Industry Strategy Can a Great Trailer Sell an Average Film?

[Cinema Doktor]

Can a Great Trailer Sell an Average Film?

Over the years, I've seen buyers request screeners because of a trailer.

I've also seen buyers lose interest within minutes after watching the actual film.

That makes me wonder whether a trailer's job is really to sell a film, or simply to sell the next step.

In many cases, the trailer doesn't need to close the deal. It only needs to create enough interest for someone to watch the screener, schedule a meeting, or continue the conversation.

The challenge, of course, is that a great trailer can sometimes promise more than the film is able to deliver.

From a sales perspective, what do you think matters more: getting buyers interested in the first place, or making sure the trailer accurately reflects the film they're about to watch?

 

[Samantha]

Can a Great Trailer Sell an Average Film?

Over the years, I've seen buyers request screeners because of a trailer.

I've also seen buyers lose interest within minutes after watching the actual film.

That makes me wonder whether a trailer's job is really to sell a film, or simply to sell the next step.

In many cases, the trailer doesn't need to close the deal. It only needs to create enough interest for someone to watch the screener, schedule a meeting, or continue the conversation.

The challenge, of course, is that a great trailer can sometimes promise more than the film is able to deliver.

From a sales perspective, what do you think matters more: getting buyers interested in the first place, or making sure the trailer accurately reflects the film they're about to watch?

I think a trailer can absolutely open doors for an average film, but it rarely closes the deal on its own.

I've seen projects generate strong initial interest because the trailer was excellent, only for that momentum to disappear once buyers watched the full screener.

At the same time, I've also seen films with relatively simple trailers sell because the film itself delivered exactly what buyers expected. For me, the best trailers don't necessarily make the film look bigger than it is. They create the right expectations. A buyer who feels pleasantly surprised after watching a screener is far more valuable than one who feels disappointed.

 

[norwest]

I think buyers and audiences watch trailers very differently.

Audiences ask: (Would I watch this?)

Buyers ask: (Can I sell this?)

In my experience, the trailer is only part of the picture. The cast, the team behind the film and the overall package often influence buyer interest just as much as the trailer itself.

I've seen average trailers generate strong interest because buyers already saw commercial potential. I've also seen great trailers struggle because the package behind them wasn't as strong. Sometimes the trailer sells the film. Sometimes it simply supports a package buyers already believe in.