$30 Million For A Trailer?

By now I'm sure most people that pay attention to the film industry have seen the short called “Ataque de Panico!" or "Panic Attack!". If you haven't seen it you should watch it, it's very well made and extremely entertaining with special effects that seem to be on par with Hollywood. I'm also going to assume that you're aware that it's producer netted a $30 million dollar deal with Sam Raimi and Ghost House Pictures.



What strikes me the most about this short is that it doesn't feel like I'm watching a short. In fact it's nothing like any of the shorts I've ever seen. So I start thinking about what it does remind me of and that is... a trailer! I'm not trying to put down “Panic Attack!” because I did enjoyed it and am amazed with both the production and entertainment value of such a low budget piece (about $300). It's a lot more than I could do with $300 and if it were a trailer to a movie I'd absolutely be excited about seeing it. That being said, it still feels like more of a long movie trailer than a short.



There's not much story to "Panic Attack!" except the cliché of aliens attacking and no theme to speak of that I can see. The short that “District 9” is based on has a lot more of a theme and a lot more of a story. I can see the "District 9" director (Neill Blomkamp) actually pulling a deal from his short just because they had a lot more to base a movie on. Not to say that we know for sure "Panic Attack!" will be the basis for the actual movie as part of the $30 million dollar deal. Also, I dare you to compare “Panic Attack!” to the "Independence Day" trailer and come away without seeing any similarities.



So what's the point? The point is how does one go about getting their own $30 Million dollar deal? Maybe the answer to that is just make a trailer to a movie that doesn't exist, one that gets everyone excited about seeing the non-existent movie and then maybe Hollywood will give you the funds to actually make the thing.

It's not a bad idea and don't tell me producers in Hollywood don't think just like that. One important question production companies always ask when deciding to purchase a script is, “Will the movie have trailer moments?” If your short is just an awesome trailer full of trailer moments then the answer will undoubtedly be “Yes”! So why not just make a really cool trailer and let the audience's demand get the film made? It could be worth a shot!