Gold Coast export Lyle Goodale has gone from bedroom film-hobby enthusiast to one of New York's top trailer editors practically overnight.
The 30-year-old is now senior editor at international company, Zealot, who offered him a job after he showed them some of his fan-made movie trailers six years ago.
"They rang me up and said 'who are you?' and asked me to cut a trailer on spec for them," says Goodale of the team who initially didn't believe the work was his due to its high quality.
"I hadn't really cut a professional trailer ever, but within 12 months I was brought to New York and was working on major campaigns and being seen by millions of people," he says.
Goodale, who was inspired by television shows like The X Files and The Sopranos, has had no formal training, yet admits there is no particular science to the art of trailer editing.
"I'm part of the new generation of trailer editors who is self taught, using the internet medium to build a folio of work and take it to trailer companies," he says.
"There's no one way to become a trailer editor. Nowhere teaches how to make trailers specifically to my knowledge. It's too niche to accommodate that."
Goodale admits that while he loves the work, it is not without its challenges and difficulties.
"I'm a born trailer editor ... I'm so satisfied with the work but everyday is a challenge. There is no right or wrong answer, so no one comes into the editing suite knowing what to expect," he says.
"It can sometimes be a lonely profession as an editor because you're staring at a screen all day long ... However, when we're truly working together, that's very satisfying."
Goodale also adds that the profile of the trailer editing industry is rapidly evolving.
"There is a growing respect for trailers as an art form," he says.
"In some ways trailers are the most creative films coming out of Hollywood. In some ways they should be better than the films they are advertising. We don't wanna make cookie cutter trailers, we want to make trailers that people talk about."
As such, there is a growing need for fresh talent, says Goodale.
"There are only a few hundred trailer editors here in the US," he says.
"There's such a need in our industry for talent, we're desperate for good people always. Very few people do this stuff but then everyone loves trailers. It's the only form of advertising that people seek out for entertainment."
Goodale says that much of the time, even aspiring editors overlook the career possibilities in trailer editing, in spite of many extensive fan-made folios.
"Most people are unaware of the position. I didn't know these jobs existed as a kid on the Gold Coast," he says.
"Some fans are ahead of the game before we are. Sometimes there are so many great fan trailer cutters out there, they can sometimes be a better indication of raw talent.
"When we're hiring, I'm always keen to see what their fan work is. That's really the way to do it now. If someone wants to work in trailers, by all means, start cutting trailers because you learn through doing and keeping your eyes and ears open and paying attention."
