A movie trailer is a promotional technique that emphasizes key aspects of a film to persuade viewers to see it. In a short amount of time, a good trailer must attract viewers. It is a promotional video for a forthcoming feature film that is intended to intrigue viewers and raise anticipation for the film. A trailer gives a sneak peek at a film's plot without giving anything away about the plot, as well as introduces the film's creative team (main actors, director, writers, and producers) and release date.

Trailers received their name from the fact that they used to be shown after movies in theatres. After seeing that many moviegoers left the cinema without seeing the trailers, studios opted to have trailers play before the films to ensure that they were seen. Trailers are now referred to as "previews" or "coming attractions" in the industry.

The average length of a theatrical trailer is one and a half to two and a half minutes. Teaser trailers are short, one-minute trailers that are released early to build anticipation for the main trailer. They usually don't reveal much plot information and lack actual film footage because the film is still in post-production. TV ads (also known as TV trailers) are even shorter, lasting between 15 and 60 seconds.

You'll need film material and video editing tools to create your movie trailer. Although any editing program will suffice, there are specialized movie trailer creators that contain genre-specific trailer templates to make the job even easier.

1. Develop a three-act structure for your trailer. Great trailers create a gripping story that emotionally engages the audience, and using a three-act plot structure is one of the most effective methods to do so. The major characters, setting, and the idea of the film should all be introduced at the beginning of your trailer; the middle should heighten the drama, and the end should include a climax. Create storyboards of your scenes to guide you through the edit when putting together the framework of your trailer.

2. Show the most memorable moments from the movie. Without giving away significant narrative aspects, a good trailer highlights the most aesthetically stunning and emotionally compelling parts. This is one of the more difficult components of the movie trailer-making process, but any video that has a good possibility of enticing an audience to watch the movie should be included. A trailer for a blockbuster action picture, for example, might emphasize moments with show-stopping spectacular effects; a comedy trailer, on the other hand, might include some of the best quips that have little bearing on the plot.

3. To assist in telling the story, use voice-over or text. Due to the brevity of movie trailers in comparison to the full film, voice-over and on-screen text can help deliver important information. You can either create a fresh voice-over dialogue for the trailer or repurpose material from the film as a voice-over.

4. Set the mood with appropriate music. Well-chosen music elevates the most effective trailers. For a thriller, for example, a suspenseful score could be appropriate, whereas, for a romantic comedy, a lighter pop song might be appropriate. The trailer for dramas frequently includes a powerful symphonic composition over a montage of emotional scenes in the third act conclusion. Rather than generating music specifically for the trailer, you can acquire trailer music from stock music libraries.

5. Control the tempo with editing skills. To liven up scene transitions, employ sound effects, use short cuts to show activity, fade in and out of scenes to regulate the pace, and sync music cues to key points.

6. The film's talent should be emphasized. A cast run is a list of prominent actors who participate in the picture, as well as any well-known directors, producers, or writers whose involvement may entice viewers. During the final act of the trailer, as it approaches its climax, the actors run frequently appears in movie trailers.