Analyzing Film Trailers

Happy New Year everyone!

With 2026 having officially begun, it’s time for me to set some resolutions. My resolutions are to engage in things that make me happy and stay focused on my schoolwork. What better way to kill two birds in one stone than watching trailers for movies—something I enjoy a lot—to get inspiration my end-of-year assignment: a coming-of age, teen drama film?!

So, in today’s blog post, I’ll be watching trailers from Mean Girls, The Princess Diaries, and 13 Going On 30. I’ll be analyzing the elements that connect them—such as plot, sound design, cinematography, mis-en-scene, and stereotypes—but also the aspects that make them unique. This way, I have an idea of what I can include in my own film! Without further delay, let’s begin.

1. Mean Girls (2004)

Mean Girls is a staple film of this genre! The movie follows 16-year-old Cady Heron, who enters a new highschool after being homeschooled and living in Africa all her life. Damien and Janis, the school “outcasts,” take her under their wing as she navigates complex social hierarchies, especially when she infiltrates the most popular and fake friend group in school: the Plastics.

Setting is one primary aspect of this trailer. Majority of it takes place in the highschool, establishing it as the central environment. This is common for teen dramas. In specific, lots of the action takes place in з school cafeteria. It is where Janis shows Cady each of the cliques in the school. This is a crucial part of the trailer. Cliques are used to define characters using stereotypes and costume. Janis wears black, smudged eyeliner and edgy clothing. Her artsy, "weird-kid" appearance contrasts with antagonist Regina's stereotypical tight, preppy outfits, sand heels, as well as her lavish home life when it's shown she lives in a mansion. On the other hand, Cady doesn't have a determined style. She has basic and baggy clothes--wearing leather jackets, flannels, and ponytails-showing how she doesn't fall into any clique. She's her own person, but this makes her seem awkward and out-of-place instead of unique, especially when she's shown sitting with the Plastics.

Humor is also a major element. A tilt is used to Cady walking down the hallway with the Plastics in slow-motion, completely transformed. She wears a short skirt, her hair down, makeup, and pink high heels. But then, she falls right into a trash can. Far-fetched scenarios like these make the trailer especially fun to watch. It adds hilarity to the hardships that come along with being the “new-kid,” and feeling as though you need to change to belong. Despite the light-heartedness of the clip, I found it to represent how Cady isn’t cut out to be one of the mean girls. It isn’t who she is deep inside, which is seen when she falls into the garbage bin. Being viewed as popular may serve as a high, but getting too caught up in status can leave you crashing and burning in the end.

Furthermore, the trailer uses fast cuts and pans to create excitement, yet an "emotional-rollercoaster" type feel. It mimics how highschool is in actuality. It feels fun and like a fresh-start, but there are many troubles that come along with it, including dealing with frenemies, peer pressure, and the urge to fit in that the film reflects. By touching on these relatable teenage issues, the movie isn't only entertaining. It hits close to home.

2. The Princess Diaries (2001)

This film is about a shy, goofy 10th grader named Mia Thermopolis. After her father's death, she discovers her grandmother is the queen of European principality Genovia, making her a princess! From then on, she lives a double-life. When she isn't in school and caught up in drama, she's attending princess lessons that challenge her quirkiness. A stunning makeover transforms her look completely, and Mia is forced to choose between her normal life and the road to royalty. 

The trailer shares many similarities with Mean Girls. Fast cuts, clips, and montages are used to excite viewers. Scenes like Mia struggling to learn princess etiquette, (ex: her breaking the glass while trying to make a toast) posture, (she falls over when learning the correct way to sit) and dealing with fancy gowns are jumbled in for comedic effect. This is able to reflect her personality and nature. Like Cady in Mean Girls, Mia is a young, awkward, yet relatable protagonist, despite how "unrealistic" her predicament may be. She's just an ordinary girl trying to get through highschool when her life is turnt upside down. This takes me to plot. Even if it may seem simple or juvenile, the storyline of The Princess Diaries is something fun and endearing. The humor, quick scenes, dramatic princess reveal, and encouraging music are key elements of this trailer all contribute to this takeaway. By including these elements, the trailer does a great job of representing the film as a teen drama. It reveals the movie is lighthearted, and honestly just a good time.

Despite the unseriousness of the trailer, it still conveys a deep, universal theme. I believe it to be very reflective of girlhood. Many girls grow up wanting to be a princess or adoring the idea of royalty, and this film carries this fairy-tale mentality and vibe. Even in just a short, 2-minute clip, the themes that stood out to me are identity and self-discovery. The entire trailer follows Mia discovery of her princess status, and deciding whether to embrace that identity. This can resonate with lots of young girls. Especially those women adolescence, one may surpress their true personality whilst trying to live up to others' expectations of them. It touches on the idea of dual-identity: Mia presents her royal image to the world, but is still her geeky highschool-self internally. Mia may have had a "glow-up" that made her a conventionally pretty royal, but refused to let her new look change who she is inside. Even when masqueraded in elaborate gowns, styled hair, and precise makeup, she still possesses her awkwardness. She has many "royal-fail" moments that make her authentic. This is seen in the trailer even after she's transformed, such as It shows how there's a place for everyone in this world. Mia may not fit the stereotypes princesses are held too. Instead, she's unbashedly herself. That's something regal in its own way.

3. 13 Going on 30 (2004)

The 13 Going on 30 trailer is different from the rest. Unlike the teen dramas I'd originally been examining, this is a coming-of-age film! Both genres are similar in the way they often include a relatable protagonist, carry a feel-good vibe, and share the premise of finding your identity. But, for coming-of-age films, the story isn't just limited to highschool or adolescence. They capture the entire road from childhood to adulthood. This film in specific is about a young 13 year old girl named Jenna Rink, who finds herself sick of her clumsy teenage life and makes a wish to be older. Little does she know, when she awakes the next day, she's in her 30 year old body! As the trailer progresses, Jenna is seen navigating her adult, responsibility-filled life with a contrastingly childlike spirit. She reunites with her childhood friend Mark Ruffalo, and together, they teach eachother the great things life has to offer--even the seemingly awkward, unending adolescent stage.

Like the previous trailers, this film uses costume, fast-paced editing, and comedy to capture its essence. The speed of each clip highlights how quickly and unprompted Jenna was thrown into this adult life. However, it also demonstrates how fast it goes, stressing the importance of cherishing it. In contrast to her dull and "boring" outside world, Jenna wears fun patterns and vibrant colors that encapsulate the youth lying in her heart. An iconic outfit from this film that exemplifies this is the voluminous updo, large butterfly necklace, and multicolored mini dress she wears when visiting the club. (Aka, the picture I have posted above!) Those around her are strategically wearing darker colors, longer dress styles, or hues of red that symbolize maturity--making Jenna stand out both physically and emotionally, as her dress expresses who she is inside. Additionally, coloring helps exaggerate the main theme, which is the difference between adolescence and adulthood. Pastel hues are present in Jenna's 13-year old life. The light pink and blue dollhouse, glittery wishing dust, and hot-pink skirt Jenna wears are a few examples. This symbolizes almost the dreaminess of childhood--how it's full of color. But, once Jenna is 30, the world around her changes. The frequency of colors like pink and purple is much less in her adult life. Especially to the corporate world, bright hues have been replaced by duller tones and urban lighting.

These are all aspects of the trailer that contribute to its overall theme. Mis-en-scene in the form of costumes, lighting, and colors are used to identify how life changes vastly when you get older. From your maturity, responsibilities, down to the way you dress--it's like stepping into a whole new world. It underscores how adulthood isn't always something to be idealized. It's a stage of life that comes with many challenges. Jenna skipped a fundamental 17 years of her life when she time-traveled, those of which were crucial for her development. Though, adolescence is undeniably not without its challenges. This is conveyed even in the very beginning of the trailer, where her parents barge into Jenna's room with a home camera, violating her privacy. While the clip was funny, it does explain Jenna's desire to grow up fast. But, the rest of the story shows how every stage of life comes with obstacles. The best thing you can do to solve them is stay true to yourself, even if you feel out of place. 

My Takeaway

    Overall, each of these trailers have several things in common. There's a fish-out-of-the-water protagonist: a homeschooled Cady who was thrown into a clique, a nerdy Mia whose heir to queen, and a 13-year old Jenna trapped in her future body. Each of them tell their story of finding themselves in a way that's hilarious, emotional, yet heartwarming. Despite this common premise, all three films teach this lesson in a different way. It's spoken in a way that's unique and powerful--as something that every teenage girl should hear.

    Mean Girls delves into how tearing peers down won't get you anywhere, nor will surrounding yourself with people who do this. Important themes of peer pressure, toxic social dynamics, and battling conformity are all wrapped in this humorous high school drama, teaching adolescents that you don't need to put yourself in a box to matter. It's never about being popular. It's about finding people who value the real you.

    The Princess Diaries that true royalty doesn't just come from your appearance. It lies within. Mia had compassion, drive, and authenticity, which is why she was such a great leader and royal. It isn't about the amount of power you have, nor is it the amount of people that like you. Sometimes, the best of leaders are willing to challenge unfair expectations. They're about battling the things that secretly hold them back--like insecurity, bullies, and self doubt--and rising above it all. That way, they can encourage others to do the same.

    13 Going on 30 shows that you shouldn't put your life on fast-forward. No matter how awkward, teenage years are essential in securing a good life in the future. Jenna's story is one about navigating your way back to who you were meant to be. The troubles that come with being young or getting older shouldn't take away your spark. Instead, challenges are there to teach the importance of upholding your identity in difficult times. Without the bad, we wouldn't appreciate the good the world has to offer: from the genuine friendships, magic of childhood, to the essence of life as a whole. 

By analyzing these trailers and dissecting their meaning, I learned what to include in my own film. Mean Girls, The Princess Diaries, and 13 Going on 30 send very strong messages that anyone can apply in their everyday life. The memorable protagonists, entertaining plot, and fun addition of humor that are served alongside these life lessons are what make these films so successful. What I learned today will definitely play a role in the shaping of my own film's plot. (Stay tuned!)

Alright guys, that will be it for now. I have a lot of ideas in store, so prepare for a blog post soon! I'll see you all then.