archived-videos Lost Mission trailer online

I didn't pick up on any supernatural elements -- just an army patrol that's being hunted -- I assumed from the trailer that it was a person stalking them.

Is the shooting wrapped or have you only shot the trailer?

If I'm honest I'd probably not choose to watch this film based on this trailer -- I think the trailer lacks pace, and holding the shots too long high-lights the weaknesses not it's strengths.

But that's only an opinion -- and I'm not a typical viewer either, like many directors I tend to see flaws in productions, because I'm so used to quality controlling my own work.
 
Hi, Clive, we've shot the whole thing. We have a rough cut of the film that isn't quite finished, but there were several investors anxious to see a trailer.

The basic plot is that an army patrol is being hunted...by the ghost of a Nazi sniper from WWII. My inclination was to leave that part vague (as it is to the characters in the story). What do you think about playing up that element?

As for the pace, I can definitely work on picking that up.

Thanks for the feedback!
 
I'd got the idea that there was a sniper -- so it's a judgement call about how much you reveal about by whom --
you could use a VO to bring in that element without revealing

VO - An army patrol lost in the woods -- an enemy that's picking them off one by one -- but what none of them could imagine is what they're really dealing with (that's bad, but you get the idea)

I do think you should pick the pace of the trailer up - try looking for some scenes where your actors are moving faster -- when they're showing strong emotions - otherwise it's just people wandering around the woods.

I'd also look for sequences that have strong production values (ie. ones where it looks like you had a much larger budget than you did)

The only other suggestion I'd make is that you look at your post production muzzle flashes - the ones you've got at the moment look very obviously like digtal effects (the immediate impression it gives is no budget)
 
Thanks for all the feedback, clive. It is much appreciated. I'll take a good thorough look at it.

I'd still appreciate some views from others. Maybe coming at it from a different angle.
 
I've made a single teaser, so I'm hardly an expert, but here I go anyway. I ended up using alot of silence and actor's looks with music that fit the mood of the film overall. Much of the dialog out of context looked flat in my footage. I like the confrontation you have right at the end, that has the intensity the rest of the trailer needs. In a trailer you need to hit the climax early and ride it til the end. In a suspense trailer, the audience needs to feel that frightened tug from just after the first pretty shot or two. Since it is out of context, go through the trailer after the point where they decide to take a short cut...show the troops walking...cut to static shot of forest...hold...back to soldiers (preferably a shot where soldier A turns their head and holds it turned for a little bit, maybe a pause in the walking too...layer some dramatic music over that that builds to that point, cut to silence or long wind and put a stick cracking sfx right when the actor's head turn to motivate the action, then fast cuts through the hunted portion with driving percussiony music, and leave on the conflict at the end.

That's what I see in my head.
 
Great tips, knightly. Thanks. I like the idea of putting a stinger nearer the front.

You guys are helping me out tremendously. I've never cut a trailer before and it's really an artform unto itself.
 
Both firefox and IE wont play the movie. I hear the movie and see a white screen.
I just updated the quicktime last week.

Whats happening here?
 
Hi King, not sure. I encoded in h.264 in both the large and small versions. Did you have this problem with both versions?

It could be that I used a setting that isn't compatible with your system. I don't have that problem on any of my computers (both Windows and Mac) but I have had that problem with other clips. Also, my dad played it on his system using Firefox and he didn't report any problems.

I'll look into it.
 
Norton Security interpreted your trailer as a malicious attack on my system and blocked the whole thing...interesting. Just thought I'd let you know.
 
Looks like an interesting project. Was this shot with an XL2? I saw an XL2 or an XL1 in one of those images on your site! Couldn't tell from the angle though. Any plans to do some color grading?
 
John@Bophe said:
Norton Security interpreted your trailer as a malicious attack on my system and blocked the whole thing...interesting. Just thought I'd let you know.
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Okay. Not sure if there's anything I can do about that.
 
Shaw said:
Looks like an interesting project. Was this shot with an XL2? I saw an XL2 or an XL1 in one of those images on your site! Couldn't tell from the angle though. Any plans to do some color grading?
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Thanks, Shaw. It was shot on a DVX-100. I do have plans on doing a little color-grading, although I haven't nailed down a final look just yet. I'm torn between going cooler and warmer, or warmer grading to cooler over the duration of the film.
 
I've watched the trailer and here's my opinion:

I honestly think the first shot (helicopter about to land) is the only shot I would use in the trailer. To me, it is the only shot that is believable. After that, I cannot take the film seriously. I'll explain:

As Clive said (in fact I completely agree with all of Clive's points), the trailer shows no production value. If there is no real production value, try and fake it. The helicopter was believable. The rest of the shorts look like a very rushed, poorly shot DV project. I don't mean that you need to utilize a mini35, but it does not even look like it was shot on the DVX. I don't think color grading would change my perspective of the trailer.

The muzzle shot also looks poor. I would probebly opt to take it out of the trailer than leave it in like that. It's also not just the muzzle fx, but the fact that there's no "kick" from the gun. Two projects back I've shot a film that involved gun fire. The exec producer was crazy man that insisted on achiving a new level of realismg. We actually went and fired real M4 assault rifles as well as AK-47s for reference. I believe your actor is holding an M4 there. That is not what it looks like when that rifle fires.

Again, as Clive said, there's no emotion in the characters. I don't "believe" them. The trailer makes it seems like just another movie where people are running in the woods and something terrible goes wrong. In fact, it's more like a parody of that. If I saw the trailer with the volume muted, I would think I was watching a parody of such a film. [ie, like a parody of a war film, similar to the many parodies of Brokeback Mountain].

I've watched the trailer about eight times. That's what first came to mind. Unless your next cut of the trailer is very different (and I think you can really improve it a lot), I don't think my opinion of the trailer/film will change for the better.

I don't mean to be rude. I know I sound like Simon from american idol, but I like it when people are straight forward with me. That's what I've done here. I hope it can help with your next revision of the trailer. I'd be more than happy to elaborate on more if necessary.

Good luck.
 
DirectorX said:
I don't mean to be rude. I know I sound like Simon from american idol, but I like it when people are straight forward with me. That's what I've done here. I hope it can help with your next revision of the trailer. I'd be more than happy to elaborate on more if necessary.
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I have a thick skin, DX, so don't worry about it. This is the kind of feedback I need since I'm a little close to it and I really have no experience cutting trailers. When it comes down to it, I should probably be handing this job off to someone else. :)
 
I'd see it

I'd watch it, but then again I also watched Kickboxer 3 yesterday. :lol:
Everything has value, and normally I watch an entire movie looking for at least one good scene.

I watch anything, when I have time.

Alright, I'll let you know my thoughts as they happened.

First, this seems like a teaser to me. Maybe because I'm working on a few myself, I don't know.

Opening with the credits and music set a certain feel. Suspense, probably because I read that you were going for that.

The helicopter I thought was bad. It looked like it flew inbetween the 2 trees and there was no reaction from the downdraft. Wasn't realistic for me.

When the first words were spoken and she said, reference to Baghdad, I was like... wait a minute, that ain't Baghdad:huh: I don't know why those words were spoken or why it was added to the teaser?

The commander seems unsure of himself. I don't know if that's what you were going for but that's what I get. Like his dad is a general and he was put in his position based on that, rather than his skills

The sequence from when the commander says "Stay in front of me, I want to keep my eye on you" and when the guy got shot was strange. WHY such a long darkness...

I hear a shot in the darkness, then see the commander pointing a gun at the back of the guy that was just shot... looked to me like the commander did it. So why the long dark transition:huh:

The grenade throw didn't seem like it was hucked too far. Seemed like everyone was gonna take a hit from that one! (initial response) I looked at it again and it seemed fine, maybe it was a shadow on the arm when it was thrown... I don't know... but first impressions is all you get with a teaser.

The scene of the commander stand up, firing at someone didn't seem real.. if someone just shot someone in front of me, I'd be on the ground or be hind or on the ground behind a tree.


With all that said, I'd still watch the film. How much would I pay for to see it??? not much, it wouldn't get me to buy a DVD. I'd download it for a couple dollars though
 
CootDog said:
The commander seems unsure of himself. I don't know if that's what you were going for but that's what I get. Like his dad is a general and he was put in his position based on that, rather than his skills
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So here's the thing. This is EXACTLY what the movie is about. It's a lietuenent who's arrogant but ultimately incompetent (a veiled tribute to a certain other leader). And it's his bad decisions that get them in trouble.

Overall, the pace of the film is a little more deliberate at first, then picks up. But it's definitely more of a character piece in the first act. My initial feeling was to play up the suspense, but should I play up the character aspects instead, especially given the overal low production value?

And CootDog, as long as you'd watch it. I don't care about the money (the movie cost almost nothing to make). I just want an audience to give it a chance.
 
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