Very low cost quality book trailers

ania · Dec 22, 2009

Can they be done or is it impossible? What IS an effective trailer? Does it tell the full story? The best part only (like movie trailers)? What are the ways to intrigue the viewers?

What about this one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eIpZii_PZo

Any other creative ideas that don't involve actors, special equipment and a mountain of technical skills?

Can a book trailer become viral with something other than a dancing baby or a cute kitten?

veinglory · Dec 22, 2009

That's terrible trailer. Long and pointless.

Can you name a viral book trailer? I can't. Some were worth the time I spent watching them, but that's about it.

ania · Dec 22, 2009

veinglory said:
That's terrible trailer. Long and pointless.

Can you name a viral book trailer? I can't. Some were worth the time I spent watching them, but that's about it.

I liked that trailer--rather hypnotic.
I certainly can't name a viral one. Though this one probably was close: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxschLOAr-s

veinglory · Dec 22, 2009

I stopped watching that trailer when, after 30s, I still didn't have any idea what it was about.

ania · Dec 22, 2009

veinglory said:
I stopped watching that trailer when, after 30s, I still didn't have any idea what it was about.

rabbit or book launch?

veinglory · Dec 22, 2009

I have seen the Dennis cass one, but it seems aimed rather at authors.... The only one I can really remember was for a self-published horror book called "Cluck" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoVWbpiqRAc

veinglory · Dec 22, 2009

ania said:
rabbit or book launch?

The thing with the rabbit.

ania · Dec 22, 2009

veinglory said:
I have seen the Dennis cass one, but it seems aimed rather at authors.... The only one I can really remember was for a self-published horror book called "Cluck" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoVWbpiqRAc

This one I stopped at 42 sec, but I have my sound on mute now. Music adds a lot.

AryaT92 · Dec 22, 2009

I see that James Patterson one a lot on T.V, Alex Cross which is a best seller. Then again, he's James Patterson..

I also see Witches and Wizards on T.V?

ania · Dec 23, 2009

AryaT92 said:
I see that James Patterson one a lot on T.V, Alex Cross which is a best seller. Then again, he's James Patterson..

I also see Witches and Wizards on T.V?

I didn't even know book trailers were on TV.

Kathleen42 · Dec 23, 2009

Sorry but the bunny trailer is bad.

I only made it 30s and that was because I was forcing myself to watch. The trailer for Fallen is a nice example of a simple one that could be made fairly inexpensively. It does have some stock video/animation but you could probably made it without that just through clever use of images fading in and out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um8473tJCMs

ania · Dec 23, 2009

Kathleen42 said:
Sorry but the bunny trailer is bad.

I only made it 30s and that was because I was forcing myself to watch. The trailer for Fallen is a nice example of a simple one that could be made fairly inexpensively. It does have some stock video/animation but you could probably made it without that just through clever use of images fading in and out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um8473tJCMs

It is simple and clean, and visually appealing. Yet it doesn't stand out, and doesn't make the book stand out. It could be for almost any fantasy novel. I wish it lasted 10 more seconds and told me why I would want to read that particular novel.

nkkingston · Dec 27, 2009

Personally, I prefer the short trailers - ad length ones like you see occasionally on TV. They rarely convey much of the plot (usually about the same as the back cover blurb) but the aim is to make you remember the title and author, and often the cover. When you're stood in the bookshop in front of fifty almost identically covered novels that one catches something in your memory and its the one you pull from the shelf to take a closer look at. Viral should work well, but I've never seen a good one.

Kathleen42 · Dec 27, 2009

nkkingston said:
Personally, I prefer the short trailers - ad length ones like you see occasionally on TV. They rarely convey much of the plot (usually about the same as the back cover blurb) but the aim is to make you remember the title and author, and often the cover. When you're stood in the bookshop in front of fifty almost identically covered novels that one catches something in your memory and its the one you pull from the shelf to take a closer look at. Viral should work well, but I've never seen a good one.

That's one of the reason's I liked the one for fallen. It tied in wonderfully with what is already a strong cover design. Most of the stores I've seen the book in have it displayed outward so it's the perfect time for that type of trailer.

Since I learned of the trailer through Twitter (and not from anyone directly associate with the publisher or author) I'd say it's making the viral rounds at least somewhat well.

timp67 · Jan 24, 2010

I made my trailer with iMovie and it cost about sixty bucks.
That money was spent to license images from istock.com
iMovie comes with a bunch of free music and sound effects, and I found some internet sites for free music (for a donation).
I think it worked out really well!

Link is in signature.

Very low cost quality book trailers

ania

Got the hang of it, here

veinglory

volitare nequeo

ania

Got the hang of it, here

veinglory

volitare nequeo

ania

Got the hang of it, here

veinglory

volitare nequeo

veinglory

volitare nequeo

ania

Got the hang of it, here

AryaT92

ania

Got the hang of it, here

Kathleen42

crushing on fictional characters

ania

Got the hang of it, here

nkkingston

Bemused Girl

Kathleen42

crushing on fictional characters

timp67

Guinea pig in the laboratory of God