If I Stay - Trailer Review

If I Stay Trailer

This trailer has conformed very strongly to the typical narrative structure of a film trailer. This is shown throughout the whole trailer, starting with the opening. Typically this would establish the setting and introduce the characters, in If I Stay trailer it is opened with a girl sat on stage with a judging panel in front of her. Here this establishes the character and the aim or goal she has. This also establishes the genre of the film, as the two main characters are male and female, it is likely to be a romantic/drama genre. The next step would be the build up, this happens in the trailer by introducing the second protagonist, a boy. They are shown together for the first time in her bedroom, standing with a distance between them, this hints the its maybe a new friendship or that there is some awkwardness. This relationship

is later put into question by one of her friends, which reinforces what the audience is thinking, about his feelings for her and shows there has been progress in the two main characters relationship. This uncertainty is then resolved when the two characters kiss, showing there relationship is obviously more than 'just friends', this is also typical of a film trailer as it shows the development of the relationship. There is then a big event, like a typical trailer, which changes the course of the whole film and all the characters life's. A car crash causes a' problem', as stated in the typical stages of a film trailer. This 'problem' also helps towards showing the development between the two main character as we can see the devastation on the boys face when he sees her in hospital, showing feeling between them have developed. Like a typical film trailer there is usually more than one 'big event' and we soon hear that her parents both died in the car crash as well, meaning if she wakes up she will be an orphan. There is then a resolution stage in the typical film trailer however, this isn't so apparent in this particular film opening as we don't find out if the 'problem' is solved or not. However, this does then contribute to the idea of making the audience want more and not giving to much away to them, it allows the trailer to capture them into watching the

film. The final stage is the ending, typically characters reflect on events, reinstate relationships and look forward. This can be seen in this trailer when it shows flashbacks of childhood memories, letting the main female character reflect on events in her life which link to key parts of the film, such as receiving her cello. We also see the factor of looking forward right at the end of the trailer when the male protagonist visits the female protagonist in hospital and sits next to her bed and ask her to "please stay", this again shows the development in their

relationship and shows aspects of the future, if she does wake up. Another feature used in this film trailer is the facts it isn't in chronological order, the trailer starts with her audition at Juliard School, but in the film it does appear until later. This allows the storyline to be told in the trailer but not completely be given away, due to the order being different.