MOVIE TRAILER SUCCESS KITA guide to producing engaging movie trailer soundtracks

Written by David Ciccarelli, CEO of Voices.com

CONTENTS

WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THIS GUIDE

Over the next several pages you’ll learn about:

• Key developments of the popular invention

• Pioneers and people

• The impact of radio advertising campaigns

• Radio ad duration

• Radio ad styles

• 15 sample radio commercial scripts

• Tips for writing your radio commercial

• Consideration when selecting your voice talent

• Rates and prices for producing a radio commerial

• How to hire a professional voice talent

Finding a voice to match your movie trailer isn't as difficult as you may think, especially when you have the right tools to work with and are confident with the overarching theme that you are going to convey to your prospective audience.

Despite what focus groups may say in the upper echelons of the movie trailer world there is a place for more than just the stereotypical, ominous baritone voice. The times and trends are changing to reflect a more diverse landscape of capable voices who are ready to expand their territory and fill the void left by a legend in the industry, the late Don LaFontaine, who passed away on September 1st, 2008.

For the record, LaFontaine was a fan of women in movie trailer voice over and hoped to see the barrier broken down, a barrier fortified by focus groups, not the public who has confirmed through multiple surveys on blogs, doesn't seem to mind which gender is narrating a movie trailer and sees the debate as ridiculous.

So there you have it, a blessing from The Don and one from the people who will be viewing your films.

AN INDUSTRY LEGEND

What is a Voice-Over?

A voice-over is the voice of an unseen narrator, in a movie or a television broadcast. It is a recording performed by a voice talent that gives life to characters, tells a story, guides you on a tour, or directs your telephone calls. Usually, professional voice talents are enthusiastic, funny, charming, are flexible, and interact well with other people. They have the ability to take direction or criticism from others and can interpret copy to sell a product, concept, or a message.

The Role of Announcers and Voice Talent

A voice talent is a voice-over professional who interprets a script to meet a specific commercial, leisure, or educational goal. Voice talents provide the voices that you hear during a commercial on television, imaging on the radio, podcasts, narrators for film, voices for movie trailers, telephone systems, educational resources, and a wide assortment of web and kiosk applications. Another name for a voice talent is a voice actor. A voice actor (or voice artist) is a person who provides voices for computer and video games, puppet shows, amusement rides, audio dramas, dubbed foreign language films, and animation works (including cartoons, animated feature films, animated shorts), and radio and television commercials.

How Movie Producers and Talents Interact

Gartner Research has shown that 80% of online business transactions start with a search online. A voice-over marketplace is a site that facilitates interaction and transactions between buyers and sellers of voice-over services, also known as clients and voice-over talents. Marketplaces offer a wide range of voice-over talent for clients to choose from.

KEY PLAYERS

If you haven't yet scripted your movie trailer, remember that it needs to do two things very well: set the stage for what is to come and make people want to see your movie.

Before we jump into some tips for scripting the trailer, let’s review the genres of movies. Here are a list of some of the main film genres:

Action

Adventure

Comedy

Crime and Gangster

Drama

Epics / Historical

Horror

Musicals (Dance)

Science Fiction

War / Anti-War

Westerns

Do you know which genre your movie is? Great, let’s move on.

PLANNING YOUR SCRIPT

Much of the art of communicating with other people depends on the copy writing and voice-over skills of the messengers, which brings us to five different character roles the movie trailer voice can perform to get the message of your story across in a direct and effective way. Let's explore these types of character roles in detail.

1. Instructor

When teaching someone on what to do, for example, a corporate training video or children's game, the voice over best suited for this kind of project is a straightforward, didactic and educated voice. The role of this particular voice talent is to instruct or provide information to fulfill a specific goal or purpose.

2. Real Person

Projects requiring a more casual approach often benefit from relatable, genuine voice overs. These voice overs are referred to as "Real Person" voice overs, commonly known as the "regular guy" or the "girl next door". The character is homegrown, sensible, and friendly with a touch of familiarity and provides a more intimate interpretation that instills trust.

3. Spokesperson

A Spokesperson can be on camera or off camera depending on the medium you are using. The role of a spokesperson is generally played by a confident, charismatic person able to promote a cause, product, or service with ease and authority. A voice over of this nature needs to be driven, optimistic and assured.

TYPES OF TRAILER VOICES

4. Narrator

Storytelling is where the Narrator is most at home. Omniscient, courteous and honest, a Narrator's job is to provide an audio landscape for a listener, briefing them on background information, posing questions, and providing solutions as they guide their audience through a program or documentary. Narrators can be male or female, and the most important factors are that they can communicate clearly and engagingly.

5. Announcer

The Announcer, often heard live at events, on commercials, promos or introducing segments for podcasts, is a product of the broadcast age, most celebrated at its height in the Golden Age of Radio and early television broadcasts. Announcers can introduce an idea and assertively make a call for action at the conclusion of a commercial advertisement or short video. One common misconception is that an announcer has to sound like an announcer from decades ago, however modern announcers act more like Narrators, and in many cases, adopt the Real Person approach.

VOICE TYPES CONTINUED...

Shoot for a trailer length of 30-60 seconds. Keep voice-overs moving, and tell the story of your movie. Try to use different vocal tones or ranges to break up the content, pace, and tone of your trailer. Use musical backgrounds (known as jingles or music beds) or other non-music interludes (referred to as stagers, sweeps and sound effects) to transition between scenes.

Movie Trailer Outline

Here's an example of a 30 second movie trailer:

Intro monologue 2 seconds

Scene 1: 5 seconds

Scene 2: 5 seconds

Scene 3: 5 seconds

Scene 4: 5 seconds

Scenee 5: 5 seconds

Closing music with call for action (release date): 3 seconds

Movie Trailers Online

Visit Apple’s Quicktime Movie Trailer website for additional ideas

http://www.apple.com/trailers/

TITLE

Since nearly everyone has heard a movie trailer, you should expect that your listeners have grown accustomed to hearing ads produced in a certain way. Here is a suggested framework for mapping out a 60 second trailer.

• Intro: 5 seconds

• Key Message: 20 seconds

• Reinforce Message: 20 seconds

• Closing Remarks: 10 seconds

• Tag Line: 5 seconds

Your writing style should be conversational with friendly language, limiting the use of jargon or industry specific words in order to accommodate your listeners.

Develop an introduction that will quickly explain and highlight the what the movie is about and why they would enjoy watching it.

Remember to leave air or space for music, transitions and tags during the beginning and end of each commercial. If required, remember to leave sufficient time for any movie ratings that might be required by law to be inserted during your trailer.

HOW TO WRITE A SCRIPT

Reading Speed

• Average person reads 3 words per second (range is 2 to 4)

• Average person reads 88 words per half-minute (range is 60 to 120)

• Average person reads 170 words per minute (range is 135 to 215)

Line Count

• (12 point Arial, double-spaced, margin-to-margin)

• Average 21 lines per page

• Average number of lines per 30-second spot: 7.5

• Average number of lines per 60-second spot: 15

Word Count

• (12 point Arial, double-spaced, margin-to-margin)

• Average words per line of text: 13 (range is 8 to 18)

• Average words per page: 273 (range is 168 to 378)

SCRIPT READING SPEEDS

When writing ad copy for a movie trailer it's easy to get carried away. How much is enough? The short answer is enough to get the message across. OK, but how does that translate into a word count for a 30 second spot or a 60 second spot?

Great question. To help give some guidance, we've created a handy chart for you to reference the next time your writing some ad copy.

The 30 Second Spot Word Count Guideline

30 seconds, 65 words = lots of inflection, sincere read30 seconds, 78 words = typical, straight read30 seconds, 90 words = fast read30 seconds, 100 words = hard sell, maximum speed read

The 60 Second Spot Word Count Guideline

60 seconds, 130 words = lots of inflection60 seconds, 155 words = typical, straight read60 seconds, 180 words = fast read60 seconds, 200 words = hard sell, maximum speed read

Note that numbers, symbols (@ symbol or www) , etc., count as one word each.

SCRIPT LENGTH

Do you know what kind of voice you want? Picking the right voice is of great importance as that voice will brand your company and likely be the first point of human contact for your customers.

Gender

The majority of radio commercials are recorded by male voice talents, however, you may find that a female voice is more suited to your industry or organization, especially if you represent an industry traditionally associated with women.

Age, Accent and Style

Remember to think about the age, accent, style, when selecting a voice. Write down what you know about your customers and select a voice that best reflects their demographic and meets their specific needs.

If you are serving an older customer set, think of casting a middle aged or senior voice for your voice talent. If you serve predominantly young adults or thirty-somethings, select a voice geared to their age group. Depending on what your company offers, you’ll want to match the voice with your services. For instance, if your radio commercial is for a church or religious center, consider a comforting voice over style with mild authoritativeness. Alternatively, if you are a ticket hub for sports events, pick an upbeat, energetic voice style that best exudes your brand and speaks directly to the listener.

SELECTING A VOICE TALENT

Comedy

She was an ordinary girl, seeking fame and fortune. He was an aspiring composer who needed a muse. All they needed was a common goal, a platform to show the world what they were made of, but first, they would have to meet! (Actress' Name) and (Actor's Name) star in this exceptionally delicious, star-crost tale of love, life and moves. Singing Through The Fame, coming to a theatre near you.

Epic / Historical

In a world where dynasties were unshakable, one man, driven by a desperate need to prove himself to his people, hungered for acceptance, power and world domination. Just when it seemed he had everything, Alexander journeyed one step too far and fell into a trap so primitive that it was beyond the design of his own gods. A king's dream... a philosopher's legacy... a prince's fate was in their hands. Alexander the Great, coming to theatres everywhere, August 2020.

SAMPLE SCRIPTS

Category Time $

TV Commercial: Local / Regional

TV Commercial: NYC, LA, Chicago

TV Commercial : National Network

:15, :30 or :60

:15, :30 or :60

:15, :30 or :60

300

400

2000

Notes

• Rates for unlimited airings in a 13-week cycle.

• Rates are for finished dry voice only. Any post-production required is $100/hr.

• All rates are for reference only.

• Each talent reserves the right to charge their own fees.

• Rates are in US Dollars

MOVIE TRAILER RATES

WORKING WITH A PROFESSIONAL

By working with a professional voice talent you gain several advantages. First, many voice talent have recorded hundreds of tv commercials and know what works, what doesn’t and as a result, they can improve your advertising campaign as well as save you thousands of dollars.

Furthermore, professionals have the artistic ability to bring your script to life by interpreting your ad copy, emphasizing certain words and adding subtle touches such as humor, sarcasm and other performance characteristics you may like in the recording.

Finally, voice talent work from fully-equipped recording studios so you can be sure that you’ll be airing a broadcast-quality audio production. Recording studio equipment costs a minimum of $25,000 and well into the millions of dollars for high-end gear. Your radio commercial can have the clean, professional sound at a fraction of the cost.

WHERE TO FIND VOICE TALENT

Like most people, a Google search is a good place to start. By doing so, you’ll likely land on Voices.com, an online marketplace where you can search a global network of thousands of professional voice talent.

POSTING YOUR JOB

The best option is to post your job, which is free of charge at Voices.com. Then you can outline your tv commercial requirements and attach your script. Within a few hours, you’ll receive auditions and quotes for getting your tv commercial recorded by a pro - quickly and cost-effectively.

OUTSOURCING

Voices.com

There are several great websites that showcase movie trailer voices. The first is Voices.com, the online marketplace for all types of voice overs. Casting directors and movie producers use Voices.com to easily search for and hire professional voice over talents by using the award-winning web service. http://www.voices.com

Where To Find Announcers

Movie Trailer Voice Talent

The MovieTrailerVoiceTalent.com website is designed to help individuals such as filmmakers, members of a creative team, or independent producers complete their movie trailer voice over quickly and in style.

http://www.movietrailervoicetalent.com/

Where To Find Announcers

Keywords To Assist You In Your Search for the Perfect Voice

Provided below is a list of keywords appropriate to each genre to consider when starting your search for a voice talent to narrate your movie trailer:

Action: Fast, Adrenaline, Pumped, Strong, Hard-hitting

Adventure: Exciting, Heroic, Thrilling, Stimulating, Adventurous

Comedy: Funny, Entertaining, Sarcastic, Comical, Witty

Crime and Gangster: Dangerous, Dark, Mobster, Sinister, Villain

Drama: Mysterious, Attractive, Suspenseful, Intimate, Brooding

Epics / Historical: Authoritative, Warm, Authentic, Wise, Trustworthy

Horror: Frightening, Scary, Ominous, Eerie, Shocking

Musicals: Fun-loving, Cheery, Lyrical, Vivacious, Theatrical

Science Fiction: Otherworldly, Alien, Transient, Futuristic, Smooth

War / Anti-War: Weathered, Broad, Experienced, Factual,

Westerns: Cowboy, Western, Wild, Free Spirited, Energetic

For example, if you are trying to find a voice for an action film, you may want to type in words such as action, adrenaline, or hype.

If you're looking for a voice to narrate a romantic comedy, you might be more inclined to search for keywords such as soft, romantic, funny or warm.

ARTISTIC DIRECTION

WORKING WITH A PROFESSIONAL

By working with a professional voice talent you gain several advantages. First, many voice talent have recorded hundreds of tv commercials and know what works, what doesn’t and as a result, they can improve your advertising campaign as well as save you thousands of dollars.

Furthermore, professionals have the artistic ability to bring your script to life by interpreting your ad copy, emphasizing certain words and adding subtle touches such as humor, sarcasm and other performance characteristics you may like in the recording.

Finally, voice talent work from fully-equipped recording studios so you can be sure that you’ll be airing a broadcast-quality audio production. Recording studio equipment costs a minimum of $25,000 and well into the millions of dollars for high-end gear. Your radio commercial can have the clean, professional sound at a fraction of the cost.

WHERE TO FIND VOICE TALENT

Like most people, a Google search is a good place to start. By doing so, you’ll likely land on Voices.com, an online marketplace where you can search a global network of thousands of professional voice talent.

POSTING YOUR JOB

The best option is to post your job, which is free of charge at Voices.com. Then you can outline your tv commercial requirements and attach your script. Within a few hours, you’ll receive auditions and quotes for getting your tv commercial recorded by a pro - quickly and cost-effectively.

OUTSOURCING

Now you have tools and knowledge - put them to use!

Ready to take the next step?

Start your experience today by visiting Voices.com. Enjoy access to business and audio recording resources, friendly customer care representatives, and create your very own movie trailer with the help of a professional today.

To start listening to demos of movie trailer voices, create your free account at Voices.com

Go For It

WORKING WITH A PROFESSIONAL

By working with a professional voice talent you gain several advantages. First, many voice talent have recorded hundreds of tv commercials and know what works, what doesn’t and as a result, they can improve your advertising campaign as well as save you thousands of dollars.

Furthermore, professionals have the artistic ability to bring your script to life by interpreting your ad copy, emphasizing certain words and adding subtle touches such as humor, sarcasm and other performance characteristics you may like in the recording.

Finally, voice talent work from fully-equipped recording studios so you can be sure that you’ll be airing a broadcast-quality audio production. Recording studio equipment costs a minimum of $25,000 and well into the millions of dollars for high-end gear. Your radio commercial can have the clean, professional sound at a fraction of the cost.

WHERE TO FIND VOICE TALENT

Like most people, a Google search is a good place to start. By doing so, you’ll likely land on Voices.com, an online marketplace where you can search a global network of thousands of professional voice talent.

POSTING YOUR JOB

The best option is to post your job, which is free of charge at Voices.com. Then you can outline your tv commercial requirements and attach your script. Within a few hours, you’ll receive auditions and quotes for getting your tv commercial recorded by a pro - quickly and cost-effectively.

OUTSOURCINGGo For It

ABOUT DAVID CICCARELLI

As the founder of Voices.com, David offers management experience as well as a clear vision the company's future. Currently, David oversees infrastructure maintenance, infrastructure development, and web application development. David was nominated for the Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award by the Business Development Bank of Canada and has also presented Voices.com as a New Voices winner at DigiFest, an award recognizing Voices.com as an industry leader who provides digital media products and innovations that contribute to Canada's economic and cultural future. In 2000, David graduated from the Ontario Institute of Audio Recording Technology with an Honor's Degree in Audio Technology.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Author: David CiccarelliAddress: 999 Collip Circle, London, ON N6G 0J3Telephone: 519-858-5071Email address: david@voices.com Website: http://www.voices.com

WORKING WITH A PROFESSIONAL

By working with a professional voice talent you gain several advantages. First, many voice talent have recorded hundreds of tv commercials and know what works, what doesn’t and as a result, they can improve your advertising campaign as well as save you thousands of dollars.

Furthermore, professionals have the artistic ability to bring your script to life by interpreting your ad copy, emphasizing certain words and adding subtle touches such as humor, sarcasm and other performance characteristics you may like in the recording.

Finally, voice talent work from fully-equipped recording studios so you can be sure that you’ll be airing a broadcast-quality audio production. Recording studio equipment costs a minimum of $25,000 and well into the millions of dollars for high-end gear. Your radio commercial can have the clean, professional sound at a fraction of the cost.

WHERE TO FIND VOICE TALENT

Like most people, a Google search is a good place to start. By doing so, you’ll likely land on Voices.com, an online marketplace where you can search a global network of thousands of professional voice talent.

OUTSOURCING

ABOUT VOICES.COM

Voices.com was established in 2004 and is now the technology and industry leading website that connects businesses with professional voice talents. Radio and television stations, advertising agencies and Fortune 500 companies rely upon the Voices.com marketplace to search for, audition and hire voice talents with the assistance of our innovative SurePay™ escrow service and our Web application.

The winner of several awards, including the 1to1 Impact Award for Full-Suite CRM, CRM Elite Award, and the DigiFest New Voices Award, Voices.com has raised its profile significantly this year ranking on the PROFIT Hot 50 recognizing 534% growth over the past two years and just this summer was featured on Backbone Magazine’s and KPMG’s annual Pick 20 Listing as an “innovative company”.

Clients include NBC, ESPN, PBS, The History Channel, Reader's Digest, Comcast, Nortel Networks, Bell Canada, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, ING, Western Union, Ford, GM, Jaguar, Firestone Tires, American Airlines, the US Army, the US Government and thousands more.

Voices.com is a very professional organization with

easy interface and people that are

easy to work with. While this is a competitive

industry, Voices.com gives you many great

tools at your fingertips to help you compete and

succeed.

- Paul Hernandez, Customer