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watch Finding Angels - trailer

G

gorillaonabike

Thanks in advance for looking at this. I have shot and edited a few music vids, short films and even some interviews but I have never cut a trailer before so would be delighted if you could just take 30 seconds to have a look at this and offer an opinion. I would appreciate knowing your thoughts as I know nothing about trailers!

https://vimeo.com/71382499

What do you think of this little teaser trailer?
 
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I liked it :)

The only thing that I didn't like was that a few of the shots were overexposed, but besides that, all looks good. I hope the film turns out well! :cool:
 
ChimpPhobiaFilms said:
I liked it :)

The only thing that I didn't like was that a few of the shots were overexposed, but besides that, all looks good. I hope the film turns out well! :cool:
Click to expand...

Thanks. Erm, they were deliberately over-exposed but I may have gone a little too far in post.

EDIT: Had a look and I am comfortable that was the effect I was going for but may tone it down a little.

I think that maybe the viewer needs a little more time and the connection is a little too esoteric - am unsure but would be interested in the opinion of anyone else having a look. As a note, the trailer footage pretty much comes from the same place.
 
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gorillaonabike said:
Thanks in advance for looking at this. I have shot and edited a few music vids, short films and even some interviews but I have never cut a trailer before so would be delighted if you could just take 30 seconds to have a look at this and offer an opinion. I would appreciate knowing your thoughts as I know nothing about trailers!

https://vimeo.com/71382499

What do you think of this little teaser trailer?
Click to expand...

D@mn - loads of views but absolutely no comments! Is it because this is terrible? Is it good? Does it leave you cold? Are you simply ambivalent? What is it about this trailer that no-one wants to comment????
 
gorillaonabike said:
What do you think of this little teaser trailer?
Click to expand...
It fails to tease. :(

Technically, the overexposed part does look out of place, but it is a judgement call. No problemo.

This version of the teaser fails to communicate anything interesting worth investing time for a 8min short or a 108min feature.

Looks like some learning disabled (or whatever PC term is in vogue these days) fellow waddling down the hall, has a chat with a girl, then has some dodgy moments of "WTH am I doing?"
Yay.
Now... IF THAT ACTUALLY IS what the film is about then... GOLD!
dance.gif


If not then... back to the NLE you go - understanding that I have no idea just what shot sequences you were provided with.
Maybe this is the best of what could have been provided. I don't know.


Now, onto the text fields.
The first one of "Finding Angels" is great on timing, the slow crawl forward is fine, and the gold-tone light glimmer roll across to fade out is fine.
The second one of "Directed by... " appears similar, but isn't. I doesn't crawl forward but remains static, it doesn't fade out but instead cuts to the next scene, and it lasts rather briefly. I'd give that another moment even before a fade out.
The third one "Based on a true story" does crawl forward but doesn't have the gold-tone light glimmer roll across, and does not fade out. But worst - it just hangs there forever.
Might be a petty pet peeve of mine, but I just LOATHE "Based on a true story" claims. A) I don't believe them, B) I just don't care, as such claims add zero credibility to what I'm about to see, C) Mark Twain speaks the truth:
"Never let the facts get in the way of a good story"~Mark Twain​
The fourth one "Finding Angels" has the slow crawl, no gold-tone light glimmer roll across to fade out, but instead just flutters away by the letters.

1. Be consistent.
2. Deviate with purpose.
3. Allow more time for more words to be read.
4. Ensure the font sizes begin & end @ a consistent size.

Hope this is useful.
 
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rayw said:
It fails to tease. :(

Technically, the overexposed part does look out of place, but it is a judgement call. No problemo.

This version of the teaser fails to communicate anything interesting worth investing time for a 8min short or a 108min feature.

Looks like some learning disabled (or whatever PC term is in vogue these days) fellow waddling down the hall, has a chat with a girl, then has some dodgy moments of "WTH am I doing?"
Yay.
Now... IF THAT ACTUALLY IS what the film is about then... GOLD!
dance.gif


If not then... back to the NLE you go - understanding that I have no idea just what shot sequences you were provided with.
Maybe this is the best of what could have been provided. I don't know.


Now, onto the text fields.
The first one of "Finding Angels" is great on timing, the slow crawl forward is fine, and the gold-tone light glimmer roll across to fade out is fine.
The second one of "Directed by... " appears similar, but isn't. I doesn't crawl forward but remains static, it doesn't fade out but instead cuts to the next scene, and it lasts rather briefly. I'd give that another moment even before a fade out.
The third one "Based on a true story" does crawl forward but doesn't have the gold-tone light glimmer roll across, and does not fade out. But worst - it just hangs there forever.
Might be a petty pet peeve of mine, but I just LOATHE "Based on a true story" claims. A) I don't believe them, B) I just don't care, as such claims add zero credibility to what I'm about to see, C) Mark Twain speaks the truth:
"Never let the facts get in the way of a good story"~Mark Twain​
The fourth one "Finding Angels" has the slow crawl, no gold-tone light glimmer roll across to fade out, but instead just flutters away by the letters.

1. Be consistent.
2. Deviate with purpose.
3. Allow more time for more words to be read.
4. Ensure the font sizes begin & end @ a consistent size.

Hope this is useful.
Click to expand...

Strangely enough, the short is about a mentally ill person who has some dodgy moments who is trying to get to chat with a woman. Erm... gold????

Thanks for having a look and I will implement these elements.

Also, it is based on a true story. This is important and we had a mental health social worker (AHMP) on set for the casting and some of the performances. We also used a mixture of mentally ill and non mentally ill talent.

The story is absolutely real.

Thanks for your thoughts.
 
gorillaonabike said:
Strangely enough, the short is about a mentally ill person who has some dodgy moments who is trying to get to chat with a woman. Erm... gold????
Click to expand...
lmao-o.gif

gold1.gif

Gold, indeed.

I still don't wanna watch it, though. :D

The story is absolutely real.
Click to expand...
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Like I said, probably just a petty pet peeve of mine.

'Blair Witch' started off with that rubbish.
All of those retar... silly "found footage" films start off with it.
The many permutations of Pocahontas are "based on true events." :rolleyes:
'U-571' proclaimed to be "based on true events." Yeah. Well... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U-571_(film)#Controversies_regarding_content
Even the critically and peer acclaimed 'Argo' was "based on true events." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argo_(2012_film)#Historical_inaccuracies

'The Kids Are All Right' IS based on the writer/director's real life, but I'm pretty sure that claim wasn't used in any of the marketing material.
http://articles.latimes.com/2010/jun/17/entertainment/la-et-kids-20100617

So... whenever I read some claim as that... I'd just as soon it was left out.

I just fail to see it ADDDDDDs anything but negative connotations.


OMG. Jackpot. (Whowouldathunkit?) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_films_based_on_actual_events
And more: http://www.imdb.com/list/-87u-0YuFB8/
 
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The biggest concern I have is this short is very good and I need to cut a trailer that is compelling / interesting.

Hmm... that is a significantly larger issue.
 
micster said:
Says who? You need to quantify statements like that. Have people test screened it and said it's very good, or is that just your view as the creator of it.
Click to expand...

Since you ask so nicely, I test screened it to an audience of 10 and every single person gave it a 'very good.' These people include an indie film director (his last film was a couple of years ago with a budget of around $3m USD), a former member of the BBC's programme scheduling unit, someone who works as a professional editor on a BBC documentary, another individual who is an award-winning film maker (who admittedly gave us some assistance and might be considered a little biased) and the director of the film department of London's largest and most famous gallery.

The three most common words and phrases used in the test screening were 'very good,' 'compelling' and 'disturbing.'

As part of the test screening phase, I showed it to a completely random stranger (just a shout out on Facebook) and they expressed surprise at how good it is although this may be tempered by the fact they were expecting the worst. This was primarily to work out how much time I should invest and my reaction is 'quite a lot.'

I also went to a festival director and one of the world's top ten festivals in its genre has given me free entry. Please note they have only seen a partially completed version and this does not mean they will screen it as the competition is fierce. As an idea of the level of this festival, they play premieres of Indie films and every single feature that shows there ends up with distribution. The unfinished version was good enough that they want me to enter it and have waived the fee. They even wanted to 'hold entry' but unfortunately I have a day job and did not have the time to complete.

The quality of the feedback has been consistent. No-one has said 'it has rocked their world' but everyone has told me it is 'very good' with only one exception. The only exception was a Russian lady who did not understand one element of dialogue so the meaning of the short was lost on her. This means that when subtitling and entering into non-English speaking festivals, we will probably need to be a little careful over one section of dialogue which will need a little adjustment.

So I have 5 elements to complete:

1. Sound. This needs to be complete and is the largest, most complex element.
2. Editing in a couple of small elements. This will probably take under an hour
3. Editing out a number of small elements which I will need to be complete. Currently am in the throes of rotoing in / out a whole series of sections and the other night, I was surprised my Wacom didn't catch fire.
4. Poster
5. Trailer - the bit that this thread is about as this is my first trailer.

The trailer element needs work and this is why I have asked for assistance. What are your comments on the trailer?

Do you have any comments? What are your thoughts?
 
gorillaonabike said:
The trailer element needs work and this is why I have asked for assistance. What are your comments on the trailer?

Do you have any comments? What are your thoughts?
Click to expand...
I enjoy seeing MORE in the movie than the trailer leads on about.

The trailer (and frankly the story itself) should have enough interesting material from the first act, or twenty/thirty minutes of a feature film, to cut almost an entire trailer, the difference being made of material from the second act, or following thirty/forty minutes.

Pretty much all material from the third act, or last twenty/thirty minutes should be a surprise.

Nothing's more irritating or distracting than being given puzzle pieces in a trailer and waiting to see where they fit while actually watching the film.
By eliminating elements from the third act from even being in the teasers and trailers I can then watch and appreciate the film free of further puzzle play and mouth agape.


So... what's in the first act that makes this "a very good story?"


Since I'm guessing this is largely a drama can you suggest both a COMPELLING (relevant) situation and a decision the protag is faced with? Followed by a few snippets of challenges?

You might wanna peruse theatrical trailers from some of these to see what the big leagues have done: http://filmracket.com/the-10-best-portrayals-of-mental-illness-in-modern-movies/
 
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Yes, this fails to tease.
From your comments, it looks as if dialogue is important. Put some short lines into the trailer.
Pay attention, that music fits the editing or vice versa.
 
rayw said:
I enjoy seeing MORE in the movie than the trailer leads on about.

The trailer (and frankly the story itself) should have enough interesting material from the first act, or twenty/thirty minutes of a feature film, to cut almost an entire trailer, the difference being made of material from the second act, or following thirty/forty minutes.

Pretty much all material from the third act, or last twenty/thirty minutes should be a surprise.

Nothing's more irritating or distracting than being given puzzle pieces in a trailer and waiting to see where they fit while actually watching the film.
By eliminating elements from the third act from even being in the teasers and trailers I can then watch and appreciate the film free of further puzzle play and mouth agape.


So... what's in the first act that makes this "a very good story?"


Since I'm guessing this is largely a drama can you suggest both a COMPELLING (relevant) situation and a decision the protag is faced with? Followed by a few snippets of challenges?

You might wanna peruse theatrical trailers from some of these to see what the big leagues have done: http://filmracket.com/the-10-best-portrayals-of-mental-illness-in-modern-movies/
Click to expand...

Rayw - this is fantastic. Thanks for this, am now really thinking along different lines. I have realised that what I have done is to take all the interesting elements out of a 9-minute short, and create the dullest possible version of 'Finding Angels in 20 seconds' rather than cut a trailer. Am going to think about this over the weekend. Really useful comments. This has given me an excellent way of thinking about things.

Will need to ask the question about it - specifically, I know what the compelling elements are and how we have driven them through the story while constantly staying on-theme so I need to work this out.

I absolutely do not want to push the 'killer' stuff in the middle that drives the story forward but will take some of the beginning and use it to get the audience to ask a question.
 
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