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Structure

A trailer will often be structured around the most appealing aspects of a film disregarding the conventional narrative order. For example, you might see a funny moment taken from the ending of a comedy near the beginning of the trailer for that film, or a selection of clips chosen to attract the widest possible audience, such as a romantic clip in the trailer for an action film. Some trailers will aim to provide a basic narrative structure to guide us through the film’s storyline.

Watch the trailer for The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones in the clip viewer.

Try to spot and describe the different structural conventions exemplified in the trailer. Use the headings below.

  • Opening
  • Build-up
  • Problems
  • Events

You can use this downloadable diagram to collect your notes.

Download worksheet: PDF icon Word icon

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Mortal Instruments: City of Bones

[MUSIC]

HIDGE: Everything you’ve heard about monsters, about nightmares, legends whispered around campfires. All the stories are true.

[SCREAM]

SIMON: What is it?

CLARY: You didn’t see that?

TEXT: THERE IS A WORLD HIDDEN WITHIN OUR OWN

CLARY: Oh god, this isn’t happening.

SIMON: What are you looking at?

TEXT: TO ENTER

CLARY: Why can I see you and no one else can?

JACE: You’re not a mundane.

CLARY: What’s a mundane?

JACE: Someone from the human world.

CLARY: If I’m not a human then what am I?

TEXT: YOU MUST BE CHOSEN

MADAME DOROTHEA: Your mother is a shadow hunter like you.

JACE: I’ve been hunting demons across the world in their varying different forms.

TEXT: BASED ON THE WORLDWIDE BESTSELLER

CLARY: Shadows hunters.

HODGE: Half angel, half human. Beings of immense power.

[SMASHING GLASS]

HODGE: Strong enough to restore balance and protect the world in a war against evil.

TEXT: THIS SUMMER

JACE: What is it about her?

JACE: She’s different.

ALEC: She’s going to get us all killed.

TEXT: TWO STRANGERS

HODGE: There’s a map inside your head Clary.

TEXT: ONE DESTINY

HODGE: You are the key to our survival.

CLARY: There’s too many of them.

JACE: Have a little faith.

WOMAN: Run!

TEXT: THE MORTAL INSTRUMENTS: CITY OF BONES

JACE: Welcome to the City of Bones