A.S.T.A.R.

After two years, the short film--A.S.T.A.R--that I have been Animation Directing and VFX Supervising on is now completed. This short film has been a side project for me and my involvement in its early stages two years ago when I was contacted by the director, Zac Stoltz, was limited to creating a few basic graphic overlays that would simulate traditional rotoscope. Over time, the film evolved and demanded more visual effects shots, on set vfx supervision, development of interface graphics, a computer generated character that plays an integral part of the film, crew and rig removal, and even a small team of artists to aid in the completion of over 100 shots of vfx and animation. This journey has brought a great deal of experience from working with a wonderful film crew (on and off set), to creating original artwork and leading a small team of artists comprised of students and professionals.

What makes this film particularly unique is that it was shot on the ARRI Alexa camera and is a student produced film from California State University, Northridge (CSUN)--my alma mater. The film's completion was not required in order for students to graduate, yet despite those circumstances, the crew remained dedicated and completed the film two years after the majority of the students had graduated and were already working in the industry. The hard work of the entire crew is evident and it is safe to say that A.S.T.A.R. is one of the better shorts to be produced by students at CSUN.

The film will be premiering on May 7th at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in North Hollywood, CA, and will continue onto various festivals. For more updates and information on A.S.T.A.R., you can "Like" and follow the film's official Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/astarfilm.

IMDb for A.S.T.A.R.

Plot Outline:

A.S.T.A.R. - Anthropomorphic Satellite Tracking Area Response.

Matthew Midas, a successful micro-chip inventor, arrives in Los Angeles to unveil the latest upgrade for the Star navigation system. He finds that his car is host to a faulty STAR system, Mega Star, who realizes Matthew is planning to upgrade her. Matthew engages in an escalating struggle with Mega Star, as it attempts to first make Matthew miss his meeting, and then attempts to sabotage him entirely. It's a fresh and funny case of man versus machine - creator and the creation battle to find out who is truly the most advanced.

Genre: Sci-Fi, Comedy

*A.S.T.A.R. formerly known as A Star is Scorned.