A trailer is a wheeled vehicle that can’t move on its own, so it needs to be pulled by another vehicle. People pull their children in bicycle trailers, and some truck drivers tow boat trailers behind them. The term can also refer to the movie previews that theaters show before a movie, called trailing trailers. These trailers are usually much shorter than the movie itself, and they can be made by the studios themselves or by outside companies.
A good trailer takes the viewer on a journey, showing them the world of the film in an exciting way and introducing the characters that inhabit it. It should also give the audience an idea of what the plot will be, without giving away too many details.
Unfortunately, too many modern trailers fall short of these goals. By having a scattershot focus split between hyping up the stars on screen, showing as many cool visuals as possible, and explaining the plot in detail, they miss the opportunity to build excitement for the movie.
The first step in making a great trailer is finding the right tone to set. To do this, you must know what kind of movie you’re trying to sell. For example, a romantic comedy will require different editing techniques than an action thriller.
Next, you need to set the mood with your music. This is important because music will tell the viewer how they are supposed to feel, and it can create a lot of tension. For this reason, it is often used as a form of exposition in trailers.
Voice-over and titles can also help set the tone by establishing the world of the movie, laying out the premise of the plot, or answering questions about the characters. Rhetorical questions are a great way to accomplish this because they can be cut with shots of abstract imagery.
Most trailers end with a cast run, which is a list of the main actors who appear in the movie, as well as any producers or directors that have a name that could draw in an audience. They also feature the studio production logos that will be featured on posters and other print materials for the film.
Finally, a good trailer will have a strong call to action that urges viewers to see the full movie. It may be as simple as “don’t miss out on this great story,” or it could be a more specific tagline like, “see the trailer to find out why everyone is talking about it.” Whatever the case, it should be clear and easy to understand, so that audiences don’t lose interest in the movie. This can be accomplished by using a mixture of music, images, and text that is unique to the trailer. It will also have a sense of urgency and intrigue, so that the viewer will want to find out what happens next.