SHOOTING
THE OPENING SHOT
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The opening shot of every straight 8 film features a 3-second clip revealing the entry code for the short film. In this film, the code was depicted as a label on an old film reel tin floating inside the moon lander.
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To achieve this shot, the tin was attached to a rotating motor on a sliding incline and pushed towards the camera while rotating. The speed of rotation was programmed so that the tin faced the camera by the end of the slider.
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To enhance the shot's appeal, lighting was strategically blocked to keep the initial part of the movement in darkness. This created the illusion of the tin floating out of shadows and into the light. This zero-gravity effect gradually unveiled the code as the astronaut caught it in the final moments of the shot.
SCENE 1 - APPROACHING THE MOON
01
Nothing sets the tone better than a stark display of isolation, enveloped by nothing but vast, empty space.
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Colour Palette: Dark, muted grays and blacks, with faint hints of blue. Desaturated tones to emphasize the starkness of space and the desolation of the lunar landscape. Soft focus on the gold frame to push attention to the module in the distance.
Lighting: Minimal light from the distant sun, casting long highlights along the surface towards camera. The lunar module and subtle details such as the antenna are backlit to pull shapes out from the darkness without giving to much away.
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Animation: A small boom pole was attached to the back engine to steer the Command Module's rotations opposite to the Lunar Module's direction. This setup utilized the composition to add depth and frame the Command Module while strategically hiding connection points and rigging.
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The stark interior contrasts dramatically with the expansive space outside, highlighting the isolation and danger. A harsh rim of light surrounds the window's edge, drawing the eye directly to the astronaut's visor as they gaze into the distance.
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Colour Palette: Cold metallic grays, harsh whites, and dimly lit control panels.
Lighting: Soft, focused lighting on the astronauts face, creating deep shadows and highlighting the tension.
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SCENE 2 - PREPARE FOR DETATCH
01
Intense scenes depict the astronaut operating the controls to prepare the Lunar Module for detachment. Slow, deliberate movements heighten suspense throughout these shots, accentuated by harsh lighting that directs focus within the frame.
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Colour Palette: Cold metallic grays, harsh whites, and dimly lit control panels with flickering lights to add a sense of danger.
Lighting: Direct lighting framing the silhouette and leading the eye down the arm to the control panel in the composition creating depth and direction.
02
A gripping close-up shot intensifies our connection to the character, heightening the tension just before the crucial moment of detachment and descent begins.
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Colour Palette: Cold metallic grays, harsh whites, and dimly lit control panels.
Lighting: Soft, focused lighting on the astronauts face, creating deep shadows and highlighting the tension. As the shuttle approaches the moon, more light filters in, gradually illuminating the scene as it rotates into the moonlight.
SCENE 3 - THE DESCENT
01
Using close-up filters, the miniatures are captured with shallow focus to enhance scale and depth in the shot. Soft focus adds realism and a sense of haze from the astronaut's point of view as the command module detaches.
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Colour Palette: Dark, muted grays and blacks, with faint hints of blue. Emphasising the cold, vast darkness of the exterior environment.
Lighting: The scene is set with low-key, directional lighting that plunges deep shadows, evoking a mood of mystery and suspense. Harsh, directional light mimics moonlight, casting long highlights across the panels toward the camera, sculpting the subject with shape and depth.
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Animation: A small boom pole attached to the rear engine directs the model's movements, with a jerky motion followed by a subtle pullback to emphasize the moment of disconnect.
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Sound Design: Subtle foley sounds of deep mechanical sounds over the duration of the shot to simulate the undocking system muffled by the vacuum of space.
02
Following the initial detachment from the Command module, the shots intensify with quicker cuts and faster movements, heightening the sense of danger as we descend towards the surface.
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Colour Palette: Silhouettes of deep blacks and dark grays contrast against the bright light streaming through the window behind. Strategically placed LEDs punctuate the scene with sharp spikes of color against the desaturated tones.
Lighting: Low-key, directional lighting to create deep shadows and a sense of mystery and suspense. Flashing LED's controlled using a simple battery disconnect to make the lights flicker and emphasise the tension at this pivotal point in the story.
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Animation: The switches were not built to be operational so the performance was directed to block out anything that might give away the game.
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03
Transitioning into the landing sequence was facilitated by a close-up shot of the thruster, alternating intensities and seamlessly leading into the next sequence without the need for additional shots.​
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Colour Palette: Deep blacks and dark grays dominate, interrupted by occasional metallic glints from the thruster, contrasting with textured paintwork, set against the brighter tones of the venting air.
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Lighting: Under the moon's low-key lighting, the thruster stands out against the darkness of space, emphasized by a subtle rim light along its edges that also enhances the density of the compressed air.
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FX: Thruster effects were achieved by using canned air and a thin tube to precisely direct small bursts of air at high pressures. These effects were strategically employed at pivotal moments in the animation to maintain realism and avoid detection of the source. Given the scale of the models, precise orientation was crucial to accurately direct the compressed air.
SCENE 4 - LANDING
01
As the Lunar Module approached the landing sequence, all interior shots were completed, prompting the dismantling of the set. Utilizing the window and various rigging techniques, the focus shifted to showcasing the beginning of the landing. Emphasizing the astronaut's point of view was crucial to capturing the moment effectively without prematurely transitioning to external shots.​
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Colour Palette: The frame is engulfed in deep blacks and dark grays, casting a stark and intense silhouette that heightens the solemn and austere mood of the shot, emphasizing the desolation of the lunar surface.
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Lighting: Low-key lighting casts deep shadows and recesses on the lunar surface, adding depth without overly increasing contrast. This approach creates a framed image that enhances the moon's inherent emptiness, reinforcing the desired feeling of vast solitude.
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Animation: The set's window was rigged on a slider, allowing it to glide over the lunar surface while the camera remained fixed to the window to capture each frame from a consistent perspective.
02
The exterior shot of the Lunar module descending into the dark side of the moon utilized soft focus to obscure miniature imperfections while emphasizing the destination. Rotational movement was employed to enhance composition and maintain relevance to the shot's focal point.​
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Colour Palette: The scene is dominated by dark, muted grays and deep blacks, tinged subtly with hints of blue. Desaturated tones heighten the sense of isolation and descent into the unknown. Soft focus on the gold frame directs attention to the module, further obscuring the destination and enhancing the atmosphere of mystery.
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Lighting: Low-key lighting creates deep shadows and recesses on the lunar surface, enhancing the mysterious atmosphere. Intense rim lighting is strategically used to differentiate the shape of the lander from the background, adding definition and emphasizing the structure within the frame.
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Animation: The Lander is rigged to a motor and programmed to rotate slowly, synchronized with the slider's movement into the background. The camera is securely mounted to the rig just behind the lander, ensuring precise framing throughout the shot.
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The final touchdown sequence was crafted in stages. Initially, foreground elements on the lunar surface were strategically placed to enhance depth and mystery in the shot, cleverly concealing support strings lowering the lander into position. Compressed air effects were employed to slow the lander's descent, emphasizing its interaction with the environment and adding atmospheric depth for a heightened dramatic climax. Once the lander touched down, the strings were released, and a camera tilt revealed the complete picture of the lander in frame, fully unveiled on the surface.​
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Colour Palette: The scene features dominant dark, muted grays and deep blacks, accentuating the highlights of reflective metal panels and gold covers, heightened by the surrounding atmospheric elements.
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Lighting: Low-key lighting casts deep shadows and recesses on the lunar surface, intensifying the mysterious atmosphere. A harsh rim light frames the Lunar module, extracting key shapes from the background while maintaining an aura of mystery.
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Animation: Using strings to lower the lander into position introduces less controllable movements, yet enhances the authenticity of the landing sequence.
SCENE 4 - ONE SMALL STEP
01
After landing, the tempo slows down significantly to emphasize the suspense of taking the first step into the unknown. Sections of the set are dismantled to frame the astronaut, while an external bridge for the moon lander extends into the deep shadows of the lunar surface in the background.​
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Colour Palette: The scene is characterized by dominant dark, muted grays and deep blacks in the foreground, enhancing the mystery ahead. Lighter tones in the foreground maintain focus as the perspective transitions over the astronaut's shoulder, keeping the viewer connected and gradually revealing more of the environment.
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Lighting: Low-key lighting casts shadows on the background elements, enhancing a mysterious atmosphere. A harsh rim light highlights shapes on the helmet and bridge, clarifying location and separating foreground and background elements.
02
One of the most iconic shots symbolizing the impact and nostalgia of landing on the moon is the footprint on the surface, created using cement and the astronaut's boot from the costume. In the subtle depths of the background, another boot marks where the astronaut stands in the distance, enhancing the depth and dynamism of the image.​
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Colour Palette: The monochromatic tones of the scene, combined with shallow depth of field, evoke a sense of another world, enhancing the atmosphere with subtle blues.
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Lighting: Low-key lighting from a low angle casts soft, elongated shadows on key elements within the composition, adding depth without overdriving the contrast and preserving the haze and atmosphere of the shot.
03
The final shot captures the isolation and intensity of a tense moment. Filmed against a black background, meticulously lit with a halo filter, it creates a sense of disorientation and otherworldliness, immersing viewers in the perspective of the astronaut as they gaze back at us.​
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Colour Palette: The desaturated tones and haze eliminate distractions from color, directing focus to the center of the visor framed by light tones created by the manipulated lighting.
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Lighting: Soft directional lights and intense rim lights are strategically placed to complement the halo filter, framing and guiding the viewer's focus towards the astronaut's inner essence.
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COLOUR SCRIPT
24
SHOTS
The colour script breaks down all of the key colours across the 24 shots from start to end. The colour wheel also showing the colours and overall tones of the film.
Dark, desaturated tones dominate, with occasional bursts of color from technology and the astronaut's suit. Subtle gold tones for framing and composition on the moon lander and framing the astronaut inside the helmet.
SOUND DESIGN
Greg Ogun oversaw the Sound Design for the project. Utilizing a witness camera for a preliminary edit of the film, we collaborated closely with Greg to outline timecodes and pivotal moments to guide the sound direction. Greg meticulously crafted all sound elements, creating foley from scratch and strategically layering them to enhance critical scenes, ensuring a seamless blend of atmosphere and emotion without compromising synchronization.
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Opening Shot
Ambient deep resonant tones echo through the vastness of space, setting a contemplative mood accompanied by subtle command voices and the ticking of instruments.
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Scene 1 - Approaching the Moon
Soft, gentle hums of ambient spacecraft machinery blend with low-key lighting, casting soft shadows that deepen the atmosphere without overwhelming it.
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Scene 2 - Prepare for detatch
Harmonic sounds initially provide a sense of security, but as the situation escalates, they contrast sharply with the impending danger. Intensifying alongside faster cuts, they evoke urgency and panic.
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Scene 3 - Landing
Subtle, ethereal tones echo in the monochromatic landscape, heightening a sense of solitude and wonder. The transition from intense sounds to eerie silence marks the impact of landing in the unknown.
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Scene 4 - One small step
In the vacuum of space, the silence accentuates the amplified sound of the astronaut's breath within the helmet, fostering an intimate connection with their introspective gaze.
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Closing
Throughout, the sound design intensifies isolation and heightens the narrative's emotional depth, complementing the visual journey of exploration and introspection.
