Back to Articles

July 11, 2023

Spotlighting Our Contest Participants: Janelle Jones

Blog, Competitions

Jade Chow

Jade Chow

July 11, 2023
Spotlighting Our Contest Participants:

Janelle Jones

We recently wrapped up The Great Movie Trailer Challenge. Five participants won an interview with The Refinery for their paid training program. Two runner-up winners were selected and could choose to win either a 3-month AMC Stubs A-List subscription or a $75 B&H certificate. Participants could choose to cut a trailer for one of three films: Ford vs. Ferrari, Bohemian Rhapsody, and Super Troopers 2. 

For the trailer challenge, Janelle Jones submitted a trailer for Ford v Ferrari .

Here’s what The Refinery team thought about her cut:

Overall there is a lot to like about this trailer. A lot of the story elements are very good and you managed to solve a lot of the storytelling puzzle in a unique way. The structure is also very good. Where the trailer falls flat is in the music editing. Music is vital to the energy of a trailer and here it is very rough. The coverage and montaging is also a bit weak.

The Refinery

In summary, these are the areas suggested to Janelle to focus on and improve her trailer-cutting skills:

  • It is very smart to start on a moment with Matt Damon. He and Christian Bale are the stars, you have to start with them over the Ford crew. Heads up.

  • The intro starts with one scene (Damon at the racetrack) then abruptly cuts to the Ford headquarters. There needs to be something to break those scenes up. Logos, copy, a big sound-design-driven race moment. Some kind of clever transition.

  • There is no music cue throughout the top. You need something to drive the piece and keep the energy up as the exposition is flying.

  • The story is centered on Shelby’s character arc, which is a good throughline, but a lot of the moments and lines throughout don’t quite feed back into the story you’ve set up. Everything should be focused on the story you decide to tell.

  • The structure and pacing is good. Great job using pedigree and a True Story card. The overall structure of the piece is great. The Main Title is in the right spot. Nice.

  • I like the cue you’re using for the middle and backend. Be careful where it cuts out and then comes back. It feels unintentional.

  • The story in the middle gets muddy. Focus everything on the story you’ve decided to tell, in this case, the redemption of Carol Shelby via Ken Miles. That means you’re going to lose stuff like the argument with Ken’s wife. Is it the strongest story to tell, maybe not, but it’s solid and gets you to a lot of really interesting conflicts. What about a falling out between Shelby and Miles… uh oh, Shelby needs him for his redemption arc!

  • The build in the backend could be stronger. The shots just don’t flow particularly well. Pay attention to where each shot guides your vision as you watch.

  • Love the idea behind the button. Try cutting it shorter. What’s the story behind the wrench? | THROW WRENCH | It’s a long story.

    Back to Articles

    View more articles by

    Related ARTICLES

    Why SonduckFilm quit editing eSports (w/ Joshua Noel)

    Why SonduckFilm quit editing eSports (w/ Joshua Noel)

    Joshua Noel is a filmmaker, motion graphic designer, and popular YouTuber known as SonduckFilm. At over 730k subscribers and 76 million views, Joshua posts straight-to-the-point weekly video tutorials that cover various editing and motion graphic techniques for Adobe After Effects, Premiere Pro, and Illustrator. Joshua shares with us how he went from posting eSports videos to selling thousands of exclusive motion graphic templates to creators around the world.

    read more
    How an editor in his 20s made a hit show for Discovery (w/ Casey Faris)

    How an editor in his 20s made a hit show for Discovery (w/ Casey Faris)

    Casey Faris is an editor, educator, and popular YouTuber with almost 300k subscribers and over 26 million views. With a particular focus on DaVinci Resolve, Casey teaches his subscribers everything they need to know about post-production while also working as a training host at Ground Control and co-owning his own production company, Release the Hounds Studios. We discuss how Casey went from making short action films to professionally teaching editing online.

    read more
    Should you go freelance? (w/ Skyler Thomas)

    Should you go freelance? (w/ Skyler Thomas)

    Skyler Thomas, a passionate editor and YouTuber with over 186 thousand subscribers, started off with a degree in marketing before realizing that his interests lie in the creative industry. From recording camcorder footage of him skateboarding as a kid to editing his own sponsor videos as a competitive snowboarder, Skyler found his passion in filmmaking and editing and realized that this was what he wanted to do for the rest of his life.

    read more
    Editing is changing — are you keeping up? (w/ Steve Ramsden)

    Editing is changing — are you keeping up? (w/ Steve Ramsden)

    Steve Ramsden is a YouTuber and filmmaker with over 250k subscribers and 11M views under his belt. Steve is also the owner and founder of Unexplored Films, a UK-based video production company that’s created content for names like Xbox, Warner Bros., and Jamie Oliver. We discuss Steve’s journey as a business owner and content creator as we unveil his recipe for an equilibrium between client and passion projects, along with how to rocket-launch yourself as a freelance editor or videographer.

    read more
    Why do CG artists get hate? (w/ Chris Kelly)

    Why do CG artists get hate? (w/ Chris Kelly)

    As the VFX industry continues to gain popularity, Chris breaks down creating a portfolio and recommends how artists can stand out in their editing careers. Chris offers his insight on the opportunities available for artists in the future on the big screen and beyond in content creation as we explore how VFX artists’ roles will evolve as technology improves.

    read more
    The lightsaber that launched a YouTuber (w/ Brandon Fate)

    The lightsaber that launched a YouTuber (w/ Brandon Fate)

    Brandon Fate is a VFX artist and popular YouTuber with almost 200k subscribers and over 12.7 million views who teaches tutorials for Adobe After Effects and Premiere Pro. With his latest video reaching over 184k people, Brandon shares how he went from a young Padawan to a skilled Jedi, turning his passion for editing into a full-time career.

    read more
    How Mark Helfrich Cut Dwayne Johnson Movies

    How Mark Helfrich Cut Dwayne Johnson Movies

    Mark Helfrich, who’s currently editing an upcoming Dwayne Johnson film, is a Hollywood film director and editor with over 50 editorial credits on some of our favorite films, including Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (2017), X-Men: The Last Stand (2006), Showgirls (1995), and Predator (1987).

    read more
    How Premiere Gal Turned a $100k Mistake Into a Dream Career

    How Premiere Gal Turned a $100k Mistake Into a Dream Career

    Kelsey Brannan is the creator and host of the Premiere Gal channel with almost 400 thousand subscribers and over 25 million viewers watching as she teaches mainly Adobe Premiere Pro tutorials on YouTube. Her career began with a $100,000 mistake that set her on a path to success as a self-made professional editor and content producer today.

    read more
    How Justin Odisho Edited His Way to 1 Million Subscribers

    How Justin Odisho Edited His Way to 1 Million Subscribers

    While some types of content have a shelf life, Justin believes that content creation has the potential to compound on itself and acquire value over time as it reaches more people. We discuss the various strategies Justin uses to keep his YouTube channel alive and relevant, such as the power of experimenting and striking a balance between appealing to his audience and allowing space for his personal interests.

    read more
    How to Get Your Lucky Break (Learn How to Edit Stuff)

    How to Get Your Lucky Break (Learn How to Edit Stuff)

    As the popularity of esports increases daily, Ian offers advice on how to get noticed by name brands and find opportunities, noting that you’re going to hear a thousand “no’s” before you hear that one “yes,” but that’s all you need. When it comes to YouTube, Ian shares insight from his own growth as a content creator on how to monetize your videos and gain views.

    read more
    Why Sven Pape Stopped Editing for James Cameron (w/ ThisGuyEdits)

    Why Sven Pape Stopped Editing for James Cameron (w/ ThisGuyEdits)

    Inspired by the success of his daughter’s channel, Sven talks about starting his career on YouTube and how he balanced his professional work editing while experimenting and growing his channel. From sharing advice on how to make a career in editing to overcoming his most challenging experiences and moments of burnout, Sven covers a variety of topics that will help guide aspiring editors and filmmakers as they pursue their passions, just as he did.

    read more
    Succeed as a Freelance Video Editor

    Succeed as a Freelance Video Editor

    Whether you’re a full-time editor looking to make the leap to becoming a freelancer or you’re just getting started, anyone whose interest has been piqued by video editing knows what a revitalizing job it can be. Read on to discover how you can find success as a freelance video editor, from understanding what will change and what will stay the same once you transition, to actionable advice on jumpstarting your career.

    read more