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Julianne MacLean and Video Trailers

… and the winners of Julianne’s contest are… Catie and Kim! Both of you will receive a copy of Julianne’s fabulous In My Wildest Fantasies. Please email me your snail mail addresses so I can forward it to Julianne. Thanks again to Julianne MacLean for coming by and hanging out with us!

Leave a comment for a chance to win a copy of In My Wildest Fantasies


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Hi Dionne! Thanks for letting me guest blog with you. For those of you who don’t know me, I’m Julianne MacLean and I write historical romances for Avon. My latest book just came out (IN MY WILDEST FANTASIES), and I hooked up with Dionne because of the video trailer I just did for the book.

I confess I’ve been watching the whole video trailer phenomenon for quite some time now, ever since attending a Romantic Times convention a few years back where my husband and I saw Heather Graham’s live action trailer for her book Dead on the Dance Floor. It was the first time I had seen anything like that.

Since then, trailers have become popular selling tools for authors and everyone seems to be doing them. Sometimes they’re live action, or they might be done by a web designer who uses the cover art, music and text, and maybe stock photos or footage to add to the visuals. The text tells about the story, and if it looks intriguing, the viewer might be enticed to buy the book.

(If you’ve never seen one, you can check out a great selection on www.theromancetheater.com, which lists them for free if the author sends in his/her info.)

I always knew I would do a trailer at some point (because I love trying new things), but I also wanted to do something a little different and outside the box (because hey, I’m the first to admit I’m a teensy bit nutty). At the same time, a book video is supposed to sell the book, so I didn’t want to waste my time or my money on something that no one would look at. So I did what any self-respecting, reasonably intelligent romance novelist would do. I studied the success stories on YouTube, because heck, if I was going to go for exposure, I might as well just jump right into the deep end of the pool.

The dynamics of those success stories weren’t hard to figure out. The videos that were going viral (i.e. getting passed on through word-of-link (I think I just invented a new marketing term)) were entertaining, they made people laugh, and they weren’t too slick. It appeared to me that people wanted to feel that they were seeing something they were not going to see on regular broadcast television. (Case in point: The Potter Puppet Pals in the “The Mysterious Ticking.” It looks like a home video, it’s completely silly, and the last time I checked, it had 21 million views.)

So I started bouncing ideas off my husband, who, like me, has a somewhat goofy sense of humor. He is a doctor by day, but conveniently for me, a filmmaker in his spare time. He knew the right people in our neck of the woods to tackle a job like this (one of the producers who worked on my trailer had worked with Roman Polanski in Germany), and they were keen to work with him on a project that sounded like fun.

So now that our cinematic masterpiece is in the can, I can confidently assure you that fun was indeed had by all. We hired actors and chose music, we rented costumes and transformed my living room into a candlelit Victorian boudoir. Just before the cameras rolled, I told the director not to be afraid of the cliché (because aren’t all artists taught to steer away from the dreaded stereotypes?), and he gave me a big smile and said, “Don’t worry, I’m ALL OVER the cliché.”

(I will be the first to admit my casting decisions for the hero were all about the pecs. It was a tough job, but somebody had to do it.)

So we didn’t take ourselves too seriously, and the result, I hope, is entertaining. The two versions (the short and the director’s cut) have had more than two thousand views in the first two weeks and I’ve been getting great feedback about them.

So naturally, a sequel is already in the works. It looks like it’s going to be fun, too. I can’t imagine how it wouldn’t be, because when my husband showed me the script, I nearly spit out my tea!

and here’s the short version:

This entry was posted on Monday, November 5th, 2007 at 9:01 am and is filed under Guest Author. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.

38 Responses to “Julianne MacLean and Video Trailers”

  1. Meljean
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 9:19 am
    1

    LMAO! Best. Video. Ever.

  2. Andi & Stien
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 9:32 am
    2

    Omg! :D that was hilarious! Your trailer works really well. Great sense of humor :D
    And as a student filmmaker I would love to have connections to Roman Polanski too. Wow. Now I’m jealous… ;-)

  3. Ann Aguirre
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 9:34 am
    3

    Normally I hate book trailers but that one rocks the house. TOO. FUNNY. Great work.

  4. kardis
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 9:36 am
    4

    That was awesome! I may have freaked out my bf slightly with my cackling laughter.

  5. Wendy
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 10:11 am
    5

    I just got a new computer that lets me use youtube, so this is my first book trailer. What a way to start!

  6. Katie Ann
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 10:42 am
    6

    I love that it has a sense of humor about it, a good sign that would make me want to buy the book…sooo, a success then!

  7. AJ
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 10:52 am
    7

    Oh man that is too funny! I love the extended version where she slaps him away.

  8. Ilona
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 10:58 am
    8

    LOL - that was really good and I loved the hand slap at the end there (so me when I have a book in my hands :D ).

  9. Michele G
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 11:01 am
    9

    I so wanted to see the trailer but everytime I tried bringing it up lastweek it would time out on me and so I hope and am sure it was really good. I cannot wait to read the book.

  10. Crystal B.
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 11:06 am
    10

    Those are great. So funny. I love how she slaps his hand and he is playing solitaire while she reads.

  11. Helen
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 11:31 am
    11

    I loved the trailer I have watched it a few times now and really enjoyed it I can’t wait for the next one. I have ordered the book and am awaiting its arrival so as I can read it I am very much looking forward to it.
    Have Fun
    Helen

  12. Dev
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 11:44 am
    12

    I saw this trailer over the weekend and absolutely loved it. I’m really looking forward to reading this book.

  13. Jennifer Y.
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 12:46 pm
    13

    I saw this over the weekend as well and LOVED them both! They were so great!

  14. Julianne MacLean
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 1:47 pm
    14

    Hey guys! I’m glad you all enjoyed it. Like I said, it was a labor of love and so much fun. My hubby’s handy to have around :) .

  15. Anne M
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 1:55 pm
    15

    That was funny. And how lucky are you to have such a talented husband? Can’t wait for the next one.

  16. Linda A.
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 2:19 pm
    16

    Loved the trailier! Too funny!

  17. julia
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 2:30 pm
    17

    ‘When my husband showed me the script, I nearly spit out my tea!’
    LOL! That was a good sign!

  18. mary e.
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 2:50 pm
    18

    My favorite trailer was the director’s version! Hot! Hot! Hot

  19. Dianne Arsenault
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 3:05 pm
    19

    Awesome. Just loved it. Thanks.

  20. Christine d'Abo
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
    20

    Awesome trailers, Julianne! I love the extended one. I’m anxiously awaiting to see what your husband is going to come up with. :)

  21. Barbara Elness
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
    21

    I loved your trailers Julianne. Everyone did a great job. I think not taking yourself too seriously was really the way to go, it really made an impression and I won’t forgot the trailer or the book as I might do with some of the more serious ones.

  22. Candy
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 5:00 pm
    22

    Great trailer!

  23. Angela
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 5:33 pm
    23

    Haha! I loved it.

  24. Anika
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 5:53 pm
    24

    Me likey! Looking forward to the next one.

  25. catie
    Posted: Nov 5th, 2007 at 10:35 pm
    25

    Hee! That was *THE* best book trailer I’ve seen to date–especially the closing “dirty,” “talk to the hand” music.

  26. Bettie
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 1:17 am
    26

    Loved it!

  27. Stella MacLean
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 2:45 am
    27

    Julianne, your trailer is fantastic! What a great way to introduce your latest book. Loved the humor, and the gorgeous setting.

  28. SuzyQ
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 7:56 am
    28

    Julianne, great job on the trailer. I liked the extended version and I can’t wait to see the sequel.

  29. Annette
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 7:59 am
    29

    Love both versions, but definitely prefer the director’s cut. The ending is priceless!

    And if you haven’t read the book yet, you’re missing out. Definitely one for my keeper shelf! :-)

  30. Christy H.
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 9:58 am
    30

    Great trailer.

  31. Stefanie D
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 11:11 am
    31

    Great trailer! I realy loved it. :D

  32. lisabea
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 1:11 pm
    32

    Is this a case of life immitating art or vise versa? LMAO.

  33. Sue A.
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
    33

    Loved the trailer! Books are much better than movies. Some things don’t translate well. LOL

  34. Lila
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 4:39 pm
    34

    Great trailer :)

  35. Nathalie
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
    35

    thanks for blogging with us… I love all your books :)

  36. Lily
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 4:43 pm
    36

    I can’t watch it… slow computer!

  37. Kim
    Posted: Nov 6th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
    37

    hahaha! Love that bouncing bed scene. Coming in a wee tad late. Wish I would have stopped by yesterday. I could have really used the laugh. Well done! That is a wild dream.

  38. dorotha holloway
    Posted: Nov 9th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
    38

    Great!!! a sneak up on you laugh that will have you laughing about it again, and again when you think about it.

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