Trailer Update, All In

Tonight we finished up all of our shots for our poker trailer in Studio A. Overall, I'm really excited to see the final product on the big screen. We have a lot of cool closeup shots and montage scene that are going to make for a thrilling trailer. Our actors were great and we were really fortunate to get in the locations we wanted to shot in. The fresh your mind on the story line, two brothers (Josh and Dan) attend Ithaca College on academic scholarship. Dan loses his money grant due to poor grades, and the two resort to an underground poker tournament run by college graduates. Josh, the better played of the two, decides that he is better off on his own, and takes a loan from a loan shark. It just so happens the two meet up at the final table, one needing to win to stay in school and the other to pay back the loan shark riding on his back. Which brother will end up on top in this thrilling poker adventure.

Below are some pictures I found online that are similar to a couple of shots we used in our trailer:

In post, we are planning to do a lot of motion effects, including slow motion scenes and a scene similar to this clip from the famous gambling movie 21.

We also decided to go with an announcer based trailer, instead of a dialogue driven trailer. With a lot of camera movements and zooms, we thought it would be better for the actors to talk over the the shots they are in, almost like speaking about what they are thinking in certain situations.

All In

After my "idea" was chosen to be made into a group for our final project, I realize I didn't put much thought into the actually story, except that I wanted it to be around poker. After a crazy weekend, and some well thought out plots, I have decided to give this one a go. Twin brothers Josh and Dan are attending the same University away from home and taking on the world as it goes by. Josh struggles to receive good grades and also finds himself to get in trouble with the school police, but him on academic probation. School rules state that win on academic probation, all scholarship money granted from the school will be taken away as punishment. Without his money, the brothers won't be able to attend school for it is too expensive. They turn to their best friend Adam for help, a friend who is good with connections and might be able to find them a job. But Adam has another idea up his sleeve. He introduces the boys into an underground poker club on campus that is run by some graduate students. The stakes are high enough to where the brothers could afford to stay at the school only if they win.

With little money to spare, Dan feels its a good idea to borrow money from a towny loan shark. The two then have decided to work as a team, using signs and symbols to communicate what they have and how they should play the hands. Trouble arises when Dan realizes that he is the one with the knowledge, and that he doesn't need his brother to win the money, causing them to fight against each other. At the end of the day, they both find themselves at the final table, Josh needing to win to stay at school and Dan needing to win to pay back the loan shark. Who has the guts to go all in?

If you or someone you know has a gambling addiction please call or refer them to gamblers anonymous.org.