Friday, July 6, 2012

EARRINGS: The Trailer


I’ve spent the better part of three and half months issuing preambles about my short film, Earrings, throughout which I have received support from my friends, family and digital family that has been unexpected and unspeakably inspiring.

I really want you all to see the trailer, so I’m not going to do much more talking, but a few things: this trailer is, to me, a very accurate representation of what the final film is. Everything about it is purposeful and deliberate. It is, in a word, me.

My only request is that you watch the trailer loud. As hell. I hope you all enjoy it, and thank you so much for your continued support.

So here we go…



61 comments:

  1. Confession time: don't take it the wrong way, but before pressing play, I said to myself "Please be good"- I had high expectations and I didn't want to be disappointed, and even more, I didn't want to have to say bad things to you about it.
    Guess what? I don't have to, because I loved it- I liked the music, the fact that you focused on her face for the first half, but also gave us a glimpse of what we can expect, and the ending, the sudden stop to the music, is very cool! All in all, a very well edited and constructed trailer, you obviously have seen millions of them and know what you are doing!
    Great job Alex, I can't wait to see it!

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    1. What a thoughtful and insanely funny comment, thanks Diana! Believe you me, I want it to be good too haha. Really glad you liked it and had such nice things to say about it.

      I can't wait for YOU to see it!

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  2. Bravo, Alex. Definitely intrigued.

    Catherine!

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  3. This looks phenomenal! I loved everything about it and at this point I'm more excited for this than essentially every other release this year. Also loved the music. Then again who doesn't love M83?

    I knew you had great talent as a writer and it looks like you have great talent as a filmmaker as well. Can't wait!

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    1. THANK YOU Ethan! That is so kind of you to say. The music of M83, particularly the songs on "Hurry Up, We're Dreaming," changed my life. That is no exaggeration. That album heavily influenced this film. LOVE it.

      Thanks again for such kind words, I'm really excited (and a bit nervous) to get this out there!

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  4. What a f***ing amazing build up - I'm glad you told us to watch it loud, and the emotions.....hngg, I can't wait!!!

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    1. Yeah, my browser got so excited it posted the same comment twice, so I deleted the redundant one...

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    2. haha I thought you were just sooooo anxious that you posted it twice! But seriously, thanks so much for the kind words, really glad you dig it!

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  5. Oooh cool! Wow man, this is inspiring stuff. I love the build-up. I don't know how or when I'll see it, being in backward India, but I shall look forward to it :D

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    1. Thanks, really glad you dig it! I'll have it online on the July 28, so if you can make it to a computer, you can see it!!

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  6. Great Stuff Alex !! Love this built-up and use of music in it. You are definitely keeping us all intrigued. Looking forward to 28th !!

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    1. Thanks man, really glad you like it! I'm excited for the 28th too, believe me!

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  7. Wow... this looks like it'll be good. I love the photography and the use of M83! I will totally see this!

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    1. Revealing my ignorance ... what is M83? :)

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    2. Void - thanks so much man, I really value your opinion, so that means a lot. Glad you dig the tune, which leads me to...

      Stephanie - M83 is, to me, the very finest band currently recording music. The song I used of theirs in this trailer is called "Outro." No band has influenced me more both humanly and professionally. I love them to death.

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  8. I just "met" you online, but I have been quite curious about Earrings -- I'm so glad you posted this. I love the trailer. The photography is gorgeous, and it really highlights the abilities of this lovely young actress. I really like the intensity in her face and the subtle shifts in expression in the opening shot. The music is terrific. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the movie.

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    1. Thanks so much! Catherine will blush to death when I tell her about your comment, but I agree, she is quite talented indeed. I'm really glad people are liking the song choice so much, that is one of my all-time favorite tracks.

      It has been great to meet you on here. Sorry I haven't had a chance to comment on your blog yet, I've been super busy. But I read it often and will start commenting really soon! Thanks again!

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  9. Great job! This is really very intriguing and beautiful trailer. I love that the pace speeds up through images in the last part and the enigmatic ending. Kinda like with Shame trailers where the static images then changed into quick shots. Can't wait for the whole movie!

    Also, thanks a lot - now I will be listening exclusively to M83 this weekend :)

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    1. You're welcome haha! But seriously, the support you've shown this film over the past few months has been invaluable, I'll simply never be able to thank you enough. And the fact that you just compared the trailer to Shame's, well, now I can die happy.

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  10. YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES FUCKING YES!!!

    Dude this trailer is fucking awesome. Perfect music, perfect images, incredibly uneasy feel. I am more excited than ever for Earrings.

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    1. HEY! You stole my Daniel Bryan quote... now I'll have to put you in the YES! lock!

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    2. Tyler - You're the man. I always look forward to your comments, and this one made me smile and laugh my ass off. It means the world to me that you like the trailer so much. Really excited for you to see the flick!

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  11. Oh & one adjective that I didn't use on your facebook to describe this is powerful. It was very emotionally moving.

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    1. Thanks Court! Really good to hear from you, and your kind words are just so endearing. Hope you're doing well!

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  12. Very nice work, and brilliant music choice. Looking forward to the finished product.

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    1. Thank you! I'm really excited to get the final movie out there. Thanks so much for stopping by and commenting!

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  13. Looks and sounds great, and you're right - the louder, the better.

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    1. Ha thanks. I'll tell ya, M83 deserves to be cranked at 11 at all times. Glad you liked the trailer!

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  14. Oh, I do love this trailer! July 28th can't come soon enough! Well done, dude - this looks like exactly the kind of movie I'd like.

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    1. Eeek, that is so cool to hear. Hope you like the final film, this trailer is as close as I could get to doing the final product justice!

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  15. Ummmm... Awesome!!! :D I know you have immaculate taste with soundtracks so that looks immense already!

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    1. Thanks Alex! The love M83 is getting here is as awesome as anything else. I couldn't be happier that people liked the song choice.

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  16. Oh wow, that was actually really good. I'm intrigued.

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    1. Thanks man! Only a few more weeks, I'm crazy excited.

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  17. Be right back, weeping forever.

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    1. haha shit, that made me laugh out loud. Don't cry, Shop Girl.

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  18. Very intriguing Alex, congrats on putting this together! Looks great, sounds great and leaves everyone who watches it wanting more! Nice job!

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    1. Thanks Pete! That's so nice of you to say. Really glad you like it!

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  19. Looks great, Alex. Callie looks so sad! lol. I like how you only really included 1 piece of the plot... which, like you said, should be a very accurate representation of what the film is. It's how trailers should be!

    Nice audio, too. Did you add the bird chirps at the end?

    And lastly, ...in the TV static scene... nice makeshift tripod! rofl

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    1. She's a sad sad girl (the character, not the actress haha). Yeah I definitely tried to show as little as possible in the trailer, but give people enough of a taste of what the film is.

      I added the birds (you'll hear them later). And I know what you THINK I used for a tripod in that last shot (which is a hilarious thought), but nah, that's a legit tripod. Big ol' son of a bitch too.

      Really excited for you to see the flick!

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  20. it's finally here, dug the trailer! She's got a really interesting face, so can understand why you picked her for the role!

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    1. Thanks Chris! Yeah, this movie relies heavily on the emotions that Catherine can subtly convey with glances, so I'm glad you dig what she's doing!

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  21. That's sharp, man! Looks like the work of an assured and clear-eyed filmmaker. I can't wait to see this thing!

    I'm excited for you, my friend!

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    1. Ahhh thanks so much buddy, that is so kind of you to say. I'm so incredibly excited to get it out there in full!

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  22. Looks great, Alex! Counting down...20 days!

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    1. Thanks Rachel! 20 days indeed indeed. Eeek!

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    2. I'll try to do my part by keeping you at a good caffeine level throughout the work-day, so you can be at your best when you leave work to do the movie work. :-)

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    3. Ha, I'll need it! And thanks R. Kelly!

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  23. This looks good! Much better than a mentally challenged boy creeping it out in a local park. Yeah. You know who this is.

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    1. Ha, I didn't at first but I got it now! Hey man, I may want to revisit that character someday. Or... not.

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  24. Oh, Alex. Oh, Catherine. Wow Just wow.

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  25. I would've loved to use M83 in my film as well. My inspirations were M83 and the new Frankie Rose album. Gave me the thoughts of space. Too bad it'd be a fortune to actually secure the rights for the songs. Once you started showing the other scenes I got a better sense of what you were going for and your technique. Did you do all your own lensing for this film? Looking forward to the finished product.

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    1. Oh my god, if I actually had any plans of legitimately releasing this film and possibly making one cent off it, then I would never use songs I didn't have the rights to. I'm really serious about not stealing other people's shit. I actually have a lawyer friend who specializes in copyright law and, basically, because Earrings will in no way make one penny (profit or otherwise), then I am more or less in the clear to use whatever songs I'd like. But there are some very very fine lines of law in there. Still makes me uneasy, but M83, man, this movie couldn't have been made without the inspiration I feel from their music.

      I did do all the lensing for the flick. I spoke with a few DPs about the possibility of them shooting, but in the end, I simply could not articulate the vision I wanted. So that was my fault, you could say. So in the end, I opted to shoot it myself. Without giving too much away, the movie is very deliberately shot. The look of the movie alone is enough to turn some people off, but that's the nature of the game. I really hope people dig it, but it is quite visually (and narratively) dark.

      I can't wait to hear what you think of it.

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  26. M83, fuck yeah! Pretty rad trailer, dude. Was not expecting that transition near the end. Loved the final shot, too. Can't wait to see the whole film!

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    1. Thanks Eric! Didn't know you were an M83 fan - That. Is. Awesome.

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  27. Awesome job on the trailer, Alex! It manages to peak my curiosity immensely without giving away any of the plot. Which is something I wish more trailers did these days.

    Question: Which M83 album is that song from? I have only heard a few of their songs in the past, so I am eager to listen to a whole album of their stuff.

    Let the countdown to Earrings begin!

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    1. Thanks CS!! I couldn't agree more about trailers nowadays, so I really tried to show as little as possible, while still making it interesting. I'm definitely of the "less is more" school of thought with movie previews.

      The song is called "Outro" and it is the final track of M83's most recent album Hurry Up, We're Dreaming.

      That album in its entirety is one of the best albums I have ever heard, and "Outro" is, to me, one of the best tracks from it. Love M83!

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  28. Is there any other actors/actresses in the film -- or is it a one woman show?

    Trailer has me intrigued -- looking forward to it, naturally.

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    1. Nope, there are some other peeps in the flick, but adding them to this trailer didn't really make sense for what I was trying to convey.

      Glad you dug it, Sam, thanks for the comment!

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