Slamming soundtrack meets epic scenes in new Marvel compilation
From "The Avengers" to "Guardians of the Galaxy," a new video delivers four minutes of awesomeness from Marvel's cinematic universe.
Michael Franco
Freelancer Michael Franco writes about the serious and silly sides of science and technology for CNET and other pixel and paper pubs. He's kept his fingers on the keyboard while owning a B&B in Amish country, managing an eco-resort in the Caribbean, sweating in Singapore, and rehydrating (with beer, of course) in Prague. E-mail Michael.
2 min read
As directors have known for ages, there are few things that can get an audience's blood pumping like the perfect soundtrack behind high-octane action scenes. Someone else who clearly grasps this concept is video editor Robert Jones.
Jones has just released a mashup (see below) that features the most dynamic scenes from 29 different movies featuring Marvel characters (yup, "Howard the Duck" is even represented) and lays them over Linkin Park's slamming song, "A Light That Never Comes." The result is just over four minutes of awesomeness, from Captain America taking out an elevator full of villains to Rocket Raccoon blasting some baddies.
The timing of the various scenes to the music is impeccable and I asked Jones how he went about tackling such a monumental project. "I'll scrub through each film which takes on average 30 minutes per film -- in this case, about 15 hours," he told me. "I estimate the editing process took 50-60 hours in total. I didn't keep exact time on this one, but a good estimate going by the number of empty two-liter mountain dew bottles in the trash by my desk."
Jones said he uses Adobe Premiere Pro to edit the scenes, which he first organizes according to categories like fight scenes, big hits and emotional moments. He also said that he tends to be inspired by the music first and then finds the scenes to fit the soundtracks he selects.
"I think i'm most driven by music and my ideas almost always start with a song," he told me. "The emotional reactions I have to songs inspire me to add that extra dimension of film to them to create an even more powerful experience. I try and create narrative with most of the montage videos, highlighting the various genre elements and the inevitable cliches that come as a result."
As for what's next, the 36-year-old Jones says that thanks to the success he's seen with his YouTube channel, he's been commissioned by a major record label (whose name he wants to remain anonymous) to do a series of videos. He's also got a job creating a part two to his fight scene tribute for a martial arts convention in Las Vegas, where he currently lives.
From "Thor" and "The Avengers" to "Ant-Man" and "Guardians of the Galaxy," Marvel films have taken over the multiplexes of America and the world in recent years. Maker Studios, a YouTube network that Disney bought last year for up to $950 million including performance targets, is working with its owner's Marvel division to focus on original digital content and programming based on current releases.