I cut a trailer for The Last of Us. I wanted to keep learning a new editing system (Premiere), but I also just really like the game and the story. Especially since it's actually being made into a movie, I thought this would be fun. I haven't seen any really good trailers, so I had at it.

My rules:

1. Big Budget look and feel since it'll be a big movie when it comes out
2. NO SPOILERS
3. Tell a story, get you to know the characters and themes without spoiling.

So enjoy, even if you haven't played the game. It doesn't spoil anything. I spent the time doing this in 1080p60, and it looks great, however youtube 60fps support is kind of mystery. If you select 720p or 1080p and it won't play in 60fps, then just download an .mp4 from me. 1080p60, 360p60.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FBEjMS7hFMs

Some minor spoilers, but you can't make a trailer without them.

What do they call that attention-getting clip at the end? I've seen that used lots, and I figure there has to be a name for it.

I've been drafting a message for a while now where I admit to you and Jillybean that BioShock Infinite isn't as good as The Last of Us.

It's really no contest. The Last of Us is the first game I've played that really competed with the finest films and novels on a story level, and I say that not as a big fan of zombies. It's hard to overstate the greatness of the writing, the voice acting, and the animations.

EDIT: I hope you leave the links up for a bit. I want to download it tonight.

Yes, well done.

I'm actually in the thick of playing Walking Dead Season 2 game (just waiting for the last Ep to release) and even there I have to say it's great to see how a good compelling story can just grab you. It's not at all about the slick graphics, which of course doesn't hurt either.

But then again I'm talking to folks that were captivated way back with Marathon/Myth, so it's a foregone conclusion.

- M

What do they call that attention-getting clip at the end? I've seen that used lots, and I figure there has to be a name for it.

I don't know. I wanted to end it with just the title and leave you with that hopeful moment, but pretty much all the editors and directors I showed it to suggested to add that last punch. That's just Hollywood I guess.

Excellent job, Mr. Miller! I thoroughly enjoyed that.

As Kermit said, this is one of my favorite stories ever - regardless of medium. If you haven't played it, do yourself a favor and do so. Dat ending.

- CC

I'm actually in the thick of playing Walking Dead Season 2 game (just waiting for the last Ep to release) and even there I have to say it's great to see how a good compelling story can just grab you. It's not at all about the slick graphics, which of course doesn't hurt either.

But then again I'm talking to folks that were captivated way back with Marathon/Myth, so it's a foregone conclusion.

Different kinds of stories I think, and grab you in different ways. Not a lot physically happens in terms of events in Last of Us. Almost all the plot points and major changes are changes in character's emotional states, or relationships. Bungie's stories are very much about events, and mystery.

Tim Rogers said something very interesting in this Last of Us review:

…part of what I like about videogame design as a dramatic instrument is their ability to put us a hundred percent into the moments editors would leave out of a film.

Lots of good moments are going to be left out of the Last of Us film.

Haven't watched it yet and this isn't my forte, just putting this term out there.

Tim Rogers said something very interesting in this Last of Us review:

…part of what I like about videogame design as a dramatic instrument is their ability to put us a hundred percent into the moments editors would leave out of a film.

Lots of good moments are going to be left out of the Last of Us film.

It's the typical reason folks DON'T want a movie made of a videogame (a good, immersive video game). Because those unique vectors can never be recreated on the silver screen. Or at least the movie will have to take such liberties that is really more of a 'influenced by video game' creation. The only Halo movie I ever thought could work would *not* focus on MC. That's why I liked the short series that took place in cadet school.

But it feels like it's going to happen in the opposite direction… games and the hardware that runs them are going to get so good, that they'll become a legitimate hybrid of 'movie' and 'game' - way beyond what we see now with Last of Us and others.

I recently saw the awful Lucy film, and while it lacked any punch as a true 'film' (decent plot, decent script, etc.) as I left the theater I though, "Yeah, but what if I had a controller with me in the theater during that movie?"

- M

Tim Rogers said something very interesting in this Last of Us review:

…part of what I like about videogame design as a dramatic instrument is their ability to put us a hundred percent into the moments editors would leave out of a film.

Lots of good moments are going to be left out of the Last of Us film.

It's the typical reason folks DON'T want a movie made of a videogame (a good, immersive video game). Because those unique vectors can never be recreated on the silver screen.

I think it enables different vectors. Keep in mind, the Last of Us DOES utilize cutscenes to tell its story. The gut punching ending is a cutscene. Its success is not trying to do everything through the game like say, Half Life, but knowing when to use one or the other.

Yes, well done.

I'm actually in the thick of playing Walking Dead Season 2 game (just waiting for the last Ep to release) and even there I have to say it's great to see how a good compelling story can just grab you.

I guess I need to overcome my squeamishness and play that. (I can't watch the TV series.)

It's not at all about the slick graphics, which of course doesn't hurt either.

But then again I'm talking to folks that were captivated way back with Marathon/Myth, so it's a foregone conclusion.

Yeah, and I still remember my roommate walking in during an early Marathon session and exclaiming, "Those are the best graphics I've ever seen!"

- No text -

Tim Rogers said something very interesting in this Last of Us review:

…part of what I like about videogame design as a dramatic instrument is their ability to put us a hundred percent into the moments editors would leave out of a film.

Thanks for posting that review. I enjoyed it, but I'm still amazed that anyone finished the game in 12 hours. I've played it four times now, and it took twice that each time.

I've been drafting a message for a while now where I admit to you and Jillybean that BioShock Infinite isn't as good as The Last of Us.

It's fine. I won't gloat.

Much.

such lies

I think it enables different vectors. Keep in mind, the Last of Us DOES utilize cutscenes to tell its story. The gut punching ending is a cutscene. Its success is not trying to do everything through the game like say, Half Life, but knowing when to use one or the other.

Well... spoilers!

Which ending do you mean? The ending where he shoots the doctors and rescues Ellie?

The ending where he shoots Marla?

The ending where he lies to her?

Any one of these would be a satisfying narrative end to me, but they're all interspersed with gameplay elements. I haven't thought enough about it, but I wonder if that somehow allows for 'more' shots at the ending you want.

In contrast, see Life on Mars UK, which should definitely have ended a good two minutes before it did.

I like it - but I was surprised to see so much emphasis on Tess. In fact there was a lot of emphasis on characters not Joel or Ellie, which is the real story in my opinion.

Now if someone asked me to write this movie, we'd be looking at a cross between Winter's Bone and the first episode of TWD.

Though, as of yet, no one's asked me.

Editing was a little too fast-paced and sudden at times, and with an unnecessarily spoiler scene sprinkled here and there (and some scenes that I think should be saved for the experience) but otherwise that was excellent "Hollywood" editing. Makes me want to whip up my own, since all of these trailers for one game highlight completely different aspects and moods, which speaks volumes about the game itself.

Although I appreciate stingers, I would have chosen a different scene to highlight, but that's what the people like, I suppose.

I think it enables different vectors. Keep in mind, the Last of Us DOES utilize cutscenes to tell its story. The gut punching ending is a cutscene. Its success is not trying to do everything through the game like say, Half Life, but knowing when to use one or the other.

Well... spoilers!

Which ending do you mean? The ending where he shoots the doctors and rescues Ellie?

The ending where he shoots Marla?

The ending where he lies to her?

Any one of these would be a satisfying narrative end to me, but they're all interspersed with gameplay elements. I haven't thought enough about it, but I wonder if that somehow allows for 'more' shots at the ending you want.

In contrast, see Life on Mars UK, which should definitely have ended a good two minutes before it did.

Everything in the operating room was originally intended to be one long cutscene that included the shooting of Marlene and the rescuing of Ellie. One of the devs convinced Neil Druckmann to have the player take Ellie out, which of course dovetailed nicely with the gameplay and story in the opening 20 minutes of the game.

Another way they use gameplay is when they have us play as Ellie in the final sequence. The fact that we're removed from Joel fits exactly with where we are emotionally in the story. As for the final minute, it had to be a cutscene. It's probably the best "acting" I've seen in a game, and we need the camera to be where it is to get the full impact.

I've been drafting a message for a while now where I admit to you and Jillybean that BioShock Infinite isn't as good as The Last of Us.

It's fine. I won't gloat.

Much.

such lies

:)

Dishonored isn't as good as BI, though, although that's a close one.

Yeah - 'helplessness' and 'vulnerability' are much more present in the viewer's mind when they're the one pushing the thumbstick forward as far as it can go and cursing that you can't go faster.

This is something that happens to me a lot in the Walking Dead, particularly in season 2, as I curse at people asking me to do things that as a child, Clem is completely ill equipped to do. (Although TWD is now overplaying its hand a bit there in my opinion. Clem is doing too much)

In fact there was a lot of emphasis on characters not Joel or Ellie, which is the real story in my opinion.

It's hard to focus on those two without spoiling *something* (there's a hint at a spoiler, but thankfully Cody cuts before it properly …hits). That's part of TLOU's genius, though: there's a lot of good characters, and there's a lot of great action, and that's even if you ignore the most important part: the story of Joel and Ellie's relationship.

Such a damned good game.

In fact there was a lot of emphasis on characters not Joel or Ellie, which is the real story in my opinion.

It's hard to focus on those two without spoiling *something* (there's a hint at a spoiler, but thankfully Cody cuts before it properly …hits). That's part of TLOU's genius, though: there's a lot of good characters, and there's a lot of great action, and that's even if you ignore the most important part: the story of Joel and Ellie's relationship.

Right. Think of it like a movie trailer! You don't want to give everything away, just that it's going to be about Joel and Ellie and Zombies. Maybe a little bit about Joel's initial feelings. Tess just happens to have a bunch of really good lines that set all that up, plus if you see the trailer and expect more of her, it might make what happens to her more of a surprise :-p

The 2014 E3 trailer for the game was spoilertastic, revealing:

Joel's Daughter Dies
Ellie is infected

Good thing I didn't see that before I got the game!

Makes me want to whip up my own, since all of these trailers for one game highlight completely different aspects and moods, which speaks volumes about the game itself.

More so the power of editing.

Did you know The Shining is about a frustrated writer, who learns to love again through a child? It's true.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sfout_rgPSA

I cut a trailer for The Last of Us. I wanted to keep learning a new editing system (Premiere), but I also just really like the game and the story. Especially since it's actually being made into a movie, I thought this would be fun. I haven't seen any really good trailers, so I had at it.

VERY nice.

This showed up in my YouTube feed last night on the TV and I thought it was official media from the developer.

Some minor spoilers, but you can't make a trailer without them.

What do they call that attention-getting clip at the end? I've seen that used lots, and I figure there has to be a name for it.

E block kicker?

No, wait, that's something else.

Maybe it's stinger, although I thought that was usually for the sound only.

I cut a trailer for The Last of Us. I wanted to keep learning a new editing system (Premiere), but I also just really like the game and the story. Especially since it's actually being made into a movie, I thought this would be fun. I haven't seen any really good trailers, so I had at it.

VERY nice.

This showed up in my YouTube feed last night on the TV and I thought it was official media from the developer.

THAT'S a compliment, because I thought their trailers (especially pre-release) were really good (I do wish the remastered ones weren't so spoilerific).

Yeah - 'helplessness' and 'vulnerability' are much more present in the viewer's mind when they're the one pushing the thumbstick forward as far as it can go and cursing that you can't go faster.

This is something that happens to me a lot in the Walking Dead, particularly in season 2, as I curse at people asking me to do things that as a child, Clem is completely ill equipped to do. (Although TWD is now overplaying its hand a bit there in my opinion. Clem is doing too much)

I think the TWD folks are trying to nudge you into realizing Clem is becoming too much. Her speech choices can be quite bad ass, and the characters around her when they react are making her/us realize just that.

I get the feeling the last not-yet-released Ep5 will make all this come to a head, as in Season 1 Lee was given a whole breakdown of his actions by the bad guy, in this one someone gives Clem a speech about her outlandish behavior this time around and how it's broken her as a child/person. And something horrible w/ the baby. Horrible. :(

I'm eager to play it. Good stuff.

- M

Makes me want to whip up my own, since all of these trailers for one game highlight completely different aspects and moods, which speaks volumes about the game itself.

More so the power of editing.

Not really. Not in this context, no.

While editing and a few sound effects can turn "The Road" into a trailer for the most uproarious comedy of the year, the many different trailers of The Last of Us aren't done to parody or skew, but to present existing themes and events in the game under different contexts.

The many different trailers of The Last of Us aren't done to parody or skew, but to present existing themes and events in the game under different contexts.

…which is exactly the power of editing. :-p

I think there is going to be a flashback to whatever happened to Christa's baby - something really, really horrific that Clem tries not to remember. Depending on how you've played she might be able to stop it from happening again.