Does Anyone Know How To Make A Decent Movie Trailer Anymore?

[DeepDished2]

seriously. lately the formula has been "show alot of clips, some with explosions, alittle sex, and give away the whole movie". what happened to the days when making a decent trailer was an art in itself? i felt alittle better when i saw the sweetness of the trailer for cloverfield (or whatever its called)before transformers, but trailers like that are few and far between these days.

[Patton]

Some people do. But not many.

The two things that bother me most are giving away the whole movie (which is in almost every trailer) and the little record scratch in comedies. Even Art School Confidential had that.

[AAlgar]

What a bizarre coincidence. I SWEAR I was just sitting here thinking "I wonder what the two things are that bothers Patton the most about movie trailers."

Synchronicity, man. Spooky.

[Patton]

What a bizarre coincidence. I SWEAR I was just sitting here thinking "I wonder what the two things are that bothers Patton the most about movie trailers."

Synchronicity, man. Spooky.

I know how to deliver what the fans want.

[Shwicaz]

I hate the overuse of certain songs in trailers.

"Born to Be Wild" is a song I never want to hear in a movie trailer ever again.

and yes, I do agree that they always seem to show the actual ending scene in the trailers, so that when you see the movie, you realise that you already saw the ending, but just didn't know it.

[AAlgar]

I hate the overuse of certain songs in trailers.

"Born to Be Wild" is a song I never want to hear in a movie trailer ever again.

and yes, I do agree that they always seem to show the actual ending scene in the trailers, so that when you see the movie, you realise that you already saw the ending, but just didn't know it.

For about 10 years there, the only song I remember hearing in any trailer ever was that really intense piece of choral music... Carmina Burana, I think it's called. Sometimes they'd throw in part of the Aliens score as well.

[Thomas Mauer]

Maybe they let TV program advertisers do movie trailers now. Whenever they do ads for their own shows and the movies they run, TV stations here give away the entire plot.

It's quite nice, actually. Saves you lots of time. :)

[Tom Burgos]

Now it seems that they use Suddenly I See in every trailer for a chick flick

[NickT]

I thought FF2 and MI3 had good trailers. Lots of action, but no real ending spoiling.

[Tom Burgos]

Is it me, or do romantic comedies tend to be guilty of the "give the whole movie away" syndrome more than any other genre?
It's almost as if the producers want to ensure people know that the couple will get together in the end (as if romcoms weren't predictable enough as it is)

[Sy-Klone]

I think Don LaFontaine knows how.

[Foolish Mortal]

The people who made the Scary Movie trailers apparently knew what they're doing. They actually made those movies look funny.

[Boris the Blade]

I too find that trailers don't really make me want to go see the film immediately. They're too long, show too much. I understand that there's some logic that trailers are like mini-films now. That's stupid. They should hook you just enough that you HAVE to find out what's going to happen. A trailer in itself should not be a totally satisfying experience. They should leave you needing the movie, and I just don't find that many trailers do that.

[silverboy]

Is it me, or do romantic comedies tend to be guilty of the "give the whole movie away" syndrome more than any other genre?
It's almost as if the producers want to ensure people know that the couple will get together in the end (as if romcoms weren't predictable enough as it is)

I don't know--I would have to actually go see a romantic comedy.

[Doug]

I thought the very first Transformers preview was pretty good (the one about the Mars explorer).

It didn't give anything away, and it made me pretty excited about the movie.

[ERNIE_E]

Trailers should tease you, give you a glimpse of what you might see, should not necessarily lead you astray but just pique your interest and get you to want more. I don't want to know how I should feel or what I'm supposed to get out of a film until I see it. I don't need to know when the twist is coming, I don't need to see every major actor in the film, I don't even need to be sure at what I'm looking at. I personally love obscure, fast, and sometimes puzzling trailers.

Trailers today are an absolute embarassment. Some trailers tell you the ENTIRE FUCKING movie. Most Comedies show you ALL THE FUNNY PARTS! I want to tear my hair out at the end of each one.

What happened to saving money shots for the release? It's all so frustrating. But like the rest of Hollywood, things must be dumbed down to the lowerst common denominator.

One that frustrated me to no end was seeing Vader in the Episode III. That was one that should have been saved no matter how bad it was.

I still see good trailers today but most of them are foreign films or independents. Some that really stick out in my mind done well here in the States were Memento and Donnie Darko. There are a few others since 2000 but very few.


This is a serious sore spot for me and nowadays if it's more than a teaser I just don't want to see it.

[Yannick_B]

Are trailers cut by the studios or the directors?
Because we can often see on dvd extras "director's cut trailer" and so on, so I'm wondering how much say the directors have in the trailer (I know they have none on television).

[ERNIE_E]

Are trailers cut by the studios or the directors?
Because we can often see on dvd extras "director's cut trailer" and so on, so I'm wondering how much say the directors have in the trailer (I know they have none on television).


I'm sure like in most things that the more independent it is the more control a director might have on this sort of thing. The bigger the film, the more people have input as to what should be shown out there including big studio marketing.

[twigglet]

I thought the F4 trailer was pretty good.

The one with Human Torch V Silver Surfer.

[Spidey]

The worst trailer I've ever seen, to date, was for "What Lies Beneath". It gave away the WHOLE MOVIE, from beginning to end, in two minutes. It wasn't a trailer; it was a summary.

"Grindhouse" is easily my favorite trailer in recent memory: it's creative, over the top, and has some of the best montages in I dunno how long. (Tarantino and co. have long produced excellent trailers, though.)

One of the all-time best, though, is for "Psycho" -- even the movie posters are great. (DON'T GIVE AWAY THIS MOVIE!)

[Allan]

The best trailers these days are fake.

http://www.thetrailermash.com/

[Masculine Todd]

seriously. lately the formula has been "show alot of clips, some with explosions, alittle sex, and give away the whole movie".

Conversely, I hate trailers that use a dramatic score and vague scenes to try and intensify a woman walking to a mailbox in an attempt to keep the secrets. I went to see Pirates 3 last weekend, and there were two trailers that went the normal 5 minute lenght, tons of pulse-rasing orchestra scores, the deep, monotoned narrator talking about how emotional this was, when the actors were just hanging out. I know nothing about either film. Nothing.

[Yannick_B]

Should we post exemples of good trailers?

Edgar Wright's for Hot Fuzz (http://youtube.com/watch?v=WTUWi5kB7xc)was pretty good because like the movie itself it used super-serious conventions from action movie trailers but doesnt end up being too serious.

[HoldFastNow]

i thought the trailer for garden state with the postal service song was very good at getting me interested in the movie without giving anything away:

Garden State Trailer (http://youtube.com/watch?v=zUi8Ha0fA4A)

though watching it again now I do notice that the last scene in the movie is shown in there for a second.

[InBendiswetrust]

seriously. lately the formula has been "show alot of clips, some with explosions, alittle sex, and give away the whole movie". what happened to the days when making a decent trailer was an art in itself? i felt alittle better when i saw the sweetness of the trailer for cloverfield (or whatever its called)before transformers, but trailers like that are few and far between these days.

It's called avoid seeing them online seeing one in the theater and walking out of the theaters if you think it's coming on again.

[Ben]

I know how, but I don't feel like it.

[Donal DeLay]

Cloverfield is a damn good looking trailer.

But at least now I don't have to waste 9bucks seeing HOT ROD,m becuase I got to see the whole thing in 3minutes before Transformers


For about 10 years there, the only song I remember hearing in any trailer ever was that really intense piece of choral music... Carmina Burana, I think it's called. Sometimes they'd throw in part of the Aliens score as well. That song you're talking about if from Carmina Burana, it's called "O Fortuna". If I'm thinking of the same song. It was used VERY well in General's Daughter. Probably the only time I've ever seen it used.

One thing that bothers me is movie trailers using scores from other films.

[bartleby]

One thing that bothers me is movie trailers using scores from other films.

It's a necessary evil. Scoring is one of the last things done on movie. So if they're going to have music in the trailers, it has to be something temporary.

[bartleby]

That song you're talking about if from Carmina Burana, it's called "O Fortuna". If I'm thinking of the same song. It was used VERY well in General's Daughter. Probably the only time I've ever seen it used.

It was also used quite effectively in JACKASS: THE MOVIE.

[bradical]

evidently the trailer to medellin is fantastic.

[InBendiswetrust]

Cloverfield is a damn good looking trailer.

But at least now I don't have to waste 9bucks seeing HOT ROD,m becuase I got to see the whole thing in 3minutes before Transformers

That song you're talking about if from Carmina Burana, it's called "O Fortuna". If I'm thinking of the same song. It was used VERY well in General's Daughter. Probably the only time I've ever seen it used.

One thing that bothers me is movie trailers using scores from other films.

The that drives me nuts about Cloverfield. Yes, it looks cool, but when's the last time a January release was any good let alone great?

[A.Huerta]

What is so bad about January? If its good or bad itll be because of the movie, not the month.

[InBendiswetrust]

What is so bad about January? If its good or bad itll be because of the movie, not the month.

I'm not saying that the month makes the movie, but in my history. If I go to the movies in January I'll be disappointed. Then again, things have been turned upside down since this past May. Thanks again, Raimi.

[A.Huerta]

I'm not saying that the month makes the movie, but in my history. If I go to the movies in January I'll be disappointed. Then again, things have been turned upside down since this past May. Thanks again, Raimi.

All I remember is that Blade, Matrix and V for Vendetta came out of random months and those were good.

[Dan McLellan]

Audiences hate being surprised by movies. They like to know the movie before they go. That's why trailers are how they are.

[InBendiswetrust]

All I remember is that Blade, Matrix and V for Vendetta came out of random months and those were good.

V and the Matrix were March which is becoming well known for having a one-hit wonder a year (i.e. 300, next year will probably be Wanted)


Blade was August so it was still a summer movie basically.

[A.Huerta]

V and the Matrix were March which is becoming well known for having a one-hit wonder a year (i.e. 300, next year will probably be Wanted)


Blade was August so it was still a summer movie basically.

Really? Its been awhile.

[InBendiswetrust]

Really? Its been awhile.

I know I had to check it out somewhere.

[bartleby]

Really? Its been awhile.

BLADE II was March though.

[InBendiswetrust]

BLADE II was March though.

we were talking about the original. and 3 was in december which was probably a bad choice all around.

[Donal DeLay]

I don't really care what month a movie comes out and I don't follow that "myth". I only care if it's good or bad. And as far as the trailers go it's only job is to make me want to see the movie. Trailer's using scores from other movies make me NOT want to see it. Showing me all of the movie (like HOT ROD and CLICK) makes me NOT want to see the movie.

Cloverfield makes me want to see the movie.

[Mylazycat]

Audiences hate being surprised by movies. They like to know the movie before they go. That's why trailers are how they are.

This is exactly what the director of that Tom Hanks film Castaway said when defending the fact that the trailer for that movie gave away so much. He said with the costs of movies and refreshments at movies people wanted to know what they were getting before they put their money down.

Me, I prefer a surprise.

[Boris the Blade]

Audiences hate being surprised by movies. They like to know the movie before they go. That's why trailers are how they are.
When people say that's what audiences want, that's a LIE!

I've been in an audience many times, and that's not what I want! Am I not representative of audiences? I'll probably be in an audience for a film more than anyone else in that theater over the course of a year.

[Dan McLellan]

When people say that's what audiences want, that's a LIE!

I've been in an audience many times, and that's not what I want! Am I not representative of audiences? I'll probably be in an audience for a film more than anyone else in that theater over the course of a year.

If you look at all the types of media that make the most money in this country, most americans do not like surprise, originality, or genre-bending.

They like predictable, safe, repetitive entertainment. If you want to call pointing out the facts Snobbery than so be it, but I've passed no judgement, just observed.

[ERNIE_E]

Audiences hate being surprised by movies. They like to know the movie before they go. That's why trailers are how they are.

But this does not mean you have to go down to the masses' level for everything. If that's the case then every DVD would be presented in full screen, foreign films would all be dubbed.

We should be getting better trailers and should be expecting better trailers. Great trailers many times, not always, turn out to be great films. And I don't think any of these sucky trailers turn out to be good.

I mean, look at Evan ALmighty. I think they tel you the entire film, especially when Evan goes, "Would it be too much to expect a flood!" And then of course after a long pause you see a flood. Damn, way to build the suspense.

They were so worried that the sheep wouldn't flock so they gave the cliff notes in the entire trailer. I know I didn't have to see it because any questions I had were answered. Even in the bad movies, the trailers are not doing their job.

[andrew french]

i have a VHS i got years ago, which features all the Bond trailers up to maybe The Living Daylights.

I'm amazed how long those first 60's trailers were, and how much of the movie was given away.

[Boris the Blade]

Great trailers can make even the shittiest of films look entertaining in a light. Take Pearl Harbor's trailer. That spooky imagery of the planes breaking apart that calm, Sunny sunday. The kaboom, the horror, and the haunting speech played overhead. Truly a moving trailer.

SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIITTY MOVIE!

[jfp2004]

I don't mind trailers much one way or the other, so long as they're not long and I can get to the movie I want to see. That being said, even though I never saw in a theater, I always love watching the original Back to the Future trailer. Didn't have much to do with showing clips or anything, but it fit.
"How far ya goin?"
"Oh...about 30 years."

[S. Earl]

I can't stand modern "horror" trailers. You know, all the ones that have some kind of female crying in the last frame - and she says "help me" or "I want to go home" This of course is after the obligatory quick cuts of all the scary and spooky shit that is supposed to happen.

ex: captivity, house of wax, turistas, wolf creek, hostel, saw 2, the hitcher remake, etc. etc.

[Dan McLellan]

I love trailers. Usually bad trailers are for bad movies. I've very rarely had a good movie spoiled by a trailer.

[YouStayClassy]

i have a VHS i got years ago, which features all the Bond trailers up to maybe The Living Daylights.

I'm amazed how long those first 60's trailers were, and how much of the movie was given away.

Yeah, no kidding. Those things were mini-movies unto themselves.

[AAlgar]

Most misleading trailer ever? Fight Club. I avoided that movie for MONTHS because the trailer made it look like a generic action flick.

[YouStayClassy]

Most misleading trailer ever? Fight Club. I avoided that movie for MONTHS because the trailer made it look like a generic action flick.

I donno, I think "Primal" HAS to hold the title for most misleading trailer ever. Or even that "Bug" movie. Sad those are both so recent.....

[c. page]

I can't stand modern "horror" trailers. You know, all the ones that have some kind of female crying in the last frame - and she says "help me" or "I want to go home" This of course is after the obligatory quick cuts of all the scary and spooky shit that is supposed to happen.

ex: captivity, house of wax, turistas, wolf creek, hostel, saw 2, the hitcher remake, etc. etc.

i'd throw in the "creepy child singing" which has become something i've seen pretty recently as well.

[Jonathan Callan]

I've actually long said that I feel the art of trailer making has surpassed the art of movie-making. There's almost nothing that looks genuinely awful in trailer format. That being said the tropes of it bother the fuck out of me - overused songs like "Baba O'Reilley" for any drama where people are sadder, wiser and grow up, the aforementioned "Born to be Wild" and, strangely, the Stargate theme which shows up in a lot more places than you'd think.

Oh, also the aforementioned record scratch. Did anyone see that South Park? Brilliant.

[AAlgar]

I've actually long said that I feel the art of trailer making has surpassed the art of movie-making. There's almost nothing that looks genuinely awful in trailer format. That being said the tropes of it bother the fuck out of me - overused songs like "Baba O'Reilley" for any drama where people are sadder, wiser and grow up, the aforementioned "Born to be Wild" and, strangely, the Stargate theme which shows up in a lot more places than you'd think.

Oh, also the aforementioned record scratch. Did anyone see that South Park? Brilliant.

"Rob Schneider, derp de derp"?

[Dan McLellan]

If you want a terrible trailer look no further than Rush Hour 3. It makes it look both nonsensical and lazy.

Many record scratches.

[arthurloewenkamp]

"Rob Schneider, derp de derp"?

He's going to find out that being a carrot, isn't that easy.

Recent trailers I thought were good. Die Hard, Fido, Sunshine, and FF2. The harry potter one is good too, I was real stoked for that. 300's was nothing but badass. There's a lot of bad ones though. Thank goodness the makers of the wedding movie with Robin Williams showed me that their movie sucked, because I like Mandy Moore and Jim so I might have seen it with my girl.

My favorite "oh theres the ending" moment was the trailer for the scorpion king. I saw the Rock pulling back the bow and I was like "cool he kills the main guy with an arrow" Spoiler- he did.

[Servo106]

I hate the overuse of certain songs in trailers.

SOLSBURY HILL

[S. Earl]

Youtube the Squid and The Whale trailer, it is my favorite trailer ever.

[LordKinbote]

Or even that "Bug" movie.

Yes! I read Ebert's review after seeing the trailer, and it sounded like he was reviewing a completely different movie than the trailer made it out to be.

[elry]

the most misleading trailer is the one for bridge to terebitha. it makes it look like a narna style film,when its nothing like that at all.

the new trailer for sunshine pissed me off it shows a ton of the film and gives away the big twist

[arthurloewenkamp]

the most misleading trailer is the one for bridge to terebitha. it makes it look like a narna style film,when its nothing like that at all.

the new trailer for sunshine pissed me off it shows a ton of the film and gives away the big twist

I agree about the second sunshine trailer. Hopefully that's something that happens in the first thirty minutes and not a last act plot point. I didn't see that coming in the first trailer.

[arthurloewenkamp]

American Gangster's trailer made me want to see it immediately. It does a good job establishing the two characters.

[Donal DeLay]

the most misleading trailer is the one for bridge to terebitha. it makes it look like a narna style film,when its nothing like that at all.

the new trailer for sunshine pissed me off it shows a ton of the film and gives away the big twist I think the most misleading trailer I ever saw was for Fight Club.

The trailers I remember didn't say anything about anarchy, it just mde it look like IFC: The movie.

[NickT]

Audiences hate being surprised by movies. They like to know the movie before they go. That's why trailers are how they are.
But how would they know they are seeing the ending, if you follow what I mean? I assumed we were seing a lot of FF2 and MI3, but both left the end period pretty much unseen. Would people have really not seen The Phantom Menace if they hadn't seen Obi Wan going NOOOOOOOOO?


As for hating suprise - Sixth Sense, $293m domestic.

[Dan McLellan]

But how would they know they are seeing the ending, if you follow what I mean? I assumed we were seing a lot of FF2 and MI3, but both left the end period pretty much unseen. Would people have really not seen The Phantom Menace if they hadn't seen Obi Wan going NOOOOOOOOO?


As for hating suprise - Sixth Sense, $293m domestic.

Sixth Sense is a fluke. And it was a twist but it's not like Bruce Willis turned out to not be the main character or something. FF2 and MI3 were not surprising at all. the good guys won. A trailer that shows a lot of the movie lets an audience know what TYPE of movie they are getting. There's no surprise in HOW movies are executed.

Basically the formulas of films don't change.

[Boris the Blade]

I'm sure you're trying very hard to make sense.

[DeepDished2]

maybe my opinion is skewed since i was a much younger kid when it came out, but i thought the trailers for lost in space were particularly awesome...then again, i thought the actual movie was good, too.

[Mylazycat]

the most misleading trailer is the one for bridge to terebitha. it makes it look like a narna style film,when its nothing like that at all.

This is what I expected when me, my friend and her young neice and nephew went top see it. Boy, was I surprised!