A trailer is a piece of footage used to promote an upcoming movie. These trailers are highly polished and can even present bad films in a good light, but there is a certain art to creating a great one. They are a huge part of the film making process and have become their own industry. With the advent of the Internet and YouTube, movie trailers have been given new significance in the production world. They are no longer simply novelties to be watched before a film, they are now being recut and even remade into whole new movies. The popularity of these two minute mini movies has even caused studios to hire entire agencies dedicated to making them.
A common feature of many trailers is a cast run, which is a list of the main actors in the movie. This is usually placed near the beginning of the trailer and is also featured on posters and print advertising. In addition, most trailers have a signature music piece, often a powerful, sweeping orchestral score. This music is meant to add emotional weight and help sell the film.
There are dozens of companies that specialize in creating film trailers, most with headquarters in Los Angeles or New York City. They work from rushes or dailies, which means that a trailer may contain scenes not in the finished film or different takes of a scene. Also, the trailer editor may use a song that will not appear on the film’s soundtrack.
The most successful trailers will follow a three-act structure similar to that of a full-length film. Act one will lay out the premise of the story, act two drives it further and act three culminates in a dramatic climax. The trailer will also include a tagline, which is usually a short catchphrase that encapsulates the story or theme of the film.
In addition to these elements, a well-made trailer will contain a few visual effects and a voice over that can draw the audience in. The voice over should be used sparingly, as too much of it can be off-putting and distract from the action on screen. A good trailer will also feature a couple of key moments that will give the audience an idea of the film’s tone and feel.
Many trailers are created before the finished film is edited, so they can be a bit misleading. This is particularly true of action films, where the visuals can seem to outpace the story. In addition, the trailer will usually contain a number of action sequences that have no story context and thus lack the necessary excitement to make them engaging. This is not always intentional, but it can happen.