SENIOR PROJECT
AN INTERACTIVE SHORT FILM
CREATED BY LEV ETTINGER
The poster is complete check it out and the process of making it below!
Photoshoot and printing the poster!
Too many nights to count. For the sake of art and all that is cool in the world, I click on...
Every time I re-watch a video I make a change. I had to take the time to refilm the video game footage and match the shutter-speed of the camera with the rolling signal of the CRT TV, and then add the correct music and timing back into the first two branches.
I made the wonderful gifs you see for each climb title on this Behance page.
I also had issues with the Macintosh POV overlay, but using the overlay layer style and boosting the shadows like crazy for the PASSWORD scene seemed to fix it.
I then had to edit the credits because they were horribly off-center and I somehow misspelled my own name twice. This was a major pain because that meant re-rendering all five endings and deleting them from the website, then uploading them again and assigning them all to their correct pages all over again.
I picked up an extra pair of headphones that I will attach to an AUX splitter to ensure that two people can experience 1986 at the same time during Convergence 2022.
Additionally, the owner of the car used in the film is coming to convergence, in the car!
Finally, I have scheduled a photoshoot with Jaime for this weekend so I can create the poster and print it before convergence.
Another day, another 13+ hours of editing.
I'm in shock but I believe I have all rough cuts done for: every. single. scene.
I can't believe it's nearing the end but it is actually happening.
I was able to finally film extra b-roll I needed for the "PASSWORD" scene. This allowed me to edit the scene over the course of two days.
Below is the rough cut, the overlay for the shots behind the screen is temporarily broken. I will also fix the breaking of the 30 degree rule when Jeff pulls Cindy up from the ground.
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RE-editing the N.A.R. scene took way longer than expected due to having to dub over all of my botched audio from the simple mistake of turning the gain down accidentally. Below you can see Sydney and Jaime kindly re-recording in the school of theatre and dance.
I also made changes to my marketing page such as a fixed thumbnail and a list of software/hardware used at the bottom. I'd love to film myself introducing the film for it.
Over 30 hours of editing.
This week included filming a bit of b-roll for the scenes involving the Macintosh. I did not want to cause filming with my actors to run longer than the shortest time possible as they are busy individuals.
I also edited the "true ending" of the project. I ended up splitting it into two endings, one where the final disk is inserted into the computer (it is yellow to signify its importance, all other disks in the film are red and involve "bad endings", and one crazy 80s action movie ending.
I tried to make sure that all little details were accounted for. The coughing had to be filmed twice, once with the sunglasses being taken off, one without them on at all. It is difficult to manage so many inconsistencies a few will end up slipping through the cracks. We thought of this ending on the fly and I had to put my VFX skills back to work to create a unique muzzle flash and smoke. Check out that little shot below! SPOILERS!
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Below is another bit of special effect I worked on all night on Thursday! Sadly I made the rookie mistake of not saving this and basically had to start from scratch. I saved every minute during my next attempt. Major spoilers though!
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I had to scratch using the original hardware to record the computer's lines in order to save time! However, I was able to get exactly what I needed by emulating the computer and using Fred, the original voice of the Macintosh's voice!
I pulled an all-nighter on Wednesday this week and completed editing the NAR PASSWORD0 scene. I was able to adjust the colors in Adobe premiere to turn green to brown and make it appear as if the story takes place during fall as I envisioned it.
7.5 Hours of Filming
This week was the last major week of production! The work began with renting out equipment once again (a process I have become lightning quick at over time). On Friday we ended up recording one of my favorite endings, the fourth wall break. I sadly forgot my SD card at home and didn't have time to go back and get it, so I had to rent out a camera kit for the SD card but it would not take 4k footage, so I had to sadly record in 1080 for the one long shot in the ending. After dozens of takes, we had a few great options to choose from. I edited it that night I was so excited!
My extras could not make it to this shoot, but thankfully my friend Maddy pulled through to play a PA who brings coffee to Sydney.
Above is a match-cut I'm proud of!
The next day we woke up at 7am to get ready to film the car scene. I gave my actors a snack before getting to the house early to film some walking shots. The car was a little late but it gave us time to get those shots and set up. It was so wonderful having Norbert's car for the film, he really came through! He was kind enough to wash the car, clean it, and switch out the hubcaps for the originals. I compensated him for gas and we finished right on time!
Despite having such a long filming session in the morning, we had to round up to film two scenes and some extra shots we were missing. To operate the lights during one of the bad endings, I had my roommate joe flicker the lights in the bedroom for I think is none of the more impressive shots of the whole film.
Trials and tribulations did include an accidentally left-on chain for the last shots and some inconsistency in nail polish but there really isn't enough time to reshoot. I'll work with it. We workshopped one of the last choices to add a funny, 80s action movie reference ending, so stay tuned for that and all of the extra VFX work that will require! We also took some sick Polaroids to put on the table at convergence.
This week was another consistent of week of work, with the final stages of production to come.
I was able to edit the "It's Dangerous to Go Alone" branch of footage. It includes bedroom scenes and scenes on location at the Golf Course.
I spent hours looking at tutorials and created the footage needed for the true ending "Goodbye Macintosh" in After effects using several Maxon One plugins. This required a long night of editing to accomplish and involves, keying, particles, and a skull in cinema 4D that was animated on top of all of the other effects.
It contains major spoilers to the ending but you can watch it below if you do not care. Gore warning.
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I also took the liberty of Purchasing the 1986film.com domain for a year to give people easy access to the site!
During this week: 40 hours of editing. 10 hours of filming.
It was finally time. Time to film the bulk to the project. I managed to secure a time on Friday to film in an undisclosed location for the backroom scene. I had to pick up Jaime from rehearsal and we arrived a bit late so the pressure was on. I had a friend hold the mic the whole time we filmed.
Little did I know that the gain on the zoom mic was set to zero because I was looking at the dial the wrong way and was stressed about getting it filmed in time. Some dubbing is in order but that was my biggest setback of the night.
Everything else went well. The location was amazing although we ended up running from 9:45 to 11:45 which was quite late. I was so happy with how it went and my actors got a chance to get comfortable in their roles.
Saturday was the big day. 10AM to 7PM. I woke up with little sleep as I went to the gym with my younger brother and had to pick up the drone from my older brother at 2AM. Then I had to set up set for filming on Saturday morning after filming on Friday. I ran slightly late to pick up the actors and filming actually began at 11. Another setback occurred because my roommate needed a ride to the airport, so I ordered my cast food while I took him to get it. They needed a break anyways. Unfortunately I had already spent enough money and did not want to invest in another battery so at 4pm we took an hour to let the camera charge and for me to transfer files. By then we had completed scene two and the beginnings of two other scenes. We then left at 5 to the abandoned golf course.
The golf course was perfect. We ran across the street and setup, however I had to get used to the drone and it took me 20 minutes to figure out how to turn on and pair it. We were losing daylight! I managed to get my aerial shots before we filmed the "Take this branch" and the beginning of the 4th wall breaking ending. Jaime had to be on a but at 9 so I rushed him back to his place and he managed to go home for spring break! Somehow it all worked out!
I ended up ending throughout the week of spring break. I completed editing the:
The intro segment in the bedroom
N.A.R. ending
Both of the options for the first inconsequential choice (Find Neil and Hello Jeff Kainzow)
Both of the first two option loading screens
I also edited a mock credits sequence in After Effects.
The shot above is from the N.A.R. ending. The green color grading may or not be foreshadowing what is to come in this scene!
I also managed to build the website above in Wix to host everything as the 15mb limit in XD was too debilitating. It is fully functional!
This climb was full of miracles. I was able to solidify getting a new actress: Sydney Kollas! After having her provide a monologue, securing a costume from Dina including the exact size shoes I needed, find a car, and schedule filming days for this coming Friday and Saturday.
Things are looking up!
In order to get the car, I took a chance. I saw a perfect car in the parking lot adjacent to my gym. An Oldsmobile station wagon. I decided to rip a piece of paper a scramble down a note explaining who I was asking if I could use the car for the film. It was raining so I thought the note was going to be ruined. I got a call while in the gym and the owner is super enthusiastic about using the car for the film! Below is a photo from the exact moment I saw it.
The last of my set pieces came in this week, the shoes and the authentic Nagel Serigraph and now the set is complete and ready to be filmed in! I had to print and cut the smaller posters. This set is 97% authentic 80s items!
I also completed making my props for other scenes, such as the contents of the folder that Jeff and Cindy find in the computer store backroom.
This climb was full of setbacks. I had the car booked but my actors had to reschedule and I forgot and took 24 hours to update the owner, who promptly canceled on me. I am frantically looking for another car.
I was however able to finish a pretty much final cut of the intro and title sequence. You may view it below.
Another setback was that unfortunately my lead actress may not be able to commit to the remaining schedule and I have to look for another. She can still help with wardrobe, and thankfully I have to very interested actresses in taking on the role of Cindy.
Next week I have to kick production into high gear to remain on track!
Ascent 2 - Climb Seven
This week was a bit weird. I had a time booked for the backroom scene but I quickly learned how hard it is to schedule actors. The scene got moved to next week so I took the opportunity to create the title sequence in After Effects as seen below.
I also created a rough cut of the entire intro up until the bedroom scene!
Although that film session got canceled, I was lucky enough to find the exact car I mainlined for the film on Facebook marketplace: a 1986 Nissan 300zx. I reached out to the owner and he agreed to let me film this weekend!
I also managed to steal Jaime for an hour today to get 10 seconds of footage for the intro scene. I finally have all the footage I need for it!
It was the first day of filming and it was a blast. Thomas did a phenomenal job as expected and Griffin killed it with the light operation! It ended up taking the full two hour block perfectly!
Thanks again Griffin!
Clapper for syncing audio! Felt so professional, not gonna lie.
A new prop arrived in the mail! Stay tuned for that scene where I need a custom license plate for a car!
I was lucky enough to meet Jaime, an actor at UF to cast as Jeff this week!
I have also ordered a copy of OS 3 for the Macintosh so I can use the serial port on the back to emulate programs rather than run the OS itself.
During this climb I was able to get a few technical accomplishments completed and made script progress. The script is finished! It is now being peer reviewed by a couple peers who are adept in writing! I purchased a DJI Ronin SC which will be a game-changer for handheld/panning shots. You can see it in action in the video above. I also successfully connected my laptop to the TV now that all the components have arrived. See below (filmed on new camera).
It was challenging trying to prepare a shot list while the script was still being finished/reviewed so I am not where I would like to be with that this week with that, but I am prioritizing the newsroom scenes because that is what I am planning on filming this week. Minor update: I purchased a pair of 80s wireframe glasses.
During this climb I was able to continue work on my script. Costumes are being finalized. I was even able to create this moodboard for inspiration.
I purchased camera for my personal business and using this to film as all other equipment is available to rent through DW. It is a Sony A7III capable of recording in 4K.
I also was able to organize my Monday.com by weeks to get a clearer picture of what is happening.
I ordered all the equipment needed to hook up my footage to the 1980s TV I acquired as well.
The first draft of the script was completed.
I will be using an old program called Macintalk to make the computer speak to the characters. It will be running on my Floppy EMU (disk emulator) on the SE/30 stand in.
I created a Wishlist for equipment.
Music was collected from the following artists:
Jake Chudnow - Intro
Limo Recording Studio
Chris Zabriskie
Jesse Gallagher
Chris Zabriskie
Aries Beats
Uniq
Moodboard for costume design
During this climb, I was able to get most of the casting done. Thomas Sanders has officially been cast as Reporter Archie Allen. Dina Coletti will be playing Cindy. I am still working on ensuring the person I am talking to for Jeff can commit to the role, so I will talk to others next week just in case.
I also was able to find this great 1980s Magnavox TV at a garage sale for three dollars over the weekend. I will be using it to play the news footage from the opening on. I also found some 80s jeans and even socks I was able to identify from the era.
I have made progress on the script, but it is not complete and I need to grind it out this weekend.
This week I was able to finalize my decision on what my project will be. It will be 1986, an interactive short film. This will be a gripping mystery involving disappearances around a small town in south Georgia and two high-schoolers who look for answers. The user will decide where the story goes twice, leaving the possibility for four endings. I am currently working on the script. There are three on-screen characters in this film:
Jeff - Endearingly dorky, but strong teenager. Head of the computing club at his high school
Cindy - A hot headed senior and life-long friend of Jeff.
Archie Allen - Reporter who is full of himself. Thinks he isn't scared of anything.
View my pitch presentation here: https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1smipqWhA2ptjG5TVsgpnAGADlEgYNITO51onsy76mXk/edit?usp=sharing
Below is my Monday.com page.
During this week, I proposed three ideas for my senior project, but I quickly revised my third idea to become an interactive short film.
