Trailers - How To Questions?

I just read the thread "Recommended reading / cutting first feature trailer?" and picked up a few things. Thanks. Can you recommend other relevant threads?

Since I'm not working in the industry I need to give myself a few projects to work on. The first project I'd like to take on is a trailer. Could someone here tell me what's their approach when they take on a trailer? Along with footage are you sent suggestions or are you free to use your own creative knowledge. I assume each project is different and each has a way of getting you into a particular mindset.

As far as technique and FCP, what would you normally do first after importing? Is there an industry norm? Or is each artist different and they just do what works for them?

I figured that I just drop the footage in and start hitting it with markers on the fly. Then watch it again and repeat until I get the feel of the film. Then later mark my ins and outs while staying within say 30seconds including transitions and credits.

Is there any free instrumental music online that I could use just for practice?

I'm just looking for tips and what to expect from a real project. Please no horror stories/noise.

Thanks, Tony

I'm not the best person to answer this question, but since nobody else has replied yet, I'll jump in.

When I cut a trailer ? which I've only ever done on the side, never as a professional trailer editor ? I always start by finding the image I want to open with and close on. You know how when you're editing a doco you start with a radio edit, where you focus on the dialogue first? It's the opposite of that. I find the image I want to open with and put it on my timeline at around twelve seconds on my timeline (after the green card and logos), and then I find the image I want to end on and put down around 2:25, right before the credit cards. That gives me my framework. What goes between those two might be a tone poem (think "Garden State" or it might be a series of little character moments, or whatever I want to try.

If you have an APM account, you can download all the tracks you want at no cost. You only have to pay for them if you actually publish them as part of a work. I used to download thirty or forty tracks at a go to use as temp music before settling on the ones I liked best. But getting an APM account is non-trivial, so if you don't already have one, it might not be worth getting one.

Soundtrack Pro comes with a collection of audio elements, some of which are fully mixed beds. I wouldn't use them for production work ? because so many others already have ? but they're fine for messing around.

I use commercial recordings all the time for temp music, and for little just-for-fun projects I do with the intention of never showing them to anyone. My whole iTunes library is fodder for creative exercises.

Thanks Jeff. That helps quite a bit. I like the bookend approach you're describing.

How much artistic freedom does one usually have? Or does that depend on one's reputation?

Thanks for pointing me to APM, looks like what I need. Do they watermark the audio when you're just trying it out like "iStock Audio"? From what I tested on their site so far seems like they do not. What should I expect when the "Account Services Representative" calls?

Tony

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How much artistic freedom does one usually have?

I wish I could tell you. I don't primarily cut trailers, nor do I know anybody who does who I could kill and wear his skin like a suit so I could take over his life ask on your behalf.

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Do they watermark the audio when you're just trying it out like "iStock Audio"?

Nope. APM runs on the honor system, for all intents and purposes. You download the tracks you want to try out, then self-report what you actually use. Obviously this should not be seen as my endorsement to rip them off, not that I think you might take it that way. I'm just saying for the record: APM is a good music house, and their terms are extremely reasonable, so I recommend them when they're an economically practical option.

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What should I expect when the "Account Services Representative" calls?

You know, to be honest I don't even remember. I signed up a couple years back on behalf of the company I was at-the-time working for. I have absolutely no memory of the process, so I guess it was pretty painless.

Thanks again. The only reason I was asking about the watermark was with "iStock Audio" they say that phrase about every 10 seconds. Now how do they expect me to get a true feel of the music when that keeps happening? I'm not about to take them. It's just not in me. I really respect that type of business/honor system. I remember when a handshake and a smile meant something, so it's great to see a business still operating in that manor.

Again this is all just for practice for now. We run a graphic design business and are use to buying stock, so it nothing new to to add it to someone's bill anyway.

Tony

I don't use the bookend approach, and like Jeff, I don't cut trailers for a living, but only on the side, along with doing Mike's laundry and the dishes. Jeff does Mikes curtains on the side when he's not cutting trailers.

Usually, I'd look at the picture, get the gist of it to understand what I'm trying to sell, then I'll find an approach to the story (sometimes I'll work it out on paper, but usually i'll have that in my head). Then start putting the pieces together, then enhancing that with sound effects and scratch music, then look at the piece, add bits to it, and remove the bits i don't like. Although i don't bookmark like Jeff, the first and last shots have to be strong.



www.strypesinpost.com

Wait. Go back.

I'm supposed to be doing the curtains and cutting the trailers?

Uh oh?

Greaser Wrote:
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> The only reason I was asking about
> the watermark was with "iStock Audio" they say
> that phrase about every 10 seconds. Now how do
> they expect me to get a true feel of the music
> when that keeps happening?

The same way they expect you to show a roughcut to a client with an epic HD shot of a paraglider whizzing off a cliff and over crashing ocean waves... in a 360x240 h.264 file with "iStockVideo" written across the clip.