I feel my research helped me learn how to build some kind of structure to my trailer and what makes a trailer engaging. I opened the trailer and focused a good amount of the trailer on Dimitri’s rivalry with Edelgard. I showed how Byleth pulled Dimitri out of his despair spiral, showing hope to the viewer as something to latch onto. I then showed how Dimitri lost his last father figure in Rodrigue and how this helps him become king and face his demons and Edelgard. I found making the storyboard made me consider how the trailer would flow earlier in the production process so I could figure out its pacing. I also found the audio planning useful to set out what I would need to create even though that list expanded as I built my trailer.

Working in Adobe Premiere Pro was the most interesting and enjoyable part as it pushed me to learn how to use an industry standard software application and develop new skills in video editing. An audio challenge I faced was a transition between two music tracks, one high energy, one low. I didn’t like the abrupt stop there was in the earliest version. I experimented first in Premiere Pro with the audio effects available. I tried fading it out, I tried a horn over a fade out to make to improve it. At this point I moved into Adobe Audition to make options available including more dynamic control over the audio. In this application I tried combining other parts of the music track where it felt more conclusive and after changing it around further to a point where I felt satisfied with it. I exported it back to Premiere Pro and fitted it into my timeline. A visual challenge I faced was that I needed to amplify the energy going into the final part of the trailer. A simple transition did not achieve this and I did research on ways to create better video transitions in Premiere Pro. I learnt that masking possible in Premiere Pro; I had learnt about the concept of masking earlier in lessons about Adobe Photoshop. This is where you can remove elements from a clip to hide equipment of other things in shot you do not want the audience to see. I used it to overlay another clip of one of the main characters performing a critical hit and masked it so only the splice in was visible which I felt made a far better transition than a simple dissolve transition and might help maintain engagement in the trailer towards the end. I have developed a wide range of skills in different Adobe software including Premiere Pro, After Effects, Photoshop and Audition. With hindsight I feel I should have used Adobe Illustrator for the storyboard for a better quality product. I learned how to use different tools in these applications such as cutting footage and audio, masking visuals, cleaning up audio and timing transitions.

With reflection on the feedback I received:

• I need ensure visual transitions flow nicely, are not sudden and feel earnt for the viewer.
• I need more actual gameplay footage to make it feel more like a game and not just a visual novel.
• I should consider how to get the character’s personalities across to the viewer.
• I need make sure the start of the trailer outlines the story so the viewer understands the rest of the trailer and does not feel confused.
• I need to ensure use of sounds is consistent as some feedback noted there are swinging sounds for weapons in some places but not in others.
• I should consider including head-shots of the core characters to assist understanding and to increase interest in the game.

To make a future trailer better:

• I would make more frames in my storyboard and have a story written out so I know how it should flow better.
• I would consult with a music student or someone with music experience to make my audio overall better and suit the trailer more effectively as I felt like I did not understand basic music concepts which someone with a better understanding could have helped me with.
• I would use an equal split of cinematics and gameplay as I felt I leant to hard on cinematics this time.
• Finally, I would like to make a trailer about an original game made either by me or someone I personally know so I can create a trailer that is new to all.