Book Trailers

Cafe Society
1

Is everyone aware that book companies now create and post trailers (previews) for books? I only recently became aware of this. You can find plenty on youtube (as with everything, I guess).

An example http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YMhEAIDclbI&feature=player_embedded
has really creative artwork, more than most book trailers.

here’s a trailer for a non-fiction book http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H03O5YQ5dc&feature=player_embedded

and for a self-help book http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3UIFbOfWwYE&feature=player_embedded

and historical ficiton http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ChwoJzmGtro&feature=player_embedded

NOTE - I’m not promoting these books; they are just used as examples of book trailers.

So, am I really behind the curve on this? Is this old hat to everyone else? Does anyone have any interesting book trailers to share.

2

You’re not super behind the curve, but book publishers have been doing these for a long time. I even remember seeing a few on late night TV in the 80s. But it’s just in the last few years (and the rise of YouTube) that people are actually watching them.

But I like this one for Abraham Lincoln Vampire Hunter: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X58RPS665V0

3

Is it gauche to mention my own? It’s (well, they’re) not nearly as well-produced or professional as the others, but I’m still happy with the final results, which you can see in the sidebar of this page. (Scroll down to see the “Night Wolf” trailer – it’s better; I picked the images & music for that one.)

4

I’ve been peripherally aware of them for a while, but have just recently started paying attention to them. In general, I think it’s a pretty neat idea.

Saw this one recently for the new Nick Harkaway novel, Angelmaker, and ordered it on the spot.

5

I have to wonder about the logistics of it. Do major publishers have an in-house movie studio for these? Do they have actors on salary that they re-use for all of the trailers, or do they audition etc. the same way Hollywood does? Or do they outsource the whole process? It doesn’t seem like the same qualifications for running a publishing company would also apply to making movies, even brief ones.