I’m so excited and surprised about this I’m almost not sure what to say – I never expected to make a video that might be considered in the same class as, you know, real videos. I originally started making book trailer videos because I loved that Rachel was doing it, and it seemed fun: since then I’ve been experimenting with different styles of turning a how-to book into a film concept to create a trailer. A very different way of thinking, especially with non-fiction. I even went down to LA and spent a few hours getting an informal class in video editing from Eon McKai, and have been delighted to thank him for his contributions on the results. (He is, after all, one of my best and closest friends.)
I decided to try and do my very best in making the trailer for my newest book Total Flirt – which is still limited by constraints of zero budget, no production support from anyone, my amateur editing skills and lack of access to proper equipment such as use of point-and-shoot cameras, no microphones, editing it on my laptop, etc.
It’s a big, exciting thing to have the Total Flirt trailer invited and accepted into the International Movie Trailer Festival. I’m thrilled they even have a book trailer category – that’s a great sign for us authors, with the intent to bridge the digital divide in entertainment. And being a sex writer crossing over the gap into work-safe presentation of sex-positive work for a fest is thrilling.
* All that said: please vote for my trailer (search for me or Total Flirt).
* You can also view it on Open Film, where I was stoked to see it passed their review process for inclusion. Yay!
On a different note, Amazon has refused to let me put this trailer on the book’s sale page. Or any of my book trailers, though they extend this ability and access to corporate-published authors. Still, I submitted a request to have the same privilege and was declined. Indies still can’t sit at the grownup table after all.
Daniel, thank you!
Sophia, I actually do think you might get relevant info from the book. The original manuscript was for all genders and orientations. The baseline throughout all of the situations, tips and techniques could have any pronoun attached – my publisher wanted specific ones, so I did that. On top I added heternormative tips, which are largely defensive driving tips in an arena where females are targets and males are target-specific (target vs. non-target status). And I explain the male “pick up artist” techniques as they get used on women – I explain how to flip these if women want to use them (or spot the exploitative gaming).
Check out the first chapter (free) and see what you think:
http://thetotalflirt.com/2011/02/kindle-edition-of-total-flirt-released-free-first-10-pages/
Congratulations!
The trailer is great – your creativity overcomes any budget issues! And importantly, we’re in a sensible era in which quality content blended with solid but not necessarily perfect camera/editing is more important than the perfectly executed technical skills that lack meaningful content. Didn’t always used to be that way when technology was so expensive (e.g. 35 mm film) that it served as a gatekeeper to potentially great artists…like you!
Well done, indeed! Impressive work with the trailer.
I’d head right out and buy the book… if I were looking for guys. I have to wonder how heavily these skill sets apply to stereotyped gender roles; as a transwoman interested in other women, would I still stand to gain much from your book?
Maybe I can find a friend to give this as a gift and “borrow” it before I give — erm, when she’s done with it!