TRAILER TRIAGE
Sharpening trailers that have to deliver.
Senior diagnosis for studios and agencies, safeguarding your most critical message.
AAA diagnosis ensuring your most valuable asset hits home
You’ve got your concept. You’ve scripted, captured, maybe got to your first edit. But something isn’t landing.
Under pressure, teams often overcompensate: more gameplay features, more supers, more noise – while failing to address the core disconnect. Without an experienced external eye, it's easy to miss where audience clarity drops, or the emotional promise gets lost to formulaic execution.
Trailer Triage deconstructs your edit at the story level so that the audience doesn't just see your game, they feel it. Ensuring your production budget isn't wasted on a message that misses the mark, by prioritising the high-impact changes that drive engagement.
From unclear and under-impactful >>>
to trailers that hook fast, land emotionally, and drive engagement.
Trailer Triage is a senior creative review designed to strengthen trailers where it matters most: at the story level.
Frank deconstructs your trailer: identifying what’s working, what isn’t, and why – before prioritising the changes that will make the biggest difference to engagement, clarity, and player connection. This is senior creative direction shaped by 14 years of AAA campaign delivery, scripting, and award-winning trailer work.
HOW IT WORKS:
Frank reviews your trailer concept, storyboards, script, rough cut, or final edit.
You’ll then meet for an online review call (up to 90 minutes), where you’ll receive clear diagnosis, prioritised feedback, and specific creative direction to improve:
Story clarity and narrative structure
Opening hook and audience engagement
USP communication and messaging
Trailer ‘promise’ and delivery on expectation.
The focus is to give you clear, confident direction you can act on immediately – strengthening story to sharpen the impact of your message.
PRICE:
£1500 per trailer pre-review, in-person review session, action summary email/video, and 24hr follow-up email support.
Subject to availability. Book early to secure your preferred slot.
For more information, see WHAT YOU GET below.
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PRE-REVIEW TRAILER ANALYSIS
Full review of your trailer/material ahead of the call, ensuring feedback is specific to title, audience, and release context (for example: announce trailer vs. launch). This pre-review ensures we make the most of our time together on the call.
Please note: each Trailer Triage booking covers the review of one specific asset (video up to 5 mins duration, or single storyboard/script deck/animatic, etc).Review materials must be received a minimum of 24 hours in advance of our scheduled session to ensure deep-dive pre-analysis.
DEEP-DIVE TRAILER REVIEW SESSION (UP TO 90 MINS)
Focused walkthrough of the trailer/material, highlighting strengths, risks, and highest-impact improvement opportunities. We’ll have ample time to discuss feedback – and you’ll leave knowing exactly where to focus efforts for maximum improvement.
REVIEW SESSION WILL INCLUDE:i) Opening Hook & Trailer ‘Promise’
Analysis of the all-critical setup. Ensuring the desired experience is conveyed from the outset authentically and compellingly.
ii) Audience Clarity & Engagement Analysis
How clearly the trailer communicates to both fans and players unfamiliar with the game – and where attention is gained or lost.
iii) Story & Emotional Momentum Review
Assessment of narrative flow, escalation, and pay-off – ensuring the trailer delivers both emotional and story satisfaction.
iv) Game Communication Review
Stress-testing that communication of the game itself is both meaningful and motivating – delivering the: ‘I have to play that!’ takeaway.
v) Prioritised Action Framework
Clear guidance on changes that will make the biggest impact vs optional tweaks.
The aim isn’t to replace your vision – it’s to bring it more fully to life.
POST-SESSSION SUMMARY VIDEO & EMAIL
Concise video recap and written action checklist – helping to align internal teams and maintain momentum post-review.
FOLLOW-UP CLARIFICATION WINDOW24hr post-session email support for clarification on feedback while you implement changes.
ADDITIONAL SUPPORTWhere appropriate, Frank can step in to provide hands-on senior creative direction and/or support to help realise the recommended changes. This is offered on a limited, case-by-case basis, and priced separately depending on scope, timelines and availability.
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WHEN SHOULD WE BOOK THIS?
As soon as you have a clear narrative direction, script, or structured cut for review. Earlier intervention typically leads to stronger final results.
IS THIS AIMED AT PUBLISHERS OR AGENCIES?Both. Trailer Triage is built for any team that wants senior external perspective without the overhead of a full engagement.
WHAT KIND OF TRAILER IS THIS FOR?Trailer Triage is for all trailers: Announce/Reveal Trailers, Gameplay Trailers, Live Action Trailers, CG Trailers, Pre-Order Trailers, Launch Trailers – or any other campaign beat or execution.
WILL YOU RE-EDIT OR REWRITE THE TRAILER?Trailer Triage is a senior creative direction and review service.
Hands-on creative support can be scoped separately where appropriate.
IS THIS CONFIDENTIAL?Yes. All materials are treated as strictly confidential and subject to NDA. Please see my full Terms & Conditions for more details.
WHAT IF WE WANT TO IMPROVE TRAILER CAPABILITY LONG-TERM?Clients are able to combine Trailer Triage with:
On-Demand Creative Consultation: for milestone reviews and further revision support.
Creative Lift Mentorship: for long-term trailer and campaign storytelling capability development.
WE’RE STILL EARLY IN THE PROCESS, IS IT TOO SOON?Early storytelling input can bring essential clarity to the production process, preventing expensive late-stage changes.
If you have a concept, script or storyboard, an animatic or an early assembly, you’re ready enough to benefit from Trailer Triage.
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THE PRE-REVIEW PROTOCOL: To guarantee the depth of analysis required for senior-level consultation, materials (WIP edits, decks, storyboards) must be submitted 24 hours prior to our session. This allows for the deep-dive review that powers our in-person 90-minute session.
FOLLOW-UP CLARIFICATION: Each Trailer Triage includes a 24-hour post-session email window. This is designed to provide clarity as your team begins to apply the feedback, ensuring no momentum is lost during the execution phase.
SCOPE OF SERVICE: You are paying for a diagnostic roadmap. While I provide recommended actions to materially improve your trailer, the final edit and production remain the responsibility of your internal or external production teams.
THE 48HR COMMITMENT: As your slot is reserved exclusively, preventing other bookings, rescheduling requires 48 hours' notice. Cancellations made with more than 48 hours notice will be refunded in full. Cancellations inside 48 hours are non-refundable to account for the reserved capacity.
ACCEPTANCE OF TERMSBooking and payment confirm acceptance of these Service Terms. See full company Terms & Conditions.
Geoff Court
Creative Partner
Dark Burn London
“With a wealth of experience crafting trailers, Frank has an innate ability to distil creative concepts down to their most effective essence, remaining true to the IP and original vision.”
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On-Demand Consultation
Unlocking creative clarity when you need it most. Senior external perspective for the decisions that matter.
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Pitch Intervention
Strengthening pitches under pressure.
Senior-led creative intervention for agencies who refuse to leave their work to chance. -
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Creative Lift Mentorship
CD-level development that accelerates careers. Retained mentorship for talent who want to think and create at a higher level.
