Making a Book Trailer

I had always wanted to create a book trailer. I’d seen others do it and thought if they could do it, so could I. Microsoft Movie Maker came loaded on my computer, so why not give it a try? I figured out how it worked by trial and error and a tutorial, then made an outline of the story, something I don’t do with my books. I’m strictly a pantser with an idea of where I’m going. A vague idea.

So which book did I want to present in visuals? It really was a no-brainer—Hooked.

It’s the book in which I see my characters more clearly than the others. Plus, the story lends itself to a trailer. Hooked is the book I chose for my first, and last, effort at writing a screenplay. I even entered it in a competition, getting nowhere, but it was another challenge I wanted to try. I thought it would make a fun movie, because if you have a certain sense of humor, parts of the book are funny, and there’s enough suspense to keep today’s impatient viewer interested. 

I used four different sources for photos and found a great site for the music to pull it all together. The music ran a little short, but it was dramatic and conveyed danger. All are listed at the end of the trailer.

I made a few mistakes, but I didn’t realize it until it played a number of times and people mentioned it. I should have let the review copy run a little longer. One of them zips by too fast, but the viewer can always pause the video. Two other mistakes I should have seen without help. I won't mention what they are. I didn't want to correct them because I’d lose all my views on YouTube. The whole trailer cost me just under $100, but it took about three days to make, which included searching for the perfect photos. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/embed/yhBZaD4kJFg