Monday, September 7, 2009

And a new art form emerges: the YouTube trailer/preview of the novel

Sent off my review of Andrew McGahan's new novel Wonders of a Godless World this morning to Australian Book Review, in whose October issue it will appear. One is not supposed to talk in advance about novels whose embargo dates are still three weeks away, so I'm not going to -- but do watch this strangely beautiful little animation, which appears to have been done by the same person who did the cover, one James Gulliver Hancock (check out the weight-lifting lorikeet).

When I found this the other day I thought it was a one-off, but a quick Google confirms that these book trailers are everywhere.



4 comments:

  1. Ye gods of a godless world, what an investment! I hope the novel is as good as that animation. Absolutely exquisite, especially the little touches like using magnets & metal filings for the miners, and pasta and other simple things for the layers.

    I guess we're moving towards having animated covers on the kindles, aren't we?

    [goes and grumps in a corner for a while, without really understanding why]

    ReplyDelete
  2. Don't you? I understand exactly why. But fear not. Proper books will never die.

    ReplyDelete
  3. More here.
    http://flavorwire.com/16986/watch-before-reading-art-house-book-trailers
    But I'm sure I saw my first a couple of years ago - Marianne Wiggins, walking into wind on a pier: the seagulls were more comfortable than she was.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Well, it worked for me. I am intrigued and will borrow the book from the library at the very least. I'm wondering what trailer could be created for the ms I am meant to be working on right now. Hmmm, if I don't stop wasting my time online, it won't ever be an issue!

    ReplyDelete