Trailers are a film’s first impression, and they need to grab viewers’ attention in a fleeting amount of time. They have to set the scene, introduce key characters, and provide a teaser of what’s to come in the film. Creating a powerful trailer is not an easy feat, and it requires careful planning.
Whether they’re used to promote action films, romantic dramas, or horror movies, trailers are designed to evoke emotion and excitement in audiences. The best trailers are not only entertaining, but they also leave the viewer wanting to see the movie in its entirety.
Despite the overwhelming number of cinematic choices available to audiences today, film studios still rely on trailers to sell tickets. Despite the rise of new technologies, there are many factors that make successful trailer production difficult. These factors include securing distribution rights, incorporating a clear marketing strategy, leveraging social media platforms, and ensuring that trailers are optimized for digital viewing.
To maximize the impact of a trailer, it is important to follow the structure of the film’s three-act story. This helps build anticipation and sets up a compelling cliffhanger that will keep viewers coming back. It is also important to choose the right scenes to include in the trailer and to create a narrative that will work with the film’s plot. Moreover, the trailer should contain only a few scenes from the film and use minimal dialogue. This allows the audience’s imagination to fill in the gaps.
Genre Trailers
Genre trailers are the bread and butter of film promotion. They are the most common type of trailer, and they typically showcase the film’s main character or action sequence. They also often incorporate a catchy hook and end with the release date and movie title.
Story Trailers
Story-driven trailers offer a deeper look at the film’s protagonists and antagonists, delving into their motivations and conflicting objectives. These trailers are effective in promoting nuanced character portrayals, which can be more impactful than the two-dimensional figures often found in genre films.
Unlike genre trailers, story-driven ones can take more time to establish the setting and build up the conflict. They are also more likely to involve multiple characters and show the arc of the film’s narrative. In addition, they are often edited with a more fluid and natural style, using music and dialogue to create a rhythm that feels organic and authentic.