How does one put together a modern movie trailer?

F

FilmmakersStudio

Member
Let's say for example I use Friday The 13th (80s version) clips and wanted to put a modern trailer spin to it. How would I first find the music and sound effects to go with it? How are individuals on youtube able to compose these? Where are they obtaining the right sound and sound effects to go with it?
 
You could probably argue that trailers are an art form themselves. So you could get a great idea for the trailer and then execute it flawlessly.

Me? I "borrow" ideas. I sometimes create trailers or teasers for event videos by first finding an existing trailer that appeals to me and has a similar "feel" as the event. I put it on my timeline. Then I look for similar quotes, action, graphics and music from the event and somewhat match them up. After that, it's a matter of tweaking and rearranging until you run out of time/money. My clients could never afford Don LaFontaine (and unfortunately his voice has been silenced forever) so I usually stay away from "In a world where....."


Jim
 
Haha! Yea, this is a loaded question.

Well...first, and probably the easiest favor you could do for yourself....go check out video copilot .net Andrew Kramer is the man and also offers a ton of items to purchase that can assist you in this quest.
 
FilmmakersStudio said:
Do they go about it syching the audio to various clips they have edited together?
Click to expand...

Often people actually put down the soundtrack first, with no picture, and then add the clips. They nudge them around, lengthen them and shorten them. It's counterintuitive. Your first impulse is to put down some radical clips and then put the music underneath. But you'll have an easier time if you maybe:

(1) Gather the clips together but not really put them in the final timeline
(2) Lay down some music that captures the mood that came to mind while you found the clips
(3) Put the clips in the timeline and move them around to fit the music changes
 
Aren't you better off deciding what "story" the trailer tells? What images, statements, voiceover, sounds will spell out a situation, or at least suggest something fascinating/intriguing/moving/exciting? The trailer is supposed to make people want to see the movie. The best trailers do that, in a wild variety of ways certainly... but editing on top of someone else's work, just laying a soundtrack down, just choosing your best clips and synching them to music? Why not put the same thought & heart & soul into the 60-second expression of your film as you did to the film itself?

Stuff like video copilot - stock sounds and clips and tutorials - won't create a vision of how you want people to feel they must see this movie. They can support that, but without the vision, I can't see the work being effective.

The best trailers are mini-stories, or setups that leave you wondering. It seems that thinking that way when planning a trailer is what makes someone a pro vs. a wanna-be at trailer creation.
 
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