• READ BEFORE POSTING!
    • If posting a video, please post HERE, unless it is a video as part of an advertisement and then post it in this section.
    • If replying to threads please remember this is the Promotion area and the person posting may not be open to feedback.

watch "Antihero" trailer rough cut -- seeking opinions

Cracker Funk

Cracker Funk

Wow, cutting a trailer is difficult. If you'd like to offer feedback, I think it best that you watch the trailer first, then read below.

http://vimeo.com/18500768

PW: indietalk






I can definitely see the prevailing logic in having someone else cut your trailer. Unfortunately, I don't really have that as an option. I didn't want this to be one of those trailers that tells you the whole damn story (in fact, I intentionally left out some pretty major characters). I just want it to give you the basic premise, and hopefully translate the feel of the movie. Since I made the damn thing, it's difficult to know if I'm giving just enough information, or not enough, or what.

I'd love to hear from anybody and everybody. There are a bunch of people on this forum who already know what the movie is about. Of course I'd love to hear any of your reactions. Moreso, I'd love to hear reactions from people who know nothing about "Antihero".

Based on this trailer, what would you say this movie is about? What would you say the feel of the movie is? Does this trailer interest you in seeing more? Does anything confuse you?

This is a rough cut. I want to lock video before touching audio, so this is all in-cam mic.

Oh, and a couple side-notes, just so you don't waste your time commenting on them. The Cracker Funk logo in the beginning -- I didn't want to put that there. I tried so many different variations, and gave up. I need the lines, "Where were you last night", and "Candices house", but those come so much earlier in the scene, and it just looked really weird having them magically transport from one location to another, so as a last resort I slapped a logo over the top of it.

Also, the "Antihero" title at the end; again, this is a rough cut -- I'll clean up that messiness.

Thanks a bunch!
 
Last edited:
1. Based on this trailer, what would you say this movie is about? Based strictly on the trailer, it looks like its going to be a nerdy guy and his trailer park romeo friend forming a psychic investigation team. And they run into some problems. I also think its a comedy.(big ole floppy titties)


2. What would you say the feel of the movie is? Comedic with serious parts


3. Does this trailer interest you in seeing more? Yes


4. Does anything confuse you? not really. I guess if anything I would ask: Where's the hero? Cause even when we see "antihero" we still expect to see a "hero". I think its fairly straight forward the the guy with glasses is the hero?? I guess with lines like "Big ole floppy titties" and "brain sauce" and a name Antihero we expect to see some ludicris guy in tights jump out of a closet.

I liked it.
 
I think it's cut together really well, FWIW. There's nothing that confuses me, but I'm not sure if it's clear enough what he uses his psychic powers for - I think you could give a little bit more of the story away and improve the trailer without spoiling the final film. Nice work!
 
I've watched it a dozen or so times, CF. This is what i got.

I felt there's an imbalance from Audio, to video, and the emphasis of. The scenes seem to be whole, and in doing this, i don't think you're playing to the strengths, especially in the dialogue.

The very beginning, the conversation in the car, i feel the line "She got some big ole' floppy..." Would benefit if we where not to see the guy say it, if you where to begin the crazy and exciting montage , perhaps a party, people jumping, two of your characters laughing. (Just off the top of the head ideas)

Another, i don't think it necessary to have your main character to be too specific. 0:35 The line regarding the house, i don't believe it's needed. Although, from what i gather, and what i remember of a scene you've shown previously, the house may be of the utmost importance. Yet even so, the line following is a perfect over-head for the montage of the theft, and misbehaving shown.

After we discover you character is psychic, i see this the perfect opportunity to drop the line. "So what you gonna do about it'?

We now have a small inkling into his choices, but in the montage, we see the ups and downs of the decisions he's made but without knowing too much about it, we're wondering whether he's doing the right thing, whether he's going to stop.

Your crazy montage is in full-swing, i'm seeing the theft, it's quick paced, but i feel i need to see some running, i need to see him rushing somewhere, distressed.

Again i don't think we need to see him say "I think i've always been psychic", but it would be beneficial if it was played over other footage.

The ending is perfect, again, flaunting the humour that i think is going to make this movie brilliant.
 
Thank you all so much. I'm gonna save my comments on your comments until a couple more people have commented, but before I head off to do stuff (probably gonna go watch "King's Speech"), I just wanted to let you know that already I've been given some good insight to think about. Cheers!
 
Just watched it the once so I could deliver an immediate (and cinema goer reflective) judgement...

At the time I saw it I hadn't read that that was in cam audio, so hopefully when you get that sorted the balance will be better. I really liked the music, kept a good pace to the trailer.

I would suggest a short period of quicker cuts between visually different locations, which will give a range to the film and define it as a feature. Plus the contrast when you slow it down and drop the music will work really nicely.

But it's a pretty good trailer, certainly gives a decent impression of what the film is going for. Did you consider a cheesy voiceover at the start that might slot it into the superhero comedy genre quite nicely?
 
Cracker Funk said:
Also, the "Antihero" title at the end; again, this is a rough cut -- I'll clean up that messiness.
Click to expand...

For what it's worth, I liked the title at the end. The roughness of it makes it seem unintentional, kind of how I see the main character, unintentionally becoming a hero!
 
Freshly viewed your trailer. Have yet to read anyone elses comments, so if its redundant you know why..

First, too many F bombs a trailer, but thats just me.
I already love the characters so thats very good in my book
I want to know whats going on.. again, I think thats GOOD
I think this movies about two guys who figure out that there is stolen money stashed in a house and along the way they fight, but also have a run in with some REAL bad guys, so its not a game at that point.
I love the antiehero logo, keep it.

Way more positives then negatives.

Your a genius.
 
Not knowing anything about it:

Looks like a fairly dark movie, with comedic elements.

It looks cheap. Not because of set-design, or "look" or anything like that. It apparently just has two actors in it. The majority of the time that's baaaad news, for the movie-goer picking an indie-flick.

The trailer tells me that two childhood buddies are partners in crime; one of them has realised he is psychic (duh, he says so)... and the other becomes insanely jealous of that and they end up fighting each other over the fact.

___________

I'd definitely add more of the major players, and maybe hint at how what they are doing is interacting/interfering/impacting with other(s). Something that's gonna actually drive the conflict.

You want your trailer to be suitable for television broadcast, btw. I know you've been hit up by local papers, and maybe you can get some airtime with the local tv affiliate (especially with your 4-wall coming up). You need a trailer suitable for television for them, for the local station to pimp, so get that done first. Maybe keep a second cruder one for teh internetz.

Don't goof around with non-real MPAA bands.

I thought the trailer was pretty good, overall. It got to the point, and escalated somewhat with a climactic finish with the baseball bat - followed by comedic relief. Good. I probably wouldn't rent it on the trailer alone, though, 'cos two guys going at it for 90 minutes by themselves is very hard to pull off... but knowing what else I know, it's very good. Noone else knows, though... and that's a problem.

Yah, I think the logos you have are great. :cool:

________

Can't wait to see it, tbh, after following it all this time. I'm very excited for you.
 
Okay, lots to respond to. Thank you all for your input.

Chilipie -- Based on the reactions of a few other people in this thread, yeah, it seems like it's not quite clear what's going on. I think you're right -- I should get more specific (or should I? More on that later).

Papertwin -- Those are some great suggestions. I don't know why the heck I didn't think of using the dialogue as narration, over the top of the stealing montage. That's perfect. The specificity of the line at :35 was put in to shift us from using-psychic-powers-to-steal to using-psychic-powers-to-help. I wonder if maybe it's not needed, cuz we see that in his actions? I dunno; gotta think that over.

Nick -- There is zero chance of me using a Movie Guy Voiceover, but I do like your idea of adding more locations (and it sounds like I need more characters).

hatter -- Wait, did you get all that from this trailer? Or did you already know the story? If you just got it from the trailer, I'm rather pleased, cuz that's exactly what the movie is about -- becoming an accidental hero. Oh, and I'm glad you like the artwork -- that's the official artwork for the opening credits, and promo posters, and DVD cover. I just mean that my animation of it is shitty.

wheat -- I had planned on editing a PG trailer, with no F-bombs. It proved quite difficult, and I gave up. Also, your comments make me wonder if perhaps it's good that I didn't reveal as much as I thought I was. My intent for this trailer was for the audience to be able to figure out that he and his friend use his psychic power first to steal, then eventually to be heroes. But it sounds like nobody's really getting that. Maybe it's good that they don't get that? Maybe this is another situation in which an accidentally vague edit is actually a positive, cuz it leaves people wanting for more?

Zensteve -- You raise a very valid concern, in that it looks like this movie has only two characters. That's actually not the case; I just chose to edit the trailer that way. I think you're right in suggesting that that's a mistake. I'm definitely going to expand the scope of the trailer. The fake redband is just something I pulled off the internet; I need some way to warn people that it's not appropriate for kids. Maybe I'll just take out the mention of the MPAA. Oh, and I'm not four-walling (not yet). This screening on the 25th is just for fun, and I plan on losing money. Only selling tickets to help recoup some of the loss, but definitely won't be promoting on TV. Should I ever four-wall, I'll definitely take your advice on that end.

Murdock, cliche, thanks a bunch. You guys are rad.
 
Can't disagree with anything that's been said so far. Also can't really pretend that I don't know anything about the film, so I can't tell you what I gleaned form it.

A minor critique:

I would use as little of the car scene as possible. The camera work doesn't match up with the rest of the trailer (looks too wobbly). And I definitely wouldn't lead with it. Not sure how you'd accomplish the punchy, funny lead in without it. I would just say that the joke opens the trailer awesomely, but the camera work detracts from it.
 
First of all when I watched it I had a hard time telling he said Candices House. I would up the volume on that. Maybe show her in a very short clip when he says "with the" like a flashback. The go back to the friend saying his line "big old floppy ...."

I thought the whole trailer summed up what I thought the movie was about. The only thing else that I thought was off was the bike scene after the Anti Hero Logo. I would eliminate that bike scene from the trailer since it did not flow well with the rest of it. Good job with the trailer.

"My intent for this trailer was for the audience to be able to figure out that he and his friend use his psychic power first to steal, then eventually to be heroes. " I got that part Cracker. I think it is pretty clear. I think you did very well with this trailer. Just a few tweeks and you got something decent. Maybe add in some more humor or something. But overall I think the trailer sums up the movie well.
 
Last edited:
CF, I know nothing of your film, all I’ve seen is this trailer.

One thought I did have when watching it, is that maybe you’re giving away too much! Nobody else seems to have thought this though, so maybe it’s just me.

I could be wrong, but I do think I know how your story pans out. Obviously, I don’t know how it ends from this, or who the antagonist is, or what their story is. But I do get a good sense of what happens in your film. I’d almost be inclined to take out the section where the guy says something along the lines of “I don’t like what’s coming out of that house…”. To me, that gives away how they’ve gotten themselves into trouble. If you leave that out and just go from him revealing that he’s psychic, to more thieving, to the fighting, it leaves it open to interpretation, as to how exactly they get into these situations.

By the way, it’s not just the title I liked, I thought the whole thing was pretty awesome.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top