Trailers are meant to get your attention catch your eye and make you want to see the movie as soon as it comes out. They should be enough to intrigue you and wonder about the movie causing you want to see it more. Well, that’s how they used to be.
Modern movie trailers are being filled more and more with tiny spoilers, trying to cater to every audience. These details may seem insignificant at first glance but imagine if certain parts weren’t shown in the trailer. For example, every person alive freaked out of their minds when Spiderman jumped into the “Captain America: Civil War” trailer. Even in the trailer itself the producers made a point to fill the last shot with Spiderman himself.
What if the trailer displayed Spiderman like the rest of the side heroes? This would’ve shown a conglomerate of them running towards each other, leaving them in a blur. It would leave you questioning if that is actually him. It would make you want to see it way more than just revealing him in the trailer, focusing on him.
If Spiderman showed up in the movie without having prior knowledge from the trailer, it would definitely be more exciting than seeing him showcased in the trailer. It would enhance your movie experience and give you a feeling of anticipation for what’s to come later in the movie.
A fantastic example of how trailers should be presented is the original “Jurassic Park” trailer. Now, if the person read the book they would already have some idea of what the movie will be like.
Most of the scenes include shots of the park without dinosaurs; then showing one or two small dinosaurs throughout the montage of the park shots. Around the end, and this is key; it shows the cup of water shaking from giant footsteps. The footsteps are getting louder and louder while still only showing the cup; it is a classic scene. Lastly it cuts to the logo with a tremendous roar in the background.
That last part of the trailer would have you begging for more. It would leave you asking so many questions in your head. You wouldn’t know what dinosaur it was or even what it looked like. You would guess all these things that would later be answered while watching the movie.
The rest of the trailer makes you even more curious too. It showed the whole park as a peaceful and safe place. The last part gives you doubt and makes you ask if it truly is that way. The trailer shouldn’t give that aspect away because it would cause you to not have a reason to see the movie in the first place. It would be kind of like spoiling your dinner, you won’t be hungry for the main course.
The questions a person has shouldn’t be answered in the trailer, it should keep the person questioning. It should make you crave to see the movie more than anything. A trailer should give you enough to want more. Giving away too much makes the movie predictable; therefore less of an experience and more of a validation.
