A trailer is the cinematic appetizer that whets your appetite for the main course of a film. But behind that tasty morsel is a team of skilled professionals that work tirelessly to make sure your cinematic experience will be as satisfying as possible. They know how to market your star power and top talent, master sound effects and music, and use the art of editing to turn film footage into a trailer that grabs attention, builds suspense, and makes people want to see your movie.
In 1913, Nils Granlund, an advertising manager for Marcus Loew theaters, created the first trailer by splicing rehearsal footage of The Pleasure Seekers into a small promotional montage that trailed after the films shown at his theaters. His trailer was such a success that it helped launch the National Screen Service (NSS), an independent company theaters and studios could outsource their trailer production to, which would later evolve into today’s multi-billion-dollar industry.
Traditionally, trailers are shown before or during a feature film, although they can also be screened on their own and used for TV promotions. They typically feature a short plot summary, a visual montage of scenes from the film, and a soundtrack with music and voices that evoke the tone of the movie. The trailer is often used to establish the genre of a film so that it will appeal to audiences who are interested in that particular type of movie, and a comparison may be made to another successful film of the same genre from the same studio.
Trailers can vary in length, from under a minute to over two minutes. They can be shown in a variety of formats, including 35 mm film, videotape, digital format, and DVD. Most trailers are presented in stereophonic sound, using a mix of background and foreground sounds that reaches the listener’s ear with a rich fullness.
The trailer’s narration is also an important part of its character, and a number of great narrators have helped shape the trailer landscape, from Don LaFontaine and his lucious voice to the inflections that transport us to the dark underbelly of the Mob or the sands of Tatooine in the Star Wars movies.
Most trailers follow a standard three act narrative structure, with an opening scene that introduces the main characters and setting, a middle section that develops the story and builds tension, and a dramatic climax in which the movie’s title or a powerful piece of signature music is shown. Many of the best trailers leave a great deal to the viewer’s imagination, so don’t spoil your film by giving away too much in your trailer!
Trailers are also used to promote television shows and are a key component of the television production process. As the popularity of online streaming and high-speed Internet have increased, so too has the demand for quality trailers that are both eye catching and informative. There are many different services available for creating and hosting trailers, but YouTube and Vimeo remain the most popular.