A teaser is not a short trailer. It sells a feeling and one question, then gets out. This planner turns that idea into a starting structure: a list of beats, how long each one runs, and what to look for in your footage.
How to read the plan
The structure is a planning suggestion drawn from common trailer craft, not a rule from any platform. Use it to decide which moments to pull from your timeline, then let the footage overrule the numbers. If your best moment needs eight seconds, give it eight seconds and cut elsewhere.
- The first beat carries the teaser. On a phone, people decide almost immediately whether to keep watching. Lead with your strongest image or line, not a logo.
- Leave the question open. A teaser that explains the plot has nothing left to sell.
- The title card is a beat, not an afterthought. Give it room and use the exact title from your festival paperwork.
Length limits, from the official pages
Most teasers will be far shorter than any platform limit, but for reference: YouTube says Shorts can be up to three minutes long, and notes that a Short over one minute with a Content ID claim is blocked worldwide until the claim is released, which matters if your teaser uses licensed music. Instagram's Reels page says you can record and edit Reels up to 20 minutes, and that Reels over 3 minutes will not be recommended to new audiences. TikTok's maximum length is not stated here because we could not verify it on an official page.
For the full craft, read how to cut a teaser from your film, then check your titles in the safe zone guide.