The well-trodden path

Questions, skill improvement, and respectful critique involving music, sound, and movies.
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SusanTheCat
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The well-trodden path

#1 Post by SusanTheCat »

Recently someone disputed my claim that creating a video trailer for a book and creating one for a visual novel were similar. In context, I was saying that you could use tutorials made for the one to learn how to make the other.

I would say that they are similar in that you are trying to sell a story. You have an advantage over the people doing a book trailer in that you have built in graphics and sound. The tutorials would show you the basic skill of putting still images and written text into a compelling video.

I would also say it was similar to making a trailer about a video game. There you are trying to sell an experience. But I didn't find as many tutorials on making those. :)

I am not saying they are exactly the same. Books and Visual Novels are different mediums. But that doesn't stop you from learning from them.

My whole life I've done unconventional things. I learned to program web sites before there were even courses on it. I can remember when tables were a new thing. I learned to play medieval instruments by getting books for modern ones. (i.e. Hammered dulcimer from fiddle music) If you are doing something new and exciting, there are no courses you can take. No step-by-step walk-throughs. I got my writing group editing my comic strip scripts. I got tips on dialog from a course on screenwriting. I learned image framing and pacing from a book on story boarding.

Don't limit yourself by only learning things from things that are exactly the same. You'll only end up doing something that somebody else has done.

“Our wretched species is so made that those who walk on the well-trodden path always throw stones at those who are showing a new road”
Voltaire

Susan
" It's not at all important to get it right the first time. It's vitally important to get it right the last time. "
— Andrew Hunt and David Thomas

asciibard
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Re: The well-trodden path

#2 Post by asciibard »

I quite like Max Barry's book trailer for his novel, Man Machine.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kEN10axDJtA

You can hardly take this as a how-to guide, though, since this gimmick of naiveté could only work once. However, it reveals the importance of getting your audience's attention, rewarding their patience, and leave them wanting more.

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