The Forest - Update #9 and new video link (Patreon)

Happy New Year everybody. I hope you've all had a lovely one!

Here in the UK it was absolutely tipping it down. So I was very much staying indoors away from all that wet nonsense. With Lulu flopped on her comfy sofa whilst I did a bit of late night Kerbal. A cosy one indeed :)

So I've managed to finish Segment 19 of 24. That very complicated finale segment that I wasn't able to complete in the last update. Sorry for the delay there. I've made a test render below for those interested.

https://youtu.be/fAJVZId3Lrg

So there's quite a bit to talk about here.

This is the last of the story "walkthrough" segment of the video. From this point onwards there's going to be a dramatic shift in tempo. As I essentially do a reverse walkthrough, but faster. Using visual guides and props. To help explain what melted my brain about this specific game.

What should be obvious is the difference in pacing. There are long establishing shots where I simply looked around in the livestream, taking in the environment. Or responded to scripted plot elements as they appeared.

As such, my editing had to adapt accordingly. Letting the moments breath. Or having to alter the video-essay script to react to whatever was on screen or what I may have been saying

The atrium scene for example. There was originally a lot of dialogue there. "Following the trail of bloody footprints" and "we find a large open atrium". But on seeing the final cut it's all been entirely stripped away to let the visuals do the work. With any follow up lines being properly modified and re-recorded.

This is the sort of thing you just can't do when your video exists in word form. I've been having to cut things back in response to the timeline as it's evolved.

The opposite is true with the artefact activation sequence. For rather than let the stream play, I decided to insert custom lines to make it seem like my video-essay narration is disagreeing with my live-stream narration. A little touch that I think makes it seem more effective and helps explain what is happening.

The other thing to talk about is the use of lots of "B roll" For there were many occasions where simply staring at something for long durations as I'm talking is preferable to what I actually recorded on the night.

As such, I made a list of things that I needed to look at more carefully in The Forest (screens, documents, etc). Loaded up the game and used the console commands to teleport to these locations. And then record fresh footage, keeping the camera still and without unnecessary motion that could be distracting.

So this, for example, originally from the livestream:

Becomes this, from re-recorded footage. Much more appropriate for when there's a narrator explaining what's going on.

This also has the added benefit of removing any sub notification that often appeared at crucial moments in the story, diverting eyeline to the top left of the screen.

The last thing to talk about is that boss fight sequence. Oh my god, that boss sequence. That was an unusually challenging bit.

This needed to be cut fast. As it's an action sequence with emphasis on the peril. But there were three major juggling balls as an editor:

This monster has sound effects which need to play at the right moments and not be awkwardly cut by the fast transitions. Starting in the middle of its loud hissing sounded terrible.

The music is loud and bombastic. And rhythmically oscillate up and down whilst being baked into the same audio layer as the creatures sound effects. Meaning fast cutting here sounded terrible.

The visual edit needs to favour close-ups as much as possible for a greater sense of impact and momentum (which is a reason films do it like that). And much of the livestream had me try to get to range as much as possible with my bow. Functional, yes. But not that interesting to look at.

My solution then? Have a look at this shot of the boss sequence:

More than a little complicated to properly edit:

I started with my video-essay voice. And the specific vocalisations I made during the livestream. Cutting the visuals from the original footage into a rough draft.

I then downloaded the specific song, composed by Gabe Castro. And put it on its own isolated layer so cutting would not interrupt it.

I then started identifying the gaps in the original footage. Where the compound bow made it less interesting to look at. Marking them for possible close up shots.

Then I went into The Forest and "fought" Meagan. Intentionally fighting her with a sword so there would be some nice visuals. She promptly threw me around like a ragdoll, all the while I recorded her audio with the music off.

Since the original livestream audio was useless (the music was baked into it), I then rebuilt all of Meagans audio from scratch in a separate green timeline with about 30-40 clips from the b roll. Creature screaming, bow twanging, etc.

So the boss fight should seem properly energetic. With the rapid cutting not interfering with the audio. Hopefully it looks and sounds good :)

So right now, the plan is to provide parts 20-24. The final segments of the project.

First I want to spend a couple of days tightening the script. As I've spotted some areas I want to improve. Definitely want to do that in the daytime hours before recording the voice.

Also I need to start reaching out to various artists about these commissioned pieces of art to import into the project. But certainly entering the final stretch.

Let me know what you think about part 19. And thank you all :)