How to Make a Movie Trailer With Premiere Pro

Techwalla may earn compensation through affiliate links in this story. Learn more about our affiliate and product review process here.
Adobe Premiere Pro can be used to create a visually complex and effective movie trailer.

A movie trailer uses dynamic images, music and sound effects to promote a film and get people excited to head to the theater. Big budget film companies use video editing programs that include AVID Symphony, Final Cut Pro and motion graphics software such as Adobe After Effects to achieve the optimal visual effect. Independent filmmakers and those without movie studio budgets, often choose Adobe Premiere Pro for editing, which has plenty of tools and templates to make a very effective film advertisement.

Advertisement

Step 1

Open Adobe Premiere Pro and select "New" project. Click "File," then "Import" to bring in the images and sound you would like to use for your movie trailer. Trailers employ appropriate copyright-free music, sound effects, an announcer-recorded script, pre-made graphics and video to create a professional trailer.

Advertisement

Video of the Day

Step 2

Locate your media in the project bin and drag the music and announcer audio clip onto separate audio tracks in the "Timeline Sequence." Adjust the audio volume in two ways: click the "Collapse-Expand" arrow connected to the audio track and raise or lower the yellow volume line; or right-click the audio clip, select "Audio Gain" and change the "dB" setting.

Advertisement

Step 3

Cut up your announcer's audio track so you can add pauses for movie action and sound effects. Select the "Razor" tool from the tools menu and click on the announcer's audio. Cutting up the announcer clips allows you to move them around on the audio track.

Step 4

Click and drag the movie video to "Video 1." If that footage contains audio, make sure to place it below the existing audio clips. Listen to the announcer's words and place the appropriate video directly above that audio section. Click the "Razor" tool to cut up the video just as you did with the announcer's audio. Change the length of clips by clicking either edge and dragging the bracket arrow longer or shorter.

Advertisement

Step 5

Select "Title," "New Title," then "Default Still" to open the "Title" tool. Locate the "Type" tool in the "Title Tools" menu and click inside the "Monitor." Add words and phrases that enhance your movie trailer. Use "Font Properties" and "Fill" colors that will look aesthetically pleasing superimposed over your video or a black area. Click the "Close" icon when you are finished with your title. Repeat the process for additional titles.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Step 6

Click and drag your titles to a new video track above your existing footage. Add a "Dissolve" to the title by opening "Video Transitions" in the effects bin, clicking the "Dissolve" folder and dragging a "Cross Dissolve" to the beginning or end. Change the title transition length by grabbing the bracket arrow and dragging it to the left or right.

Advertisement

Step 7

Grab the timeline "Playhead," drag it back and press the space bar to preview what you've created. Continue to adjust video and audio clips, balance the audio volume, and add titles and effects to polish your movie trailer.

Video of the Day

Advertisement

Advertisement

references & resources

Report an Issue

screenshot of the current page

Screenshot loading...