Trailer

Birth of the Form

The first trailer in 1913 followed a Broadway play, literally trailing after the feature. Modern teasers precede the film, but the nomenclature stuck. Industry pioneers like National Screen Service standardised pacing, while Don LaFontaine’s voice-over turned “In a world…” into genre shorthand.

Anatomy

1. Hook — cold open moment of intrigue.
2. Build — rhythmically escalating montage synced to braaam hits.
3. Climax & Button — final gag or stinger encouraging social sharing.

Editing Tricks

Trailer houses alter score tempo, add bespoke sound design, and sometimes create CG shots absent from the final cut, sparking debates over truth-in-advertising.