Theatrical Trailer Music!! 183mos (trailers) as part of their sales presentation. The syndicated stations
might use the trailers, or the stations prepare new promos.
‘‘Teasers’’ (a.k.a. short trailers).Short trailers are often referred to as
‘‘teasers’’ and are substantially shorter in length than theatrical trailers.
Most are 60 to 90 seconds. They are usually shown six to eight months
prior to a film’s release and are often created while the film is still in pro-
duction. Some teasers are released a year before a film’s release. For
instance, if aHarry Potterfilm is being released during the holiday season,
the studio might also promote the nextHarry Potterfilm that will be
released during the following holiday season.
Trailers designed for the international market.Trailers are usually
designed to appeal to a general audience. Since one trailer will usually not
appeal to all countries, most studios design trailers that target a specific
culture. This, naturally, affects the choice of music. For instance, in a trailer
designed for the U.S. market, hip-hop music might be appropriate; in a
country located in Southeast Asia, hip-hop might not be popular; there-
fore, the music would be replaced by a musical genre that would appeal
to the culture of Southeast Asia. This theory also applies to the scenes
selected for a trailer. In one country, it might be acceptable to show more
violence than would be acceptable in another territory.
Trailers designed for the home video market.The opening segment
of most DVDs contains feature film trailers, which are generally used in
the theaters. Sometimes, the trailers are altered. For example, if the film
featured on a DVD appeals to an ethnic market (e.g., a film made in India
for the Indian market), the trailer might be reedited and the music
changed so that the trailer appeals to the targeted demographic. Commer-
cial spots (usually 15 to 30 seconds), which advertise release dates of
future DVDs, are also included on DVDs. This has become an important
marketing tool. Additional spots for Blu-Ray and HD DVDs are also being
advertised.
Trailers designed for the Internet.Some trailers are designed specifi-
cally for the Internet, while select websites play full-length, general audi-
ence theatrical trailers. Teasers are also played on the Internet.
Library Music
!!A number of studios
primarily license library
music for trailers, while
other studios hire compos-
ers to write original music
that is included with the li-
brary music.As mentioned, because trailers are
designed to appeal to multiple demo-
graphic, psychographic, and ethnic audi-
ences, the same music is not necessarily
appropriate for all trailers. Consequently,
the music varies. Generally, if a popular
song is licensed for a lucrative synchroni-
zation fee, the song will be heard in most