A trailer is a wheeled vehicle that is pulled by another vehicle, such as a car or truck. It is also used to haul boats or other large objects. This is different from a caravan, which is a group of vehicles traveling together.
The word trailer is also a verb meaning “to pull someone or something behind a moving vehicle.” In filmmaking, a movie trailer or teaser is a short video that promotes a movie and builds excitement for its release. A well-made trailer can create a buzz about a film project and attract potential investors, even if the movie has not yet been made.
Movie trailers use dialogue to tell the story and entice audiences, but they also rely on visual elements to rouse interest and draw attention. One of the most effective techniques is to vary the visual tempo of a scene. If a trailer begins with an indoor scene, for example, a second outdoor shot can break the pace and catch viewers’ eyes.
Making a trailer for a feature film or television pilot requires careful planning and a tight schedule. It’s essential to have a clear vision of the project and what is needed from each scene, and then create an organized shot list for each day’s shooting. This helps the editor in the post-production process and makes sure that everything gets captured.
When making a trailer for a documentary or drama, it’s important to consider the subject’s background and how that might be communicated visually. For instance, an introductory shot of a crowded marketplace might set the stage for a story about refugees or war. Interviews with the main subjects and supporting cast members are also an important part of most movie trailers. It’s best to do these ahead of time and record them, rather than trying to improvise on the shoot day.
If a movie or TV show has already been made, the production company can make an abridged version of the original film or episode for a trailer. This often involves removing some scenes and using stock footage or a combination of both. Script breakdown software is useful for labeling key elements in each shot and identifying who appears in the frame, which can help a producer accurately budget for an abridged shoot.
In the early days of movie trailers, theaters and studios created them themselves for their own releases. In 1913, Nils Granlund spliced rehearsal footage for a Broadway play into a short promotional montage that trailed after movies at Marcus Loew theaters. His work helped establish the idea of a trailer as an independent marketing tool.
Now, with the advent of digital technology and the internet, trailers can be broadcast in many formats, from short viral clips to full-length theatrical advertisements. YouTube is becoming a sandbox for editors to experiment with the genre, producing fascinating recuts and reinterpreting classic movies as horror or feel-good comedies. Despite this, the movie trailer industry remains closely regulated by the Motion Picture Association of America.