Research - Film Trailers (Crime/Thriller)

The key characteristics of crime/thriller film trailers are that crosscutting and jump-cuts are used throughout. The purpose of this is to make the audience feel both intimidated and excited enough to be convinced to go see the film. The music usually starts off very slow, quiet and eerie at the beginning, resembling the way a criminal/murderer stalks its victim. Gradually the tempo and pitch build up until by the climax of the trailer the soundtrack is very fast-paced, loud and intense. This could be a representation of how a killer begins chasing their victim, the loudness and the speed portraying how the victim may be feeling in that particular situation. In the majority of crime/thriller film trailers there is also a voiceover (either dialogue from one of the characters or a narrator) to provide key information about the film's plot, so that the audience can make their decision to watch it or not.

Popular Crime/Thriller films that use these tropes for their trailers are: