Trailers are a popular means to showcase a product you are about to release to the market. Teasers and trailers are traditionally created for movies, but have eventually evolved to include book trailers, game trailers, and app trailers. In this article, we will explain the key details of a trailer, highlight some examples, and show you how to create an effective trailer.
In this article
Part 1. What is a Trailer?
A trailer is a type of video commercial advertisement made to advertise and inform audiences about a specific program or item. To persuade customers to view or use the product, it includes a brief series of previews of the entire material. It also serves as a means of creating anticipation for a show or product that is about to hit the market.
Trailers were originally made for cinema movies. Nowadays, trailers are created for different forms of media like shows, apps, programs, video games, and book videos. A typical traditional trailer lasts between 1 to 3 minutes.
Part 2. What Are the Similarities and Differences Between a Teaser and Trailer?
Teasers and trailers can often be confused with each other. After all, they pretty much have the same objective.
Both are created for the purpose of advertising an upcoming show, product, or service. Teasers and trailers are similarly shown to audiences prior to the release of the thing they are advertising. They are meant to show a small portion of the full experience to create curiosity and excitement towards a targeted market. Both videos are typically short in length - taking up only a maximum of 3 minutes in duration.
The differences between them lie in their content, timeline, and duration. A teaser is much shorter than a trailer - the former runs for only 20-30 seconds while the latter can go between 1-3 minutes in length. This is because teasers are typically made before or during the production process of a movie or feature, whilst trailers are commonly made at the end.
For films, movies, and shows, teasers generally capture only a single part of that media. It focuses on the most intense or impactful scene. Trailers are formed from a series of clips depicting striking scenes derived from the beginning, middle, and end of the show. These scenes are normally arranged in a nonlinear structure, allowing viewers to have a general understanding of the story without revealing the entirety of the plot.
Part 3. Examples of good trailers
An excellent trailer is one who can effectively attract and maintain the audience's attention. It satisfies its objective of showcasing striking and captivating pieces of the main product and entices viewers to experience its entirety. Here are some examples of trailers who have well fulfilled the criteria of a good trailer.
1. The Suicide Squad
The Suicide Squad is a fresh take featuring DC's anti-heroes assemble in a single chaotic and unconventional team. James Gunn's iteration on these characters is brought to life in the trailer with a majestic cast including John Cena, Idris Elba, Margot Robbie, and David Dastmalchian. Several key scenes are shown, highlighting its standout characters in the process while portraying the movie's setting.
2. Raya and the Last Dragon
The trailer starts out innocently and comes with an adorable and surprising twist. The brief 2-minute trailer is packed with relevant scenes that depict the character's quest without revealing too much. Many action-packed scenes and emotional interactions are satisfactorily squeezed into the trailer. Excitement builds further with Tamara Bubble's "I'm That Good" playing in the background on the last minute of the video.
3. Men (2022)
Ingenious combination of sound effects and background music play a distinct role in this 2022 trailer. The female lead's voice echoing from a tunnel, the haunting piano keys gradually building up the suspense, and the common but cleverly used horror audio effects create a chilling ensemble of haunting scenes in the movie. The sounds gradually rise up as more aggressive and energized scenes flash on the screen, and eventually end back into the sombre intro that leaves the audience with questions.
4. The Farewell
Lulu Wang's dramatic comedy The Farewell is all about a family hiding the truth of a family member's terminal illness from the person herself. What makes the trailer special is that it steers away from the sad, melancholic direction and veers toward a feel-good movie vibe. The conflict, struggle, and the beliefs featured in the movie are depicted in the trailer. However, the clever placement of interactions and the uplifting music tug at the audience's heartstrings and urge them to want to see more.
5. Pokémon Go
Pokémon has become a culture to several generations. Becoming a Pokémon trainer is a secret dream that almost all of us have, even as adults. Niantic's collaboration with the Pokémon franchise brings people closer to that reality by introducing its AR and location-powered app Pokémon Go. The trailer shows people of all ages living out their trainer dreams in the real world and interacting with Pokémon. The different features of the game are dramatized in a real-life setting, inciting more excitement, and pulling out the nostalgia from its market. The trailer keeps the actual app showcase to a minimum, instead focusing on once again selling that dream to audiences and bringing out the inner child in everyone.
Part 4. How to bring your trailer to the next level?
While it may seem intimidating to create a trailer for your upcoming product, there is no need to worry. It is now easier than ever to create a well-crafted trailer by taking advantage of a program's tools and templates.
- Stock media
Filmora makes it easy to craft a trailer with only a few clicks. Make use of the program's media library to gain access to a wealth of resources like stock photos, videos, music, and audio files.
- Keyframing
Keyframing lets you smoothly transition from one scene to another, making it an effective tool for trailers. It is particularly appealing for shows that highlight motion like sports, dancing, and action. Experiment with more than 80 preset templates and create smooth scene transitions with ease.
- Speed Ramping
Speed Ramping is a feature that works perfectly with keyframing. Increase the energy and dynamics in your trailer with 6 preset speed types. You can also customize these templates. There is also no need for concern about the audio - Filmora lets you maintain the audio pitch even when using these features.
- FX Effects
The program also offers many effects and filters for an extra element in your trailer. The Borix FX is an example of that. Designed in collaboration with the award-winning developer of the same name, Boris FX and its extension Continuum features a wide array of tasteful effects for your convenience. There are over 91 customizable and adjustable presets including types like blurs, stylization, and lights. NewBlue is another option that carries choices of filters, titlers, and stylizers.
Filmora offers different features, tools, and effects to explore that can help make your trailer editing objectives easier and more convenient. Save time and resources by taking advantage of its powerful yet easy-to-use tools.
