Whether you are trying to sell your film or just trying to get the word out, a good trailer is essential. It’s the Voyager spacecraft of your movie, and it has the power to promote, glorify, ruin or misrepresent your film. Creating one is no easy task, and it requires a great deal of forethought, planning, and creative thinking.
The goal of a trailer is to grab attention and interest, while also providing a bit of an idea as to what the full film is about. The trailer is often considered to be a miniature version of the film, and it needs to take the audience on a very similar journey as the actual movie. It needs to introduce the world and characters, show a bit of the plotline, and then raise the stakes by showing some conflict or complications.
A key to making a good trailer is choosing the right music. The best music elevates the visuals and helps to tell the story. It should be dramatic and exciting, or uplifting and happy, depending on the tone of the film.
You should also try to use editing techniques that help to create the right mood. Slowing down or speeding up scenes, adding sound effects, and fading in and out of shots can all help to build the right atmosphere. In addition, you should try to include some action scenes in your trailer, as this will grab the viewer’s attention.
If you’re not sure how to start putting together your trailer, look for inspiration in other films and television shows. Often times, the trailers for popular films will feature cool visuals and high-octane action scenes. These are the trailers that have the most potential to draw viewers in and turn them into ticket buyers.
Finally, it’s a good idea to include some kind of cast run in your trailer, as this will draw in the audience and give them a sense of who is in the film. You should also highlight any big name directors, producers, or actors who may be involved in your film.
Many trailers will end with a montage of key scenes from the film. You can also use this opportunity to add some more visuals that will set the film apart from others in your genre.
Some of these scenes will have dialogue that relates to the visuals in the montage. For example, if someone says something like “Human beings are a disease,” it would make sense to have a shot of people infected with illness. Other scenes may be more tenuous in their connections, but they need to grab the viewer’s attention and be a tease. For instance, if you are selling a thriller, you might want to have some cool visuals of people dodging bullets to match the music.