Trailers are advertisements for films that are shown in movie theatres and on VHS and DVD’s. Another way for advertisers to get their last licks in, trailers used to be shown at the conclusion of a film. That practice was quickly abandoned as people would leave the theatres at the movies end, however the name remained.

Trailers consist of selected scenes from the film that’s being advertised and they tell a small narrative of the plot of the advertised film. Trailers tickle our funny bone, thrill us, or touch us in some way so that we feel motivated to see the advertised film.

Each trailer may be no longer than two and one half minutes which is the longest time allowed by the theatres. Studios get one exemption per year to exceed this time limit if they feel it’s necessary to show more of a film.

Movie trailers are more than just random shots or funny moments slapped together; as I said they tell their own story and accentuate the strong points of the film. If it’s a scary film they may lead you up a darkened path, with haunting sound effects, a somber voice over, distant screams and maybe they’ll just leave you at an impasse where you’re afraid because you know so little. Not knowing is often more frightening than having all the facts.

If your trailer is for a comedy they may set you up with sort of a goofy soundtrack and the series of unfortunate events that led Chris Rock or Adam Sandler or Steve Martin or Tina Fey to this one event on this one day where they met this one person who ended up causing all sorts of hilarious havoc.

New movie trailers are happening all the time; get ready though to be bombarded if you go to the theatres in the spring as the summer movie season is just so totally filled with all the “must see” films that sets water coolers abuzz.

Apple technologies is now teamed up with movies to show trailers on their iPod so if you’re doing any of those ‘watch movies or TV shows or whatever else on your iPod’ you’ll soon have trailers to deal with as well (if that hasn’t already been implemented)

While some may love the idea of having free movie trailers before films and DVD’s so that they can be kept abreast of what’s going on; other people go late to films just to avoid that drama. Or they use the bathroom, buy popcorn, or whatever. Hey, if you hate trailers that much, maybe there is a use for a PDA at a movie theatre after all.