Trailer Mechanics: A Guide to Making Your Documentary Fundraising Trailer

by Fernanda Rossi

In order to raise money to make a documentary, it is essential to produce a trailer that will capture the imagination and confidence of grant-makers and investors. "Trailer Mechanics" guides the filmmaker step-by-step through the entire process of making such fundraising trailers.

Genres: Film

328 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

Reviews

[Nicola Lees · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book (I read the 2nd Edition) is ostensibly about how to make a short trailer that you can use to persuade TV commissioning editors, grantors and other investors to give you money so you can make a full-length documentary, but it's actually much more than that.

The book combines analysis of what makes a good pitch trailer work, with interviews with industry professionals (myself included) and a sheaf of worksheets that you are encouraged to fill in / cut out / pin next to your computer. It also explains different funding sources and types of pitch situation which is a great primer for the uninitiated and situates the documentary trailer within its wider industry context where it must compete with many thousands of others.

Before the book gets fully underway it spends time asking the reader to examine their motivations for wanting to make a (or this particular) documentary film, and from this you are guided through the best approach for your film and personal value system. This doesn't come easily; the reader is expected to do a lot of exercises that are tempting for the uncommitted to skip.

Whilst this book is firmly aimed at filmmakers there is lots of advice on how to handle the creative process, including, planning and scheduling, identifying and overcoming creative blocks, dealing with difficult people (even if that might be you) and handling rejection and criticism, that anyone in the creative arts will find useful. And, of course, authors and publishers might better understand how to construct an effective book trailer.

[Bela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fernanda Rossi is the Queen of the documentary, I acknowledge that. She has worked on some of my favorite documentaries. But this book didn't help me as much as I thought it would, since I was in the process of making a documentary trailer for fundraising purposes. She spends a lot of time asking you, the filmmaker, about your "motivation" and "commitment" and idea of "success". Perhaps she is doing this to narrow the field a little, but I personally didn't need any of that psychological probing. A little more practical help/advice/guidance and a little less worksheets on "What I think Success is" would've been appreciated.

[Steev Hise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just took a workshop from this author and it was great, so i'm looking forward to reading this.
btw, for any filmmakers in san francisco, she's going to be there this weekend giving the same workshop. i highly recommend it. day 1 is about documentary story structure, day 2 is about making fundraising trailers.

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Should you wake up and find yourself thinking, "I want to make a documentary!", you should read this book. It's sobering. After you've read it, if you still want to make a documentary, then you probably should :)