Get Shorty! Cutting Effective Trailers

Written by Slash Mareel on 09 February 2006. Posted in Guides

That's a wrap; wind reel and print - but did you remember about the trailer? It's often the last thing a filmmaker thinks about, but it might be the first indication anyone has of what the feature is about, how good it is and whether or not to spend some of their hard earned pay on going to see it next week. It's your pitch to the punters, so let's make it a good one. Here's how.

Slash Mareel at Home in his Suite A trailer should be no longer than two-and-a-half minutes - shorter is even better.

I'll write that again because it is important and I will write it in bold, as well.

A trailer should be no longer than two-and-a-half minutes - shorter is even better.

Now you are 90% of the way towards perfecting the art of the trailer. Keep it short, keep it snappy, keep it pacey. Now it's time to tackle the remaining 10% of the essentials and we'll follow that with a quick check-up on the absolute never, never -do this at your peril- do not do's; if you get my meaning.

Ten Elements of an Effective Trailer

1 Quick Cuts

Cool shots driving a simple story.
Shot length down to 1/3 second over pumping driving music
Don’t let style get in the way of substance

2 Graphics That Grab You

Cool graphics are a great plus
Be creative, be different
Make sure trailer graphics are a change from film title graphics

3 Original Music

There’s plenty of affordable music about.
Always use legally cleared music.

4 Tell the Story

But don’t throw it all away!
Spell it out if you need to
In broad strokes, using narration
Leave the audience wanting more

5 Use Positive Reviews

From creditable press outlets, known film critics
Use big bold quotes, white typeface against black
Clear the quotes with those providing them

6 Sound is critical

It has to be great.
Spend time on the sound mix
If you cant understand an actor neither will a punter
Br prepared to go for ADR just for the trailer if necessary

7 Star Power

If you’ve got one – flaunt them
Even a cameo of an aging star pulls weight
Use them extensively in the trailer

8 Shorter is Better

One minute, two, but no more than two-and-a-half
ALL cinema trailers are less than that c/o MPAA

9 Come on With a Bang!

Grab attention
An explosive image
A memorable line of dialogue

10 Go Out With a Bang!

Close on the best shot or best line

TRAILER DONTS

1 Don’t Use a Features Editor!

A trailer is short and punchy
Feature editors are used to playing thjngs out

2 Don’t Fear Out-takes

Use them in the trailer of they are right for the job
Hollywood does it all the time
Shooting for the trailer is OK too!

3 Don’t show nudity

Squeaky clean for PG13!
Don’t flaunt sex and be careful about trailer violence

4 Nothing dragged-out

Sound bites not lengthy dialogue
Every shot used should be concise

5 Don’t bore your audience

Get to the point dummy
Within the first ten seconds

6 Uncleared music is a no-no

It could cost you more than if you paid for it

7 Poor picture quality is a no-no

Visuals must be as good as your feature
Plan for trailer footage

8 Don’t steal other people’s shots

Sooner or later someone will recognise it

9 Don’t tell them the ending

If you do, you are stupid

10 Not too Long

Short is best. Short. Got it? Good.

EDITOR'S NOTE: Netribution welcomes contributions that cover tricks of the trade for filmmakers. If you have some insider knowledge you would like to share, write us a short paper on it and we will circulate it to the filmmaking community for the benefit of us all.