How to make a memorable trailer

Start with brainstorming story ideas for your trailer that showcase what’s special and unique about your island.

Next, script out your trailer, scene by scene. Focus on characters you want viewers to follow, camera directions that best showcase your environments and action, and a narrative structure that builds momentum on the way to an exciting finish. The sweet spot for Fortnite island trailers is :60 or less so think about fitting into that length of time when planning your trailer.

Once you have a script, break it down into a shot list. 

A shot list is a production blueprint outlining every shot you need in your trailer, and will set you up for success via: 

• Organization: All necessary footage is captured efficiently.
• Planning: Effective scheduling and resource allocation.
• Communication: Clear understanding among the team.
• Creative control: Visualization of the shot sequence.
• Post-production ease: Smoother editing process.

The storyboarding process is when your approved script and shot list finally become visuals. 

Whether you sketch them yourself with stick figures, break out your favorite design software, use screen grabs from in-game capture tools, or work with a storyboard artist, storyboarding your trailer is an important step. Boarding will save you time in game capture by pre-visualizing where you want to place your camera, how to integrate your environments, stage your characters and action, and so much more.

Game capture sessions are a great opportunity to unleash your inner filmmaker. With your shot list in hand, you can generate all the footage you’ll need for your trailer, social content, and other marketing materials.

Capturing gameplay requires patience, choreography, cinematography, and a coordinated effort from you and your team. It’s also a ton of fun, and often leads to unexpected and hilarious moments that wind up making it into the final cut.

Practical tips for capturing gameplay:

• Once the camera is rolling, keep it rolling — sometimes the most dynamic action and character moments emerge in rehearsals or at the end of a complicated run-through.
• Read capture guides: Use resources like our Fortnite Capture/Replay Video Style Guide & Tips for techniques. 

While in-game trailers don’t currently support audio, this guidance is for off-platform use where sound matters. Do plenty of digging as you search for the perfect soundtrack to capture your island’s vibe.

Tips for licensing music

• Understand the License Terms: Ensure coverage for your intended use.
• Check for Exclusivity: Determine if you need exclusive rights to the track or if non-exclusive licensing is sufficient.
• Custom Compositions: If you need a truly unique sound, consider hiring a composer to create original music.

Up next is the editing process, where you combine capture and sound together in sequence and tell your story in full. Mark and curate your favorite takes, and load them into your edit sequence.

There are many editing software options out there, including Adobe Premiere Pro, Final Cut Pro, CapCut, and many more. We encourage you to find one that suits your needs best.

Think about where and when you want to include text in your video on graphical slates. No matter what, you’ll always want to end on an endslate with your island code and a call to action for players to play your game. Also make sure to include the appropriate IARC age rating for your island in any trailers used off-platform. In-game videos should not display ratings.

• Length: 15-30 seconds
• File type: MOV
• Codec: ProRes
• Frame rate: Native source (don’t change the frame rate)
• Aspect ratio: 16:9
• Resolution: 1920x1080 (Prefer UHD 3840x2160)

• Resolution: 1080 x 1920 (vertical) or 1920 x 1080 (horizontal)
• Format: MP4
• Frame rate: 30 FPS (frames per second).
• Audio: Stereo
• Target Loudness: -14 LUFS