Trailer to my debut feature film Trophy Wife: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhBV-7lB0bw

Attached above is the trailer to the debut low budget indie feature film I directed, wrote and co-produced.

Instead of just posting I thought I’d mention a few elements I learnt from making the trailer.
(Ideally I would get a trailer editor to create, as it really is an art form)

What I learnt:
- Put your best material in the trailer.
- The trailer is not a recap, you’re selling the film.
- Use accents/quick cuts to add urgency and change the pace.
- A VoiceOver introduction for the opening shots
- If all your actors are in the trailer they can all promote the trailer and the film (there is a limit.)
- Use stop downs where the music goes silent and a character says a line. The trailer to Steve Jobs is good at this.
- Plot spoilers, I think this is a lot easier said then done. You want your best material in the trailer to attract an audience. Knowing what gives away and what doesn’t is hard. You don’t want undersell the film also.
- Sound design has a massive effect.
- Editing to music can help create a rhyme for your edit.
- There are literally hundreds of trailer music libraries.
- I think editing a trailer is different from editing a feature film. Its a different art.
- I think composing trailer music is different from composing for a feature film.

Some these points might not be for everyone. But I hope some of these pointers might be useful. I would recommend looking up Derek Liu for better insights.

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