Couple weekends ago plus a Monday, I spent cutting a trailer for a series that, right now, only exists in the minds of its producers. We’re pitching for funding, you see.
Saturday, I spent with the executive producer identifying the essential performances that would form the heart of the trailer experience. Focusing on a handful of performances, I used notecards to keep track of my real-time responses to footage as we watched the first time. I had them spread across the counter all three days. Then we sussed out the bare minimum of what we needed to cover the narration. What we ended up with (and what I was going for) was a soundtrack. The video and its pacing would be nowhere near complete… but the soundtrack would give us our rhythm.
Sunday we had notes from the producer that cut the running time by half down to three-and-a-half minutes.
What can I say? I really loved the music.
But what I created was an experience, not a trailer.
And I got called on it.
So then the EP ‘n I spent the day running down all the shots the producer called for, a not inconsequential task given we’re talking about shots originating across four 13-episode seasons.
We got ’em all, by the way. Plus, the EP figured out how to give us real-time access to all fifty-two shows without voice over. Super handy when you like a musical performance and don’t need the narration.
Monday morning.
I’ve got the first thirty seconds re-cut and filled in with the producer’s notes in mind by the time she joins us. Then we continue the edit with both the company’s executive producer and the trailer’s producer weighing in. It’s the fastest way to finish a project with all the sign-offs you need… provided you’re working with the right people.
And these are the right people.
Always have been.
Took us three to four hours to finish the work to everyone’s satisfaction. And like that—
We were done.
I’m actually proud of these kinds of projects, these starting-from-scratch working-against-the-clock with talented people experiences.
I fall in love with what I do all over again.
DaveInEditing 