Phil Daccord is the legendary trailer editor of The Matrix Trilogy (amongst many many more!) and in this episode we talk about his start as an assistant searching for frames of film in literal bins all the way through being senior editor at Giaronomo Productions and now Creative Director at Ignition Creative. Derek and Ric also discuss the website …

Ric and Derek talk about their first ever trailer finishes which somehow both involved selling DVDs. Also, they discuss the trailer for Dear Evan Hansen, and how it walks the line between serious drama and musical. Trailers Discussed: Dear Evan Hansen, Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, West Side Story (2021), Constantine 90 Sec Home V…

The F9 and Misfits trailers are both selling globetrotting heist films and they hit a lot of the same notes, but they're edited with very different attitudes. In this episode Ric and Derek break down what separates the two and what their trailers say about their respective films. Trailers Discussed: The Misfits (2021), F9 Trailer 2 If you have ques…

Zack Snyder's trailers are some of the most famous in modern trailer history. Why are his films uniquely suited to making trailers for? Trailers Discussed: It Takes Two "Better Together" Trailer, Judas and the Black Messiah Trailer, 300 Teaser Trailer, 300 Trailer 2, Man of Steel Trailer 1, Man of Steel Trailer 2, Man of Steel Trailer 3, Watchmen T…

The DC Fandome event revealed a bunch of new trailers which we just had to discuss along with the exciting trailers Ric finished, and Derek's thoughts on the final trailer for Tenet. Trailers Discussed: Bill & Ted Face the Music Trailer 1, Bill & Ted Face the Music Trailer 2, Tenet, Zack Snyder's Justice League, The Batman, Suicide Squad Roll Call,…

The Tenet trailer is the starting point of this week's discussion. Derek and Ric dive into the trailers for all his films and look for the common threads in the marketing of this master of secrets. Trailers Discussed: Tenet, Dunkirk Teaser, Dunkirk Trailer 1, Dunkirk Trailer 2, Inception Teaser, Inception Teaser 2 Inception Trailer, Interstellar Te…

Kert Gartner loves making VR game trailers, and he's constantly breaking new ground in virtual cinematography and mixed reality. He's been making indie game trailers for about 10 years, and with his years of experience in the feature film VFX industry, he's most comfortable making trailers in After Effects. We discuss how the heck that works, why h…

In this week's episode we have an interview with AAA game trailer editor Elisha Male. We talk about her journey from editing emo Kingdom Hearts music videos to editing trailers for AAA games like DOOM Eternal, Final Fantasy VII Remake, Shadow of the Tomb Raider and more! Trailers Discussed: DOOM Eternal, Wolfenstein: Youngblood, Shadow of the Tomb …

In this week's episode Derek and Ric discuss working from home during the coronavirus pandemic, and how it's affected the industry. We also discuss the brilliantly cut trailer for season 3 of Killing Eve. Trailers Discussed: Killing Eve Season 3, Kong: Skull Island. Links: Derek's post about working from home. If you have questions or comments plea…

By Idle Thumbs

By Idle Thumbs

By Idle Thumbs

By Idle Thumbs

By Idle Thumbs

In this episode Derek and Ric talk about their favorite movie and game trailers from 2019, personal works of the year, and trailers of the decade! Trailers Discussed: Kerbal Space Program 2, Astroneer Release Trailer, Wilmot's Warehouse, The Last of Us: Remastered - From the Beginning, My Friend Pedro Full Throttle Trailer, Knives Out, Waves, Joker…

In this episode Derek and Ric talk about the unique sound design of trailers! Everything from rises to bass drops and Henry Cavill reloading his fists. You'll never listen to trailers in the same way again. Ric also dives deep into the moment to moment sound design of the new Black Widow Trailer. Trailers Discussed or Clipped: London Has Fallen, Cr…

In this episode Derek and Ric are talking good trailers for bad movies. Also, everyone's favourite blue hedgehog is back to break the internet again and so we dive into Trailer 2 for Sonic... Trailers Discussed: Sonic the Hedgehog, Ballistic: Ecks vs Sever, Ultraviolet, The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc, Transformers 2: Revenge of the Fallen,…

What makes a great game trailer? In this episode Derek and Ric discuss making game trailers, capturing footage, storytelling and how best to represent an interactive experience... Trailers Discussed: Firewatch, BioShock Infinite E3 Demo, Dante's Inferno. Links: Biffa Plays Indie Games, Trailers of the Week If you have questions or comments please s…

Happy Halloween! In this episode we dive into horror trailers and talk to producer Amanda Pulver and editor Matthew Merenda about about the challenges of scaring people out of their seats and into theaters! Trailers Discussed: Lights Out, It Follows, White Noise, Paranormal Activity, The Blair Witch Project, Hereditary, Antlers, Alien, The Evil Dea…

In this episode we discuss the job of the trailer assistant editor, and the many things we learned on the job. What does an assistant editor do? What are their day to day tasks, and how many varieties of tea do they need to keep track of? We also discuss the trailers for 6 Underground, The Gentlemen and Free Guy. Trailers Discussed: 6 Underground, …

In this episode we discuss what we think makes an effective teaser trailer, and how they differ from full trailers which reveal more of the story. We also talk about a LOT of our favorite teasers and how they successfully tease the audience using entirely different philosophies and editing techniques. We also touch on the teasers for Tenet and Bird…

What inspires trailer editors? This time on the Cutdown we dive into the trailers for Bad Boys For Life and Joker, and talk about finding inspiration in unlikely places, and how to keep your work fresh. Trailers Discussed: Bad Boys For Life, Bad Boys II Teaser, Bad Boys II Trailer, Joker, Star Trek, Waves, Prometheus, The Man Who Wasn’t There, Blin…

In this episode we discuss one of the most important aspects of trailer creation - motion graphics. From The Blob to The Da Vinci Code, we discuss what graphics add to the trailer process and talk about a number of our favorite examples. We also speak to professional motion graphics artist Hal Forsstrom about where the industry is going and how to …

In this episode we discuss the subtle differences between the 2nd domestic trailer for Gemini Man and its international counterpart. Also the practical and very specific cultural considerations which need to be made when editing trailers for international markets. For more about international trailers watch Ric's LACPUG talk! Trailers Discussed: Ge…

In this episode we discuss the internet destroying trailer for the live-action version of CATS, as well as the trailer for Top Gun: Maverick. And we answer your questions about our favorite trailers, and the future of the movie and game trailer industry. Trailers Discussed: CATS, Sweeney Todd, Top Gun: Maverick, IT: Chapter Two, The Fountain, Fifty…

In this episode we discuss the trailer for Knives Out, the latest whodunnit film by Rian Johnson, and our process for filling in an empty timeline after we've finished breaking down our dialogue and video footage. If you have trouble with editor's block, some of our tips should help you get going! Trailers Discussed: Knives Out, John Wick 3, Ready …

Happy Independence Day! In this special episode, Derek and Ric talk about the trailers for both Independence Day movies. From the first film's iconic teaser to Resurgence's viral videos, we do a deep dive and see what lessons can be learned. “They like to get the landmarks” Trailers Discussed: Jumanji: The Next Level, Hobbs & Shaw, Stuber, Independ…

How do you get to be a trailer editor? In this episode Derek and Ric talk about breaking into the industry, creating a reel and getting your foot in the door. We also talk about E3 and dive into the trailers for the sequel to The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and the remake of Final Fantasy VII. Trailers Discussed: Watch Dogs: Legion, Cyberpu…

In this episode Derek and Ric talk about their process for starting a new trailer project from breaking down a film or game, searching for music, and coming up with ideas. We also talk about recent Golden Trailer Award winners John Wick 3, A Star is Born, and the latest trailer for the Hideo Kojima game Death Stranding. Trailers Discussed: John Wic…

In this episode we discuss trailer trends, and how the trailer industry keeps evolving. From the move to playing out scenes longer to - yes - the Inception Braaaam, we've got you covered. We also dive into the creation of the trailers for It: Chapter 2 and everyone's favorite anthropomorphic hedgehog, Sonic. Trailers Discussed: It Chapter 2, Spider…

Why do trailer editors "spoil the movies"? In this episode we talk about the difficult balance of teasing in trailers, when to hold back and when to show more - and the importance of storytelling. Trailers Discussed: Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom, Terminator Genisys, Castaway, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Dead Cells, Get Out, Black Panther, Hered…

It's the first episode of The Cutdown, a podcast all about the art of trailer editing! We talk about why we started the show, our plans for future episodes, the history of our interest in trailers, how we became trailer editors, why we love doing it, and some of our favorites. Whether you want to learn about the industry, you're an amateur or profe…