OTHER: WEB SERIES: Dead Drift

[KenzoFKC]

“Dead Drift” is Red Dwarf meets the youtube vlog. A light-hearted 16 episode screwball buddy comedy aboard the USSC JF Sebastian, told by characters interacting via video communication consoles – summed up by the show’s logline – “The uptight Captain of a decrepit ship must work with a bumbling mechanic to survive an alien encounter and save Earth from a terrifying ancient evil.”

These two less than stellar representatives of Earth’s USSC (United Solar Space Command, the future equivalent of NASA) set forth on an expedition to survey Saturn’s moon Titan, a mission they’ve been given mostly to keep them out of everyone else’s hair. Along the way they’ll come to rely on the ship’s holographic AI HANNAH to save them on more than one occasion. When they get to Titan, they make a monumental discovery that makes their mission one of the most important in human history.

Dead Drift started as a short skit conceived during a night of drinking. Without much prep, we shot and released the short. Delighted by the response, we decided to make a web-serial based around the two primary characters. We built several sets in our garages, built miniature ship models, assembled our cast and shot all 16 episodes. One of the earliest decisions we made was to break one of the cardinal rules of filmmaking: we were going to tell everything instead of showing it. Because this was to mimic the youtube vlog, most interaction between characters would be them speaking directly to the camera, and all of our cameras would be static, as if they were shipboard communication consoles.

Dead Drift was shot on an unhacked GH2 and an HMC-150 for the "interview" segments.

There are 8 episodes out, with 8 more to release beginning April 22, 2016. Each episode is under 5 minutes long. As an episodic serial it takes a few episodes to ramp up.

Episode 1 - I Got a Fax From Your Wife

Introducing "by the book" Captain Ryland Banks, and his bumbling mechanic Maurice Morris on board the USSC survey vessel the JF Sebastian. We also meet Commander Ludwig Schneider of the Mars Orbital Logistics Platform, "Mars Station," and a message from Earth shakes Morris to his core.

Episode 2 - What's the Status on That Replicator?

Banks and Morris continue their expedition to the Mars station as a catastrophic equipment failure threatens the JF Sebastian.


Episode 3 - We Die if We Explode

Morris is unable to repair the broken hydrocilator, and the manual has been lost. Commander Schneider agrees to send a holographic Artificial Intelligence program to guide Morris through
the repairs. When the hologram arrives it is not what the crew were expecting.


Episode 4 - Call Me HANNAH

HANNAH and Morris repair the hydrocilator, saving the ship and crew. Arriving at the Mars Orbital Logistics Platform, Banks refuses to let HANNAH dock the ship, citing a painful childhood memory. Banks disembarks to the station and receives a distress call from the ship.

 

[KenzoFKC]

Episode 5 - I Don't Really Speak German

HANNAH brings the ship back in, saving Morris’ life and Banks’ career. Morris meets one of Schneider’s daughters, Ellen, who claims Morris as her own. The Commander is enraged after he walks in on Ellen and Morris.

Episode 6 - Legal in Some States

Banks and crew flee Mars Station. Commander Schneider tries to lure Banks back to the station with threats of demotion. HANNAH encourages Banks to set a course for Titan and complete
the mission.

Episode 7 - Your Face Rains Methane

8 months after leaving Mars, the crew are nearing Titan. In the interim, Morris and HANNAH
have started to argue like siblings, and Captain Banks has lost touch with reality - claiming an unusual “first mate.” A strange signal from Titan piques HANNAH’s curiosity.

Episode 8 - Welcome to Titan

HANNAH informs Banks of the signal she’s detected, Banks imagines himself receiving fortune and glory for making first contact. The source of the signal isn't what any of the crew were expecting.

 

[KenzoFKC]

Behind the Scenes stills - Bridge Set

Behind the Scenes stills - Bridge Set

Full gallery of bridge set construction here - http://deaddriftshow.com/behind-the-scenes/bridge-construction/

First day of bridge set construction:

Kurt wiring in some lights:

Bridge set nearing completion:

Lighting the bridge:

Matty (Captain Banks) on finished bridge set for first day of shooting:

 

[KenzoFKC]

Engineering Set Construction

Engineering Set Construction

A buddy let us use an old hydroelectric dam control console and his shop space for our "Engineering" set. Full gallery here - http://deaddriftshow.com/behind-the-scenes/engineering-set/

Here is a first look at the naked hydroelectric dam console, with a bunch of old oscilloscopes:

Progress on the engineering set:

Engineering set almost finished, testing lighting configurations:

Finished engineering set:

Morris on the finished engineering set:

 

[Josh Bass]

That is impressive, guys.

 

[KenzoFKC]

JF Sebastian ship model

JF Sebastian ship model

We contacted a local artist who constructed these awesome ship miniatures for us. Built from household greeblies and VCR parts, this is the JF Sebastian, most of our story happens on this ship. Full gallery here - http://deaddriftshow.com/behind-the-scenes/jf-sebastian-model/

First shot of the JF Sebastian:

Starting to take shape:

New paintjob and some stickers:

Now we're talking, let's get some lights going:

The JF Sebastian en route to Mars:

The JF Sebastian arriving at Saturn's moon Titan:

 

[KenzoFKC]

Thanks very much, Josh. It's been quite the adventure.

 

[Agafilm]

I haven't watched this and I don't know if I'll have time, but I just want to thank you for making this. It looks like you put in a lot of effort to do it right, and I think the world needs more scifi comedy. I've always wanted to make something in that genre, but the elements haven't quite come together to make it happen properly. I started one years ago, but we ended up with one short and didn't move on yet. Regardless, I love the style, and hope to see more like it.

 

[Martay]

Lots of work going into this.

Congratulations.

I hope to catch up to a couple eps soon.

-M

 

[KenzoFKC]

Hey Agafilm, thanks for your kind words. It's been a lot of fun making this show. We figure all sci-fi doesn't have to take itself so seriously, and some of the best science fiction is told in a comedic format, like Red Dwarf, Futurama, Rick and Morty, etc. Hope you get the chance to check out Dead Drift!

 

[KenzoFKC]

Hi Martay, thanks for taking a look! Let me know what you think when you've watched a couple of episodes! Take care.

 

[KenzoFKC]

We've got 8 more episodes releasing, beginning April 22nd. Here is a teaser -

 

[KenzoFKC]

The two newest episodes of Dead Drift are out - What we're calling the second season, starting with episode 9.

Episode 9 - She's Why I Brought the Viagra

Episode 10 - I Am Fully Functional

 

[KenzoFKC]

Two more episodes of Dead Drift have dropped!

Here's episode 11 - It's For Science, HANNAH

And episode 12 - I Can't Wait to Show the Missus