Ideas For an Improved Daredevil Trailer Prepared for Mr. Marchbanks, CEO Chapel Hill Film Marketing, Inc. Prepared by Team Member Name Team Member Name Team Member Name Team Member Name October 25, 2005
TO: Paul Marchbanks, CEO Chapel Hill Film Marketing, Inc. October 25, 2005 FROM: Team #1 SUBJECT: Ideas for a new Daredevil trailer On October 13, 2005, the head of our marketing agency assigned our team the task of designing a new trailer for the re-release of Daredevil on Blu-Ray and HD-DVD. We believe that the original trailer hindered the success of the film in theaters. Previously we analyzed aspects of the original trailer which we find added to the film s poor performance. Our group reviewed the content of the trailer, its organization and pacing, its narration and score, as well as its targeted audience. We concluded that the trailer revealed too much of the plot, as well as targeted a narrow audience. Putting our ideas together, we have created a new trailer for the re-release of Daredevil. We have included scenes to target a broader audience and have incorporated the ideas concluded from the analysis of the original trailer. Also, we have included other marketing ideas for the film s re-release. We are happy to answer any questions and accept any criticisms. We are glad to be a part of this endeavor and thank you for your confidence in our work.
Introduction In this report, Team #1 will present research, data, and original innovative ideas concerning the marketing for the upcoming release of Daredevil on Blu-Ray and HD- DVD. This proposal will explain why the original trailer for this film did not do well and will describe the new trailer as prepared by Team #1, as well as an explanation of our thinking behind the new teaser, including the revised target audience, the speed of the trailer, the parts of the plot highlighted, and the music. We thank you for the opportunity to take part in this endeavor and are confident in the success of the re-release. What is Blu-Ray and HD-DVD? Blu-Ray gets its name from the blue light used to read the information on the disk. The switch to a blue ray from the current red light used to read CDs and DVDs allows more information to be packed onto one disc, rather that spreading the information over several discs. This is the same principle used in HD-DVD. Blu-Ray and HD-DVD can hold over 25 GB, or 13 hours of standard quality recordings or up to two hours of high definition recordings. This clearly is the wave of the future, and in releasing Daredevil on Blue-ray and HD-DVD, our company will jump ahead of the competition. This project is very important for our industry because many expect that Blu-Ray and/or HD-DVD will replace DVD recorders in the years to come. Popular film genres Daredevil, an action film, belongs to one of the more popular genres. In recent years, action movies have done comparatively well. In 2001, six out of the ten top grossing films of the year were action flicks. The statistic is consistent through 2002 and 2003, in those years, the top grossing film of the entire year was action, and in 2003, the top four grossing films fell under the action category. In 2004 and so far in 2005, five out of the ten top grossing films are action movies, including the number one grossing film this year. Besides action, another immensely popular genre is comedy. Daredevil is obviously an action film and it is relatively easy to market that aspect, however, we need to emphasize the few humorous moments to draw the widest audience possible. Relative overall performance Daredevil did poorly in the box office in comparison to other action films released around the same time. Even other movies based on comic books released within a year of the Daredevil did considerably better, such as Spiderman in 2002 and Spiderman 2 in 2004. We can safely assume, due to the box office charts, that audiences want to see action and that the reason that Daredevil did not gross as much as expected was because of poor marketing. This revised trailer should help eliminate this problem for the upcoming rerelease of Daredevil on HD-DVD and Blu-Ray. The ineffective original trailer Data proves that previous marketing attempts for the movie Daredevil failed in their attempts to create a successful trailer which draws in a vast and large audience that will purchase the movie on DVD. Our group has researched the multiple causes for an
unsuccessful trailer. Our main aspects were the components of the trailer, the narration and score, the organization and pacing, and the targeted audience. We found aspects in each component which could be changed so as to provide a more effective trailer. Excessive use of content in trailer The research done on content focused mainly on the prevalence of plot and characters in the trailer. After watching the entire trailer, we felt that too much of the plot was revealed. When a viewer can watch a trailer and know almost every aspect of the plot, even those intended to be mysterious, the viewer loses the desire to spend money on seeing or purchasing the movie. While many trailers use various pieces of the movie that are unconnected, the Daredevil trailer puts all the pieces together and forms an entire story. One main plot point the trailer exposes is how Daredevil became blind as a child, which is an aspect that if left a mystery would attract more viewers. How in fact did this man become blind and still become a hero? This and other similar questions leave the viewer curious and wondering. Daredevil s original trailer also revealed too many of the characters. While the main characters of a movie should be introduced in the trailer, it is not necessary to show less important, secondary characters. In the original trailer, every character down to a simple reporter is shown. The trailer shows all the characters roles and reveals their connections, which is a major flaw. Figuring out who everyone is, and what part they play in the overall scheme of things is a major interest point in a movie. Daredevil s original trailer shows the viewer the role of everyone, even revealing the identity of the Kingpin. Had the trailer included less characters and character interactions, the trailer would be more mysterious and suspenseful. This new trailer would encourage more people to see the entire movie. Inadequate use of music and narration The original trailer for Daredevil used background music in virtually every scene. While the music was effective in creating an appropriate mood, and was used when needed, it mostly consisted of modern rock music. Using only one type of music, especially songs that are mainstream and only temporarily popular (i.e. Bring Me To Life by Evanescence) is ineffective because it only targets a certain group of people. Not only do older people not relate the modern rock, but there are also various groups that disapprove of the type of music. By using a type of music that attracts only certain viewers, the trailer immediately disinterests potential viewers of the movie. Daredevil s trailer also uses different types of narration throughout the scenes. The trailer begins with Daredevil himself as the narrator, then changes to an outsider narrator, and ends up with textual narration. While the actual dialogue of the narration was effective, the abrupt changes from one narrator to the next could cause confusion to the viewer. By constantly switching point of view, the trailer became choppy and unfocused. Had the trailer chosen only one of the narrators, the viewer would have been able to better understand the dialogue being said. Organization and pacing throughout the trailer Daredevil s original trailer centered mainly around the action portion of the film. Although it is indeed an action movie, as with all other films there are other aspects and
sub-plots. Behind the movie s main plot there is also a relationship developing between Daredevil and Elektra, which would appeal to women and to those who enjoy romances. There is also a sub-plot explaining why Daredevil is seeking justice (the story of his father s death), which would create sympathy and attract those who enjoy movies where one can sympathize with a character. The trailer shows scenes throughout which are appropriately fast paced and short because of their active nature. The trailer did a good job of keeping different action scenes playing, without making the viewer feel as if they were watching the same scene over and over again. The trailer s organization and pacing was overall effective and was not prominent in causing an unsuccessful trailer. Targeted audience for Daredevil trailer Daredevil obviously is more likely to target boys than girls because it is based on a comic strip. While the trailer did include many action scenes which would keep males attention, at some points it did slow down. These slower scenes and dialogue were ineffective at upholding the interest of the target audience of men. It also did not contain other visual aspects outside of the scenes, and instead focused on auditory additions, which could be less effective in targeting an audience with a desire for quick, flashy action. The trailer also failed to target an audience that is not action orientated. The movie did contain other methods of entertainment, such as comedy (Bullseye), romance (Daredevil and Elektra), and real life drama (the death of Daredevil s father). Had they been more effectively targeted by the trailer, more people would have been encouraged to see the film or buy the DVD. New trailer plan The trailer begins with the sound of the rapidly flipping pages of a comic book. The camera quickly snaps to a scene showing a span of church rooftop at night, and slowly pans to focus on the shadowy form of Daredevil crouching between the statues of two sneering eagle gargoyles. No music accompanies this, but faint ambient urban noise car horns, traffic suggests the existence of a large city beneath and surrounding Daredevil. As the camera pans, Ben Affleck s voice rises from the background to state, I prowl the rooftops at night, a guardian devil. Daredevil jumps from the roof and out of sight. The trailer then flashes to show Daredevil as a young boy Matt Murdock in a hospital room, his head swathed in bandages and his eyes covered by patches of gauze. Sound assaults him, causing him to jolt from bed, stumble throughout the room, and eventually huddle in the corner, knees drawn to his chest. Throughout this, Ben Affleck again serves as the trailer s narrator, explaining his blindness and terming it a radar sense. Matt s father, a boxer by the name of Jack Murdock, makes an appearance. The trailer depicts him as a strong, determined individual, a definite role model for the blinded youth. However, the trailer flashes to reveal Jack, having been beaten up, lying bloodied and bruised in an alleyway, gasping for breath. Someone offscreen shoots him and drops a glistening red rose onto his still chest. The rose falls in slow motion. Matt discovers him only moments later, and clenches the rose in his hand until a thorn pierces his skin and causes him to bleed.
Matt is shown next at odds with a punching bag. He strikes it repeatedly, a smirk on his face. The expression notes the rising confidence Matt feels in himself and suggests, perhaps, an inward intent for vengeance. The scene then cuts to display a courtroom and a much older Matt Murdock, dressed in a suit, attempting to win a case. He leans over and informs an obviously guilty man, For your sake, I hope justice is found here today before justice finds you. The trailer then introduces Matt s love interest in the movie, Elektra, by flipping rapidly to a scene in which Matt and a friend are having coffee in a café. Elektra strolls into the cafe, completely disarming Matt s friend with her beauty. Matt, who manages to corner her, asks her name, and she cleverly evades him by stepping around him and leaving the café. He follows her, and the scene swiftly changes to that of a confrontation between them. They spar, both of them in good humor. The camera zooms in particularly when she hooks a leg over Matt s hip. Eventually she pins him and informs him that her name is Elektra Natchios. The conclusion of this scene immediately switches to that of a man with a unique tattoo on his forehead Bullseye. He throws a bladed star at a flipping Daredevil. Shown alone in the next shot behind a desk, this man gestures to himself with a sneer and addresses the camera (someone offscreen) with no background music: I want a bloody costume. The instant Bullseye finishes saying this, the trailer flickers to show Daredevil and Elektra fighting one another on top of a building at night. Bullseye s laughter echoes in the background. For about five seconds, the trailer switches to a scene in which Matt and Elektra gaze up at the sky during a rainstorm. Elektra s face becomes apparent to Matt s senses; he tells her, My God, you re beautiful. After the five seconds, Bullseye s laughter dominates again and Elektra appears on the same rooftop she and Daredevil were fighting on moments before. Bullseye, glimpsed for an instant on an opposing roof, hurls something toward Elektra. The camera zips to encompass her in a full shot. A blade buries itself in her outstretched hand, and her face contorts in a mixture of pain and horror. The trailer briskly returns to a scene of Matt Murdock, sans costume, in the same restaurant in which he earlier cornered Elektra. He tells his friend, who seems intent on scanning the daily tabloids for news of Daredevil, Stop reading that trash. Directly following, the catchphrase Take The Dare flashes onscreen, blazing red letters on a completely black background. The trailer keeps a scene from its predecessor for its conclusion. A match thrown from offscreen ignites the flaming letters DD on an otherwise bare cement floor. The letters are then shown reflected in the glasses of an onlooker. Cut to black: end trailer. The trailer intends to highlight a general audience Our group found that a trailer which targets a general audience garners more success for the film. Take for example the Titanic trailer that included several different aspects of the film. The trailer utilized all elements (love, history, action) to cater to a general audience and to provide something for everyone. The film eventually became one of the largest moneymakers in history. Our goal is to do the same thing with our audience include several elements from Daredevil so as to offer something for everyone. We have therefore incorporated love, comedy, action, familial situations, and women s power into
the trailer to entice all types of filmgoers. The pacing of the trailer designed for the target audience Our group decided to target a general audience, therefore the pace of the trailer varies. During the action sequences, such as the one involving Elektra, Daredevil, and Bullseye, the pace moves quickly. We feel that fast-paced action scenes will appeal to those who enjoy watching action films. However, this does not attract all viewers. We chose to slow down some sequences in the trailer so as to appeal to other types of filmgoers. For instance, the scene in which Bullseye humorously requests a costume is slow-paced. This pacing allows the humor to sink in and be understood it will appeal to those who enjoy comedies. Other dramatic scenes are slowly paced in order to fully express the sentimentality and melodrama of the scenes. This technique may appeal to those who enjoy dramas and is utilized in such scenes as the death of Matt Murdock s father and the hospitalization of the recently blinded Matt Murdock. Plot aspects included in the trailer to appeal to a general audience We opted to include aspects of the plot that highlight several different elements of the film so the trailer offers something enticing for everyone. We included romantic scenes, comedic scenes, action sequences, and dramatic scenes from the film. We decided to include aspects of the plot not in the original trailer which may have increased the effectiveness of the trailer, such as the story of Jack Murdock s death and Daredevil s alter ego, Matt Murdock. The variety of scenes and important plot aspects included in the new trailer will create an effective trailer and boost the sales of the DVD release. While watching the original Daredevil trailer, we found that it included almost no scenes of Matt Murdock, Daredevil s alter ego. The audience could not make the connection between the two entities, and this is problematic. We therefore opted to include a courtroom scene in our trailer. This will establish a connection between the alter egos and will show how Matt Murdock fights for justice by day as well as by night. The trailer fully neglected another critical element of the film involving Jack Murdock s death. This event explains why Matt becomes Daredevil and how he coined the name Daredevil. Without this essential element in the trailer, the audience is confused about Matt Murdock s reason to fight undercover as Daredevil. The trailer passed over yet another necessary plot line, the love story between Daredevil and Elektra. The original trailer only lightly touched on this topic, and only with showing their fight scene. Not only are these scenes important elements of the plot, but the scenes about the love story and Jack Murdock s death appeal to sentimentalist female audiences as well. These plot lines create sympathy and appeal to filmgoers who prefer dramas over action films. Our group chose to create a varied trailer highlighting all dramatic aspects of the film. For example, we included Bullseye s humorous line about a costume request to appeal to those who enjoy the comedic aspects of films. The scene in which Matt Murdock tells his friend to stop reading the Daredevil garbage is included to draw in those preferring comedies. We tried to target women with glimpses of Ben Affleck in a tight costume and men with glimpses of Jennifer Garner in skin-tight clothing. The trailer tries to target those who enjoy dramas by explaining Matt s blindness using scenes of him as a little boy in the hospital. We tried to invite comic book fanatics as well by starting the trailer with the sound of a comic book flipping. The original trailer made no allusion to the fact that the film is based on a popular comic book series, alienating comic book enthusiasts. We included scenes for those who enjoy action films as well. We chose to incorporate
the ending battle between Elektra, Bullseye, and Daredevil and the shot of Daredevil jumping off of the rooftop. These scenes are very fast-paced and action-packed to attract those who prefer action films. The scene in which Daredevil s calling mark flashes up in fire is also included for this purpose. The original trailer revealed too much about the plot, which is in part responsible for its error. The audience could easily deduce what happens throughout the film. We used this information in designing our new trailer. For instance, we chose not to introduce the Kingpin at all. A subplot in the movie involves the unknown identity of the Kingpin, so we decided to follow through with this and not include his identity in the trailer this character is meant to be a mystery. We also included fewer Bullseye scenes. The original trailer displayed too many Bullseye scenes, almost to the point where the trailer included every scene in which he appeared. We cut down on the plot given away in the trailer so as to create a more enticing film, producing an audience eager to see Daredevil. New marketing devices For marketing purposes, it would be wise to include an indication of the trailer s existence on the cases of DVDs produced by our distribution company. To ensnare the attention of movie-browsers, the indication should be printed on the front of the DVD case. Text proclaiming, Catch a glimpse of the new and improved Daredevil! See the trailer! is a sure eye-catcher, especially if placed in the corner or along the top of the case. Words such as glimpse and new highly appeal to a consumer s curiosity. Dark font against a pale background aids in reading ease. Also, the addition of a preorder form for Daredevil in movie stores would catch a customer s attention. A customer, alerted to the upcoming re-release, would discover a special deal on the price. An advertising leaflet within the DVD case also adds to public exposure of the film before its release. Our company could include leaflets about the upcoming re-release in the cases of our other DVDs, along with the advertisement on the front of the case. Lastly, our main marketing device is marketing via a large fast food company by placing small action figures inside children s meals. Also, we will incorporate a Daredevil game, where customers have an opportunity to win prizes, such as a trip to California for a private screening of the improved Daredevil. Other prizes include meetings with Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner.
Works Cited Daredevil. IMDbPro.com. (2005). IMDbPro. 4 Oct 2005. http://pro.imdb.com/title/tt0287978/ Daredevil. Dir. Mark Steven Johnson. Perf. Ben Affleck and Jennifer Garner. Century Fox, 2003. 20 th Daredevil (Trailer #2). http://www.apple.com/trailers/fox/. IMDb. Daredevil. 16 January 2005. <http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0287978/> "Top Grossing Films." 17 Oct. 2005 <http://www.imdb.com>. "What is Blu-ray?" Blu-ray Discs. 16 Oct. 2005 <http://www.blu-ray.com>.