New Trailer "The Identity"

P

PhilipD

Well-known member
Shot with DVX100b (no Filters/Adaptors

I started filming in May 2008 and having been my first film...(never done shorts) I have been through many ups and downs facing problems along the way...I still have filming left to do up until October 7th for the DVD release...
I Did the Web Design and all the jobs of the film due to it being a pay the acotrs film and not a collaboration I couldnt afford a sound recordist...This is a lesson learned and I know I will need help in my next film...

Please let me know what you think :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dw83N663CkU
 
You really should get a crew to work with. It's important. When you start doing both directing and DPing, AND sound, then it becomes a problem. Because you're attention can really only go one place. Where your attention should be is on the directing, paying attention to the scene.

Can't really tell how it is. I can see it's a first attempt though.

I'm going to be honest just to help you out a bit. For the trailer, I would suggest you tighten up the beginning (takes too long to get to the point). Also, following right after when the music picks up, all we see are people talking on a phone (without hearing them) and a girl taking her time to zip up her jacket. It really doesn't get me all too interested in what the rest has to show. Then all we see are people moving around, or walking, or hiding, or picking up a glass, without any dialogue or idea as to why we're watching these images.

A teaser, just like a film, has to grab us right from the beginning and keep us interested. Also, a trailer acts as a hint or idea as to what the story is about. All I got was it's about a hitwoman... but whats the story? I just see people walking around and doing... something.

I realize you cut the trailer in a style that is simlar to that of action film trailers, when they reach their climax there are several action shots, but even action trailers have moments of dialogue to reveal something.

Anyways, good luck with your film. Hope it goes well and serves as a great learning experience!
 
Thanks John definitly good advice :)...I have been thinking about adding dialogue at some point but I am trying to figure out how to do this...Like adding just a male voiceover or dialogue from the film...I'll try and do that next week :)
 
Jon Starr said:
You really should get a crew to work with. It's important. When you start doing both directing and DPing, AND sound, then it becomes a problem. Because you're attention can really only go one place. Where your attention should be is on the directing, paying attention to the scene.

Can't really tell how it is. I can see it's a first attempt though.

I'm going to be honest just to help you out a bit. For the trailer, I would suggest you tighten up the beginning (takes too long to get to the point). Also, following right after when the music picks up, all we see are people talking on a phone (without hearing them) and a girl taking her time to zip up her jacket. It really doesn't get me all too interested in what the rest has to show. Then all we see are people moving around, or walking, or hiding, or picking up a glass, without any dialogue or idea as to why we're watching these images.

A teaser, just like a film, has to grab us right from the beginning and keep us interested. Also, a trailer acts as a hint or idea as to what the story is about. All I got was it's about a hitwoman... but whats the story? I just see people walking around and doing... something.

I realize you cut the trailer in a style that is simlar to that of action film trailers, when they reach their climax there are several action shots, but even action trailers have moments of dialogue to reveal something.

Anyways, good luck with your film. Hope it goes well and serves as a great learning experience!
Click to expand...

Ditto
 
Hey PhilipD,

While I agree with both Jon and Keith - I shot my first feature pretty much alone. So you do what you have to do, if that was the only way to do it. In my 24 Diary I even encourage you to shoot the first feature alone. This way - you'll appreciate the work other people do for you, you save money on the first feature, and you'll understand each role on the movie set. But if you work alone, you have to be smart - real smart. Doing an action film while working alone is extremely challenging.

Anyway the trailer was okay - I'm sure with better editing you could make it much more intense. Also you need to add audio - people from your movie in Voice Over (like scenes from the movie - while we see certain parts fo the trailer) and you need sound effects. A fight sequence without good sound effects just doesn't look right.

All in all - getting started is the hardest part. There are many people that will beat you up for all the flaws in your feature - but at least you have a feature. So be encouaged - but take the advise of people trying to help you as well - don't shun it - but don't feel bad either - you do what you have to do to finish your movie. That's where real producing/directing comes from.
 
jls4 said:
Hey PhilipD,

While I agree with both Jon and Keith - I shot my first feature pretty much alone. So you do what you have to do, if that was the only way to do it. In my 24 Diary I even encourage you to shoot the first feature alone. This way - you'll appreciate the work other people do for you, you save money on the first feature, and you'll understand each role on the movie set. But if you work alone, you have to be smart - real smart. Doing an action film while working alone is extremely challenging.

Anyway the trailer was okay - I'm sure with better editing you could make it much more intense. Also you need to add audio - people from your movie in Voice Over (like scenes from the movie - while we see certain parts fo the trailer) and you need sound effects. A fight sequence without good sound effects just doesn't look right.

All in all - getting started is the hardest part. There are many people that will beat you up for all the flaws in your feature - but at least you have a feature. So be encouaged - but take the advise of people trying to help you as well - don't shun it - but don't feel bad either - you do what you have to do to finish your movie. That's where real producing/directing comes from.
Click to expand...

Thanks mate :)...I definitly respect the help which I will search for in my next film...I will go down the collaboration route that was a big lesson...paying out and not knowing the success of the movie could hurt...luckily I am ok and breaking even through other website means...so I feel ok...but it's better where you are all in the same boat with a passion to complete the film and have the profits split or whatever happens at a film festival...I am not sure exactly what happens there...I doubt this film is for a festival as there is not much emotion...it's just action and some dry humor...or maybe I'm wrong maybe festivals want more than serious emotive films...anyway that is my next interest...a story that is near my heart and will be a whirlwind of emotion...oh and a sound recordist :)
 
I didn't bother reading the other psots so ignor anything that gets repeated. This is an action movie, so it should be fast and action packed, quick cuts and have the titles appear for shorter amounts of time.

During the intro of the trailer you should have less of the chick standing on her head and more varity but cutting it down and sqeezing the shots of her putting her "gear on".

Now from what i saw in the trailer the fighting scenes are no Matrix fight scenes, so don't let the audience know that, show the impact and the swings, not suficiant parts of the fight. This Trailer would be more effective if it was 1 minute, cause there is alot of pointless shots (maybe not in the movie but certainly in the trailer), so cut lots out.
Otherwise good luck and have fun with this one.
 
I think in a trailer, every SINGLE shot should have a meaning, if not, it's wasting my time, and making me loose my interest.

That's how you should virw your trailer when consntructing it :)

Shot of woman hiding behind a wall...doesn't help
shot of woman blowing out smoke from her cigarette, screams "Man wouldn't it be cool to have a shot of you blowing smoke out while looking into some kind of sunset?"
Study fight scenes before making your own, go to your feaature and fix them, you show kicks hitting air, and people falling backwards, that's not cool :)

Action movies are hard :)
you can't rely on the action part to have a movie
you need a plot, and you havent given us one yet

You might have a good flm, your trailer just has to show that

Charlie
 
ShortStop said:
I didn't bother reading the other psots so ignor anything that gets repeated. This is an action movie, so it should be fast and action packed, quick cuts and have the titles appear for shorter amounts of time.

During the intro of the trailer you should have less of the chick standing on her head and more varity but cutting it down and sqeezing the shots of her putting her "gear on".

Now from what i saw in the trailer the fighting scenes are no Matrix fight scenes, so don't let the audience know that, show the impact and the swings, not suficiant parts of the fight. This Trailer would be more effective if it was 1 minute, cause there is alot of pointless shots (maybe not in the movie but certainly in the trailer), so cut lots out.
Otherwise good luck and have fun with this one.
Click to expand...
Good words...I will make it shorter :)
 
Charlie06 said:
I think in a trailer, every SINGLE shot should have a meaning, if not, it's wasting my time, and making me loose my interest.

That's how you should virw your trailer when consntructing it :)

Shot of woman hiding behind a wall...doesn't help
shot of woman blowing out smoke from her cigarette, screams "Man wouldn't it be cool to have a shot of you blowing smoke out while looking into some kind of sunset?"
Study fight scenes before making your own, go to your feaature and fix them, you show kicks hitting air, and people falling backwards, that's not cool :)

Action movies are hard :)
you can't rely on the action part to have a movie
you need a plot, and you havent given us one yet

You might have a good flm, your trailer just has to show that

Charlie
Click to expand...
I'll have a good look at all the fight clips and see what to edit out and squash everything and add dialogue soon :)
 
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