Elevating Your Game Trailers: Expert Tips for Capturing Stunning Footage

The line between a good and an award-winning gameplay trailer is often defined by the quality of its capture. Crafting a compelling game trailer is a complex task that requires creativity, ingenuity, and teamwork. Having worked on trailers for notable games like Alan Wake Remastered, Project Zomboid, The Ascent, and PUBG, we're sharing our top tips for capturing exceptional footage from any game. To begin, it's crucial to have a deep understanding of the game's mechanics and objectives. Experimenting with the game and pushing its boundaries can spark new ideas. Certain genres, such as simulators and strategy games, demand a more comprehensive understanding due to their complexity. For instance, capturing a city-building simulator can be challenging, as it requires creating a functional city that looks realistic on camera. Similarly, sports games pose their own set of challenges, as they require knowledge of the sport's rules and can be highly unpredictable. Before starting the capture process, consider the key message you want to convey, the features you want to highlight, and the aspects you'd rather not show. Ensuring everyone involved in the project is clear on the strategy is vital. Each shot should have a purpose, whether it's to illustrate a mechanic, area, enemy, or weapon. Planning ahead with a shot list is essential for saving time and maintaining focus. Game capture is an art form that requires knowledge of cinematography and choreography. It's essential to consider composition, lighting, pacing, and continuity to create a captivating trailer. For those looking to get into game capture, our advice is to plan your shots carefully and have a clear understanding of what you want to achieve. Learning about film theory, editing, and flow can significantly improve your skills. Watching numerous trailers can also help you understand what works and what doesn't. Having the right tools is also crucial; there are many free tools available, such as OBS, that offer excellent quality options. For editing, programs like Final Cut, Adobe, or DaVinci are highly recommended. Smooth camera movements are vital for a professional look, and using a gamepad can help achieve this. Adding camera ease or damping can also enhance the cinematic feel of your trailer. When working with pre-release game builds, it's common to encounter bugs and glitches. Being prepared for these challenges and working with what you have can help you capture the best footage possible. In addition to capturing key moments, it's also beneficial to record as much B-roll footage as possible, filming multiple angles and takes to give the editor more options. Experimenting with the game and occasionally recording random footage can spark new ideas and provide valuable material for the editing process. With the abundance of online resources available, it's an excellent time to invest in your skills and share your work globally. You can start capturing footage with just a PC and a free tool like OBS, and there are many resources available to help you learn and improve.