on my trailer. I learnt how they work in such a subtle yet effective way to add to the meaning of my trailer which at first I didn't really think that soundtracks were important.