How to Build Hype Around Your Film Before It Drops

If You are releasing a film soon, the work starts long before opening night. In fact, the real challenge is building anticipation before the trailer even drops. Whether you're a first-time filmmaker or an indie studio looking to grow, here are smart ways to build hype around your film before its release.

1. Tell the Story Before the Film Drops

The story doesn't begin when the film starts. It begins when you introduce your project.Use behind-the-scenes clips, teasers, and short interviews to plant curiosity. Let audiences connect emotionally to the making of the story.

MaxVision Films introduced “Ding Dong Ditch” as a multi-platform experience—first through an e-book, then through an audiobook, and now with the film in production. That built excitement layer by layer.

2. Use Voiceovers and Music to Set the Mood

Sound is a powerful storytelling tool. One of the most underused methods to create hype is by sharing a sample of your voiceover work or your film soundtrack before the visuals even go live.

For example, the Ding Dong Ditch: Audiobook features immersive voiceover storytelling that immediately pulls the listener into the scene. Releasing that before the film created audio anticipation—and built a loyal early audience.

3. Bundle the Experience: Book + Audiobook

Offer your audience a full experience before the movie is even out.When someone reads the e-book, then listens to the audiobook, they become invested in the story and characters. By the time the film comes out, you’ve already earned a fan.

Try the Ding Dong Ditch: E-Book + Audiobook Bundle to see how storytelling across formats builds stronger hype. Explore the full bundle here.

4. Call on Creators & Artists to Join the Journey

Create hype by involving your audience. Invite voiceover artists, musicians, or visual creators to join your project or respond with fan versions of your work.

This is how MaxVision Films is calling artists to be part of the next wave of creative storytelling—across books, audio, and screen.

5. Drop Hints, Not Bombs

Don’t reveal everything at once. Use social media to release small clips, cryptic lines, and even character diaries that keep fans guessing. Each teaser should end with a link to either the book, audiobook, or the upcoming film trailer.