About TW

Trailer Wars is an ongoing film event originated and operating in Bellingham, Washington. Based locally, it occurs in a bi-monthly cycle and challenges filmmakers and non-filmmakers of any experience or equipment levels to produce fake movie trailers based on a rotating theme. At each event, the trailers are shown to an audience, a favorite is chosen by vote, and the winner selects the genre or theme for the next event.

The first edition of Trailer Wars took place on April 4th, 2009 when several friends made fake zombie movie trailers, set up a projector in a living room, and coerced a handful of people into attending. A theme of “Action Movies” was chosen by the winner and the following screening saw an uptick in entries and attendees. The events continued to grow as participation with little film experience, no money and the lowest level of equipment was encouraged. Emphasizing the fun and creativity of guerrilla film by holding loose events open to all, without any submission obstacles or fees, Trailer Wars began to draw in a community of creative minds and audience members intrigued by the unfiltered nature of the events. By the fifth edition, the following had grown enough that is was no longer feasible to house the Trailer Wars experience in the living rooms of Bellingham.

The Pickford Cinema, for some reason, allowed Trailer Wars into its hallowed walls for its sixth installment (Scary Movies). It was the first public edition of Trailer Wars and the theater was packed beyond capacity. This remained the singular home of TW for some time, including special screenings as part of the NW Projections film festival in 2010 and 2011. Events have also been held at the Old Foundry in Bellingham as well as the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention.

Now inhabiting the recently built Pickford Film Center, Trailer Wars continues to showcase a variety of locally made fare every two months. Entries range from the intentionally to unintentionally hilarious, from polished pieces to thrown together oddities made by a combination of Trailer Wars-lifers and one time entrants. The event remains designed to be a casual, fun opportunity for all creative types to assemble their idea for a movie in trailer form and show it to an audience.