How to Know What Kind of Game Trailer to Make | Video Game Trailer Academy

Here'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:
www.derek-lieu.com/blog/2020/...
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 - • On spaghetti sauce - M...
Why People Aren't Buying Your Game - www.gamedeveloper.com/busines...
Snow Runner's Masterful Trailer Campaign - www.derek-lieu.com/blog/2020/...
Music from BattleBlock Theater OST
Trailers
BattleBlock Theater - 2010 Trailer - • BattleBlock Theater - ...
Lab Rat - Official Reveal Trailer - • Lab Rat - The Dev Tea...
Firewatch - Reveal Trailer - • Firewatch - August 201...
Untitled Goose Game - Pre-Alpha Gameplay Trailer - • Untitled Goose Game by...
Assassin’s Creed Revelations - E3 Trailer - • Assassin's Creed: Reve...
DEATHLOOP - E3 World Premiere Trailer - • Video
Drake Hollow - Announce Trailer - • Drake Hollow - X019 - ...
SnowRunner - Reveal Trailer - • SnowRunner - Reveal Tr...
Spelunky 2 - Gameplay Trailer - • Spelunky 2 - Gameplay ...
Neo Cab - Story Trailer - • Neo Cab - Story Traile...
SnowRunner - Overview Trailer - • SnowRunner - Gameplay ...
Pyre - Reveal Trailer - • Pyre - Reveal Trailer
Mosaic - E3 2019 Trailer - • Mosaic E3 2019 Trailer
Opus Magnum - • Opus Magnum, by Zachtr...
Creature in the Well - Gameplay Trailer - • Creature in the Well -...
Tactical Breach Wizards - Act One beta trailer - • Tactical Breach Wizard...
Metro Exodus - Story Trailer - • Metro Exodus - Story T...
Firewatch - E3 Trailer - • Firewatch - Now Available
Everybody’s Gone to the Rapture - Launch Trailer
SnowRunner - United We Drive Trailer - • SnowRunner - United We...
Deus Ex Human Revolution - 101 Trailer - • Deus Ex: Human Revolut...
The Long Dark - The Vision - Part 1 (Developer Diary) - • The Long Dark - The Vi...
Hades - v1.0 Launch Trailer - • Hades - v1.0 Launch Tr...
Broforce - Alien Infestation Update Trailer - • Broforce - Alien Infes...
Broforce - Tactical Update - Steam Workshop - • Broforce Tactical Upda...
Noita - Snowy Update Trailer - • Noita - Snowy Update ...
Inscryption - Accolades Trailer - • Inscryption | Accolade...
Ori and the Will of the Wisps - Accolades Trailer - • Ori and the Will of th...
Stellaris - 4th Anniversary Trailer - • Stellaris: 4th anniver...
Assassin’s Creed Revelations - Gameplay Trailer - • Assassin's Creed Revel...
Transistor - Reveal Trailer - • Transistor - Reveal Tr...
The Last of Us Part II - Reveal Trailer - • The Last of Us Part II...
Subnautica Gameplay Trailer - • Subnautica Gameplay Tr...
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FOLLOW ME!
Weekly trailer making tips - www.GameTrailerTips.com
Instagram Trailer Tips: / derek_lieu
Patreon: / dereklieu
Website: www.derek-lieu.com
Twitter: / derek_lieu
Podcast: www.cutdowncast.com
Cats' Instagram: / uniandebi
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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.

[@vincentvangeel5339]

Super helpful video to get a great overview of the different types of trailers. Quick question, the best type of trailer for a store page (such as steam) is a 'consideration' trailer right? Or would this fall into a different category?

[@DerekLieu]

For a store page it should be a gameplay trailer which gets to the point starting with the first frame.

[@JasonStorey]

Guy who makes trailers for a living: "My advice? , you need to be making 5 times more trailers" (Kidding, great content as always)

[@DerekLieu]

Hahahahaha oh god I'd die if I had to make more trailers from a game than I thought possible.

[@EmeraldEyeProductions]

And he’s giving all this away for free lol. Awesome stuff that I’ve never really consciously thought about. Personally I prefer the more “artistic” side of editing trailers, but the marketing/business side is obviously necessary, especially for indies, so this was a cool insight into that

[@DerekLieu]

I think the two can live together quite happily, thinking about it this way just creates some constraints and guidelines to start with, and from there you can go wherever you want artistically. I love having constraints, otherwise I'd probably never finish anything ^_^;

[@skyleite]

This video helped me realize that the trailed I made actually contains two trailers! It's an update for an old game, and it starts with the original trailer for the old version, which is then cut-off by the new one, kind of like when you're playing Street Fighter and Akuma invades the screen to become the center of attention. I now understand that segment works best as an announcement trailer, with the rest being a launch trailer. Thank you so much!

[@GorkaGames]

Great video! I learned a lot and got surprised when I discovered that you made the gameplay trailer for Subnautica searching more about you. Keep on the good work!

[@DerekLieu]

Thank you; I will! 😃

[@TamaraMakesGames]

This is such a well-made video! Before watching, I was so lost and didn’t know what to put into an announcement trailer vs final trailer. I knew that I wanted to make at least two trailers with different amounts of content, but this video really laid everything out for me. Thank you!

[@DerekLieu]

You’re welcome!

[@ntu409]

Game-Trailer man has blessed us with his divine knowledge

[@DerekLieu]

lol, I wouldn't say divine, but the sentiment is appreciated ^_^

[@Milardikan]

I really hope you will get more popular, the video was extremely professional.

[@DerekLieu]

Thank you very much!

[@FeniksGaming]

Fantastic as always Trailer Academy is my favorite playlist every video is a treat

[@jordan4longshaw]

Another great and helpful video! Content you make shows how much thought goes into just the trailer alone.

[@connormcpherson8793]

Love your explanations! They're sweet and easy to follow!

[@DerekLieu]

Glad to hear it!

[@WeeGeeX]

finding resources on industry game capture artists and art has proven difficult on the surface but you have served as the white rabbit leading me down the hole!

[@DerekLieu]

There isn’t a lot about capture online, but this is a good place to start 😄. These days I’m mostly posting on TikTok

[@HeavyMix3]

Extremelly valuable content, thanks for making this

[@DerekLieu]

You're welcome!

[@user-em9su3dd9y]

Thank you!

[@Husmanmusic]

Bingewatching these videos!

[@DerekLieu]

Haha, thank you! I'm glad you enjoy them :D

[@watercat1248]

I personally have people that inresting for a game that is still working in progress, And I believe the reason for that is because i have telling my plans for the game I tried to create and some off them and the like the idea and the process I have done so far

[@spoonsweet]

I wonder what your ideas are / if people have experimented with a joint trailer, showcasing a bit of story before going for more explanation of the mechanics. Or is it best to just have 2, short and sweet? Thank you for this analysis! (+ the comment about true fans)

[@DerekLieu]

When making trailers in a campaign I consider them all to be connected. I like to think they could be watched in order up to release and give the exact information people want to know before release (in the order of their inevitable questions)

[@MyOnlyFransAccount]

Because you mentioned supergiants’ games, I find the isometric type of hack and slash really hard to stay invested in when it comes to watching their trailers because it looks static… what do you think is the best way to approach them?

[@DerekLieu]

It's tough especially if the art doesn't stand out. My main tip would be to not overstay your welcome. But also, don't be afraid to just say "That's what the game is." If you worry about dressing it up or cutting around it, you could send vibes that you don't think it's very good.

[@MyOnlyFransAccount]

@@DerekLieu also thank you for this background insight, as someone who is making fan trailers based on already made trailers, I’m identifying minute details that differentiate the types of trailers i.e., launch trailer vs story trailer, etc.

[@DerekLieu]

@@MyOnlyFransAccount You're very welcome! That makes me super happy to hear it's helping you understand more :D

[@coloredred9981]

Good video

[@CaptainNinjaKid]

Some friends of mine actually were telling me about this when they had a 5 week seminar with Chris a few months ago.

[@DerekLieu]

I’m not surprised! I learn a lot about marketing from Chris too 😁

[@SheevEdits]

Could you possibly make a tutorial on how to convert MKV while retaining 5.1 audio?

[@DerekLieu]

I think you can just open mkvs in Audacity. If it squishes them together you can export them one at a time and re-sync them in your editing software.

[@charliepagel3611]

The really successful game companies are probably wondering why we are calling it a sales funnel instead of a sales cube

[@NoobtasticRX]

Can you make a game trailer better in a nonpopular sandbox game? Because a dev made a trailer and wanted to make it better.

[@DerekLieu]

Are you asking if I can make a better one or if it can be done at all?

[@NoobtasticRX]

@@DerekLieu Yes, make it better..

[@ellayupano5919]

Am one of those guys where I hit *every* part of the funnel except the customer part

[@DerekLieu]

Haha, I can relate 😂 though my job skews the results somewhat 🤪

[@ellayupano5919]

@@DerekLieu loll

[@manumelo2974]

Vegetta University

[@DerekLieu]

lol

[@hazencruz]

the preaching about gatekeeping was distracting, otherwise good vid

[@skyleite]

But necessary unfortunately