Extended clips and extended trailers are all the rage nowadays; But extended on-air promos? 30′s aren’t as common as they once were and 60′s are practically unheard of, so a 1:20 is like Sasquatch. Ladies and gentleman, I present you… Big Foot! A pretty damn cool, extended promo (that’s what I’m calling it) for Showtime’s upcoming season premiere of Dexter.

This promo hints at turning more than the main character’s world upside down. Now, normally I don’t feature promos that aren’t narrated by voice-over talent, but – if you’ve seen the show – Michael C Hall is brilliant. ‘Love it!

And you thought I was going to talk about Inception.

This promo caught my attention because it not only does what it’s supposed to do – promote the next episode – but also goes a step further – recap the previous episode. And if that wasn’t enough, it works as a branding spot for AMC as well.

By doing so, it not only gets fans excited but could possibly draw in new eyes, while hammering home the fact that AMC is no longer just ol’ school flics. Brilliant!

So, I’m late to the party – as usual – and just started watching Burn Notice on USA. My new friends, Michael, Sam, and Fiona, have become a mainstay in my studio as I watch episode after episode OnDemand. But today, USA gave me a gift in the form of a Burn Notice marathon! As you can guess, I got absolutely no work done today beyond what was absolutely necessary. What can I say? I have an addictive personality.

The marathon’s promo is fantastic! In twenty seconds (nineteen actually) you get what the series and lead character are all about – fun, drama, suspense, and explosions. Sometimes all at once! Now, I usually just listen to promos in the background and whatever turns my head I record. But this promo was special. Not because I love the series, but because if you close your eyes you will notice that it can also double as a radio spot! Not many promos can pull that off.

The SOT’s, the voiceover, the writing, and the edits all work to make an arresting (no pun intended) presentation of the the series – whether or not you’re looking at the screen.

Enjoy! And see you tonight at 9PM Eastern for a new episode! Boom!

Man, I sound like I’m being paid for this, but it really is that good!

-Anthony

I was innocently watching Discovery Channel (Cash Cab… where is that damn cab anyway?) when all of a sudden I was captivated by the haunting sound of the female narrator on this promo. I liked it. I looked up (sometimes I do look away from my studio computer) and was arrested by the tabloid editing and horror-style graphics. A beautiful juxtaposition of everything we love – gossip and violence.

The twist, for me, was that it was a cross-network promo for – get this – Animal Planet! Never have I seen that network look so bloody good (sorry.) I’ll be watching.