The Finished Evan Burl Trailer. And the story of how it happened.
A couple weeks ago I wrote this note to myself:
"Slow truck in on Kenzie in orange dress makeup running play it back in reverse she is holding an old candle raining. Her voice narrates. Very simple like shining trailer."
Once I have a new idea, I can't stop thinking about it. Which is why after wanting to do a trailer for Evan Burl for the last few years, I ended up making it from concept to final in about a week. I apologized to my wife Anna after we were done because I knew I'd been spending a lot of time on the trailer when I should have been working on paying gigs. I said, "I knew I couldn't stop thinking about it until it was done, so I just got to it." He eyes twinkled as she said, "Don't worry about it. I know you." I guess after 15 years of marriage, she knows me pretty well.
Here are some photos from behind-the-scenes
This is a test we did for the video in our back yard. Love the Mickey Snowman -- very scary.
We used a weed sprayer with a hand pump to add some water on her face because by the time we got to our location, it had stopped raining. We also used a leaf blower to add some movement to her hair.
One women who was particularly high seemed intent on letting us know what horrible parents we were (my wife, Anna, was there helping) for spraying my daughter with a weed sprayer. (Again, there was only water in it.) She kept asking Mackenzie if she was cold and if she wanted to stop. Mackenzie kept saying no, she's fine. We told the lady to leave after a while and she said, "I just can't believe the creative ways parents come up with to torture their children."
We had several homeless people and at least two people who were tripping on something approach us during the shot. Being near downtown Seattle, small crowds of people were watching and we had to stop shooting several times because people would walk in front of us without noticing that we're spraying water and filming.
We didn't have a permit to film, and I wasn't sure if we really needed one, but we started filming with just me and Mackenzie and my iPhone, just in case someone came out later and told us we had to leave. Then we slowly started adding more production value. I had my wife and kids there to help so I'd wave them over from the car. They darted out and we started shooting. Fortunately, no one ever came to stop us.
Overall, there are about 60 effects used to make this video.
Here is a screen shot of the color grading in Magic Bullet Looks.
For those who are interested, here is a list of gear that we used
Final Cut Pro X on a 27" iMac and a 13" Mac Pro
Canon C100 camera body
24-100 L Lens
Magic Bullet Looks
Crumple pop lighting effects
Yanobox titles
Cinegrain film grain
Logic Pro audio mastering
I'd love to know what you think about the final product. Let me know in the comments!
More about the Evan Burl Book Release and Our Weekly Giveaway
Stay tuned for more info on the book (releasing January 6), book giveaways, a Kickstarter, and more!
Amazon shopping spree and book giveaway
To celebrate (1) the launch of Evan Burl on January 6th, (2) the Kickstarter campaign that aims to fight fatherlessness with fiction and most importantly (3) you, I'm giving away $1000 in prizes including more than 50 signed books, a $250 Amazon shopping spree and dozens of other gifts from great authors around the world.
The winner of our last giveaway is Gloria Macioci Blaney!
Along with winning a signed copy of Evan Burl and the Falling, Vol. 1-2 Gloria joins the other semi-finalists in the $250 Amazon gift card giveaway. Claim your prize by emailing
Click here to enter now for your chance to win, plus get the free eBook instantly, just for entering!
Watch for my next blog to see if you've won. These are some places to read the blog: Facebook, Twitter, in your email, on my website, on Amazon, or on Goodreads.
Here is a list of the semifinalists for the $250 Amazon giveaway!
Jessica Mamac, Kristen Patinka, Lou Scott, Scott Bothel, John Wargowsky, Tammy Dalley, Carl Smith, Heather Miles, Sally Hannoush, Christopher Burrell, Cathy Smith, Blake Goldstein, Katrina Epperson, Janae Schiele, Vanessa Rasanen, Katrina Umland, Deanna Wiseburn, Hope Clippinger, Rebecca Ann Baker, Lisa Whitten, Gavin Imes, Robin Baker, April Reynolds, Gloria Macioci Blaney
