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 -   / dereklieu  

Video Chapters

00:00 - The reality of slow intros to trailers
01:30 - Why environment shot intros are bad for game trailers
03:45 - Tips for effectively using environment shots
04:05 - Augmenting environment shots with story
04:48 - The bare minimum of showing player interaction
06:03 - Example of good slow environment intro
07:05 - How slow intros can work for live events
08:00 - Recap and tips for using environment shots

Trailers shown (in order of appearance)

The Talos Principle Official Teaser Trailer -    • The Talos Principle - Official Teaser...  
The Sojourn Launch Trailer -    • The Sojourn - Launch Trailer | PS4  
Mission Impossible Fallout Official Trailer -    • Mission: Impossible - Fallout (2018) ...  
John Wick Chapter 3 Parabellum Trailer -    • John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum (20...  
GREYHOUND Official Trailer -    • GREYHOUND - Official Trailer (HD) | A...  
Astroneer Release Trailer -    • Astroneer - Release Trailer  
Gigantosaurus The Game Announce Trailer -    • Gigantosaurus The Game - Announce Tra...  
Metro Exodus Sam's Story Launch Trailer -    • Metro Exodus - Sam's Story Launch Tra...  
Demon's Souls Remake Official Reveal Trailer -    • Demon's Souls - Announcement Trailer ...  
Gleamlight Announcement Trailer -    • Gleamlight - Announcement Trailer - N...  
Incredible Mandy Launch Trailer -    • Incredible Mandy - Launch Trailer - N...  
Firewatch June 2015 Trailer -    • Firewatch - Now Available  
What Remains of Edith Finch Official Launch Trailer -    • What Remains of Edith Finch Official ...  
The Flame in the Flood Launch Trailer -    • The Flame in the Flood - Launch Trailer  
Amnesia A Machine For Pigs Teaser -    • Amnesia: A Machine For Pigs - Teaser  
The Bradwell Conspiracy Reveal Trailer -    • The Bradwell Conspiracy - Reveal Trai...  
Dear Esther Official Trailer -    • Dear Esther - Official Trailer  
Everybody's Gone to the Rapture Launch Trailer -    • Everybody's Gone to the Rapture | Lau...  
Sunset Launch Trailer -    • Sunset (Launch Trailer)  
Horizon Forbidden West Announce Trailer -    • Horizon Forbidden West - Announcement...  
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild Official Trailer -    • The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wi...  
The Last of Us Part II PSX 2016 Reveal Trailer -    • The Last of Us Part II - PlayStation ...  
Metro Exodus Story Trailer -    • Metro Exodus - Story Trailer [Official]  
Doom Eternal Official E3 Story Trailer -    • DOOM Eternal – Official E3 Story Trailer  
The Talos Principle Launch Trailer -    • Talos Principle - Launch Trailer  
SOMA Story Trailer -    • SOMA - Story Trailer  
The Witness first official gameplay trailer -    • The Witness first official gameplay t...  

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/tease...

"Why movie trailers now begin with five-second ads for themselves"
https://www.theverge.com/2016/4/22/11...

The Last of Us 2 Crowd Reaction - PSX 2016
   • The Last of Us 2 Crowd Reaction - PSX...  

—
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:   / derek_lieu  
Cats' Instagram:   / uniandebi