WatchmenComicMovie.com Forum

Absolutely
Perhaps the first thing we should do is compile a mission statement - this, and giving the right impression of the story...

Well, even if I can't persuade you to join, Curi, I'd like to reiterate to anyone reading this that there are many ways to contribute - even throwing in a couple of ideas would count... it'd just be better to know now who's on the team

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Okay, let me think...

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KEENE ACT RIOTS. We see people smashing a car, burning superheroes in effigy, etc.

NITE OWL (VO): What happened to the American Dream?

COMEDIAN: It came true! You're looking at it.

FOOTAGE of BLAKE crashing through the window

[STUDIO LOGOS]

RORSCHACH picks up the smiley button

RORSCHACH (VO): One of us died tonight.

GROUP PHOTO of the Watchmen

DREIBERG: I hear he'd been working for the government.

COMEDIAN fries a Viet Cong

DREIBERG (VO, cont.): Maybe it was a political killing.

RORSCHACH: Or maybe someone's picking off costumed heroes.

FOOTAGE of Hollis Mason's murder.

DR MANHATTAN: My vision of the future is blurred.

FOOTAGE of New York BLOWING UP, the Bernies embracing each other

DR MANHATTAN (VO): A nuclear detonation might conceivably cause that.

RORSCHACH: Maybe that's why they're picking us off. So we can't do anything about it!

FOOTAGE of Veidt's assassination attempt, Rorschach fighting off cops, Laurie and Dan beating up Knot-Tops...

DR MANHATTAN: I SAID LEAVE ME ALONE!

DREIBERG slumps in front of his costume, holding the smiley button

OZYMANDIAS: We can save this world.

MONEY SHOTS. Laurie falling through the roof, the Owlship crashing through water and/or ice, Dr. Manhattan cross-legged on Mars and raising his fortress, Nite Owl and Silk Spectre fighting in the prison, etc.

TITLE: Watchmen

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I want to close it with a quotation from Laurie, but I can't quite think of any that will fit.

Anyway, how about it?

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This is truly a madhouse. And I'm the lunatic running it. I've spent three years wondering if I should be proud or ashamed.

You're on the team

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how about the "nothing ever ends" line?

Yeah, something like that.

Looking back over it, I still think something's missing. Something between "We can save this world" and the title. The famous Nite Owl scream, perhaps? No, something with dialogue....

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DR MANHATTAN raises his fortress while sitting cross-legged

DR MANHATTAN (VO): Why would I save a world I no longer have any stake in?

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Oh, and the "WHO KILLED HOLLIS MASON?!" clip should be in there, too.

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This is truly a madhouse. And I'm the lunatic running it. I've spent three years wondering if I should be proud or ashamed.

I'll definitely help out with this. Let me know when it moves forward.
I have something to confess... I made this fan trailer.

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" Funny STORY. Sounds UNBELIEVABLE. Probably TRUE."

Very nice. I have a few suggestions.


I love this bit, but I think one small edit is needed. When you show New York blowing up you should change the hue of the scene to an orange color. This way it looks like NY is getting nuked and not attacked by Manhattan.

Another suggestion...

You need to play up the Cold War aspect. Maybe something like (using your post style, Curi) ...

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RORSCHACH: Soon there will be war...

FOOTAGE of Castro and Khrushchev at Red Square as missiles are stockpiled below; a close-up of the TV screen during the news report that has soldiers moving into the Middle East with tanks (you can see it in the Japanese trailer); have the scientists moving the Doomsday Clock at 5 'til midnight...

RORSCHACH: Millions will perish in sickness and misery.

END with a shot of Nixon staring at the Doomsday Clock at NORAD.

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Here's the best fan trailer I've seen on youtube. Maybe it could inspire you guys in some way.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GoN0P-kcwis

One last tip: Don't limit yourself to only using footage from this film. You can use dialogue from those online viral videos, and I would personally recommend looking at the Director's Cut of Peter Jackson's King Kong. In that version there are some very nice establishing and exterior shots of 1930's New York. Maybe you could use them in some way with the Minutemen.

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"With our thoughts we make the world."
-- Gautama Buddha

Hey, that's cheating! I know this is just a fan trailer and all, but I really do think we should limit ourselves to Watchmen footage and audio without modification beyond splicing.


*slaps forehead* I knew I was forgetting something.

I like the Rorschach voice-overs you pointed out, but I fear you may have included one shot too many. The Castro shot from the opening credits should suffice. And maybe that shot of Dr. Manhattan in Vietnam with the planes flying over him.

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This is truly a madhouse. And I'm the lunatic running it. I've spent three years wondering if I should be proud or ashamed.

I admit that the King Kong bit would be cheating, but I don't see anything wrong with altering the color of some scenes. They did the same in the official ones. If you look at the reoccurring scenes in the trailers / footage released their color style and scheme was different from each other. Presumably this was because Snyder was still deciding on the final look for those scenes, but they still fiddled around with the colors trailer to trailer.


Thanks. Now that you mention it, I think I do have too many shots. The shot of the news broadcast should be taken out. Maybe even the scientists with the Doomsday Clock (although it might be useful elsewhere in the trailer). Putting some Vietnam in there would be a good move.

I'm not sure if we're limited to music from the film's score or not, but this is an ominous piece of music from Donnie Darko that seems suiting. It gives off an "Armageddon approaching" vibe.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IeJ1GaDDgzA

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"With our thoughts we make the world."
-- Gautama Buddha

I agree. We've got loads of footage to choose from, if we need an establishing shot or two...


Looks like we're starting then
Yeah, this and the real-life-superhero thing are what we need to get across and balance, I think. Is there a third, anyone?

Shall we start from the beginning - I think a neat opening would be that "The superman exists and he's American" clip. So the audience thinks it's the latest Man of Steel film, but we show Dr Manhattan (as we begin to twist with the audience's expectations of superhero movies). Then "They call me Dr Manhattan. They explain the name has been chosen for the ominous associations it will raise in America's enemies...." overlapping quick shots of Dr Manhattan using his powers (including the more gruesome ones*). Then a shot about the cold war tensions. It could be a newspaper (with related dialogue over), newsreel clip, Nixon - whatever we pick it'd set up both of our themes in mere seconds.

There are other ways to go about this, of course, but I think it's important we establish our angle before we move onto the murder/big conspiracy.

*Incidentally I think we should make this the equivalent of an R-rated trailer - an opportunity WB missed.

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I think that the murder/big conspiracy should be our angle. It's tempting to focus on Dr. Manhattan, as you did in your post and as the first trailer did, but that's just one character. The conspiracy is far more central to the plot and it involves all of the characters. The trailer should open as the book opened: With the Comedian and Rorschach.


A very good idea. Anyone know where to start?

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This is truly a madhouse. And I'm the lunatic running it. I've spent three years wondering if I should be proud or ashamed.

It should be what we show as the plot, definitely, but I don't think it necessarily needs to be early. Take the District 9 trailer, where the context is shown first.


I absolutely agree, but I think he's a convenient way to tie the superheroes to the politics, just as we begin. After the opening shots, that's when we could see the rest and be told "They were outlawed 8 years ago. Now, when one of them is mysteriously murdered, Rob Schneider must uncover a hilarious conspiracy..."
You get the idea

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I agree that we should only use Watchmen footage. Nothing takes me out of a fan trailer more than suddenly seeing a shot I can easily recognize from another famous movie. However, I'd be game to editing the shots slightly, Snyder himself did it so it's only fair.

As far as music:
*I strongly advise against using traditional, lyrical music. We all agree they got it right with Smashing Pumpkins in the original teaser, but there's a reason most trailers use that epic orchestral music instead of a dude singing: different people have different music tastes, and I'll be the first to admit I've stopped watching a fan trailer just because I couldn't stand whatever [insert mainstream artist] song was blaring. However, we've all been blasted with epic trailers since we were young, so most people are adjusted to hearing some random awesome orchestral song in a trailer; most people aren't even aware there are artists who do these songs or what their names are, so few people have any personal preference that can affect their want to view a trailer.

*We shouldn't use the film score. Traditionally the score isn't composed until a few months before the movie; this is why trailers don't use the score because it hasn't been composed yet. Even though the score is nice, if we're putting ourselves into the shoes of a WB marketing guy, we shouldn't have access to the score.

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I don't mind being the smartest man in the world. I just wish it wasn't this one.

Here's how I would start it...

Show Dan walking home from Hollis's house.
He comes into his house and notices Rorschach in the kitchen.
"Oh... Rorschach..."
"Evening Daniel."
*studio logos... music begins*
"Take a look at this."
Rorschach tosses the smiley face on the table.
"Badge belonged to the Comedian... blood too."
Show flashes of Ozy beating the shit out of Blake in his apartment. End with the blood falling on the smiley and Blake getting thrown through the window. Cut back to Daniel.
"Let's talk downstairs."

"I heard he'd been working for the government. Maybe it was a political killing."
Show Blake shooting off the helicopter in Vietnam and torching the guy on the ground.

"Or maybe somebody's picking off costumed heroes."
Show quick flashes of Veidt's assassination attempt... complete with headshot and the blown-off fingers.

Show Laurie with Dan in the diner.
"Who would want to kill us now?"
Show a quick cut of the knot-tops smashing the trophy on Hollis's face... Dr. Manhattan shouting "LEAVE ME ALONE!"
All suddenly goes quiet and the music stops.

"What do you suggest we do about it?"
"Retribution."

text appears on screen. (new music begins)
THIS MARCH

Show shots from Blake's funeral.

WHO WATCHES THE WATCHMEN?

Show a quick montage of action shots that ends with Dan snapping the knot top's arm in the alley.

"I'm tired of this damn suit... etc."

Another quick montage of action shots with VO by Dr. Manhattan
"Who makes the world?"
Show Manhattan exploding the Vietcong... the shot of the Comedian from the opening credits where he's holding the robber in front of the bank... Rorschach fighting the cops... etc... then Dr. Manhattan's palace on Mars raises.

"Perhaps it has always been... etc. a clock without a craftsman."

The screen suddenly cuts to black. We fade in to the shot of Rorschach eying the rapist/mugger/both in the alley.

"Sometimes the night is generous to me."

TITLE CARD:
WATCHMEN
show the credits/end studio logos/ etc.
cut to Rorschach in the prison

"Now you find out what the score is!"
"One nothing... come and get me.
BAM
the end.

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" Funny STORY. Sounds UNBELIEVABLE. Probably TRUE."

the hardest part for me is the song to use lol

I wanted to definitely use some Joy Division... or perhaps some Jesus and Mary Chain or Echo & the Bunnymen.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PMAB3r6EjcM&feature=related
-Joy Division


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5QfFQA4Tgc
-Echo and the Bunnymen

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" Funny STORY. Sounds UNBELIEVABLE. Probably TRUE."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfF6hHfB ... -fresh+div

found this LEGO spoof, funny Rorschach line at the end.

Bump.

Watched 'Blood Simple' tonight, and its theme would be perfect for a Watchmen trailer, and Watchmen in general I think...
Have a listen...

Just imagine it over one of Rorschach's detective scenes...
It's minimalist and sounds like clockwork. The former makes it really easy to cut up and put back together again, as would be necessary for the trailer.

I don't know whether we can isolate the film's dialogue from its music (unless they're on different audio channels). I've gone through the film and have noted music-less scenes. At the very least we can use these. Please share here if there's any line of dialogue from these that you think helps get across what Watchmen's about, or you just plain like...!

Note, I was flicking through so this might not be complete:

TV + Nixon (from the opening)
Detectives (approx 12 minutes in)
Hollis and Dan (17)
Rorschach and Dan (22)
Roth and Veidt (24)
Rorschach visits Dr M and Laurie (28)
Dan and Laurie dine out (32)
Laurie and Sally (37)
Attempted rape (39)
Crimebusters (45)
Rorschach visits Moloch (52)
Laurie leaves Dr M (59)
Laurie shows up at Dan's (1:02)
Dr Nixonlove (1:24)
Laurie escapes (1:27)
Veidt and Iacocca (1:28)
Laurie and Dan @ Gunga (1:31)
Rorschach puts on his costume (1:33) - note that although there is music, it is subtle enough that we could easily get away with putting music over it
Rorschach's flashbacks (1:39)
Hot fat (1:46)
Laurie and Dan in basement (1:48)
Big Figure (1:53)
Dan's dream (1:55) - there's music of course, but I think this would be epic at the end of the trailer with nothing added
Laurie and naked Dan in basement (1:56)
Big Figure again, this one ending with Lawrence's arms cut off (2:03)
Laurie and Dan post-sex (2:05)
Laurie and Dr M arrive on Mars (2:11)
Dan and Rorschach, talk and handshake (2:15)
Laurie and Dr M Mars-debate (couldn't resist) (2:20 and 2:28)
---spoiler scenes---
Laurie and Sally (2:55)

If people are still willing to participate it'd be good to get this wrapped up as soon as possible, so after we've got the dialogue we can pick "power-shots" (including, I hope, the Red-Band shizz) and get to work on putting it all together...

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I think we should focus on the cold war aspect. Snyder already made a pretty good trailer focusing in on the conspiracy, but the problem with that was that it gave people the impression it was an action flick. There hasn't been an official trailer that actually dealt with the themes in watchmen. You could say, they used Who watches the Watchmen, but I've always felt they inverted the phrase's meaning just like they did with the back of the Blu-ray/ DVD.

What gives Watchmen it's strength as a story is the stuff on the cold war. The audience has to get a sense that this a movie about impending doom. There is also the fact that the conspiracy makes no sense what-so-ever outside of Rorschach mind. How does someone killing people who used to dress in costumes to fight "hookers and purse-snatchers" equate to global annihilation? It doesn't. The story is driven by the fact that Rorschach is mental. Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons have even said as much. They knew it, they weren't worried about the plot, they just kept on delivering spectacular chapters, spectacular moments. Here's a popular quote by Mr. Gibbons himself, that I'm sure you've already read somewhere: "[a]s it progressed, Watchmen became much more about the telling than the tale itself. The main thrust of the story essentially hinges on what is called a macguffin, a gimmick ... So really the plot itself is of no great consequence ... it just really isn't the most interesting thing about Watchmen. As we actually came to tell the tale, that's where the real creativity came in."

Watchmen is amazing because of how well and uniquely it's told. How fluidly the creators moved through all those different themes is amazing. Everything makes sense in the end. The feeling it evokes when reading it, the deep characters, the allusions, the themes, and it's ending are what makes Watchmen...Watchmen. It's about the sheer brilliance of the telling, the way they execute the story. Most of you know as much anyway, that's why your fans.

That's why the trailer shouldn't be concerned with the plot, but rather the themes.

I half-agree with you here. Certainly we should pay proper attention to the Cold War aspect, but the audience needs an idea (however limited) of the plot before they even think of seeing it!
Anywho I've gone through half the scenes listed above and have picked some suitable lines for your consideration...

'Badge belonged to the Comedian. Blood too. He's dead.'
20:43
I was excited to find this one already isolated for us. I think it's much better for our purposes than 'A Comedian died in New York' and, well, picture the trailer opening as such: Dan opens door to see Rorschach. Rorschach tosses over badge. Says line. Cut to three very quick shots GN-style: Comedian thrown down on table, Blood hits badge, Thrown through window (though it wouldn't necessarily have to be these three). Doesn't that sound good?

'Nixon forcing you out. Nixon, that prick. And to think I voted for that prick 5 times!'
17:16
I'm not entirely sure about this one, because it'd need to be supported by a title clip (i.e. 'Outlawed') before it, but it'd help establish that they were indeed banned, as well as inject a little humour.

'The watchdog group of nuclear scientists moved the Doomsday Clock up til 5 minutes to midnight'
1:20
If not the dialogue, I think we should at least have the image
Later Kissinger says pretty much the exact same line, which we could use instead, with Nixon's reply (1:24:34)

'There's gonna be nuclear war. Soon.'
33:50
The complete line is actually 'Jon thinks, unless he can do something to stop it, that there's gonna be nuclear war. Soon.' You'll remember one of the trailers used a shortened version that didn't sound quite right. But this one I'm suggesting sounds perfectly natural on its own, and it establishes that nuclear war is a real possibility, despite the audience's basic historical knowledge.

'Once those nukes start flying we'll all be dust'
47:01

'Take us to DEFCON 2'
1:26:33

'We can do so much more. We can save this world.'
46:10
Ties the superheroes to the Cold War aspect, and shows that they're not your regular Fantastic Four type, as long as we make it clear that he means '...from nuclear war'.

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