Hopeless. That's how the prisoner at the center of Portal: No Escape, a short film cut by jumP's David Trachtenberg, directed by Danny T, feels. Under constant video surveillance, she bounces around her cell, exercises, sits dolefully on her cot, picks at the food tossed through a trap door at regular intervals - whatever she must to bear her circumscribed existence.
But the film, based upon Valve Corporation and EA's hit videogame franchise, blows up into a full-scale action flick when the prisoner discovers a cannon hidden in the wall - a high-powered device capable of creating portals to abet her escape. As guards burst in to stop her, she outwits them continually in a thrilling chase to the rooftop, where she stands poised to flee the place forever.
The film quickly surpassed two million hits on YouTube and has become a must-mention in the blogosphere. "I can't believe the momentum Portal has gained so quickly," noted David. "This was a really cool personal project for me in that I was able to team up with my brother, but professionally, the results have been unreal."
Credits
Title: Portal: No Escape
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
DP: Keith Dunkerley
Producer(s): Cathleen Alexander, Stephen Hens, Ashley Adams
Editorial: jumP LA
Editor: David Trachtenberg
MD: Dee Tagert
EP: Betsy Beale
Colorist: Rob Sciarratta
VFX Supervisor/Lead Compositor: Jon Chesson
Compositor(s): Jonathan Skabla, Eddie Porter, Cesar Kuriyama, Eva Snyder, Kevin Jones, Joshua Galbincea, Mike Gaines
VFX Artist: Paul Griswold
Matte Painter: Maxx Burman
3D Matchmover(s): Marco De Goeij, Marijn Eken, Graham Herbster, Michael Theurer, Dacklin Young
Character TD: Scott Rosenkrans
3D Modeler(s): Glenn Southern, Wes Griffith
Roto/Paint Artist(s): Jamie Yu, Joshua Galbincea
Additional Compositing: Mark Leiss
On-set VFX Supervisor(s): Eli Guerron, Mike Gaines
Composer: Mike Zarin
Sound Design: Beacon Street Studios
Sound Supervisor: Sean "Slayton22" Smith
Re-Recording Mixer: Dante Fazio
About jumP
Bicoastal jumP is an award-winning creative editorial boutique focusing on commercials, features, short films, music videos, and emerging media content. The firm works with a wide-range of top-tier brands, directors, and agencies continually delivering powerful and efficient results for each of its clients. The company roster includes Partner/Editors: Luis Moreno and Michael Saia, Editors: Lin Polito, Troy Mercury, Terence Ziegler, Richard Mettler, Jack Douglas, Nick Lofting, David Trachtenberg, Mark Imgrund, EP Betsy Beale, Head of Production Juliet Conti, and Partner/Managing Director Dee Tagert.
More info: TRUST 646 452 3388 (NY) 310 451 5153 (LA) trustcollective.com