Tip #1421: Tips for Editing Better Trailers

Trailers are the way we catch the attention of viewers today.

Image courtesy of Pixabay, via Pexels.com.

This article first appeared in MotionArray.com. This is a summary.

Trailers have always been an important part of film promotion, but when the era of internet video swept in, trailers became their medium. We now live in a world where a 1- to 2-minute video is exactly what people like to consume, and because of this trailers are created for everything from films to products to events.

Here are some tips to improve your next trailer.

Tell A Story. Don’t give everything away, but tell a story that your viewer can get behind.

Set The Pace. In many scenarios, fast pacing is the way to go with a trailer. There isn’t a lot of time, but there is a lot of information to convey, so keeping things moving will help you along.

Choose Your Words. Use text on the screen, but choose your words wisely. Short and punchy wins.

Get Graphic. Graphics can help keep an edit moving and create a common visual thread throughout.

Music Matters. We say over and over again that music plays a key role in visuals.

The article has several demo videos and more details on each of these points.

… for Visual Effects

Tip #1422: What’s the Best Way to Show Screens?

Larry Jordan – LarryJordan.com

Screens are everywhere; we need to find ways to integrate them.

Still from R#J. Courtesy of Sundance Institute | Photo by Charles Murphy.

This article first appeared in NoFilmSchool.com. This is a summary.

Screens are the cigarettes of 2020s cinema, and we’re not going to quit anytime soon. Better figure out how to make the most of them!

As human beings, our daily reality has pretty much fully merged with our screens. Sure, it’s weird that we now have to think of creative ways to show an image of a 2D screen on a 2D screen. It’s almost more weird to purposely exclude phone screens from a story that’s set in the present day. It’s become a quintessential part of daily life. Do we go out of our way to make films without mentioning screens? Or do we find the best, most cinematic way to weave screens into our stories?

Here’s a look at five films at Sundance 2021 that took completely different approaches to screens on screen.

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair

We’re All Going to the World’s Fair moves from computer screens to Skype calls to handheld cameras, and the occasional production camera to paint a picture of a young girl (and her online friend) who is completely absorbed in one small corner of the internet.

R#J

A re-imagining of Romeo and Juliet, taking place through cell phones, in a mash-up of Shakespearean dialogue with current social media communication.

Searchers

The unusual way that Pacho Velez decided to shoot Searchers was to find a way for them to look into the camera as if they were looking through their phone or computer to swipe right—or left!

All Light Everywhere

All Light Everywhere focuses on surveillance as the main device to examine human bias, so naturally, surveillance camera footage and bodycam footage play a central role on screen. “[The camera] changes the person being filmed, and it changes the person who is doing the filming, and I’ve always been interested in that process,” said director Theo Anthony.

Users

Okay, this documentary isn’t strictly a rumination on screens, but the ever-present role of technology in our lives. The camera becomes much the POV of an all-seeing, all-knowing technological God to redefine the perspective of ourselves in the digital age.

The article provides more details, extended interviews and screen shots.

Tip #1421: Tips for Editing Better Trailers

… for Visual Effects

Tip #1421: Tips for Editing Better Trailers

Trailers are the way we catch the attention of viewers today.