A trailer is a short clip of footage that gives viewers a taste of a film or television show. Whether you’re a filmmaker who wants to promote your movie or a brand that’s looking to boost sales, a trailer is an integral part of marketing any video project. It’s important to take the time to create a trailer that not only captures the spirit of the film, but also works in tandem with your call-to-action: whether it’s purchasing your movie, signing up for your mailing list, or simply visiting your website.
In the world of film, trailers are arguably the most popular form of the art. They’re a short, often humorous, and almost always visually stimulating piece of advertising that sets the tone for a film. They can also be a great way to reach an audience that would otherwise not have seen your film or listened to your podcast.
When it comes to making a trailer, the art of storytelling is perhaps the most important. The best trailers give the viewer a sense of who the main characters are and the central conflict they must overcome. They also leave the viewer wanting more, by leaving a cliffhanger at the end of the clip. This is a technique used in both TV and feature-length films.
While there are many ways to make a trailer, some of the most important aspects are the story, visuals and music. The best trailers are ones that tell a story without giving away too much information. This is particularly true for action trailers, which are meant to excite the viewer and keep them on edge.
Generally, action trailers should feature some kind of a hero’s journey, with the protagonist overcoming obstacles to achieve their goal. This is usually reflected in the visuals and music, with sweeping orchestral pieces often accompanying the action scenes and dramatic dialogue. Adding a bit of humor to the trailer can help build empathy for the protagonist and increase engagement.
Trailers are a great way to market films, and they’re even used in some cases to promote books. However, it’s not always a good idea to try and make a book trailer for your manuscript. This is a mistake that has been made many times before, and it’s usually not effective.
While trailers have become an industry unto themselves, with entire companies and editing suites dedicated to their creation, vast websites maintained to catalog them and a host of awards ceremonies for them, they’re still just one small aspect of the filmmaking process. But that doesn’t mean they can’t be entertaining to watch.