Animation Studio · With Tek
How to make a movie trailer
This course teaches your kid how to make a 15-second trailer for a movie: show a little, hide the ending, and leave people wanting more. Tek hosts five short films, and your kid plans three moments on paper, then builds the trailer as a 3-scene short in Animation Studio. Plan about five minutes of films and 30–45 minutes of making.
- Ages
- 6 to 13
- Time
- 5 films, about 5 minutes, then 30–45 minutes of making
- Host
- Tek
- You need
- Paper, pencil, a movie idea or a movie your kid already made
- Status
- Coming soon. Kids vote in the app for the courses they want first.
The intro film
Tek's 45-second intro film is coming soon. Here's what Tek says in it.
Transcript
Hi, I'm Tek. Your movie needs a trailer.
A trailer is a tiny movie about your movie.
Fifteen seconds. That's all.
Its job? Make people say, I have to watch that!
Here's the trick. You show a little. Not everything.
You never, ever show the ending.
You pick three moments. Meet the star. Uh oh, a problem. And then the big title.
You add music that makes hearts go thump.
And one line that makes people lean in.
Then you show it to your family before the movie.
Ready? Let's make them want more.
The 5 lessons
Lesson 1. What a trailer does
A trailer shows a little and hides the ending, so people want to watch.
- Think of your movie
- Write the one thing people must not find out
- Keep that secret out of your trailer
Where: Paper
Lesson 2. Pick three moments
Meet the star, show the problem, then stop.
- Draw your star
- Draw the moment the trouble starts
- Draw the title on a big card
Where: Paper
Lesson 3. The hook line
One short line that makes people lean in.
- Write three lines that start with something like 'One day...'
- Read them out loud
- Keep the shortest one
Where: Paper
Lesson 4. Build the trailer
Turn your three moments into a 3-scene short.
- Add your three drawings as scenes
- Pick music that fits, like Adventure or Spooky
- Give your star the hook line
Where: Animation Studio · Storyboard
Lesson 5. Coming soon
Shoot it, then show your trailer to family before the movie.
- Shoot each scene and keep the good ones
- Send the trailer to family
- Watch the movie together after
Where: Animation Studio · Premiere
What your kid makes
Your kid ends with a 15-second trailer made from three of their own drawings, with music and a hook line. It premieres for family ahead of the full movie, and the same plan works for a game in Game Studio or a new chapter in Comic Studio.
Free guides to practise with
Questions parents ask
Does my kid need a finished movie first?
No. A trailer works for a movie your kid already made or one they plan to make. Planning the trailer first often helps the movie too.
How long does it take?
The five films take about five minutes. Planning and shooting the trailer takes about 30–45 minutes.
What if my kid can't draw well?
Any drawing works. The trailer uses your kid's three drawings as they are, so the idea and the hook line matter more than the lines on the page.