The latest film trailers are getting shorter and shorter as our attention span diminishes. Can we really sit through a 3 and a half minute preview of a movie or is it just too much for the average internet user?

Compared with 10 years ago, the film industry is now placing more emphasis on teasers and trailer releases under 1 minute in length. How did this happen?

The competition for viewership online has always been there, but a new unwritten format has also developed because of youtube and the Need for Speed .

Internet viewers are now less patient than ever before, so when they come across a 3 minute trailer, they are highly unlikely to finish watching the clip according to youtube statistics.

The 45-second rule could become a standard for movie trailers in the coming decade as the attention span of audiences diminishes, and a new generation of internet users prefer speed over substance.

It is not secret that a film trailer is a vital marketing tool for any film release, but it s the studios and filmmakers ability to reach a huge audience online with short form content that is changing the landscape.

Tree of Life and Pirates 4 Trailers released on youtube

Below are two trailers including Brad Pitt s Tree of Life released today and Pirates of the Caribbean 4 : On Stranger Tides which are around 2 minutes 30 seconds. Can you watch until the end or will you switch off?