I made a book trailer for my upcoming book, please check it out?

underthecity · Jan 13, 2010

ETA: Please see Post 16 for updated info. I remade the trailer.

Here's the link to the new video. Before too long, the old link will be inactive.

I have no great announcements, no big book deals, no agents, no job.

But I did spend the last two days making a book trailer for my upcoming book. That's an accomplishment, I think.

I'd like to ask that you please check it out and tell me your thoughts. Good? Not good? Or does it make you want to rush out and buy a copy NOW?

It's on youtube here.

I tried to keep it around two minutes.

Thanks!

itesser · Jan 13, 2010

It's good. I like the music! The pictures are enticing, too. I do want to rush out and buy a copy.

One suggestion I have is to pay attention to the transitions. Near the beginning where it fades from words to other words, there's a moment in between were I can see both sets, and it's confusing. I think it'd be better to have each set fade out completely before the next words come in. That would give each phrase more weight. If it helps with the pacing and timing, imagine someone reading the words out loud.

Also, there are a few typos with capitalization.

Last comment: I wished it had something in it about the structure and scope of the book. I didn't know right away if it was fiction or nonfiction, and I still don't know if it covers both the heyday of the club and fire, or just one or the other.

underthecity · Jan 13, 2010

I varied the transitions on purpose. It "crossfaded" between one phrase and the next, so it's done like that on purpose. Other times, when it fades to black before the next set starts, is again done on purpose. I felt it might get boring to see the same exact fade-out transition between each phrase.

Capitalization, or lack thereof, was done for stylistic purpose. It wasn't meant to be "grammar perfect."

And I found the typo and fixed it. Unfortunately I had to reupload the video. Link fixed.

Mentioning fire at the beginning was also on purpose. Most people know the club for the fire and tragedy, so I had to mention that first. The "scope" is mentioned next, where it says "But in the 1950s" and the entertainement that follows.

And most people know Arcadia publishes nonfiction history.

Was it that unclear?

sheadakota · Jan 13, 2010

I didn't know that- but it became clear later into the trailer-
Loved the music and the photos- very cool-

nitaworm · Jan 13, 2010

I love the music. Could you have put a little more about it and mixed it with the pictures more? Now with that said, the music kept me watching.

YukonMike · Jan 13, 2010

itesser said:
It's good. I like the music! The pictures are enticing, too. I do want to rush out and buy a copy.

One suggestion I have is to pay attention to the transitions. Near the beginning where it fades from words to other words, there's a moment in between were I can see both sets, and it's confusing. I think it'd be better to have each set fade out completely before the next words come in. That would give each phrase more weight. If it helps with the pacing and timing, imagine someone reading the words out loud.

Also, there are a few typos with capitalization.

Last comment: I wished it had something in it about the structure and scope of the book. I didn't know right away if it was fiction or nonfiction, and I still don't know if it covers both the heyday of the club and fire, or just one or the other.

I agree. I started out well, the music is good. But I still don't know 100% sure what the book is about. Is the book mostly about the heyday of the club? Is it about the fire?

I might rush out and buy the book but I have to know exactly what it was about. The trailer doesn't do that.

Hope that advice helps.

underthecity · Jan 13, 2010

YukonMike said:
I agree. I started out well, the music is good. But I still don't know 100% sure what the book is about. Is the book mostly about the heyday of the club? Is it about the fire?

I might rush out and buy the book but I have to know exactly what it was about. The trailer doesn't do that.

Hope that advice helps.

It helps. I had to mention the fire. The first thing people think about when you say "Beverly Hills," at least in the Cincinnati tristate area, is the fire.

I was trying to let the pictures say what the book was about. The pictures show entertainers in the heyday of the club. And you don't see them on stage, you see them backstage.

That's what the book is about.

I didn't want to bog it down with a lot of text. I've seen some book trailers with endless text, and I didn't want to go that route.

I am glad the music works, though.

Judg · Jan 13, 2010

underthecity said:
And most people know Arcadia publishes nonfiction history.

Was it that unclear?

They do? I had no clue. Very few people other than writers notice imprints at all.

I kept wondering what the story was. As far as I can tell, the book is a shopping list of celebrities who happened to appear at a particular club. So, no, I can't say it made me want to rush out and buy it. But then maybe, I'm not your target demographic. I'm not interested in celebrities just because they're celebrities. I need a more compelling reason to read about them.

Now, if you make it clear to me that there's a compelling, unusual story behind this particular club, my attitude would shift considerably. But the trailer didn't do that. All I know is that there was a club that burned down at one point and lots of well-known names performed there. So far, no story.

JoNightshade · Jan 13, 2010

underthecity said:
It helps. I had to mention the fire. The first thing people think about when you say "Beverly Hills," at least in the Cincinnati tristate area, is the fire.

I was trying to let the pictures say what the book was about. The pictures show entertainers in the heyday of the club. And you don't see them on stage, you see them backstage.

That's what the book is about.

Okay, I had the same problem as the others here. I just didn't get a sense of what the book was about. I have no problem mentioning the fire or whatever but I had no idea this place was in Cincinnati. I assumed it was in Beverley Hills.

The opening, before your upbeat music, went too slow for me. I thought there were too many words fading in and out... I think I would have been happier if there were a little more text on each "page" so I didn't have to sit there waiting for it.

underthecity · Jan 13, 2010

Judg said:
I kept wondering what the story was. As far as I can tell, the book is a shopping list of celebrities who happened to appear at a particular club. So, no, I can't say it made me want to rush out and buy it. But then maybe, I'm not your target demographic. I'm not interested in celebrities just because they're celebrities. I need a more compelling reason to read about them.

Now, if you make it clear to me that there's a compelling, unusual story behind this particular club, my attitude would shift considerably.

It's a pictorial history. There is no actual "story." Each picture, however, does have a caption that tells the story of that performer up to that point in the performer's career (the appearance at the club), then beyond.

Although, in the trailer, I only highlighted the biggest stars. I didn't want it to go and on and feature the lesser-known performers who also appeared there.

The "compelling" part is that Beverly Hills was a club equal to the nightclubs in Las Vegas. And it was located in the country, across the river south of Cincinnati.

So, no, it's probably not for everyone, and I get that.

With the feedback, I may go back to work on it and redo it.

Judg · Jan 13, 2010

Ah, then it does seem that I'm outside your intended audience. Good luck with it though.

underthecity · Jan 14, 2010

I appreciate the feedback. It does tell me where it's lacking.

regdog · Jan 14, 2010

bclement412 · Jan 14, 2010

Looks good, congrats!

underthecity · Jan 14, 2010

Thank you for all the responses, both positive and negative.

Since I see this thread as "focus group," I'm reworking the trailer right now.

I'm jettisoning the stuff about the fire. That'll be mentioned in the "info" sidebar on youtube, since it isn't vital to the trailer itself. If viewers want to know more about the fire, then they can read about it there.

I really can't get away from the short text pages. I don't want to make one page filled with text that the viewer has to sit and read and quickly get bored. Instead, I'm experimenting with keeping it the way it is, with all due respect JoNightshade (and I appreciate your comments), just explaining the club more, but with as few words as possible.

Just about everything post the music-change will stay the same.

underthecity · Jan 14, 2010

All right, it's finished and uploaded on YouTube. Please let me know if this one is more clear. (And please don't mention the fonts. I KNOW. I didn't realize I accidentally changed mixed fonts until after it was uploaded. I really don't want to change it again.)

Here's the link. Thanks for all your comments.

Judg · Jan 14, 2010

I like this one much, much better. I know what the book is about now. Before, I thought it might have something to do with the fire and I was quite confused as to where the club was. Now everything is crystal clear. The coordination of the text changes with the music was nice too.

Photo captions might be nice, for those of us who don't recognize everybody and who forgot to follow the written list on the right.

underthecity · Jan 14, 2010

Thank you! It took me all afternoon to redo that, find and edit the music, etc. etc.

Photo captions are slightly beyond my abilities at the moment, but I did have that in mind. I was lucky just to come up with a way to make the title screens.

JoNightshade · Jan 14, 2010

I agree with Judg, it's much more understandable now. I get where it's coming from. I too would like to know who the people are. You're obviously using photos that have been digitized at some point so it shouldn't be too hard to photoshop names onto them. (If you can't figure out how to overlay the text.)

YukonMike · Jan 14, 2010

Yep -- agree with everyone. It's much clearer now.

I too was confused about the location. I assumed the club was in Beverly Hills.

So now I like the hook -- an amazing nightclub far from Hollywood and Las Vegas.

If you are promoting this book regionally, you can mention the fire because people know what you are talking about. But for us folks outside of Cincinnati, I found it confused me.

Cassiopeia · Jan 14, 2010

I loved it! Btw...do you have to have rights to the music you used?

itesser · Jan 14, 2010

Good re-work! And I like that you added the location of the club relative to Southgate, KY, because I know nothing of midwest geography.

"This 2010" is strange, but minor.

underthecity · Jan 15, 2010

Thank you! This was the first book trailer I've ever made, so it was a learning experience. If/when I make one for my novel when it's published (crosses fingers) then it'll be much easier.

YukonMike said:
If you are promoting this book regionally, you can mention the fire because people know what you are talking about. But for us folks outside of Cincinnati, I found it confused me.

Yeah, I can't help that the owner in the 1930s named the club for his granddaughter, and that it was in the country, and that it was on top of a hill. Regionally, everyone remembers the Supper Club and fire in 1977. But outside the region, it might be confusing. Which was why I remade the trailer thanks to the feedback in this thread.

Cassiopeia said:
I loved it! Btw...do you have to have rights to the music you used?

Thank you! And music rights? Um, I have to defer to "fair use" for this one.

itesser said:
Good re-work! . . .
"This 2010" is strange, but minor.

Thank you! Regading the "This 2010," I didn't want to say "Coming 2010" because it's coming January 25. Which meant that the trailer would immediately be "dated" post release. So, I made it "This 2010." After I finished the trailer and uploaded it for the third time, I saw that it was slightly awkward, but it still got the point across--I hope.

Judg · Jan 15, 2010

Why not say "Coming January 25, 2010"? Or something like that.
You might want to check into the music rights. Probably less problematic with an older release like that, but still. A question in the Roundtable might do it.

nitaworm · Jan 15, 2010

The remake is much better.

I made a book trailer for my upcoming book, please check it out?

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