Originally, trailers were a short film sequence shown at the end of a feature film. In this day and age, a movie trailer is a highly polished piece of advertising. Often, it contains footage not included in the final film. It may be used for artistic reasons, or it may simply be an enticing tease for the viewer to stick around for the full feature.
A trailer is a short, visual depiction of a film that is usually accompanied by music. In the case of a film trailer, the music may be selected to complement the content of the film. For example, a romantic comedy might feature a lighthearted pop song. On the other hand, an action film might use a suspenseful score.
Trailers are produced by various companies, based out of Los Angeles, New York City, and elsewhere. They range from one-minute shorts to a few minutes long. There are dozens of companies specializing in this field. Most trailers are created in multichannel sound mixes.
A good movie trailer should be short on exposition and long on enticement. It should also contain the most exciting parts of the film. This might mean that it contains the most eye-popping visuals, or that it includes the most impressive special effects. It should also display the movie’s main characters in a way that is likely to appeal to a wide audience. For instance, a comedy might display the funniest jokes, while a drama might include a strong orchestral piece. A trailer is also a great opportunity to highlight a film’s special effects.
The National Association of Theatre Owners has issued a guideline for producing trailers. It asks film distributors to provide trailers no longer than two minutes. In addition, it allows for limited exceptions. However, in the case of a teaser, there is no requirement to follow this rule. Besides, it is not always possible to tell if a film’s trailer is actually longer than its actual running time.
Another ominous sign is the billing block, a small screen graphic at the beginning of the trailer that tells the viewer how much the film is costing. There is also a large list of stars and major players. Aside from the billing block, there is also a cast run, a list of big names that are involved in the film. This might refer to the main actors, directors, or producers.
Other nifty movie tidbits include the Bloopers & Out-takes, a collection of material from the production of the film that may be viewed as entertainment. The video is usually shown to fill a slot on television. A few of these videos are routinely incorporated into TV show websites. A few are even included in the closing credits of the TV show.
The best movie trailers are those that tell the story of the film in a creative and interesting way. This means using the right mix of content and music. Ideally, it will show the most exciting moments of the movie, without spoiling the plot or any of the major points.