# Game trailers: Any 'Public Domain' stuff that can be used on a demo reel?



## RiffWraith (Dec 6, 2007)

Any site out there host trailers for games that we are free to use to put together a demo reel? You would hate to be vying for a job at a gaming co., send them a demo reel, only to find out that you pissed them off because one of the trailers you scored belongs to them!

LOL

Of course, nobody here is looking to use someone else's work and claim it's their own; I am talking about trailers where one can replace the audio and/or music with their own work.

Any suggestions are apreciated!

Danka.


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## choc0thrax (Dec 6, 2007)

I don't know about free to use but I visit www.Gametrailers.com everyday and they got tons of videos and most have a regular and HD version. But yeah I don't know what makes a trailer free to use...


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## Frederick Russ (Dec 6, 2007)

How about just sending them the best audio you can? Just my opinion but doing a "pretend" trailer may appear a bit amateurish to the deciding executive and could actually hurt your chances rather than help them. Its far stronger to give them something you've actually done professionally. Honesty is the best policy - if you've never done a game, be clear on that, but also let them know through your audio demo that your sonics and writing are up to par with the best of them and that you're ready to work. 

To gain the experience you're needing for the bigger jobs, you may need to successfully land smaller gigs and show a history of doing this kind of work first - just my 2¢.


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## nikolas (Dec 6, 2007)

I agree with Fred:

If you take a trailer from some game this simply means that you don't have experience (e.g. not done work on games). Sure everyone would like to work on the next WOW game, but... not everybody can, and not everyone will.

People are looking for experience as well as skills, at least this is what I think and have met thus far. 

The CGEmpire.com competition this month had an animation short to score (around 3 minutes). Not trailer quality, since it was cute and calm and everything, but great animation. In fact if you want to look a few scenes (to realise what size and what person we're talking about, who did it) go here: www.adobe.com !!!!!!!!! The video which was (competition just closed) on the cgempire competition is the animation which is promoting the new flash!  It's on top of the banner, on the bottom left side of the banner. The blueish one. The creator is Ilias sounas.

The video, without sound is still on, and you can, certainly take it and use it. 24 entries, means other people will have it as well, but it also means that it's not illegal, it shows that you did it for showcasing your work and you abilities and so on. (of course you need to mention cgempire and Ilias Sounas, otherwise it's not fair. Those were the competitions rules, as well).

But I would urge you not to take something which is not "exactly yours" (and you know what I mean) and use it. 

If I was a potential client, looking at this amazing trailer, would make me think (in order of appearance in my head):
A. WOW what a trailer
B. WOW what a music.
C. What is this game
D. Oh... He didn't work on this game... :(

That is my 2c really...


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## RiffWraith (Dec 7, 2007)

Thanks for the inpt gents...maybe I will ask over at Gametrailers.com if anyone has their own stuff they created I can score...

Cheers.


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## Stevie (Dec 8, 2007)

i agree with Frederick,

often, when i visit myspace profiles i notice that people use trailers or extracts from
famous movies. this looks completely ridiculous to me. maybe those people think they can fool visitors with the videos, i dont know really. but i dont think its a good idea to use trailers you werent hired for. i would rather send an audio-only demo then.

best,

stevie


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## Justus (Dec 8, 2007)

I often score to trailers (which I don't listen to before).
But if the pictures inspire you to write some great music, this music can stand on it's own. You even can categorize your score as "trailer music" on your demoreel but you aren't forced to use the video too.

Best,
Justus


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## Stevie (Dec 9, 2007)

> Ok, I hear you there, and to add to that: anyone trying to get into scoring for whatever who points a potential employer to their myspace page is even more rediculous.



yep, but i seen that already...



> It's not about fooling anyone. It's about showing that you can not only write great music, but you can write great music to something. Alot of people can write music, but only a handful can successfully match music to images. If you are an exec somewhere, and receive two demos - one is a CD of music that you think is extemely good and would rate it 9/10, and the second demo is a DVD of a couple of trailers where the music is equally as good as the music-only demo and also rates a 9/10 - who are you going to call first? Even I can answer that.



i know its not about fooling, but as nikolas pointed out... it looks like you never did 
a "real job" in this field. also, just making music for a trailer is one side. but the other side is the director/producer who will explain you how he wants the music.
its a teamwork thingy. i would really try to get in contact with directors (ambitious students, short movie directors, etc...) to compose the music for their films.
that way you have a great result.



> Of course I respect everyone's opinion and appreciate the responses here. If you think about it, there really is no wrong or right, but IMHO sending a DVD gives you a better shot of someone saying, "yeah - I want this guy" than a CD.



yeah true, its also a lot of luck!


best,

stevie


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## Waywyn (Dec 9, 2007)

Hey,

sorry I didn't read through exactly every reply, so forgive me if I cover something twice ... but my opinion would be, that if you use the trailer for your private purpose to practise etc. nobody would say a thing.

... but to take trailers from actual games and create your own music and then send it to companies may not only just look amateurish, but could also irritate companies.

Imagine a studio head sitting at his computer and watching reels. Suddenly he sees a trailer of a famous game but with completely other music.

There would be several situations which could take place:

- the guy loves the music, since he knows the original music of that trailer and thinks you hit the nail on the head better than the guy before. This would be a big point for you.


BUT:

it could also happen that he listenes to the trailer and confusing the audio companies or composers completely.

He might end up, feeling cheated by another company or confuse the reel guy with the original composer. He might also think that you fool him, because he knows that trailer xxx was done by composer xxx but couldn't remind the original music anymore. So the developer you applied for, might think you are just using the other composers stuff in order to get some work.

Of course you could write that down somewhere, that you used another trailer etc., but you know how fast people forget things or didn't even read notes.


I would suggest to visit forums such as CG Talk or others and ask to do work on a 3D project or animation film for free. I am sure you can get a nice little demo reel within a few weeks.


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## Scott Cairns (Dec 10, 2007)

If the aim of sending your music coupled to an existing game trailer is to get work, I think there are better approaches to take.

- build up your resume in computer games by starting small, work on shareware titles, downloadable games etc. Having a track record in the game industry is likely to open more doors for you than a trailer you've borrowed and scored to.

- write music that will work _ingame,_ the trailer is a promotional tool for the game only and is a very small consideration in the overall development of the product. Send in music that the developers can implement and test in the gaming environment.

- write some adaptive music and then write a specification explaining how your music changes state according to gameplay. This is quite possibly the future of game audio for the most part. If you can demonstrate some really good music evolving with the game play, you'll likely pick up work very fast. Ive seen firsthand, a composer land a job like this in the last six months.


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