Why Slow Intros Are Bad For Game Trailers | Video Game Trailer Academy

A lot of game trailers start with shots of the environments. With a few exceptions this is a bad way to start off a game trailer because players want to see gameplay as soon as possible! The tl;dr: Slow tracking shots through game environments are an ineffective way to start a game trailer because players want to see recognizable gameplay as soon as possible, and those shots do not help them understand much more than what the art direction looks like. Big AAA games get away with it because of production value and because they're frequently shown at live events which people cannot skip through when watching. If you're going to use environment shots: 1. Limit them to 1-2 at a time 2. Intercut them with footage of player interaction 3. Make them story rich and SPECIFIC to your game as possible. Weekly trailer tips: http://www.GameTrailerTips.com Support on Patreon - http://www.patreon.com/dereklieu Video Chapters Trailers shown (in order of appearance) The Talos Principle Official Teaser Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6Edwcn469M The Sojourn Launch Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=306wVXtED90 Mission Impossible Fallout Official Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wb49-oV0F78 John Wick Chapter 3 Parabellum Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M7XM597XO94 GREYHOUND Official Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eyzxu26-Wqk Astroneer Release Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=87V00m2hHCg Gigantosaurus The Game Announce Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S79JK8AGTzg Metro Exodus Sam's Story Launch Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qta2HNDHYo Demon's Souls Remake Official Reveal Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2TMs2E6cms4 Gleamlight Announcement Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZQJFvVJJ0k Incredible Mandy Launch Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nM8AZfHhRZw Firewatch June 2015 Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cXWlgP5hZzc What Remains of Edith Finch Official Launch Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0kKF5f8nS0 The Flame in the Flood Launch Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ADdm3h0-Qjg Amnesia A Machine For Pigs Teaser - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4CagMNLxa9M The Bradwell Conspiracy Reveal Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DA7Hdyfafs Dear Esther Official Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7VJ4lP-05A Everybody's Gone to the Rapture Launch Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w1tBl7upgDU Sunset Launch Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=965e4x4bKq4 Horizon Forbidden West Announce Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lq594XmpPBg The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild Official Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1rPxiXXxftE The Last of Us Part II PSX 2016 Reveal Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W2Wnvvj33Wo Metro Exodus Story Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LlaSxWvefrg Doom Eternal Official E3 Story Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HOClc6Svg4 The Talos Principle Launch Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAVh4_wnOIw SOMA Story Trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BZTfi1jv-EE The Witness first official gameplay trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7h7AleSCF4 Music: The Talos Principle OST - Welcome to Heaven Astroneer OST - Main Menu Incredible Mandy Theme Song - To the Butterfly The Bradwell Conspiracy OST - Austin Wintory Sunset OST - How it Might Have Been The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild Theme The Last of Us 2 Main Theme - Gustavo Santaolalla Links: "Movie trailers have a new trick to keep you watching — and the people who make them hate it" https://www.businessinsider.com/teaser-in-movie-trailers-2016-5 "Why movie trailers now begin with five-second ads for themselves" https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/22/11487410/movie-trailers-independence-day-jason-bourne The Last of Us 2 Crowd Reaction - PSX 2016 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4K0C3eUS4uE — ABOUT ME Hi, I'm Derek Lieu and I'm an indie game trailer editor! 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 and BattleBlock Theater. #gametrailers #indiegametrailers #trailerediting Website: http://www.derek-lieu.com Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/derek_lieu Cats' Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/uniandebi