5 Steps to EDIT a PRO TRAILER in Adobe Premiere Pro

Published on February 9, 2022

Adobe Premiere Pro Tutorials

Adobe Premiere Pro, editing, trailer

The Blockbuster Trailer

Editing a blockbuster trailer is not complex. Just like almost every movie has the structure, a trailer does too. In this tutorial we’ll go over that simple structure and edit a pro trailer in 5 simple steps.

Last year we produced a fake trailer, following a specific template. Funny enough, it actually worked! The trailer looks amazing, it keeps you watching and intrigues. Just what a trailer needs to do!

And when you watch any other trailer from Hollywood, you’ll notice that they all fit in this template. But hey, don’t change what works I guess?

The 5 Steps to Edit a Pro Trailer

Step 1: The Intro

Every story starts with an intro. If you’re editing a trailer for a short film, make sure to start your trailer in the action. The first 5 seconds should already show the essence of what you’re film is about. Follow this with the logo or title of your film.

Step 2: The Slow Part

Now it’s time to get dramatic. Create tension with a slower part. I love to fill this in with a voice over. After posting a voice over job on Voices.com, within minutes received a bunch of auditions. I chose the voice that I liked a couple of hours later it was ready. Super easy!

Step 3: The Climax

After the slow part, we need to build up the tension to a climax. Here you’ll want to put the most energy in your edit. Overwhelm the audience!

Step 4: Cherry on the Cake

After the climax you show one last epic shot. Make sure that this shot hasn’t been shown before and that you give new information. Don’t be afraid to show a small spoiler here, but keep it vague so that you keep the audience curious.

Step 5: The Call to Action

You’ve convinced the viewer to watch your film! That’s great! Now points them in the right direction. Your final step is to show where everyone can see your film or when it’s coming out. Keep it simple and to the point!