A trailer is a short clip that teases viewers of what’s to come in a film, video, or digital product. It can be an effective way to boost engagement and increase subscribers for your channel, website, or online course. The best way to make a good trailer is to think of the story you want to tell, and then find footage that supports it. This will also help you decide how long to make it, and what shots are important to include.
You’ll also need to plan out what you want to say with the voice over. If you’re unsure how to go about this, check out some film trailers online for inspiration. Watch the scenes that interest you most to understand what kind of tone and message they convey. You can also try to identify what the main themes are in those scenes, and use those to guide your own voice over copy.
The next step is to start cutting together the footage you’ve chosen. Try to choose the most interesting and exciting scenes, and try not to leave any good shots on the cutting room floor. Also, try to incorporate some music into your trailer. This can be a great way to set the mood and elevate your trailer, so make sure to choose something that matches your movie’s genre.
For example, a thriller movie trailer would benefit from using a suspenseful orchestral piece while a comedy may feature a lighthearted pop song. You can also get creative with editing techniques to make your trailer feel more enticing, such as adding sound effects to scene transitions or intercutting scenes in a particular way.
Once you’ve completed the cutting process, it’s time to add the voice over and finalize your trailer. A trailer is the first thing that will determine whether or not a viewer will click on it, so it’s important to get this part right. Try to keep the text short and engaging, and make sure the voice over sounds natural.
It’s also a good idea to include the title of your film or video in the trailer. You might also want to add a release date, so viewers know when the full video is available. Finally, don’t forget to include a call to action. This can be a simple “Swipe up to see more” on Instagram, or it could be a link to your website or YouTube channel.
Once your trailer is complete, the last step is to test it out and see what kind of response you get from your audience. You can do this by putting it on YouTube and social media, or you can ask friends to give you feedback. After you’ve had a few rounds of testing, you’ll be able to tweak your trailer until it’s perfect. Then you’re ready to share it with the world! Nick Willoughby is the head of Filmmaking For Kids and Film Future, a pair of programmes designed to teach young people about filmmaking. He is also a writer and director for 7 Stream Media, a video and media production company based in the UK.