2.27.2013

Creating a book trailer

I've been toying with the idea of a book trailer for my Paranormal Romance, Witch's Soulmate, since its release November 5th of last year.

What really stopped this time around was I had ☆☆ Movie Trailer ☆☆ in mind. Yes, I want action! drama! and--as my awesome paranormal book deserves -- special effects!!!!

I've made a book trailer for my first novel, One Hit Wonder, with static images and I'm okay with the results. It was a spur of the moment thing and I didn't even had a cover for the book then. Instead of scripting I let the song do the talking. Despite the fact I've used a Third Eye Blind song (properly credited, of course), it's still on Youtube and as of now have had a whopping 88 views. Aargh! Depending on the artist you choose they take it down just like that! But using well known songs, is not what you should do anyway.

So, what to do then?

Here are some tips from Writer's Digest:

1- Forget about "movie trailer." - boo hoo!
Unless you're Steven Spielberg's niece (or have a wallet the size of his), it will look amateurish.
2- Simple is better than cheesy.
Remember how much fun you had editing your novel? -- not! Think editing ten fold when doing your book trailer. And this time, you must edit your images and every visual element you're thinking about cramming into your two-minute masterpiece. I love Chuck's quote "Your book may be a novel, but your trailer should be a poem."
3- You're the script bitch! -- pardon my french.
If you thought about copying the jacket copy, shame on you! We process text very differently than images, especially on a 29-frame-per-second rate (which you won't use it if you follow advice #1) At any rate (pun intended), your text must be ultra-slim and perfectly -- I mean, PERFECTLY, aligned with the images. By now, you should know that you don't need to summarize the plot, right? Good author!
4- Have the book information at the end of the trailer.
Don't ruin the emotional connection you're attempting to make by having your publisher's name scrolling through the screen. Leave all that info, including the blurb, for the end. After you snatched that viewer.
5- Using non/bad actors can cause more pain than gain.
Is there anything worse than bad acting? Er …bad writing? Whatever. Chuck said it best "you don't want the nuanced psychology of your protagonist rendered banal by poor acting or filming." Using actors can leave no room for the imagination. By the same token, don't use clearly defined images for your characters (at least of their faces). It's the same way you create an interesting novel: don't give it all away.
See what I mean in the video below:



Kudos for the author for hiring a production company and spending the money to promote her work, but this trailer doesn't intrigue me AT ALL! It's beyond cheesy. In fact, it didn't compel me to look up the book, it compelled me to write this post.

What do you think? Does it work for you? Have you made a book trailer? Share it in the comments.

Cheers.


You don’t want the nuanced psychology of your protagonist rendered banal by poor acting and filming. - See more at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/how-to-make-a-book-trailer-6-tips#sthash.tyO5QATH.dpuf


Your book may be a novel, but your trailer should be a poem. - See more at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/how-to-make-a-book-trailer-6-tips#sthash.tyO5QATH.dpuf
Your book may be a novel, but your trailer should be a poem. - See more at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/how-to-make-a-book-trailer-6-tips#sthash.tyO5QATH.dpuf"
Erase from your mind the ambition to make a movie trailer. - See more at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/how-to-make-a-book-trailer-6-tips#sthash.tyO5QATH.dpuf
Erase from your mind the ambition to make a movie trailer. - See more at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/how-to-make-a-book-trailer-6-tips#sthash.tyO5QATH.dpuf
1. Erase from your mind the ambition to make a movie trailer. - See more at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/how-to-make-a-book-trailer-6-tips#sthash.tyO5QATH.dpuf
1. Erase from your mind the ambition to make a movie trailer. - See more at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/how-to-make-a-book-trailer-6-tips#sthash.tyO5QATH.dpuf
1. Erase from your mind the ambition to make a movie trailer. - See more at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/how-to-make-a-book-trailer-6-tips#sthash.tyO5QATH.dpuf
1. Erase from your mind the ambition to make a movie trailer. - See more at: http://www.writersdigest.com/editor-blogs/guide-to-literary-agents/how-to-make-a-book-trailer-6-tips#sthash.tyO5QATH.dpuf