Top 5 of our Favourite Things: Book Trailers
Click image to go to the trailers
As the future of the printing press hangs in the balance, what with that pesky Internet thing and gadgets like the iPhone reader, the Kindle and the fabled Apple Tablet, publishers of paper are finding new ways to appeal to digitally-saturated audiences. This we like! It means books now come with jazzy little virals.
From breath-taking animations to powerful cinematic shorts, these teasers give potential readers a taste of tone, style and flava – but pass for standalone ouevres too, if you ask us. Here’s our Top 5 (and while we’re on the subject of trans-media book promotion, let’s have a chortle at this Zen of Zombie gathering in New York’s Central Park, inspired by the tome of the same name).
1. Tomas
This is the one which first got us all excited. Well three actually. Ministry of Sound mogul James Palumbo wrote a book last year about money and moral bankruptcy, and launched it with this eye- and brain-boggling animated triptych showing illustrations by Neal Murren in glorious motion. Tip: start with Torture, Truffles and Truth!
2. Be A Nose!
Animator Lars Edwards put together this trailer, which brings to life the scribbles and scrawls of Art Spiegelman – father of the contemporary graphic novel, for the release of his no-holds-barred private sketch book anthology. Let the “nose” in the role of narrative thread, lead you through his absurdly fun parallel world.
3. The Story of Danny Dunn
A hair-raising miniature visual poem that hints at an epic tale of war and love, featuring sword-wielding heroes and shattered hearts. It was made by Aussie creative hothouse Hive and leaves us yearning for more… Guess we’ll have to read the damn thing!
4. Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters
As the name suggests, the promo is part period drama spoof, and part CGI monster attack, complete with ye olde English dialogue and gory special effects. The book is super cool too – a mashup sequel to the earlier Pride Prejudice and Zombies, containing elements from Jane Austen’s 19th century nonsense and classic sea monster tales. Mashup is the new black!
5. Nocturnes
This almost tear-jerkingly poignant little snippet could easily pass for an indie film title sequence. Animated by George Wu for Kazuo Ishiguro’s new book Nocturnes: Five Stories of Music and Nightfall, the animation whispers of exotic voyages, impassioned ventures, and things that make the heart sing.
