Outliers, starring Mendy St. Ours as a lone woman who all of the sudden finds herself in a chaos of a city besieged by what seems to be a lethal virus, is a spectacular nine-minute long action filled drama with even more amazing twisted ending.
First released as a part of the 48HR Film Festival and finding its way as an official selection at the Cannes Film Festival in 2010, the short is undoubtedly one of the best produced, polished, and original works I have seen in a while; something that should take on even greater meaning as it was done in less than 48 hours. So if you enjoyed the ‘end of the world’ productions from the past and the many elements of surprise in hits such as The Truman Show be sure to give Outliers well, at least, a glimpse.
Based on a disaster genre style, Outliers takes us on a fascinating and thrilling ride through the confused and turbulent streets where the residents flee in search of a vaccine capable of saving their lives. As we follow the lead female character one can only notice and prepare for being completely drawn into the story; dissecting the essence of human emotions that accompany the lack of vital information during the time of a crisis. Similarly to the voice-over of the timeless classics such as the Twilight Zone, the short comes together with a narration, a voice of authority, that tracks human emotional phases – a direct response to the news of the disaster. So how would you respond if you were facing a possible ‘end to mankind’?
Shot on RED, Edit in FCP, Color in Redcine and Looks
GFX in AFX
Production: TheBranching.com
Music & Score: Blackiris.tv
The process of producing a film in no more than 48 hours must be a terrifying yet exciting experience where the filmmakers are forced out of their comfort zones and are drawn into a great fast-paced challenge; think of it as the Amazing Race of the profession. But not all aspects of production can be met in two days and so the scouting for locations and casting sessions for the 48HR Film Festival were carried a week before the big kick-off of the competition. However, the most important aspects of making a movie, such as finding out the genre and theme necessary for writing of a script and its execution were not revealed until the official start.
Lucas Krost and his team from a filmmaking collective Mondial Creative Labs have already been through the experience with their earlier entry of a mockumentary short Neighborhood Watch so they certainly knew what the experience involves. The result, a great creation for your viewing pleasure.
Related Links:
Outliers on Vimeo
Outliers on Mondial Creative Labs
Outliers on The Branching