Movie trailers are used to promote upcoming films and are shown in theaters, on TV, and online. They typically include a rating card, excerpts from the film, a voiceover, and information about the release date and plot. Some studios release teaser trailers before longer trailers to build anticipation. Trailers have won awards for their design and craft.
Movie trailers are promotional tools that are used to get the audience excited about an upcoming movie. They are classically shown in movie theaters before the feature film presentation begins, and are also widely distributed on the Internet, being among the top five forms of video content popular with video viewers. Movies with large advertising budgets may also show movie trailers on television, and studios classically add their movie trailers to their video releases. In some cases, movie trailers have been so well-designed and well-crafted that they’ve won awards—a remarkable feat for an advertisement that’s in most cases less than five minutes long.
Trailers are almost as old as the big screen. Originally, they followed or “chased” the film, but the studios realized that audiences tended to walk away after the film was finished, missing out on the trailers. As a result, the ads were moved to directly precede the film, leading some people to refer to them as “premieres.” Typically, four to six previews are shown before a feature film begins.
In a classic movie trailer, the first thing viewers see is a rating card, which indicates the advertised movie’s rating, and in some cases, the trailer’s rating. If the film has not yet been rated, this will be indicated. Then, the trailer begins, which shows excerpts from the film that are artfully cut to give the audience an idea of what is going to happen in the film and to make people excited to see the film.
Most movie trailers include a voiceover. One of the most famous narrators for movie trailers was Don LaFontaine, who dubbed thousands of Hollywood movie trailers in a voice so distinctive it was instantly recognizable. LaFontaine also gleefully participated in parodies of traditional movie trailers, often using his signature catchphrase “In a world…”. The voiceover typically includes information about when the film will be released, along with a brief synopsis of the film.
Some studios release their trailers slowly, building anticipation for the big movies. A studio may start with teaser trailers, very short theatrical trailers that give just a taste of the film, often with a cryptic message. For example, an iconic image from the movie might be shown, followed by a title that just says “It’s Coming” or “Coming Soon.” Over time, the studio will release longer trailers, leveraging completed filming to spice up their previews with scenes that will captivate viewers.
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