Trailer Review: Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy

The trailer for Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy does a great job of getting the audience interested in the plot of the story. This is done through the trailer's slow exposure of the premise of the film as well as using a soundtrack that creates a sense of mystery, perfectly suited for the genre of the film.

In terms of the editing, shots were chosen that parallel the voice over being used in the trailer. This is done as opposed to trying to tell a narrative that many trailers do in order to introduce the audience to the film's story. For example when the voice-over is revealing the premise of the film, shots of the possible suspects fade in and fade out showing how each of them are labeled by a nickname that they are given. This shot of Colin Firth also lends itself to a discussion on cinematography in the film. Because this shot is the first time the audience is exposed to the suspects, it is important that the subject of the shot is clearly shown. This is done through a very narrow focus that creates blur in the background and bringing into attention Colin Firth's face. The guilty expression on his face helps to communicate to the audience that he is indeed a potential suspect in the film.

The soundtrack is also important in this trailer because it creates the foundation for the atmosphere of the trailer. Right from the beginning, the eerie music creates a sense of uneasiness in the audience. This is important to the rest of the trailer because this is the initial point of suspense. Immediately, the audience is treated to a sense of mystery, which lends itself to a more interesting and captivating trailer.

The use of text in the trailer also helps to create intrigue in the audience by serving as an aid to expose the premise of the film. It helps the audience make sense of the information being presented in the trailer by attaching text to the images shown in the trailer. Bolding the word "eyes" also helps to anchor down the shots being shown by associating a group of images with a single word. The simplicity of the text also helps for the audience to understand the meaning behind the text since the time a trailer has to reveal information is inherently limited.

Also by choosing to show shots that are ambiguous helps to draw in the audience by leaving the audience with more questions than answers. This creates a lasting sense of curiosity with the film which is ideal in order to market a film to an audience. The job of the last shot of the trailer is to ultimately spark interest in the audience. This shot of what seems to be Gary Oldman does a good job of this because it is near impossible to come to a conclusion about the purpose of the shot within the context of the film. Because the goal of a trailer is to get people interested about a film, techniques like this are essential in creating a successful trailer.