Laura Sturza
When Craig Murray Productions releases a movie trailer, it is born
of a collaborative process that includes filmmakers, studio
executives, members of his staff and the opinions of moviegoers who
participate in research groups.
The company's Burbank offices were designed with "open spaces
where people can mix," to create compelling film previews that sell
their client's projects, Murray said.
"Christmas is a hugely busy season" for trailer makers, said Chris
Arnold, who produced trailers for 25 years for studios including
Disney and Warner Bros., and also lectures on the business at
universities. As studios are releasing their blockbusters, they are
also preparing for the awards season, Arnold said.
Murray started his company in 1986, and it has grown to 100
employees who create work for all the major studios in a field that
includes about seven other companies similar in size to Murray's, and
another 15 smaller ones, Murray said.
At the rate of $75,000 to $250,000 per trailer -- with running
times of about two minutes -- the pieces are effective because "you
have your audience captured in that movie theater, unlike radio or
TV" ads, Murray said.
"It's the only medium that gives you a real sample of the
product," Murray said. "It's selling something that people want to
see."
Creating trailers involves brainstorming sessions between clients
and the company's writers and editors, and production that includes
editing, voice-over, graphics, music and animation.
By working with focus groups, it is possible to choose how to
market a movie from among a number of takes on it -- including theme,
stars, special effects or genre.
"Disney's 'Snow Dogs' could have easily grossed $15 to $20
million, but did $90 million," Murray said.
"We found out that emphasizing the dogs was what people wanted to
see."
Trailers first ran in the 1930s, and took their name because they
initially came at the end of a double feature. They advertised movies
that would show the next week.
When executives realized "everyone got up and left" after the
second feature, trailers began running as previews, Arnold said.
Burbank's AMC Theatres usually run four trailers before their
features for a total running time of 11 minutes.
