Why no trailers?

[Algenon5]

I've often wondered why our producers do not attach one to two minute trailers to their videos. It seems to me a few minutes of provocative segments from other productions would be an easy, low-cost way to promote sales.

Also, the Japanese producers Giga and Zen (in actuality two heads of the same dragon) do quite well selling two-hour sampler videos at reduced prices. These really are nothing more than two-hour commercials, but they do make it easy to pick out the videos you want to buy. It would seem that producers with large catalogs, like PKF and Bluestone, could do the same. A half-hour sampler consisting of sixty 30 second sample segments, that sold for $5 or $6 dollars, might be worth thinking about.

What do you think?

Al

[Nyghtfall]

I Tried posting trailers for each movie... but i saw zero increase in sales.

It might've helped if your trailers didn't look like they were trying to sell big-budget mainstream titles with all-star casts.

;)

[Nyghtfall]

or are you just being a smart ass and looking to bust my chops?

Why do you think I winked?

;) <--

[JohnM]

I have done many trailers over the years both for Ruemorgue and myself.

Example:
http://pkfstudios.com/videos/brother_killer_preview.mpg
http://pkfstudios.com/videos/double_del ... eview1.mpg
http://pkfstudios.com/videos/ec_preview.wmv
http://pkfstudios.com/videos/obsession_trailer.wmv

I would do more even if I had the time. Even keeping it simple and not putting the proper flare on them to represent the actual quality of the film would still be a significant addition to my already 80-90 hour work week. If it made a + differences of about 50 to 60 units, then I would find a way. But, in 16 years, I have discovered more of a +/- difference of 2-5 units. With 40 being a good sales run for movies these days, the incentive to create them is really just having time and wanting to be creative.

But, check out my blog from time to time. I do post simpler, unedited segments from movies--mostly to showcase a particular gem in an actresses or actors performance during a scene.

http://pkfstudios.com/pkfblog/

Thanks,
JohnM

[Bluestone]

I've done a few trailers, but time is the major factor that militates against doing them. I could very well put a sampler together, but again the extra time is not there, and I doubt that it would increase sales. There are enough pics and reviews around regarding my products that newcomers can easily choose one of the bestsellers to try at only about $13.50. That's what usually happens with my store. I have the top sellers listed and so newcomers select one to try. If they like it, they purchase more. Several times, I'll see one video being purchased. Then, an hour or so later, the same customer will buy 8 videos. Seeing is believing!

Blue

[gold]

Great analysis when you see a producer you like you follow his releases Its the quality t that draws

[Algenon5]

Evangeline, JohnM, good trailers all, and some of them are outstanding. Were they attached to other videos you sold, or just posted somewhere?

Actually they are much more elaborate and detailed as to content than what I had in mind. I'll try to cobble together and example of what I mean and post it in the video share forum. However I have a full weekend coming up, so this may not happen until next week.

Have you given any thought to selling sampler videos?

Al

[JohnM]

Evangeline, JohnM, good trailers all, and some of them are outstanding. Were they attached to other videos you sold, or just posted somewhere?

Usually they were created as a promotion at the time the video was being sold. I have always kept all my samples here:
http://pkfstudios.com/videos/

There is 89 samples in there spanning 4 years. I figure folks can get a good idea what ny movies are like from just a few of these sample to know if they want to pick something up. Couple that with the 30-40 pictures and detailed ad copy with every release I just can't see spending even more of my sleep deprived time to drive the point home any further.

Actually they are much more elaborate and detailed as to content than what I had in mind. I'll try to cobble together and example of what I mean and post it in the video share forum. However I have a full weekend coming up, so this may not happen until next week.

I know what you mean. But, honestly, in a 40minute movie, capturing a few moments of footage is not going to give a good representation of it and could, sadly, mis-represent the movie. For instance, if I have a 7 minute fetish strangle and show 20 seconds of the most intense, snot spewing out of her nose, purple-face moment, you might assume it is all like that and depending on what you want to see, buy or not buy. A short clip can make far more impact and can force a misrepresented feeling about the movie over the alternative. That being a broader representation of the product through detailed previews and text and knowing the producer.

And, this could really be a problem for unknown producers. There has been a few occasions over the years where a sample was circulated to entice purchase. It was only after purchasing a few times does the customer determine that the original "free" clip did not represent the overall quality of that producer.

Not so much anymore, but I remember every time a new producer would pop up on Nicheclips and all of a sudden that store would fly up to the top 5. Often, it was not a result of being good, it was because of limited previews--forcing the customer to "take a chance". After a while, after some wasted purchases (often hurting other studios), the sales would drop and the store would disappear. Orchid anyone? Memba them? Anyone? :-)

Of course, just my musings.

Have you given any thought to selling sampler videos?

Yes, I have made several of them over the years. The most recent was over 40 minutes long and contained a complete strangling sequence as well as long samples of several kill types including the death scenes. It is still available by request. I have always given these away from free. In the /videos directory I posted above there is a 104MB preview of my gun-fun type videos as well.

All free. :-)

Thanks,
JohnM

[Algenon5]

I know what you mean. But, honestly, in a 40minute movie, capturing a few moments of footage is not going to give a good representation of it and could, sadly, mis-represent the movie.

When the marketing dept. of a Hollywood studio puts together a thirty-second spot for their latest two-hour release, they throw in brief samples of that they think are the most evocative scenes. Is the entire movie as good as these clips? Maybe yes - maybe no. Frankly they don't care. Their job is to get asses in multiplex seats. Your job isn't any different, though multiplex audiences may not be in your immediate future.

It's commendable that you don't want to mislead your patrons, but don't forget they expect to be sold to. You do that now with your screen cap previews and detailed plot descriptions, but these days this might not be enough.

As promised I cobbled together a string of five previews, which are in the Video Share Forum post. "PKF Trailer Experiment." (This was a rush job using the lowly Windows Movie Maker. Professional it ain't.) The marketing strategy I suggest would be to select five videos from your catalog, and make a trailer string along the lines of one I posted. Then for the next two months attach the string to every new video you release. At the end of the two months, select five different videos, and attach their trailers to the next two months' releases. Then, when the trailer strings total thirty-minutes runtime (approximately sixty previews), tie them all together as a "PKF Sampler," and sell it for $5 bucks.

Let the yelling begin.

Al

[ArcRaven]

Trailers are kind of a funny thing. You want to show enough to get the point out but at the same time not show too much to give away the story and spoil the film. Personally I try to way in with my projects on whether or not they need a trailer, now I'm not working the field like the producers here but I do believe school projects and video expose pieces fall under the same category of film and photography. In my history I find that no one is ever really 100% happy with a trailer, you get people that want more out of it and people that want less.

As my Video Productions II professor told me once "If your going to make a preview or trailer make sure it's short and to the point."

We had to follow these guidelines

1. Everyone watching should understand what the plot is within the first couple of seconds.
-Their attention should be grabbed as well.

2. Never just use a raw clip or full segment, it makes for an unprofessional look that the audience might not take seriously.

3. Don't go overboard with effects, it can distract the audience away from the point of your product.

4. Don't be deceptive with advertising, giving a false impression of your product will make your audience not want to see your next product or value it highly.

There were a lot more we had to follow but I don't feel that they apply to this conversation.

[JohnM]

One of the problems with doing sell-a-ble sample movies which, IMHO, is a great idea, is that Nicheclips does not allow it. I and others tried that little experiment several years ago.

Selling something for $5 would certainly make the time spent creating it easier to digest. But, alas, we are not allowed to. We cannot even put alternative versions of our movies up or anything with any footage that repeats from one movie to another.

The reason is they feel the customers would complain if they see the same footage they already bought in another movie, or mis-understand that what they are downloading is a preview.

And, sadly, they are right. While I do feel that most of my customers are quite capable of reading the text and looking at the 30-40 preview pictures and understanding what they are getting, there are a few, believe it or not, that buy without doing any of that. Point in case, I have published movies with male deaths with the male death clearly stated in the add copy with pictures and have had someone buy and complain to me later. In fact, that customer ranted about it on a competitors forum complaining that the maled death in the movie was downplayed. In the 16min movie it represented 34sec of footage and was shown in a preview cap and described in the text. I am not sure how much more attention I am required to draw to it--as you said, part of my job is to market my movie, not make some run screaming. :-)

So, previews are made when, #1 I have time and #2, I feel inspired.

And, as luck would happen, and I am sure with your help, I was inspired just the other day---though the "time" factor is debatable.

I put a short one up on my blog.

http://pkfstudios.com/pkfblog/

or you can directly access a higher resolution version here: http://pkfstudios.com/videos/prom_might_trailer.wmv

I will check out your video samples,
Thanks,
JohnM