What Makes a Good Trailer?
It’s only on average two minutes long. But it’s the way a film/game greets the world. A TRAILER IS ITS OWN FILM Trailers should function separately from the movie/game they are promoting. If made well, a trailer can be something you want to watch again and again. But (of course!) it should also make you want to see more. In most cases, unfortunately, people may only ever see the trailer. That’s why trailers should never resolve anything. If a trailer gives too much away, then viewers might feel like they’ve already seen the whole movie/game and don’t need to see or play it. Always leave them wanting more.
Things to consider: RHYTHM AND STRUCTURE Above all, and without exception, trailer editing is about rhythm. A trailer, cut well, will have a flowing motion to it, a sense that everything plays off everything else, and will propel the viewer through the experience. Trailers build up excitement and anticipation. Music plays an important role in its basic construction. It literally sets the tone and the rhythm. Trailers have a three-act structure: Act One: Introduce the characters and environment. Act Two: Complicate their world with obstacles to overcome. Act Three: Intensify the conflicts and notch up the tension/excitement/humor. (Montages invariably end up in Act Three.) Most importantly: never resolve anything! Whenever possible, leave questions unanswered. Don’t tie up loose ends. Keep the audiences wanting more! A trailer doesn’t reveal the whole movie/game. It just reveals the potential to be great. It pitches the promise of the premise. And if the trailer has seductive rhythm and a great structure, then any movie/game can look like a winner. STRIKING THE RIGHT TONE Certain films/games have subject matter that might turn off audiences who think they’ve seen that type of movie/game before. Let’s say your film/game deals with controversial issues. USING SUBTITLES Trailers go quickly, and it’s hard to read while so many images are flashing by. These days, trailers now happily carry subtitles. Small amounts of subtitles are a useful tool for trailers to add information to the visuals.
USING NARRATION Narration is disruptive; you’re watching a great image or listening to a line of dialogue, and then suddenly it’s interrupted by some deep bass voice. Showing rather than telling is always more interesting, so try to avoid narration whenever possible. REFERENCE THE TITLE It sounds silly and even obvious, but use the title of the film/game in the trailer. If the film’s/game’s title is cryptic people won’t know what the trailer is for! FINALLY PROVIDE MORE INFO When is it released? Who made it? Where can I see/play it? This is what people want to know when they are interested in finding out more, so tell them!