A trailer is a cargo carrier that is attached to a vehicle. It is designed to transport large or heavy loads, and is used in a number of different applications. Trailers can be towed by a motorized vehicle, or can be pulled by hand or on a track. They can also be mounted on railcars, ships, or other fixed structures. A trailer is also referred to as a semi-trailer or a container.
The term trailer may also refer to:
Film trailers are short, filmed sequences from a film that are used to promote it. They are typically released in advance of the film’s premiere, to attract audience interest and encourage ticket sales. They are usually not part of the film’s final cut, and often contain material that is unused in the finished product.
Historically, film trailers were shot on the same set as the feature film, and in many cases, used the same actors. This method allowed film studios to present a more polished preview of the movie. As a result, film trailers have become highly polished art forms in their own right. They are able to present even poor films in the most attractive light.
Some trailers are so impressive that they become collector items. This is particularly true for classic trailers, such as the one for Psycho that includes Alfred Hitchcock giving viewers a tour of the Bates motel, culminating in the shower scene with Vera Miles’ bloodcurdling scream. Some trailers also include dialogue that is not spoken in the final film. For example, in the trailer for Casablanca Rick Blaine says “OK, you asked for it!” to Major Strasser, which is not said in the film.
In recent times, the length of trailers has been an issue of controversy. A trade group of movie theaters issued an industry guideline asking that film distributors supply trailers that are no longer than two minutes in length. This was a 30 second decrease from the previous norm, and it caused some cinemas to show programs of just trailers, often of exploitation genre films. Similarly, DVDs of just trailers have been sold.
Most modern trailers are edited in Dolby Digital or another multichannel sound format, with music and special effects being a focus of the editing. Moreover, the high-bandwidth internet has led to the growth of online trailer production and distribution. Some of these online-only trailers are available in full HD resolution, while others are only presented on YouTube and other social media platforms.
What makes a great trailer? Every editor has a different answer, but most agree that a good trailer should make the viewer want to see the film. Chris and Ryan both pointed to the trailer for Mad Max: Fury Road as a model for effective storytelling, noting that it uses music and tone to create a sense of excitement. To learn more about how to streamline your post-production workflow, check out MediaSilo. It offers easy media management, seamless collaboration for critical feedback, and out-of-the-box synchronization with your timeline for efficient changes. Try MediaSilo free for 14 days!