How to Create a Promotional Trailer for Your Book

Today I am here to share some of the lessons I have learned while creating a book trailer for my novel, Firedust. While I would like to tell you that the process is beautiful and cathartic, like bringing a child into this world, I must warn you that the process is also messy and painful (and therefore, still a lot like bringing a child into this world). So think of this article as both a guide and a cautionary tale.

In an era of ebooks, Kindles and self-publishing, it comes as no surprise that authors and publishers alike are searching for new ways to market stories through web advertisements, book sites, Twitter, and other new media. One of the most interesting advertising developments is the advent of the book trailer: short videos that summarize a story with images, words, and sometimes music. The quality of these trailers varies significantly, of course. Trailers produced through large publishing houses often have original music, talented actors, and a skilled film crew. Trailers produced by authors as marketing tools (either for self-publishing or, in my case, for attracting publishers) range from glorified slideshows with stock photos and royalty free music to high quality short films.

At the most basic level, three things separate the slideshows from the films: time (in equipment rental, location rental, filming, editing, and marketing), talent (in actors, film crew, editing crew, music, graphic design, and your own writing), and resources (in cameras, lights, sound studios, wages, gas, and food). Without any one of these critical factors, a project will fall apart. If, for instance, you do not have talented actors or a skilled film crew, no amount of time and money will make your trailer appealing. If, on the other hand, you do not have access to good film equipment, you are in trouble, regardless of your free time and your talent. And even if you have an extensive network of talented friends and a trust fund, your trailer will not succeed if you do not give it the time and attention it requires.

Now all of that just sounds depressing. After all, who actually has enough time, money, and talent at their disposal to create a book trailer?

In a word? You do.

You see, this type of project is, above all else, an exercise in networking. I hope that with this article series I will be able to show you how I took my severely limited resources (a computer and a chatty disposition) and with the help of a ridiculously talented and forgiving group of family and friends, set about making a trailer. By May, we will be done with fundraising (resources), by July, we will be done with filming (talent), and by September, we will release the trailer (time). And honestly, I’ve got to tell you – if I can do this, so can you.

In this first article, I will discuss four thorny subjects that make or break trailers from the beginning: the music, the script, the actors, and the funding.

Finding the right music for your trailer helps the writing process considerably. While YouTube is a fantastic resource for exploring the music available, I urge you to remember two things: first, to use music (even on YouTube), you really should obtain rights to that music. Second, the price you pay for music rights will vary considerably depending on whether you are profiting from the website where you host your trailer. My selection? Outlands by Daft Punk.

Music rights can generally be obtained through one of two sites: The American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers and Broadcast Music, Inc. License fees for music for sites that do not generate significant profit (i.e. under $2,000) range between $250 and $350 a year. These fees cover all songs included in each organization’s inventory, which means that you will have unlimited access to a variety of songs simultaneously.

You may also consider royalty free music, a far cheaper option. Resources such as RoyaltyFreeMusic.com provide an excellent alternative to more expensive licensing organizations. Keep in mind that you may get what you are paying for, as a great deal of royalty free music sounds low budget.

One final point: if you are unable to find a legal approach to obtain rights to a song, DO NOT USE IT. Make no mistake: if the musician or producer catches wind of use of a song without rights, you place yourself at risk of a lawsuit, which is not what you want at any stage of your writing career.

After identifying suitable music for your story, sit down and write out a script. I recommend selecting a few scenes from your novel, and redrafting them to describe the actions for actors. Keep the dialogue simple, direct, and emphatic. Above all, remember: only write scenes you can film without stuntmen, pyrotechnics, and a CGI studio. I have included my script below, as an example. Bear with me!

:30 Open to a black screen. The music starts. The words fade into sight.

:32 – What if the nation you loved

:36 – Came to represent everything you hate?

:40 – And what if you

:45 – Were the cause?

:49 – The camera pans around Mae kneeling in the darkness, Lorncroft visible over her shoulder as it moves – she is bleeding heavily, and holding a sword in both hands dug into the ground. She is shaking, her head bowed against the pommel. Bright flashes ripple through the trees. The camera stops beside Lorncroft, at his hip level. His hand tightens his hold on his blade.

:53 – The image fades to Nick glaring at Elliot across a table with Mae between them at the end. Elliot slams his hands down onto the table, leaning across and glaring in Nick’s face, appearing almost desperate.

:55 – Elliot (angry): “We can’t keep waiting for someone else to end this. You know that – and I think that the only thing that keeps you from putting a stop to this is that you are too much of a coward to admit that this time, the price of justice is blood.”

1:02 – The image fades back to the forest – the camera is still beside Lorncroft’s hip. Mae’s head jerks up, and she stares at Lorncroft, towering above her.

1:06 – Nick (worried): “Theirs, or ours?”

1:08 – She swings her blade, and the screen goes black.

1:12 – The image fades to a prison cell, Reese inside. Mae stands outside, staring at him worriedly, clutching the bars. He reaches up, and lays a hand over hers. She flinches, but does not move. He looks over her hand, to her – gentle, and sad.

1:17 – Reese (calm, certain): “A man who has nothing left to fear is a man who cannot be touched. He cannot be threatened, he cannot be controlled, and he cannot be stopped.”

1:24 – Mae’s head remains bowed. He reaches through the bars, and brushes her cheek, tilting her chin up. She stares at him from the other side of the bars, her expression sad, but fixed.

1:27 – Reese: “So the only question I have for you is, are you afraid?”

1:32 – The scene fades back to the table, with Elliot and Nick. Elliot pulls back from Nick’s face, revealing Mae standing at the end of the table, looking resolved.

1:38 – Flash to scenes of Mae and Lorncroft in a dark, filthy concrete room, along with a terrified, skinny man. Mae stares as Lorncroft, his back to her, grabs the man, and slits his throat, draining the mana from him – the man jerks, and there is a bright flash.

1:43 – Mae: “Rian controls a weapon no nation should possess – a weapon we gave them. And if we do not stop them, they will use it to crush Dagael, its people, and anyone else who stands in their way.”

1:50 – The man falls to the floor, dead. Mae reaches for the knife at her hip, just starting to draw it. She freezes, though, as Lorncroft turns his head, only half of his face visible, looking at her and smiling eerily. He lifts his hand, which is glowing, and slowly clenches it into a fist. The scene fades back to the table.

2:00 – Nick stares at her, shaking his head.

2:00 – Nick: “What you’re proposing is suicide.”

2:05 – She smiles.

2:05 – Mae: “No.”

2:07 – The scene fades back to the woods. Mae strikes rapidly- once, twice, backing Lorncroft down.

2:16 – Mae: “What I am proposing is justice.”

2:18 – She strikes home, jerking her blade back. She pauses, as he falls.

2:21 – She drops her sword, and collapses.

2:24 – Firedust

2:35 – Winter 2012

Next, you need to find actors. This might seem like a significant barrier, of course. After all, most of us don’t have access to large groups of performers.

The route I took was to turn to a local theater company. I believe this is an appealing option, in part because most local theater performers do not have the same salary demands, and in part because most local theaters have connections to a local network of artists, including filmmakers, musicians, and access to equipment.

Finally, it is important to consider financing. As noted before, most of us do not have a lot of spare money lying around. And while we are surrounded by a wonderful community and our own network of family and friends, asking for money is understandably awkward.

For this reason, I strongly encourage you to consider using Kickstarter, an online fundraising website that allows you to start a website for your project, advertise it, raise funds, and post updates for all of your sponsors. I have included a link to my project to give you an idea of how to structure important sections, including your bio, the project description, and most importantly, the rewards. Just remember, you will only receive funds if you reach your fundraising goal. So set a reasonable goal, and advertise broadly- on Facebook, Twitter, and through shameless plugs such as this.

– – –

Stay tuned, for I will continue this series with the following articles:

– In June’s article I will discuss costume rental and makeup. I will also deal with the issue of filming locations, permissions, and ways to avoid legal issues. Finally, I will deal with the issue of training for stunts (which, given our genre’s passion for swordplay, is important).

– In July’s article I will discuss equipment rentals and finding individuals with the technical skills to operate cameras, record dialogue, and edit footage. I will also discuss scheduling filming days, feeding your crew, and planning for transportation.

– In August’s article, I will give a blow-by-blow report on the actual process of filming a trailer, complete with raw video from the film site.

– In September, I will discuss the process of obtaining music rights, the challenges of video editing, approaches to creating good creative communication with your editing crew, and options for special effects.

– I will complete this collection of articles in October by discussing the process of creating an author website, including finding a graphic designer, finding a hosting service, the appropriate use of advertisements, content creation, and posting a trailer.

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