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Book TrailersJuly 23, 2009
Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson
And below, winners of the 2009 Teen Book Trailer Contest. Teens were invited make a short video (30 seconds to 3 minutes) about their favorite book, upload it to YouTube with a certain identifying tag name, and let the contest begin. We were impressed with what they came up with. Posted by Elizabeth Bluemle on July 23, 2009 | Comments (23)
July 23, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers JANET LAWLER commented: Elizabeth - this is very interesting, thank you!
July 23, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Keith Ogorek commented: At Author Solutions, we have found book trailers and author interviews to be effective tools for authors to use when promoting their books. The world is visual and viral and this type of content and promotion helps potential readers understand more about the book and the author who wrote it. What used to be on the book jacket can now be expressed visually. I think we will see more and more of them being produced.
July 23, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Joanne Fritz commented: Great column, as always. I wish the bookstore where I work would start using book trailers on the website. Kids today are so much more visual. And book trailers seem to be hot right now. (Of course, the only one I'd seen before this was for Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters, which is not exactly a kids' book! It's a great trailer, though. Very funny.)
July 24, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Carol Chittenden commented: I'd love to use them, but getting the right one takes some research, i.e. time. (Time? What time???) For instance, there are many different ones for Catching Fire. I'd love authors and reps to send me links to the ones they feel are first rate!
July 24, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers DARYL SLATON commented: Regarding book trailers, I have created one for a new children's picture book that I illustrated. (It was very well received recently at the ALA convention in Chicago. The publisher is finalizing details with distributors, so the book will be available through the usual outlets soon.) The trailer features some character animation. I would appreciate any feedback from booksellers. The trailer can be seen on YouTube. Please do a SEARCH for CosmoAnim3. Thank you.
July 24, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Julianne Daggett commented: I think book trailers are a great idea, but its all in how you use it and present it. For example ABC 3D wasn't even on anyone's radar before the viral book video, and it was on the New York Times bestseller list for weeks. On the other hand, most book trailers fall flat and are hardly noticed by the reading public. On the sort of fanfic trialer edge are the Twilight videos, which most of them are well done, done by fans and are hilarious. These dedication videos are the best and I've laughed out loud to many of them "three murders and you have detention, Edward you have two already". Smart videos are the way to go, but I believe that fan videos are the best because their done by fans who truly love the book(s). Perhaps there should be some small video book trailer companies or a studio partnership between film schools and publishers to put out great trialers at a cheap price. Also it would give the film students experience, could be a graded and/or industry exposeure and paid exericese. It would be great also if there would be a contest for the best book video(s) like there are for short films, because book trailers are more visual book synopsis, like when your friend tells you a story, than movie trailer and are in truth short films made to be ends in and of themselves. Just some thoughts.
July 27, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Heidi Huestis commented: Book trailers are the new frontier of booktalking. I use them in library land with great success, especially for tweens and teens. Choice A) Librarian standing in front of a group of kids who are thinking about lunch, the test that is happening next period, etc... OR Choice B) Interactive, flashy, attention-grabbing video. Not a tough choice for the kids to make. Little do they know that it is still a suggestion from me - I've done the research! I say incorporate the booktrailers whenever you can. It is well worth the time.
July 27, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Feiwel and Friends commented: Feiwel and Friends uses book trailers on our website, authors’ sites, social networking sites and YouTube. We also use for other marketing devices and to send to accounts. Occasionally our authors create their own book trailers. Here’s examples . . .
July 27, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Dianne de Las Casas commented: I have two picture books and I produced book trailers for both of them (with the help of my tech-savvy teen daughter). My publisher loves them and I will be using them to help schedule blog tours and get the word out using social networking (I have a YouTube channel already). You can view both of them on my website in the press kit section under "Videos" at www.storyconnection.net Happy Tales to You!
July 27, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Archie commented: Elizabeth-
July 27, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Zarach commented: We did a book trailer for our most recently published author's work. It is and has done well. Worth the time to create and distribute.
July 27, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers shelftalker elizabeth commented: Hi, everyone. Just a request to not use the comments field for promotion, tempting though it may be. Comments about experiences producing or using book trailers are terrific and helpful for the readership, especially when they articulate what has and hasn't worked. This doesn't mean you can't include a site link with examples, but the main purpose of the comment should be to expand on the original post in some way. Thanks so much! I do love reading the comments.
July 28, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers CHRIS EBOCH commented: I'm putting together my first book trailer, and it's been an intense and fabulous experience. But the next question is, how do I get it out in front of people? I can post it on my web site and Facebook page and send it to my publisher. But are there other ways to get it in front of booksellers? (Other than trying to track down individual e-mail addresses for different stores.) Booksellers and librarians -- how do you find book trailers? Do you only look for books you know?
July 28, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Archie commented: I've been wondering if you mailed small inexpensive zip files to booksellers if they would actually use them to watch the trailers, or if they'd be too worried about viruses? I know Elizabeth mentioned in an earlier blog that booksellers just don't have time to open all their promo email, and NEVER open attachments....so how do you get it seen by these guys Elizabeth? Big retailers like Barnes and Noble have a link on their site you can just send them the video yourself.
July 29, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Jenni commented: I too would like to know how to get the trailer to the right audience, and how to get them to view it. We're on Twitter so I can spread the word there with a link to the trailer on our Web site, but how to get it out to librarians and booksellers??
July 29, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers shelftalker elizabeth commented: One of the potential advantages of publisher e-catalogs is the ability (I presume) to embed book trailers on the sales page for a book. (Not to mention widget coding for booksellers who wanted to use the trailers on their own sites). A good trailer could affect sales positively — and a bad trailer could kill some, so publishers would want to tread carefully. But it would be a great way for buyers to see trailers, and would elicit a lot more bookseller viewings than cold-call emails. About the links on chain-store websites; I'll find out if IndieBound.org is set up to do anything like that.
August 1, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers shelftalker elizabeth commented: Elizabeth Dulemba's blog led me to this hilarious trailer for the upcoming novel (for adults, not kids), Sense & Sensibility ... and Sea Monsters. *snort* Note: There's a bit o' campy violence in this; didn't disturb this relatively squeamish bookseller at all. It was funny. youtube.com/watch?v=_jZVE5uF24Q
August 1, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers archie commented: I just happened on the S&S and Sea Monsters trailer myself last week as well. I laughed and laughed. I told my husband to come watch it with me and he stared at the screen with a strange look on his face. It took me a minute to realize he didn't get it was a joke (and I thought I had him converted him to Austen!) :o)
August 6, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Evelyn Richard commented: I'm a librarian, and two book trailers my YAs are raving about were designed by a teen girl. I think they're some of the most professional ones I've seen and, judging by the number of hits, they're incredibly popular. My teen patrons can't wait until these books come out in 2010. The teen who designed these has done others, too, for bestsellers like Eclipse. I think she's one talented teen. Her website's worth a look as well.
August 6, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Leani Bartol commented: Wow! A teen did those? Impressive. Of course, I'm not tech savvy, so I may not be the best judge. LOL But I agree those books look fab. Is there a central website where we can search for book trailers? I'd like to get my middle school English classes more excited about books. Do they have any more for the classics--either real or humorous ones like that Sense and Sensibility one?
August 7, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers shelftalker elizabeth commented: Leani, if you go to YouTube and search for book trailers, you'll see all kinds of options. You can refine with "YA" or "teen," etc. It would be terrific to have a website for book trailers the way there are sites for movie trailers. Someone start that, wouldja?
August 9, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Sarah M commented: I came across a book trailer recently on youtube, an apparent Covey Award winner and was immediately 'sold' by the impressive music, footage and editing. I bought the book and loved it. I would not have known about it had I not found the trailer first...interesting...it is called "The Questory of Root Karbunkulus"
September 4, 2009
In response to: Book Trailers Martin Eisenstadt commented: One suggestion for authors/publishers: Look at successful trailers on Youtube and see where their statistics say people are finding it from. For example, I found this blog through the Catch a Fire youtube video which showed this to be its biggest source of viewers.
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Since we're on vacation, a little light entertainment is in order. We've been watching book trailers lately, trying to determine the best way to use them at our store and with customers. Embeddable videos can be placed on bookstore websites and in email blasts and on Facebook, links can be included in e-newsletters and in Twitter. I can even imagine turning to a great book trailer to intrigue a browsing teen if a book talk isn't doing the trick.