I'm feeling like I don't know how to continue on this project I want to start, a short trailer for a movie I'll probably never get to make (for copyright reasons). I have friends that can help me on it, I can get props, practical effects, shit like that fairly easily. I'm going for a whole low/no budget dealio so I think cheapness will be in my advantage there.
I just don't know how I'm supposed to start planning this shit out. I already know that, with enough style, I could blow all current adaptations of the material out of the water, but...it's a fucking trailer. How the fuck do you write out a script for a trailer?
Where are you at now?
Do you have a script?
What production elements are available only for a short amount of time?
>>71763940
Wait sorry OP, just read what you wrote.
Write it like a regular script man.
In fact write it anyway that you feel you can communicate it to your friends.
Use a storyboard rather than a script if you need.
There's no right or wrong way, except for the way it gets done
>>71763940
>>71763957
I'm probably gonna work with a friend of mine who can art (he's done storyboards for me before on a project that fell through, pic related) to try and plan this out, but yeah I might be overthinking it a little.
>>71763864
Shooting for trailers is pretty easy, little buddy. You basically don't have to worry about character or plot development, exposition, anything really, you know the stuff that matters in an actual narrative piece.
All you really have to worry about is making whatever you have intriguing and captivating.
How do you write the script? Well you watch a boat load of trailers to get a feeling for the kind of prompts you can expect. Then just apply them to the material that you are working with.
For a trailer you want to introduce the premise of the story, show what the story is about, and then add some kind of hook or show the main plot twist, that no doubt will engage the audience's attention.
I assume this is for some kind of assignment. Dude, don't go and write a damn script. That will take your ass ages. You don't even need it if all you're doing is a trailer. Just know your premise, and have a hook to go with it.
>>71764069
Nah, this is something I'm just doing in my spare time. I really want to make it look good and professional, because if I can't do that on my own with nothing, then how the fuck can I be expected to do so with an actual budget and make anyone money?
Since it would potentially be an adaptation of a source material that I personally don't think has been done justice I think I can make an homage to the original by using a line from it as structure for the trailer.
Pic related.
made this week ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29wXfMrC3BI
>>71763864
Congratulations, you are the equivalent of the musician who can't play a lick but spends a month designing the CD cover art insert before recording a single song.
Just go away and do something else with your life. Filmmaking doesn't want you.
>>71764233
what's the source material?
>>71764261
Pretty looking stuff, well-shot.
>>71764290
This is more of a test for myself, to show what I'm capable of. A demo, if you will.
>>71764353
Hotline Miami. Yeah I know it's basically Refn: The Game, but there's elements of Lynch in there as well(not that I would know), and I feel like any good adaptation would have to evoke some John Woo in there.
>>71764233
In that case, since it seems like you really have something set in mind that you want to do, i'd recommend making a short of it. Doesn't have to be long, 3-5 minutes. Producers are more likely to respond to original work (regardless if it is heavily inspired or not) rather than to a trailer piece. Write a short event, or glimpse.
>>71764290
Now now, no need to be so discouraging.
>>71764353
I think it's hotline miami?
>>71764357
>This is more of a test for myself, to show what I'm capable of. A demo, if you will.
Then do a short, not a fucking trailer. Seriously, this is the most assbackwards thing you can do in filmmaking. If you can't do a short that anyone likes, a fucking trailer is beyond a waste of time.
>>71764390
I've thought about it, and since the game's heavily compartmentalized (each level being a "chapter", with only a few actually progressing the story) I could probably do a great deal by just adapting what's necessary.
Also you're probably right on the whole "original work" thing. I forget who made the "Stabbing at Leia's Birthday" video but that got him popular (though it might have been Landis's kid in which case the Jews did it.)
>>71764471
Y'know what, y'all have convinced me. Short it is.
>>71764524
On the subject of Landis Jr., he gained an insane amount of popularity because of something he did about super man, some short that he made for youtube. Based on an already established source, but he brought his own twist to it. Don't know for sure, but I think that's how he got the job for Chronicle.
>>71764589
I have been at it for 10 years. I am gonna give you some bad news. The first 5 scripts you write will be shit and the first 3 shorts you do will be shit. Focus on one project per year and really consider how you failed on the previous one and get better.
Sorry to be a dick in previous posts. Just keeping it real.
>>71764632
I think the Superman stuff was quite a while after Chronicle. But he's been doing the youtube stuff for a long time and he attributes all of his notoriety to that.
>>71764632
Nah, he had already done Chronicle when that was released. He got his name inside Hollywood from being his dad's son and selling a lot of high quality spec scripts. However, that Superman video (which I personally like a lot) got people outside of Hollywood to notice him too. A lot of people who would usually not know the name of some screenwriter who has never written a huge movie, but a lot of people do know Max Landis.
>>71764636
It's fine, we all need a dick in our lives to keep us in check (waitasec that came out wrong).
But believe me, I've finished a couple of really shitty scripts/shorts and posted almost all of them here, and I'm prepared to actually try harder on something this time, really dig into it.
>>71764698
mea culpa
>>71764736
Really focus on every aspect of your scenes. Every prop, piece of wardrobe, the lighting, the acting, any effects. When you nail everything is when you have magic. When I have had success is when I have nailed every aspect of filmmaking without letting anything slide. Shooting your friends in an apartment with no wardrobe, etc will always end up shitty.
>>71764863
Since I have a lot to draw from considering the games have a signature style in-game and in Promo/ Fan art (main dude is in mask and a letterman jacket, Villains all wear white, etc.) I'm not too worried about Wardrobe and stuff. I can easily plan a lot of that shit out.
I am gonna take a special focus to crafting scenes though. Really just go crazy on that shit, make it meticulous and unique. This is one of the few times where my mild autism can actually help me.
>>How the fuck do you write out a script for a trailer?
I would just do a shotlist instead of a script. Maybe a few shots clustered to create the idea of a bigger scene behind it.
Anyways its already been a month ago. But last thing I did.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgc1WXS21Vc
>>71764992
Autism helps in filmmaking. If you don't obsess over all the details, it will show in the final product.
>>71765106
I would imagine. That's how I rationalize Kubrick anyway
I don't condone the shooting of a trailer for a project that hasn't been shot yet. But if you do do something like that, a "video script is in order," not a regular script. A video script is more like a spreadsheet. Left side describes the action going on in each shot and the right side describes the audio for each shot (on screen dialog, voice over, music and sound effects/score). This is how marketing, advertising shit is written, commercials, etc.
>>71765141
Huh, I didn't know this.
Have any examples?
>>71765200
Nope. Haven't written one in years, since I last worked at an advertising firm that also specialized in shooting video.
Looks something like this.
TIME ACTION AUDIO
00:00-00:07 blah, blah, blah music
00:07-00:12 blah, blah, blah VO
00:12-00:19 blah, blah, blah "dialog"
You get the picture. Then you go film and record audio for exactly what you need and nothing more. It's like a fancy shot list. Make shooting a lot easier. You are not winging it and shooting way more than you need.
>>71765373
Usually is in done on a spreadsheet, and each category (time, action, audio) has it's own column. You can really set it up however you want. There isn't really an industry standard template, as far as I know.
>>71765373
>>71765396
Shit, that's really helpful. Thanks, my dudes.
>>71763864
>>I could blow all current adaptations of the material out of the water,
Careful with those thoughts. Whats in your head is not how it comes out when you finish it. Gotta first get used to that because its a very depressing feeling and can work very embarrassing.
Gonna write my first script and it's going to be bad
>>71766824
This is some of the most valuable advice in this thread. The projects I've done never line up with my envisioned thoughts and scripts. Mostly because my cinematographer is shit. Unfortunately he's a good friend of mine and the only camera available to me at the moment.
Even with my shot lists and story boards he still doesn't sync up with what I really want.
>>71766824
I'm well aware things are probably gonna go wrong, and it's not gonna be exactly like I'm envisioning.
I'm just saying, most adaptations of the game get either the dreamlike atmosphere or the gory action right, never both.
>>71769092
No shit.
Here's a secret though: there's no such thing as a good first script.
>>71769573
>Mostly because my cinematographer is shit.
This is why I still act as my own cinematographer
I'm told it will get harder and harder as my projects get more elaborate (which I'm already feeling) and that I need to learn to collaborate, but honestly I don't know anyone as good as me that I wouldn't have to spend a significant amount of money to work with
And when it's just me, I can make sure I get the exact shot exactly as I wanted it
And of course, lastly, when it's just me I don't need to check to make sure my DP is available whatever day I choose to shoot
I just wanna make my girl gang fight film.
>>71770457
Go do it then and stop talking about it
>>71770489
That's the goal. Just hard when you don't have crew, cast and money.
Working on the 2nd draft of my ULB feature script.
Got some great advice from another filmmaker who's directed some features.
After I get the 2nd draft done, I'm going to do a bunch of shorts that I wrote. One of which is influenced by the death of John Lennon.
>pic related to ULB somewhat.
I just youtubed "hotline miami fan film"
This was the first result
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJuR48PSCW8
OP, you're a bit late
This was the second result when I youtubed it
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfi2yXd7blE
Captures the surreal aesthetic better
OP, I'd suggest writing something original
>>71764636
>focus one project per year
What the actual fuck? No wonder you've been in the business 10 years and still sit on 4chan giving shitty advice.
Here's the real advice: Focus on a project until it's done, then move on to the next one.
>>71771744
Wait, what's wrong with his advice?
>>71770454
I don't have a camera of my own. And I feel uncomfortable manhandling his. Although the last thing we shot, I edited it and showed him and he agreed that it looked like shit. So we're planning to redo it whenever the actors can get back together.
>>71771769
not that guy, but one project a year is very small - especially when you're just starting
when you first, you'll have hundreds of ideas, most of which will be shit
it's only by getting through a good number of them that you begin to realise what works and what doesn't
>>71771769
What if a project only takes two months to finish? Should an aspiring filmmaker just sit on his ass and play with his dick the remaining 10 months of that year? According to him, yes, but I find that retarded.
>>71771961
>I don't have a camera of my own.
Buy a used t3i/600d off ebay for £200/$250
Congrats, you now have a camera
Whether or not you act as your own DP, you should still own a camera of your own as a director and know how it works
>>71772031
I'll have to snag one sometime. I have used them before in high school and college. (Rented them through college) Just never had one for myself.
>>71771965
>>71771996
I've been working on the same two projects for like 5 years.
And I still haven't shot or wrote anything.
>>71772509
What. How is that even possible? Sarcasm?
What's something extremely low budget I can do for my first movie?
I was going to do a modern Hamlet adaptation, but business Hamlet is overdone, and it'd be difficult finding a building to shoot in.
And Hamlet is a difficult character to rewrite. I also don't know anything at all about businesses.
>>71772615
Do Othello in Space.
>>71772509
i have a successful actor friend who watched my shitty short film
And as I was telling him that I knew it was shit and my next one would be a hundred times as shit, he told me not to worry about it because at least I actually made something and he's met countless people in the industry who call themselves writers/directors and talk about that film they're gonna make and yet never make anything
>>71772614
I'm a perfectionist. I want to have the entire thing planned out before I start writing.
One is an adaptation. And the other one is an original story I'm having a lot of trouble with.
I feel like all my ideas are too complicated, but I have a hard time simplifying them, and I have a hard time thinking in-depth about my stories.
>>71772667
Are you trying to make fun of me or something? And how successful is your actor friend?
I don't come up with any ideas that can work in the short film format. And I wouldn't have anyone to put in short films anyway.
>>71772653
>extremely low budget
>in Space
>>71772615
make a romcom about two roommates who get into argument when one of them snags a date with the hottest girl in town
also, if you've only got teenagers to work with, dress them in suits and the audience won't notice
>>71772783
>Are you trying to make fun of me or something?
Not at all, that's a true story that seemed relevant
>And how successful is your actor friend?
He's the star of a british crime drama (well 2 actually)
I'd tell you more but then you'd be able to figure out who I was talking about
>>71772853
At the moment, I have nobody to work with, and why would they get into an argument? Does one guy I have a crush on the other?
>>71772911
IDRIS ELBA
Or maybe that guy they said is gonna play James Bond, the ugly guy.
Why didn't you get your friend to be in one of your shorts?
>>71772911
>well 2 actually
Philip Glenister
>>71772960
Haha, it's not Idris Elba no. If you looked up who it was, you'd know why that made me laugh though.
He's not quite that famous
I will eventually, hopefully. I'll write some things over the next year, and if any of it's decent I'll see if he's interested.
>>71773041
No, but decent guess
I'm gonna stop responding in case someone actually does guess corretly
>>71764636
Nigga I've been at it for 2 years and sold a tv spec on my 3rd script a few months ago, you're wrong, everybody's different.
>>71764998
>>71766824
Also this. But its getting old now.
https://vimeo.com/131910069
pass: empty
>>71770454
You do what you gotta do man. If you got to take almost all control to make the film to your vision, then fucking do it. Unfortunately when you're starting out, and in a lot of cases, you're working with idiots who don't know what they're doing, but you still need some of their help to get it done.
>>71773245
“What you learn from that first—and I don’t call it ‘trial by fire’; I call it ‘baptism by fire’—is that you are going to have to take all of the responsibility, because basically when it gets right down to it, you are going to get all of the blame, so you might as well have made all of the decisions that led to people either liking it or disliking it. There’s nothing worse than hearing somebody say, ‘Oh, you made that movie? I thought that movie sucked,’ and you have to agree with them, you know?”
>>71773457
Pretty much. They bitch and moan about how "well that's not right, that's my job and you shouldn't be telling me how to do it!"
Well you know why I'm taking more control? Because you're not doing it properly, so either do it properly, or suck it up. You'll still criticize me if I let you do it and the film ends up looking like shit and now you have "nothing to show in your resume", so suck it up.
Another thing is that people complain about how you're doing a shit job because of it, but then when they become directors, they're way fucking worse and act as if their shit don't stink. They're hypocrites.
You do what you got to do to ensure your vision comes out the best way possible. Remember, you're going to be criticized regardless.
>>71764261
dat letterboxing and change of style
bretty kuul m8
>>71772804
Someone's never seen Dark Star.
>>71764261
Great work, anon!
>>71764261
like your vids, here's my channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCz7VDojctPN7ekipvc-0-Jg
>>71774088
I have 0 money, anon.
Anyone know if this book is good?
>>71775609
>no money
>no actors
>wants to make a short
Do you even have a camera?
Just make some existential malick-inspired crap
Film loads of nature in natural light and cut it in-between shots of you doing normal arbitrary things like walking to the bathroom, drinking a glass of water etc and then whisper a pretentious narrative over the top
Wow, that's probably a festival-winning film right there
>>71775985
I want to make a feature, and I don't like Malick or nature.
And no, I don't have a camera either.
>>71763864
I've seen you around, and read your script (The Enforcer) a few times. I don't mean to be down on you, but you never improved it. If you're not some fifteen year old kid, there's no hope for you if you haven't learned anything by now.
>>71776756
or you a troll or actually just this stupid?
>>71777971
What makes me stupid?
>>71778082
>guy wants to make a feature film
>with no camera
>no experience
>no friends to help
>no ideas for a story
seriously?
>>71778317
Hey, I can't help not having friends, I've been trying for 6 years.
And I was going to rent a camera from Rent-a-Center.
JUST GOT MY GH4, BEEN NONSTOP WRITING AND REVISING A VARIETY OF SHORTS, GONNA START SHOOTING AS SOON AS THAT MIC+TRIPOD GET IN.
WE'RE ALL GONNA MAKE IT. I BELIEVE.
>>71778608
What're you writing?
>>71764261
Really good looking stuff. Music was good too, but I was not as keen on the narration. Is she doing a fake accent, it seems affected?
>have to come in Saturday to prep textless and prepare an episode for color and mix
I need some whiskey
>>71778720
Right now, I've got five features finished, mostly as practice, but there are some promising ideas in there that I'll revisit when I have the time.
The shorts range from 3-15 minutes at the very most. They also are mostly focused on the classic starting kit of high concept/low budget.
The one I want to shoot first centers on a man hyper-focused on a secret project, so much so that he begins to worry his friends and family. The next one is a bit more sci-fi, about a person who must meet and exceed strict guidelines regarding how they live their life in order to continue living said life.
I've got a few acting friends who are really gifted, and excited to work on something that isn't the food prep line at Panera. I'll make sure to keep /fmg/ posted on how everything goes, these can be my favorite threads on /tv/.
Do you have anything you're working on/lined up?
>>71779338
I have ideas, but nothing that's gonna be done soon.
The main two I've been working on is a Wizard of Oz adaptation where I want The Wizard to be a Stalin expy.
And the other is a sci-fi movie starring a psychic girl, about systematic racism.
I'm trying to get my foot in the door, but I can't think of anything that can be done low budget.
I'm hoping to fully flesh out these two ideas, write the scripts, and submit it to the Blacklist.
Zorro, the legendary swordsman, has passed on his weapon and his sense of duty to his noble son, Diego (George Hamilton), a dashing swashbuckler like his father. But after an injury sidelines Diego, he is forced to hand the mask over to his flamboyantly gay twin, Ramon (also Hamilton), who prefers to be called Bunny Wigglesworth. While Ramon agrees to take on the guise of Zorro, he decides to add his own flair, with garishly glittering costumes -- and a whip in place of the iconic sword.
>>71779511
Cool! Keep up the good work.
>>71779815
haha thanks
Bumpon it hard
>>71779543
Zorro the gay blade 1981
