To stream or not to stream

Just like sound in the 1920s, Technicolor in the 1930s, and television in the 1950s, streaming has profoundly reshaped the film industry within the past decade. Even when such blockbusters as Barbie, A Minecraft Movie, and Lilo & Stitch strike it rich in multiplexes, executives like Netflix’s Ted Sarandos continue to insist that the theatrical model is an “outdated” way for audiences to consume feature films.

Both Brady siblings say that they’ve thought a lot about what function trailers have—and what form they might take—if more and more high-level Hollywood players subscribe to Sarandos’ worldview.

“Right now, a theatrical release is almost like the trailer for when a movie goes to streaming,” Monica Brady muses. “But streamers have also opened the playing field a bit more to emerging talent, both for filmmakers and for trailer editors.”

“I like to describe it as a one-two punch,” Evelyn Brady adds. “A movie trailer has to hook your interest on the first punch, and then the second has to hit you in a way that reminds you to see it either in theaters or at home.”

The sisters note that the style of contemporary trailers has also been reshaped by the plethora of ways they can be consumed. For example, the grandiose voiceovers once provided by the late, great Don LaFontaine—who narrated over 5,000 trailers, including the oh-so-meta spot for Jerry Seinfeld’s 2002 documentary, Comedian—have largely vanished, replaced by music-heavy spots almost certainly influenced by TikTok.

“Today’s trailers cut so well to music,” Monica Brady says. “If a song is in the zeitgeist and you can connect that to your trailer, you’ll get that audio recall among viewers. And if they have the song in their head, they’re probably going to go see or stream the movie.” (Just ask the millions of moviegoers who showed up for Anyone But You after Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney made Natasha Bedingfield’s “Unwritten” a bop again.)

What hasn’t changed in 25 years is the creativity and talent that the Brady siblings have seen—and rewarded—in their adopted industry.

“It’s such a fun group of people to serve,” Evelyn Brady says. “They’re always creating new ways to reach an audience.”

“They’re at the Golden Trailer Awards because they’ve done their job,” echoes Monica Brady. “They’re supposed to get people to go watch a movie. Their trailer did that—and they should be rewarded for it.”