A trailer is a short film that gives audiences a glimpse into your project’s larger vision. Its goal is to make them hungry for more.
The trailer can be a visual story told by combining clips from your film, music, and voice-over. It can also be a series of still images that tell the story in a visually compelling way. Whatever format it takes, a great trailer will make the viewer want to know more about your film.
In addition to a good script and enticing clips, the key to a trailer’s success is keeping it as tight as possible. This means that you have to nip and tuck the footage in order to keep it under three minutes. This can be difficult, but it is essential to a great trailer.
One way to do this is to use your script breakdown software to label key scenes that need to be seen in the trailer, and then cut those down as needed. Another way is to plan the structure of the trailer before you shoot it, using a basic three-act story template, however abridged. This will ensure that your trailer has a clear beginning, middle, and end. The middle should heighten tension or complications, and the ending should leave the audience with a cliffhanger or stinger that will make them want to see your full-length movie.
Aside from the writing and voice-over, a great trailer relies on post-production elements to sell its edits. This includes things like sound effects that set the tone and feel of the trailer, such as a door slamming or sub-sonic boom. It’s also important to use a soundtrack that compliments your clip choices, rather than fighting them. If you’re making a gritty character drama, for example, you probably don’t want to score it with dub-step.
While the trailer is all about telling a story, it’s also important to remember that a trailer is a promotional tool. It needs to be able to hook an audience and convince them that your film will be worth their time and money, which is why you need to include a call-to-action at the end of the video.
This is usually something along the lines of “Check out our full-length feature film, which opens in theaters on this date,” or “Don’t miss your chance to see this epic sci-fi thriller in theatres now.” It can also be a link to your website or YouTube channel. A strong call-to-action can help you make more sales and gain more subscribers. Just be sure to avoid overstating or overpromising, as this can turn viewers away.