Sound and (no) Vision: Locating the Radio Trailer

The radio trailer (or radio ‘spot’) has been invisible within the recent expansion of academic work on the film trailer. This absence is, in part, because of its medium’s perceived inability to offer the same level of montage of excerpted scenes, imagery and graphics as the film, television or internet forms of such trailers, yet also speaks to a wider absence of work that considers the audio qualities of the film trailer. This article challenges and problematises that tendency through analysis of the audio-only coming attractions found in radio trailers (for feature films) on UK commercial radio. Creating a basic taxonomy of approaches and techniques within the radio trailer, the article argues for more focus to be given to the aural qualities of trailers across media, and the importance of understanding the impact the aural surround of the radio station can have on the radio spot.