How to Know What Kind of Game Trailer to Make | Video Game Trailer Academy
485Here's how you decide what style of trailer to make for your game, using a little bit of marketing 101
The tl;dr:
When you consider how much the people you're targeting know about your game, it makes it easier to know what they need to see in the next trailer.
Blog post version:
https://www.derek-lieu.com/blog/2020/6/10/using-the-marketing-funnel-to-design-a-trailer-campaign
Video Chapters
00:00 - Intro
00:12 - There are many types of trailers
01:02 - The Sales Funnel
02:07 - Stages of the funnel
02:53 - How to use the funnel
03:20 - Awareness
04:57 - Consideration
07:44 - Evaluation
09:01 - Customer
09:43 - True Fan
10:13 - The term "True Fan" is kind of gross
10:52 - Concluding thoughts on the funnel
12:13 - Lesson recap
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Links
Malcolm Gladwell on Spaghetti Sauce - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VkhFh5Ms1vc&ab_channel=TED-Ed
Why People Aren't Buying Your Game - https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/why-people-aren-t-buying-your-game
Snow Runner's Masterful Trailer Campaign - https://www.derek-lieu.com/blog/2020/5/24/snow-runners-masterful-trailer-campaign
Music from BattleBlock Theater OST
Trailers
BattleBlock Theater - 2010 Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dxHV5n6AkSI
Lab Rat - Official Reveal Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jXkGaGF6Seg
Firewatch - Reveal Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d02lhvvVSy8
Untitled Goose Game - Pre-Alpha Gameplay Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQknBJo4aBQ
Assassin’s Creed Revelations - E3 Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HMsbMK9Odoc
DEATHLOOP - E3 World Premiere Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXv5IDp8y74
Drake Hollow - Announce Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mqt-9fHgIzY&t=12s
SnowRunner - Reveal Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t05KnHZ0acs
Spelunky 2 - Gameplay Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuBDPkOpiaY
Neo Cab - Story Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jzFKrqffkQg
SnowRunner - Overview Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1_ty7esAnI
Pyre - Reveal Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FvxfmnrNj2U
Mosaic - E3 2019 Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aw0b2QBEz0c
Opus Magnum - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uj689znjxpg
Creature in the Well - Gameplay Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7frppvEWcQw
Tactical Breach Wizards - Act One beta trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3DbP04LFPU
Metro Exodus - Story Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlaSxWvefrg
Firewatch - E3 Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXWlgP5hZzc
Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture - Launch Trailer
SnowRunner - United We Drive Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wo2-fbBPWsc
Deus Ex Human Revolution - 101 Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i7dKF6-Ctc
The Long Dark - The Vision - Part 1 (Developer Diary) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ty3gORDjTHw
Hades - v1.0 Launch Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bz8l935Bv0Y
Broforce - Alien Infestation Update Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMeXhJa4x1Y
Broforce - Tactical Update - Steam Workshop - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FuHFTNF1z34
Noita - Snowy Update Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbOwlheDVh8
Inscryption - Accolades Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aneRbQGRIMc
Ori and the Will of the Wisps - Accolades Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NJoWjtp-EIc
Stellaris - 4th Anniversary Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zh9yZNrb62U
Assassin’s Creed Revelations - Gameplay Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kmulGwfHrc
Transistor - Reveal Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTik6sYT_BE
The Last of Us Part II - Reveal Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Wnvvj33Wo
Subnautica Gameplay Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtP8r8nRfko
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ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Derek Lieu and I make indie game trailers! I got my start in the movie trailer industry as an assistant editor at a house which produced trailers for: The Matrix Trilogy, Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean and many more.
Over many years I worked as an editor and started making fan trailers for games, until eventually I got jobs at game trailer houses in Los Angeles where I worked on games like Mortal Kombat X, Shadow of Mordor and lots of LEGO games. Independently I've helped make trailers for games like: Half-Life: Alyx, Firewatch, Dead Cells, Subnautica, Spelunky 2, Ooblets, BattleBlock Theater and a lot more.
I'm using this channel to teach people about the art of making trailers via video essays, tutorials, reviews, and behind-the-scenes looks at my own work. I think about trailers a lot both for work and fun, so I have A LOT to say about them.