cobraclutch2
Active member
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Cerebral Static: Trailer..........
- Thread starter cobraclutch2
- Start date
Jon Starr
Veteran
Umm, what was with the ending? "for you!" I couldn't help but laugh. You should learn to do text, and proper text. Right now it's holding back your trailer, which looks decent.
First of all the font looks all wrong. I would go with something sans-seriff. Second, don't do it over images unless it works. If you do it over images be sure to have an outline or background to the fonts, because a white font like that works over darker parts of the image, but not lighter parts, and vise versa with black fonts.
Also, try and avoid exclamation points, it looks cheesy. Don't use "..." in your text either. In fact, try to avoid using any punctuation for trailer text, ever. Unless it's a question mark, or you know what you're doing.
Some of the shots were a bit... terrible, and some were nice.
As for the trailer. Didn't leave me curious, but it also did. Whats it about?
First of all the font looks all wrong. I would go with something sans-seriff. Second, don't do it over images unless it works. If you do it over images be sure to have an outline or background to the fonts, because a white font like that works over darker parts of the image, but not lighter parts, and vise versa with black fonts.
Also, try and avoid exclamation points, it looks cheesy. Don't use "..." in your text either. In fact, try to avoid using any punctuation for trailer text, ever. Unless it's a question mark, or you know what you're doing.
Some of the shots were a bit... terrible, and some were nice.
As for the trailer. Didn't leave me curious, but it also did. Whats it about?
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cobraclutch2
Active member
Funny
Funny
well thanks I think. Text is not the most important thing to me. Independent shorts and films are not always about following the rules, there are no rules. So while I enjoyed the tutorial on text in trailers I think it looks good and in the end thats what counts. hey but thanks for the back handed compliment. As for what the trailer is about...... The stock market.. thats why I put " For You!"..I mean. "For You?"
Oh and Why would I put the end of the movie in the trailer would that not defeat the purpose. I had to laugh when I read that line.
Funny
well thanks I think. Text is not the most important thing to me. Independent shorts and films are not always about following the rules, there are no rules. So while I enjoyed the tutorial on text in trailers I think it looks good and in the end thats what counts. hey but thanks for the back handed compliment. As for what the trailer is about...... The stock market.. thats why I put " For You!"..I mean. "For You?"
Oh and Why would I put the end of the movie in the trailer would that not defeat the purpose. I had to laugh when I read that line.
HBlack
Underage Member
The "For you!" thing really killed it. I find exclamation marks tend to make things look cheerful and detracts from the gravity of a statement when used in trailers or other marketing. The sound at the end sounded pretty bad. Breaking rules is fine, but not when it makes text difficult to read. The font you used is okay for the trailer (I wouldn't use it, but it's passable), but you really need to find something better for the final title. Looks awfully cheesy, and not fitting of a horror.
The footage itself looked good, but the editing as a trailer still needs some work.
The footage itself looked good, but the editing as a trailer still needs some work.
Jon Starr
Veteran
It's not about "rules", it's about doing what looks good.
Hey, if it looks good to you, go ahead and use it. Is it all that matters? It's up to you I guess.
For me, I make films for myself, but I also make them for the audience. You make a film to tell a story to the audience, not to yourself. So I take criticism, even bad criticism, to heart and I use it to make whatever I'm working on even better.
You can't just not care about one aspect. You don't mind the font or don't care for it, then don't put in text. Indy or not, it looks unprofessional and out of place. Font matters, especially for a trailer. Just like visuals, and dialogue. You don't need to be hollywood to care about fonts, and it isn't a "rule". It's like saying that shooting a beautifully composed shot is a "rule".
....
What?
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cobraclutch, please don't be one of "those" guys, the ones who post their stuff saying "What do you think?", then get all p!ssy when everybody doesn't line up to tell them how wonderful they are.
You've been given some criticism of your trailer, deal with it. Two people, actually three, because I'll say essentially the same thing, have now told you that there is a possible problem with the way you used the text in your trailer. That could be indicative that maybe there is a problem, don't you think?
"Text is not the most important thing to me" - This film is your baby. EVERY element should be of equal importance, because a film or trailer is a sum of its parts. At the moment, to me and obviously to others, the way you've used the text in your trailer screams "amateur", which is a pity, because you've obviously put a lot of effort into other elements. Why not go that one step further to really make this thing pop?
"there are no rules" - Wrong, wrong, WRONG! This attitude more than anything else p!sses me off about newbie filmmakers. There ARE rules, and if you're going to break them, you first need to understand the rules and then have a damn good reason to break them.
Too many beginner filmmakers think they're going to rewrite the face of filmmaking by doing something that breaks the rules. What they don't realise is that it's all been done before, and there's a good reason why you've never heard of these filmmakers, the films they made breaking the rules sucked.
So, to round off, as I said before you obviously put a fair bit of effort into the film. Don't sell it short because you're too precious to accept criticism. There are a lot of people here with a lot of knowledge and skill. Listen to them and be willing to learn.
Cheers
Pat
You've been given some criticism of your trailer, deal with it. Two people, actually three, because I'll say essentially the same thing, have now told you that there is a possible problem with the way you used the text in your trailer. That could be indicative that maybe there is a problem, don't you think?
"Text is not the most important thing to me" - This film is your baby. EVERY element should be of equal importance, because a film or trailer is a sum of its parts. At the moment, to me and obviously to others, the way you've used the text in your trailer screams "amateur", which is a pity, because you've obviously put a lot of effort into other elements. Why not go that one step further to really make this thing pop?
"there are no rules" - Wrong, wrong, WRONG! This attitude more than anything else p!sses me off about newbie filmmakers. There ARE rules, and if you're going to break them, you first need to understand the rules and then have a damn good reason to break them.
Too many beginner filmmakers think they're going to rewrite the face of filmmaking by doing something that breaks the rules. What they don't realise is that it's all been done before, and there's a good reason why you've never heard of these filmmakers, the films they made breaking the rules sucked.
So, to round off, as I said before you obviously put a fair bit of effort into the film. Don't sell it short because you're too precious to accept criticism. There are a lot of people here with a lot of knowledge and skill. Listen to them and be willing to learn.
Cheers
Pat
cobraclutch2
Active member
Text..Text..Text
Text..Text..Text
Critique and back handed swipes are two different thing. If you read the first response when anything starts with "I had to laugh" the response is probably not going to be positive or well intended. As far as being the new face by breaking rules, I don't take myself that serious to think hey I might change the the face of
TEXT in film but the old way seems boring. As with any guerilla filmmaker I worked with what I had and what I had knowledge of, which is where the real art of Filmmaking is founded. I don't feel like responding to mild critique as being Pissy. I hope you are not one of those guys who feel because someone says" so what do you think?" they have put a target on their chest. So many other thing could have been discussed which is what I really wanted to hear. For example, camera settings, final cut programs filters, share knowledge not half hearted opinions.
It's not a horror and the Short itself has no text. What I do know is its good. As far as what it screams I could care less, to many Film nazis Mini Dv screams semi pro thank God no one headed the words or the 35 mm lynch mob or everyone with a Mini Dv would stuck at weddings.
As far as being my baby....naw I'm making others as we speak so I don't take things said on a blog to heart
So thanks again for the importance of text in a no budget, no sound, guerilla short.
I did go and check out some of your trailers....not bad..pretty good
Text..Text..Text
Critique and back handed swipes are two different thing. If you read the first response when anything starts with "I had to laugh" the response is probably not going to be positive or well intended. As far as being the new face by breaking rules, I don't take myself that serious to think hey I might change the the face of
TEXT in film but the old way seems boring. As with any guerilla filmmaker I worked with what I had and what I had knowledge of, which is where the real art of Filmmaking is founded. I don't feel like responding to mild critique as being Pissy. I hope you are not one of those guys who feel because someone says" so what do you think?" they have put a target on their chest. So many other thing could have been discussed which is what I really wanted to hear. For example, camera settings, final cut programs filters, share knowledge not half hearted opinions.
It's not a horror and the Short itself has no text. What I do know is its good. As far as what it screams I could care less, to many Film nazis Mini Dv screams semi pro thank God no one headed the words or the 35 mm lynch mob or everyone with a Mini Dv would stuck at weddings.
As far as being my baby....naw I'm making others as we speak so I don't take things said on a blog to heart
So thanks again for the importance of text in a no budget, no sound, guerilla short.
I did go and check out some of your trailers....not bad..pretty good
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cobraclutch2
Active member
Not true, the ones who have broken the rules you hear about its the ones that regurgitate the basic that get forgotten. That's if you study things like that. I would offer some advice as well. Don't be such an elitist that one cannot question the opinion so gracious bestowed from above. Opinion are like Mini DV cameras... everyone has one on this site has one..
cheers
cheers
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Jon Starr
Veteran
If I were being back-handed, I could have been a lot harsher and given no advice whatsoever. I told you I couldn't help but laugh because it's the truth (and you need to know how bad that part of the film is, how the audience might react), and I think telling the truth is far better, more honest, and a much nicer way of going about helping someone's film/trailer (which is why we're here, to help), than just saying "it's interesting" or "good job". If I had said "it was okay, but needs some work because of..." you wouldn't have gotten the scope of how much it needs to be fixed and what you need to avoid. Because honestly, I thought it was a joke at first.
You need to build some thick skin. This industry is tough, and if you don't build it now, you're going to meet a lot more resistance and a lot nastier people out there that will bring you down. I was hardly being harsh, and I try not to be.
We all become defensive when our work is being attacked (and we've all been criticized harshly), but when you step back and give some time to breath before you respond, it's all about how you take it next. Do you take it seriously and work to fix the problems? Or do you ignore it and become defensive?
One is far more productive and beneficial to your future than the other.
You need to build some thick skin. This industry is tough, and if you don't build it now, you're going to meet a lot more resistance and a lot nastier people out there that will bring you down. I was hardly being harsh, and I try not to be.
We all become defensive when our work is being attacked (and we've all been criticized harshly), but when you step back and give some time to breath before you respond, it's all about how you take it next. Do you take it seriously and work to fix the problems? Or do you ignore it and become defensive?
One is far more productive and beneficial to your future than the other.
Rory_B
Well-known member
You don't even realize you used a ! instead of ? at the end of your own trailer?
Also nobody is going to think stock market when viewing this trailer.
The trailer looks like a slasher flick and the font says comedy.
especially FOR YOU!
Font is a huge mood setter. Seven is a prime example of this.
A drop shadow would help as well.
Also at around 36 seconds the text is up for so short a time I can hardly read it. I had to pause and rewind back to the point to re-read it.
Marlon Ladd
Veteran
Okay, okay people. It's hard to take criticism to begin with, but even harder when it all seems to be negative. There are some very good things about this trailer and when I went back and watched it a second time, I got more from it and understood exactly what was going on. It appears that the guy turns into some sort of crazy killer at times (at night), because of some "cerebral" trauma that he went through with the crazy guys in the masks (very creepy by the way).
The font was not necessarily bad, but they would have been more powerful if they were faded in over a black screen. The reason why I say that is because I found myself trying to read the font while watching what was on the screen at the same time and one time I chose to watch what was on the screen and didn't get to read all the font. And what the font says is very important, because it tells the story in the trailer. Remember that these are just suggestions, but you could also get rid of the "..." and the "!" because the words you have are powerful enough to stand on their own. I'd like to check it out when it's done.
The font was not necessarily bad, but they would have been more powerful if they were faded in over a black screen. The reason why I say that is because I found myself trying to read the font while watching what was on the screen at the same time and one time I chose to watch what was on the screen and didn't get to read all the font. And what the font says is very important, because it tells the story in the trailer. Remember that these are just suggestions, but you could also get rid of the "..." and the "!" because the words you have are powerful enough to stand on their own. I'd like to check it out when it's done.
Michael Anthony Horrigan
More Cowbell Pictures
Not bad... as others have noted, the text needs work. Maybe try replacing it with a voice-over? Just an idea.
I did like some of the shots though.
Good luck.
I did like some of the shots though.
Good luck.
ESTEBEVERDE
Veteran
Very decent.
Text needs totally reworked so it doesn't look like it was put on there in a 5th grade iMovie class.
The sounds at the end are a bit much but all in all if this were a teaser trailer I would want to watch your film.
For you!
Text needs totally reworked so it doesn't look like it was put on there in a 5th grade iMovie class.
The sounds at the end are a bit much but all in all if this were a teaser trailer I would want to watch your film.
For you!
Dewy-dB
Well-known member
Critique For You!
I agree, take everyone's advice. In the words of Tyler Durdan,.. "You are not a unique snow-flake" so loose the attitude.
Rules are rules because they work! You first have to understand all the rules before you can break them, and you need to know when and why you're breaking them.
Quit worrying about being backhanded and fix it!
- Greg
I agree, take everyone's advice. In the words of Tyler Durdan,.. "You are not a unique snow-flake" so loose the attitude.
Rules are rules because they work! You first have to understand all the rules before you can break them, and you need to know when and why you're breaking them.
Quit worrying about being backhanded and fix it!
- Greg
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Turnpike
Member
It may be hard to take negative criticism, especially when hoping for the best, but let's face it; that's life.
I have to agree with everyone. The font doesn't suit the mood of the teaser/trailer. What you're wanting to convey is something completely different than what is felt at the current moment. Just roll with the blows (critiques) and go with the flow. It's good not to take what people have to say to heart all of the time. But it is necessary to listen to them once in a while.
So, first of all, redo that trailer. Spice it up a bit more. Who knows where you can go with it. Do whatever you want to do with it. But definitely take note of that font. Definitely go with something that has the same feeling as your movie does. There are plenty of websites devoted to freeware fonts. Use them!
Also, the "For You!" also confused me, and I didn't see the purpose of using it. If you want, use text over black. It may help with the legibility of the font you may go with.
That's it for my two cents.
-Austen.
I have to agree with everyone. The font doesn't suit the mood of the teaser/trailer. What you're wanting to convey is something completely different than what is felt at the current moment. Just roll with the blows (critiques) and go with the flow. It's good not to take what people have to say to heart all of the time. But it is necessary to listen to them once in a while.
So, first of all, redo that trailer. Spice it up a bit more. Who knows where you can go with it. Do whatever you want to do with it. But definitely take note of that font. Definitely go with something that has the same feeling as your movie does. There are plenty of websites devoted to freeware fonts. Use them!
Also, the "For You!" also confused me, and I didn't see the purpose of using it. If you want, use text over black. It may help with the legibility of the font you may go with.
That's it for my two cents.
-Austen.
brownpaperbagproductions
Well-known member
If enough people say 'change it' and you don't, you look like an artsy rebel.
He almost can't change it now because the pressure is so one sided that if he did he would appear to be just appeasing the mob, and that's not very artsy.
So don't change it, even if it's stupid and doesn't work, don't change it, hold out, be stubborn because for the majority of people that hate it there will be those few ironic rebels that you can always depend on.
My opinion is that the text works perfectly to shoot your trailer in the foot and make you look like an ass, which is great if the movies a satire or something.
Also, the title made me laugh before I even saw the movie, again it's great if it's a black comedy of some kind.
He almost can't change it now because the pressure is so one sided that if he did he would appear to be just appeasing the mob, and that's not very artsy.
So don't change it, even if it's stupid and doesn't work, don't change it, hold out, be stubborn because for the majority of people that hate it there will be those few ironic rebels that you can always depend on.
My opinion is that the text works perfectly to shoot your trailer in the foot and make you look like an ass, which is great if the movies a satire or something.
Also, the title made me laugh before I even saw the movie, again it's great if it's a black comedy of some kind.
cobraclutch2
Active member
Static Frenzy......new trailer
Static Frenzy......new trailer
Check out my new trailer for my new short. I will put the short up soon.
http://www.vimeo.com/656623
Static Frenzy......new trailer
Check out my new trailer for my new short. I will put the short up soon.
http://www.vimeo.com/656623
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ryan brown
lOwEr CaSe Member
I can't tell what you're referring to... I actually thought it looked pretty good.
What are you editing on, and what do you mean you "tried doing layers"? how many layers, what composite mode, and in order to achieve what effect? more depth I presume?
What are you editing on, and what do you mean you "tried doing layers"? how many layers, what composite mode, and in order to achieve what effect? more depth I presume?