MARTYRDOM
Genre: Action/Science Fiction
Type: Game Cinematic
Tools: Powerpoint, Unreal Engine, Motion Capture, Adobe Premiere Pro
Duration: 8 weeks
Roles:
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Director
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Scriptwriter
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Storyboard and Script Design
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Sound Design
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Video Editing
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Voice over script creation and casting specs
Gameplay pages: 1-3
Cinematic pages: 4-5
Breaking Down the Process
When I was studying Writing for Games at the Vancouver Film School, I had the privilege of writing and directing my own two-minute cinematic at the Beyond Capture Studio.
The assignment was to write the cinematic taking into account the available maps and models provided. I immediately wanted to do something sci-fi related once my eyes landed on the robot's model.
Given the little time to write the scene, added to the constraints of motion capture, my main focus was on creating an interesting dynamic between just two characters.
The main challenge was to write a compelling cinematic within the limitations of motion capture: no facial expressions and minimal physical contact between the characters. As a result, I made two creative decisions:
1. Write a dialogue-driven scene with strong, emotional beats that didn't rely too much on physical contact or facial cues.
2. Use models that have their faces covered so that the lack of facial expressions wouldn’t interrupt the scene.
From that point on, the pages fell into place smoothly. I thought of my theme, briefly crafted the world and context for the scene, and before I knew it, I had my five-page script. We were doing a single take with no camera cuts (a Spielberg oner) so I storyboarded four simple camera positions and got to shooting the cinematic.
Looking Back...
There were a lot of highlights when developing this project, like finding solutions to technical limitations or shaping the voices and personalities of my characters. But the most rewarding part of the process was working on-site with the motion capture actors, camera operators, and choreography instructors. It was an incredible experience to learn and collaborate with them, and see the story come to life.