Derek Lieu | How to Use Trailer Title Cards | Video Game Trailer Academy @DerekLieu | Uploaded November 2020 | Updated October 2024, 1 hour ago.
Here are my tips for writing and using title cards in your game trailers!
The tl;dr:
Title cards can be a powerful tool to augment the messaging of your game and make the game stand out. If the title cards describe your game alone they're doing a great job! If they make your game sound like many many other games, then they're going to make your game sound very generic.
My quick tips!
- First try making the trailer without using title cards
- See if the title cards work for your game when unstylized
- Make title cards SPECIFIC to your game
- Avoid listing and quantifying features
Don’t List Content Quantities in Game Trailers
youtube.com/watch?v=5cKN_5k9DFM&t=1s
Blog post version:
derek-lieu.com/blog/2020/4/19/how-to-write-trailer-title-cards-with-strong-messaging
—
Video Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:23 - What title cards get used for
00:36 - Pedigree title cards
00:57 - Explaining mechanics with title cards
02:09 - Story title cards
03:26 - Game feature & generic title cards
05:15 - Hype title cards
06:13 - Tips for using title cards
07:20 - Inspiration and outro
—
Links
SUPERHOT Launch Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=R4LkToI4xzE
Heaven's Vault Story Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=ghsVOE93C9o
Afterparty Nintendo Switch Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=-ya-tWXgyT0
If Found... Release Date Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=q_Qs6CjGeQc
The Last of Us VGA 2011 Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=rWzcYbtZQrk
District 9 Trailer #2 - youtube.com/watch?v=_BjWEn5yvmw
Hades v1.0 Launch Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=Bz8l935Bv0Y
Broforce February Update Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=P1DTgY1hqKw
Trans-Siberian Railway Simulator - youtube.com/watch?v=yfeMH60FxzU
Neo Cab Story Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=jzFKrqffkQg&t=3s
Sayonara Wild Hearts Launch Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=F-RyxYcxSQ4
—
Dana Trebella
Spoke and Wheel Strategy - spokeandwheelstrategy.com
—
FOLLOW ME!
Weekly trailer making tips - GameTrailerTips.com
Instagram Trailer Tips: instagram.com/derek_lieu
Patreon: patreon.com/dereklieu
Website: derek-lieu.com
Twitter: twitter.com/derek_lieu
Podcast: cutdowncast.com
Cats' Instagram: instagram.com/uniandebi
—
ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Derek Lieu and I make indie game trailers! I got my start in the movie trailer industry as an assistant editor at a house which produced trailers for: The Matrix Trilogy, Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean and many more.
Over many years I worked as an editor and started making fan trailers for games, until eventually I got jobs at game trailer houses in Los Angeles where I worked on games like Mortal Kombat X, Shadow of Mordor and lots of LEGO games. Independently I've helped make trailers for games like: Half-Life: Alyx, Firewatch, Dead Cells, Subnautica, Spelunky 2, Ooblets, BattleBlock Theater and a lot more.
I'm using this channel to teach people about the art of making trailers via video essays, tutorials, reviews, and behind-the-scenes looks at my own work. I think about trailers a lot both for work and fun, so I have A LOT to say about them.
Here are my tips for writing and using title cards in your game trailers!
The tl;dr:
Title cards can be a powerful tool to augment the messaging of your game and make the game stand out. If the title cards describe your game alone they're doing a great job! If they make your game sound like many many other games, then they're going to make your game sound very generic.
My quick tips!
- First try making the trailer without using title cards
- See if the title cards work for your game when unstylized
- Make title cards SPECIFIC to your game
- Avoid listing and quantifying features
Don’t List Content Quantities in Game Trailers
youtube.com/watch?v=5cKN_5k9DFM&t=1s
Blog post version:
derek-lieu.com/blog/2020/4/19/how-to-write-trailer-title-cards-with-strong-messaging
—
Video Chapters
00:00 - Introduction
00:23 - What title cards get used for
00:36 - Pedigree title cards
00:57 - Explaining mechanics with title cards
02:09 - Story title cards
03:26 - Game feature & generic title cards
05:15 - Hype title cards
06:13 - Tips for using title cards
07:20 - Inspiration and outro
—
Links
SUPERHOT Launch Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=R4LkToI4xzE
Heaven's Vault Story Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=ghsVOE93C9o
Afterparty Nintendo Switch Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=-ya-tWXgyT0
If Found... Release Date Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=q_Qs6CjGeQc
The Last of Us VGA 2011 Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=rWzcYbtZQrk
District 9 Trailer #2 - youtube.com/watch?v=_BjWEn5yvmw
Hades v1.0 Launch Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=Bz8l935Bv0Y
Broforce February Update Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=P1DTgY1hqKw
Trans-Siberian Railway Simulator - youtube.com/watch?v=yfeMH60FxzU
Neo Cab Story Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=jzFKrqffkQg&t=3s
Sayonara Wild Hearts Launch Trailer - youtube.com/watch?v=F-RyxYcxSQ4
—
Dana Trebella
Spoke and Wheel Strategy - spokeandwheelstrategy.com
—
FOLLOW ME!
Weekly trailer making tips - GameTrailerTips.com
Instagram Trailer Tips: instagram.com/derek_lieu
Patreon: patreon.com/dereklieu
Website: derek-lieu.com
Twitter: twitter.com/derek_lieu
Podcast: cutdowncast.com
Cats' Instagram: instagram.com/uniandebi
—
ABOUT ME
Hi, I'm Derek Lieu and I make indie game trailers! I got my start in the movie trailer industry as an assistant editor at a house which produced trailers for: The Matrix Trilogy, Spider-Man, Pirates of the Caribbean and many more.
Over many years I worked as an editor and started making fan trailers for games, until eventually I got jobs at game trailer houses in Los Angeles where I worked on games like Mortal Kombat X, Shadow of Mordor and lots of LEGO games. Independently I've helped make trailers for games like: Half-Life: Alyx, Firewatch, Dead Cells, Subnautica, Spelunky 2, Ooblets, BattleBlock Theater and a lot more.
I'm using this channel to teach people about the art of making trailers via video essays, tutorials, reviews, and behind-the-scenes looks at my own work. I think about trailers a lot both for work and fun, so I have A LOT to say about them.
