Possible Narratives

Since it is clear that most of the trailers for mainstream romantic films follow the same pattern, we simply have to base our trailer on others with a different twist in the story. The typical structure of the trailer is:

1. Couple meets/Couple is happy
2. Something goes wrong
3. Dramatic montage to portray their changing relationship

Since both 1. and 3. are almost always the same in all the trailers, it is aspect 2. that we need to come up with.

Examples of 2. in trailers that I have studied:

'Dear John' - John has to go to war
'The Lucky One' - Logan kept a secret from Beth
'The Vow' - Paige loses her memory
'The Notebook' - Ally is forced to move away from Noah
'One Day' - Emma and Dexter's personalities change so much that they can no longer relate to each other

'Remember Me' is slightly different in that stage 2. actually appears before stage 1. However, the audience is still led to believe through the shots of Tyler and Ally's father in the montage, that this could be the main cause of conflict in the film.

Possible ideas for Stage 2.:
- incorporating ideas from 'Dear John', 'One Day' and 'The Notebook' - one of the couple is forced to move away as a career choice/family etc. but their relationship continues through letters and spaced out meetings
- basing ideas from a Romeo & Juliet point of view, also similar to 'The Notebook' - due to a family crisis/feud, the couple is forced apart
- introducing a 3rd character of a similar age to the couple who comes between them - similar to the role of Ally's father in 'Remember Me' or Ally's mother in 'The Notebook.'


For more art house romantic film trailers I have studied, there is a less particular pattern in the trailers. Although 'Like Crazy' does reflect a similar order to mainstream trailer in that they show something going wrong, it is more similar to 'Blue Valentine' and 'Revolutionary Road' where it is clear that the films are more character driven than plot driven - both the trailers seem to only focus on the relationship rather than any external problems that effect it.

This type of trailer is more difficult to approach as a non-professional production as I think it may look like we have simply jumbled up some shots of a couple without much of a storyline. However, we will still incorporate lots of ideas from these trailers as I like the style and mood they create. I would like to recreate something as personal as the song in 'Blue Valentine' or the poem in 'Like Crazy' as I think it really helps the audience identify the extent of the couple's relationship. I also much prefer the montage in 'Revolutionary Road' to other trailers as I think it is much more dramatic and emotional, with a lot more energy.

W.H.