Movie Trailer Suggestions

1. Pick good actors.
2. You need a good shot formula. Notice how other film makers set up a scene. Many times their shot formula will start with an establishing shot and then work the camera in closer to the subjects and action.
3. Respect the 180 degree line.
4. Keep everyone involved and doing something.
5. Try to use different styles of shooting your movie. Ex. Shoot a Master shot then use Movie Style or use Triple Take technique. Include Cross Cutting, Continuity Cuts, Match Cuts.
6. Your sound track is critical. Try creating your own sound track using Garage Band. Know what foley is.
7. Special Effects!
8. L-Cuts, J-Cuts
9. Have a humorous title.
10. Have something unexpected happen.
11. Try to vary your pacing. Rising action should mean that your clips are getting faster (shorter) with more camera angles.
12. Reaction shots!
13. Try to use different camera positions (High, Ground, Waist).
14. Try to move the camera smoothly when you do dolly, trucking, follow, walk over, and walk by shots.
15. Rule of Thirds! Place your subject at the intersection!
16. Also pay attention to where your subject walks out of the frame. If the subject walks out of the right side of the frame, then the subject should enter the next shot from the left.
17. If you are doing a longer movie trailer and are actually switching scenes and locations, then I want you to use some kind of transition technique to get you to the next scene. Example: Zoom in on an important detail like a someone's eyes or a prop and then switch scenes and zoom out from someone else's eyes or someone else holding the prop. What are some other ways to transition out/in?