I've been experimenting with Windows Movie Maker - totally addictive, I tell you. I have made a trailer for A PLACE BEYOND COURAGE, my novel about John Marshal, due out on October 4th.
It still needs some cosmetic additions and tweaks, but it's decent enough to go out in public I feel.
Ideally the trailer should have Placebo's Broken Promise on the soundtrack, but EMI wanted £2,500 for that privilege, and while I'm all for paying the going rate, that did seem a little too expensive for this author's piggy bank. The track I've put in its stead, 'Under the Bard's Tree' is a Royalty Free music track, which means it's only cost me £14.00, it suits the soundtrack and I can do what I want with it. Re the photographs, I knew being a re-enactor would come in handy! Some are my own photos, although most are from the archives of members of Regia Anglorum. The Marlborough Downs and the River Test at Wherwell are from my research camera, and the second one of the fire is my son Simon superimposed against my dining room hearth!
Many PC's running Windows XP will have Movie Maker among their programmes. Give it a go; it's great fun! Hope you enjoy the efforts of my first outing with it.
12 comments:
Great job!
A performance most excellent!!
Wow! I got the chills watching this. I love the music too. It's great that your re-enactment group helped out on this. It gives the story more reality. Is this story going to be a real romance? Your other works have romantic elements, but your clip comes over as very romancy. I love it!
Congrats on your upcoming release. I'm not sure I can wait that long. I might have to go back and reread the previous two books...again!
Hi Kemberlee,
Thanks, I would like it to be just a little faster, and I may tweak, but I need to synchronise it with the music still. The Placebo track was great because it added pace of it's own accord, but as I said, too expensive!
If anything A Place Beyond Courage is grittier than the other two, although there are as always strong romantic elements and the relationships between John, his wives and his sons, does feature strongly against the backdrop of the conflict. I really hope you'll love John Marshal. Sure he's flawed, but I fell in love with him during the writing, and I still am - big time!
I always look forward to your stories. You know that, but I really love the Marshall stories. I love the trailer, too. You did a great job of it. I need to learn how to do those next. Roll on October!
Hi Elizabeth
Like Kimberlee, i can't wait although i may have to, it will have to go on birthday present list for early November. I loved this and what a way to whet our appetites!
It's gorgeous, Elizabeth! I can't wait to read the book.
Oh fantastic Susan. I couldn't hear the music unfortunately as my work pc has no speakers (taking a sneaky peek) but it was very atmospheric nonetheless. Realy looking forward to October 4th. Brilliant.
Stephx
Oh, that's a lovely one.
*makes notes to put Roman reenactment contacts to good use one day* :)
Very enjoyable and a good way to drum up business!
Would love to see the PBC trailer. It looks like it has been removed on YouTube?
It has because of the picture - I didn't have the Copyright on it. It's a draft book cover that didn't make the final cut - actually the book cover I wanted. The new version should still be up there. I ought to take this one down and replace with the revised edition. Thanks for notifying me. I will add it to my 'to do' pile!
It has because of the picture - I didn't have the Copyright on it. It's a draft book cover that didn't make the final cut - actually the book cover I wanted. The new version should still be up there. I ought to take this one down and replace with the revised edition. Thanks for notifying me. I will add it to my 'to do' pile!
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