watch ** New Horror Trailer **

Hey guys,
I'm looking for feedback on a feature film I'm editing. I uploaded the trailer on Youtube and would love to get your opinions. I'm not a big studio or professional production company. I'm just a lame college student who made a horror movie about a man who becomes a serial killer while trying to be a teacher. This is a rough cut. I still have to re-render it again. Thanks...


You can click on the Youtube link below the view the trailer. Thanks.

Youtube Link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOBnn7QlQ-w

What was the motivation for the video effect?
Does it actually serve your story or was it something you just thought looked cool?

I find it quite distracting, and only sat through the first minute or so of the linked video because of it.


The other thought I'll leave you with, there seems to be a growing trend when announcing work by leading off with what amounts to an apology for poor quality. Your "I'm just a lame college student" comment pretty much does the same thing.

Don't apologize for your work. I understand perhaps prequalifying it as not phenomenal might lessen some of the critical comments, but ask yourself this:
Am I proud of this work?
If so, great! some constructive criticism might help you learn where you could improve in the future. If not... why seek feedback?

Anyway, good luck with the edit.

I agree that the effect was a bit distracting. I feel like you were going for a sort of trippy 'A Scanner Darkly' or 'Waking Life' kind of thing, but it needs the extra details and the change in movement that the artists did frame by frame for those films. A filter in post isn't going to cut it.

I've got two tips that, for me, would have made the trailer better:
Firstly, I didn't really get what the film was supposed to be about, it seemed like a lot of random clips from the most dramatic scenes in the film, give the trailer more of a narrative(even if it's misleading, most movie trailers are), you want to make me want to see the film.
The other thing is that I think you would be well served to add some music to the trailer. It would give you the opportunity to direct the person watching the trailer as to how they should feel/how they should perceive the mood of the film. It would also help with the way it seemed a bit disjointed, as having one song or piece of music would be a line or path to tie the entire trailer together.
Congrats on making your film! Good luck

Hey,
Thanks for the feedback... I really appreciate it. The motivation was to create a horror film with an animation style. I'll go ahead and pay someone to edit the trailer, instead of trying to do it myself. I welcome criticism it's the only way I can get better...

i would say it might be a good learning experience to edit it yourself. Maybe the best idea is to locate a better animation filter. Depending on your system, there should be plug ins that may be more helpful. I'd say don't be afraid to jump in. It's good to know how to do many things. cutting a good trailer is rather difficult in my opinion.

I think the filter is distracting as well...it's too...one layered filter looking. Like it was just tossed on for the heck of it.

I also think the trailer isn't particularly cut well.

But I love that your gears are turning...that definitely shows. Keep cutting new versions until you receive positive feedback, and feel good about it.

The filter doesn't do this clip justice and was uninterested immediately upon seeing the first few seconds. Not sure what purpose the trailer serves the story either. Just another "horror film" thrown into the grind.

I agree with what Will Vincent says about apologizing for your work. No justifications are needed in life.. It is what it is and justifying it does not make it any better.