Dallas 2012 Trailer Review

LINKED TO EVALUATION Q1



What the audience learn from the trailer

• Dallas is in Texas so the audience instantly know where the soap is set and also know that Dallas is a heavily rich area for oil.
• The non-diegetic music builds up in the background to play a modernised version of the old soundtrack. This is so the audience can recognise it when they hear it (housewives when they’re in a different room – soaps are usually aimed at women).
• JR is introduced as an old man to show the show has moved on by a couple of years as he has white hair, old hands and is holding a blanket.
• Bobby’s answer to “and for what?” is answered on a title card saying ‘MONEY’ which indicates greed within a family – lets the audience know that there is feuds within the family because of greed.
• The gold colour of the title cards makes the audience subconsciously think about oil because the storyline is about the family making money of oil farms.
• Quick cuts show more of the story line so the audience are attracted to the trailer and want to know more as it seems more exciting – each shot is only for 2-4 seconds.
• JR’s son and Bobby’s son are both shown arguing which goes with the fast paced orchestra music showing that the soap is going into the next generation and the feud is being passed down through the generations.
• The ‘POWER’ and ‘RIVALRY’ title cards sum up the argument to make it completely clear to the audience that there is a rivalry because of power.
• “I don’t want them to be like us” – Bobby. This shows that even though JR and Bobby are fighting, they still care about each other. American soaps use relationships where the characters hate but love each other at the same time.
• The montage edit introduces more characters.
• The zoom in to the establishing, high angle shot of the big house on the land then the cut to a character (Bobby’s son) shows the house belongs to him and he’s wealthy but he’s not happy because he’s saying to his father “my whole life I’ve been trying to put your name back on top.” – He is fighting to make his father proud.
• A couple exchanging kisses then getting married shows there’s romance in the soap which would attract the female audience more as it’s something they enjoy watching and can relate to.
• Showing the pan and zoom establishing shot of the city let’s the audience know the characters are from a wealthy city.
• “No drilling on my ranch” shows conflict to the audience as it shows another feud and theft of oil may be happening due to the greed of the characters.
• “I am sick to death of this family devouring itself over money” – Sums up why the family don’t get along to the audience. Again, greed and money.
• Showing characters with nice cars and riding horses on big fields and having well lit shots of them shows the characters are wealthy and can afford luxury lifestyles.