Here is my recut version of The Age of Adaline trailer. I changed the movie's genre from a fantasy/romance genre to a horror. I did this by using final cut pro - this was my first time using the software. I found it a little tricky at first but I now feel comfortable using it. I added scary music, reversed some of the clips, added a 'monster' and changed the order of the trailer to make it seem more like a horror.
How you decided on the trailer you picked and why you picked it?
I researched different films I had scene and thought for each one what genre it could be cut into. I ended up deciding on this film as I found the original quite boring so I wanted to make it more interesting and exciting.
Why you chose to adjust the genre of your trailer to the one you picked?
When deciding on the genre, I thought that turning a romantic drama into a horror would be the most effective with the footage I had. I chose the horror genre as it’s the opposite to what the original genre was - drama/romance into a horror. Also, I believe the conventions of horror films are quite clear so it was easier to know what types of features to include.
How you went about the production of your trailer (editing, sound, etc.)?
I cut up each scene in the original trailer and reordered them into the order I thought would work best for a horror trailer. I followed this structure when I was on final cut pro. I added scary music and edited the romantic scenes out of the trailer so it looks more like the girl is being haunted/stalked my a weird creature. I also reversed one of the clips to make it seem like the woman was closing the curtains instead of opening them. I also chose to start the trailer so it didn't seem like a horror film which is a typical convention of horror trailers. I attempted to include jump scares as they are another common convention. At the end of the clip, I used old fashioned music and the sound of a projector to try and suit what the characters looked like on-screen. I also got rid of most of the dialogue from the original trailer as they were saying romantic lines which didn't suit the genre that I was trying to recut the film into. Throughout the trailer, I edited in a strange creature to look like the main character was being haunted. This created a build up when towards the end, the creature is revealed to the audience. I kept with the original voiceover at the beginning of the trailer because I thought it sounded quite positive which would help with the contrast later on. I also tried to make the trailer in more of a chronological order - if it was an actual film, it would probably start off quite happy and then start to become more of a horror as it goes on - this is what I tried to do with the trailer.
Time management of the production (did you meet deadlines, etc.)?
Yes - I think I managed my time quite well as I met deadlines.
Problems that arose during production and how (or if!) you overcame them:
I originally did a different trailer but thought it wasn't a complete contrast to horror films so decided to pick something different. I also found it hard to find a good song to play in the background so it changed quite a lot but I eventually found one that I feels fits quite well. I also found Final Cut pro a little tricky to use at first but the more I used it, the more comfortable I became with it.
What you have learnt from this process and how you will improve for next time?
I have learnt how to use final cut pro. Next time, I could make it longer or develop a clearer story. I could also make the lighting a little darker so it would give it more of an eery feel. I would have maybe also added text between each scene which would create a tagline or speak directly to the audience so they would feel connected. I would probably do a little more research before picking a trailer next time to make sure I was confident I could definitely recut it into a different genre to avoid the delay of having to change trailers later on.
