A trailer is a type of cargo carrier that is pulled behind a vehicle. It is often used to haul heavy equipment and supplies. A trailer can be equipped with various accessories, depending on the cargo being hauled. There are also specialty trailers designed to haul specific types of cargo, such as livestock or landscaping materials.
The term trailer was first used in 1913 to describe a film promotion montage that trailed the feature films shown at Marcus Loew theaters. This was the genesis of the trailer industry, which has since expanded beyond film into television, video games, and other entertainment industries.
With audiences’ consumption habits changing, it has become more important than ever for filmmakers to make their movies stand out. Trailers are a critical part of any film marketing campaign and play a vital role in movie’s box office success. With theatrical budgets in the hundreds of millions, studios must use every tool at their disposal to promote their films. This has led to the development of a highly sophisticated trailer culture with its own companies and editors, vast websites dedicated to cataloging them, and even an annual awards ceremony.
In addition to being highly polished pieces of film advertising, trailers are also a form of performance art. The trailer draws on and remixes antecedent film texts to present its own version of the film to potential viewers. Moreover, the internet has sparked new trends in trailer production. Online platforms like YouTube have become a sandbox for directors and editors to explore and experiment with trailers, producing hilarious recuts and Honest Trailers of beloved classics such as Mary Poppins and The Shining.
Film trailers are often built around a montage of clips from the featured film, with the voice-over narration explaining the story and providing additional context. This is because the voice-over is an important way to establish character motivation and provide explanation. It is a common trope in Hollywood film, and many trailers have used it to great effect. It is often used to set a mood and tone for the film, and it can be employed for comedic effect in spoofs and parodies.
While trailers are an essential piece of the film marketing puzzle, they can be difficult to create. This is especially true for independent and edgy films. These films must find their own ways to differentiate themselves from big-budget blockbusters and find audiences who may be less inclined to attend a movie theater for an edgy drama or thriller.
As a result, the modern trailer has become an intricate and fascinating text in its own right. The genre continues to develop as new technologies emerge and the industry grows more fragmented and competitive than ever before. In this article, we will take a look at some of the most interesting developments in the history of the trailer and its evolution into an independent art form. We will also discuss some of the key techniques that have been used in the creation of a successful trailer.