Don Quixote (Don Quijote de la Mancha) — book video sample

About the book

An ageing gentleman from La Mancha reads so many tales of chivalry that he renames himself Don Quixote, puts on old armour and rides out to right the world's wrongs with his practical squire Sancho Panza. Windmills become giants and inns become castles in a book often called the first modern novel.

Public domain: Published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the original Spanish text is in the public domain. Copyright rules differ by country — check your own. Source text: Project Gutenberg #2000 (Spanish text).

Why it works as a short video

The image of a knight charging windmills is instantly understood, and the pairing of a dreamer with a realist is a format that works in 15 seconds.

5 hook lines you could use

1. He read so many fantasy books that he became a knight. Literally.
2. The windmills were never the point.
3. The original 'main character energy', written in 1605.
4. A dreamer, a realist and one very tired horse.
5. What would you fight for if everyone told you it wasn't real?

Open with one of these on screen in the first second, then cut straight to the story. More on hooks in How to make a book trailer.

3 video ideas for this classic

• 'Expectation vs reality' clips: what Don Quixote sees vs what Sancho sees, split-screen.
• Spanish-language BookTok series aimed at #BookTokEspaña and Latin American readers.
• Quote of the week: one short line from the book over a single strong image.

Make your own version

1. Find the text in our public-domain library or upload your own book.
2. Pick the number of episodes and let the AI plan the series.
3. Watch the free 1-episode preview, then download or share.

Writing your own book in a similar genre? See Literary Fiction book trailers, Historical Fiction book trailers, Humor book trailers, or BookTok video ideas by genre.

More classics