Note on Character Names

Due to the guerrilla nature of filming, characters may appear using either their real names or their script-assigned aliases.

World & Tone

• Set in Humboldt County and Southeast Asia — present day + ~3 years in an alternate timeline
• Themes: chip smuggling, AI, drugs, World War III, surfing, quantum time theories
• Technology: Slightly more advanced than current day but still consumer-level and modded
• Filming style: Docufiction / Guerrilla — mixture of cinematic, handheld, phone, and drone footage

Signature Hypersonic Colors

Futuristic Light Blue — #7FDBFF

Glacier / Ice Blue — #A8EFFF

Cyan Glow — #00E5FF

Frosted White-Blue — #DFF7FF

Natural & Thematic Additions

Humboldt Forest Green — #1E392A

Lichen Moss — #6C8C71

Dirty Canvas Khaki — #B8B29E

Burnt Signal Red — #912F2F

Smog Violet — #9E97A8

Gasoline Teal — #396C75

Acid Orchid — #A061B9

Key Characters & Wardrobe

• Mack: Frosted white, dirty canvas, techwear layers
• Dust: Tactical meets athletic — moss greens, tan, cyan trim
• Tyler: Surf-hacker hybrid — washed denim, blue hoodie, engine grease tones
• Ray: Farmer-stoner — brown, olive, off-white boots
• Zane: Pilot edge — bruised tones, tank tops, acid-red trim
• Jessica / Ashley: Streetwear + nightlife — muted violet, tech trim, club blacks
• Marcos: Executive front — charcoal suit, steel-blue tie, chrome ring light

Camera & Workflow

• Primary codec: ProRes 422 HQ
• RAW use: Only for night scenes or complex AI overlays
• ISO: 800 native; drop to 400 for bright daylight
• Frame Rate: 23.976 fps
• ND Filters: 1.5–3.0 for outdoor balance
• Look: Color Space Transform → Neptune LUT → Tracked masks for skin → Blue overlay → Optional Glow

Visual Styles by Location

• Clam Beach / Moonstone — Deep green & cyan contrast, fog backlight
• Santa Cruz / Thailand — Blue/gold gradient light with washed skies
• Night parties / HQ scenes — Cyan glow, magenta cast, tight lens flares
• Farmland / Road scenes — Moss green, canvas, dirty-beige realism

Guerrilla Production Notes

• Mix formats: BMPCC OG, phones, action cams, drone
• Real ambient audio preferred for realism
• Use portable LEDs (with cyan or violet gels)
• Cast may break 4th wall or use real names as needed
• Leverage local environments (weed farms, misty roads, surf lots)

Motion Techniques & Style

• Inspired by Bullet Train: sliding/dollying with fluid movement
• Use doorway/hallway to frame isolation shots
• DIY dolly: tripod wheels or shoulder rig hybrid
• RGB light bars for dynamic tracking and backlight shots
• Add shock absorbing rigging if dolly path is rough

Camera Settings Workshop

• Camera: BMPCC Original
• Primary Codec: ProRes 422 HQ
• Primary Codec: RAW for Night Scenes that have lots of different color flucuations. Also for AI VFX intended scenes.
• ISO: 800 native (400 for bright daylight)
• Shutter Angle: 180°
• White Balance: Manually set based on environment
• ND Filters: 1.5–3.0 strength in daylight
• LUT Workflow: CST → Neptune LUT → Skin Mask → Blue Overlay

Acting Basics (It’s Easy, Kids Do It)

Acting is simply reacting honestly in imaginary circumstances. Think of it like pretend — you’re playing, listening, and responding. You already do it every day when you tell a story or joke.

• Memorization tips: Break it into beats, understand the scene
• Emotion: Recall a memory or imagine the situation fully
• Movement: Stay natural and fluid — your body tells the story too

The World of Deadline Hypersonic

Set 3 years in the future in an alternate reality — one where chip smuggling, AI breakthroughs, drug innovation, and war reshape the world. Surfing culture collides with hacker culture, and visual aesthetics reflect a hyper-clean dystopia.

What Is a Docufiction?

It’s a mix of documentary and fictional storytelling. Real locations, improvised performances, actual situations — but framed inside a fictional narrative. It’s raw, real, and immersive.

Project Timeline Main Work is Starting ~2026

• August–October: Casting, workshops, rehearsals
• November–January: Filming in Humboldt
• February: Post-production and editing
• March: Private screening & casting party
• April: Film festival submissions

Contracts & Agreements

Each participant will sign a release and shared profit agreement. Rights to reuse footage will be retained by the production, but usage rights and credit will be provided to each performer.

Goals: Festival Submission & Private Party

• Submit to Humboldt International Film Festival 2027
• Host an exclusive casting party with music, art, drinks
• Promote the show through local and online buzz

What Each Participant Receives

• % of revenue if the show is picked up or streamed
• Split of profit from the casting party (music, alcohol, merch, art sales)
• Credit, copy of final cut, and marketing headshots

Extra Work & Background Basics

• Stay natural, don’t look at the camera
• React subtly to what’s happening
• Match energy between takes (continuity)

Reels, Casting Sites, & Actor Tools

• Actors Access: Upload headshots, credits, reels
• Backstage: Audition for indie & commercial roles
• Reels: Edit short 30–60 sec clips for highlight scenes

Rehearsals, Practice Shots & Dailies

• Low-stakes practice days to experiment with blocking
• Use phones or BMPCC to record and review takes
• Footage used for training and behind-the-scenes

Pilot Ending Ideas (To Hook the Viewer)

• Sudden reveal: Mack betrays the group with a chip sale to a military AI buyer
• Time glitch: Flash-forward to a new character watching the footage from a bunker
• Emotional cliffhanger: Jessica cries as surveillance reveals their location
• Out-of-body switch: Tyler wakes up mid-surf in a different body

Expanded Scene Locations

• Snow-Covered Roads & Logging Routes (Trinity / Mount Shasta): Bright white balance, use Glacier Blue overlays, reflective goggles and cyan gear contrast well here. Consider drone or slider shots for slow-motion edge-of-forest reveals.
• Redwood Understory (Orick / Prairie Creek): Low-light canopy filtered greens. Use green gels or let natural ambient dominate. Works well for quiet, eerie, or post-WW3 introspection scenes.
• Arcata Rooftops & Industrial Zones: Harsh sunlight, washed backgrounds. Ideal for cyan glow and metallic wardrobe. Create a “small rebel base” feel with minor sci-fi tech set dressing.
• Coastal Fog Drives (Briceland / Petrolia): Washed-out horizon lines, mossy cliff edges. Combine gray gradients with blue highlight overlays. Use handheld or shoulder-rigged POVs.
• Abandoned Barns & Sheds (Eel River, Loleta): Rust and grime meet cool lighting. Use tungsten with blue fills. Characters in canvas or forest tones blend into this aesthetic.
• City Alleyways (Eureka / Manila): Neon signage, puddles, trash. Add light bar reflections and sharp backlighting. Great for gritty smuggling or AI exchange scenes.
• Hidden River Spots (Mad River, Trinity River): Natural magic hour, steam or mist possible. Cyan and glacier hues reflect off water; ideal for surreal or emotional scenes.

Wardrobe Color Guide

Suggested garments and tones for matching the Deadline Hypersonic aesthetic:

Garment Area	Color Option	Notes
Outerwear	Frosted White‑Blue	Sleek, modern sci-fi vibe
Tops	Glacier Blue / Ice	Very clean, close to minimalism
Bottoms	Pale Grey, Icy Teal	Don’t overpower upper contrast
Accents	Chrome details, muted silver, soft aqua threads	Small metallic or reflective patches
Footwear	White or translucent shoes	Think futuristic or digital era

Alternative Revenue Streams

To fund the project and create immersive audience experiences, consider organizing live, thematic events tied to the film’s universe:

• Cyberpunk-Themed Parties – Neon and LED decor, synthwave DJs, interactive projections
• Locations – Private beaches, the Summit, Wild Hare, Rampart, forest cabins, surf lots
• Monetization – Entry fees, live performances, limited merch drops, donation-based bar and food sales
• Art + Tech Integration – Augmented reality posters, AI-generated visuals, VJ mixing with film footage
• Partner with Local Talent – DJs, graffiti artists, dancers, set designers can be part of the world-building
• Live-World Canon Events – These parties can also push the plot forward or introduce new characters

Your Role in Shaping the Future

This is not just a film. It is a signal.

As actors, your portrayal of characters has real influence. The world is entering a new phase — an AI-driven reality — where media and narrative are as powerful as policy. The performances you bring to Deadline Hypersonic can shape how people think about technology, freedom, rebellion, and identity.

• Representation of Humanity – AI learns from us. Show it something powerful, diverse, real.
• Impact on Public Discourse – Themes we explore (drug ethics, AI policy, post-capital survival) can ripple into political and social circles.
• Jobs of the Future – What we depict now helps normalize future tech, roles, and behaviors. Make people feel seen.
• The Stakes Are Real – If we treat this seriously, like the fate of humanity depends on our work… it just might.
• You Have Control – You are not just playing a role. You are designing how the future remembers the present.

This is our chance to use fiction to influence fact — guerrilla style. We’re early enough in the AI age that storytelling still has power. Let’s use it.

Mentorship, Branding & Building Future Opportunities

This film is more than a one-time creative effort — it’s a launchpad. The experience, connections, and footage gathered here can help all participants move forward in the industry and beyond.

• Support Others – Use the tools and lessons from Deadline Hypersonic to help others create their own ads, music videos, films, and documentaries.
• Knowledge Transfer – Whether it’s teaching camera setups, acting methods, editing tricks, or guerrilla storytelling — passing that knowledge forward increases your credibility and reach.
• Personal Brand – Showcasing behind-the-scenes work, rehearsals, BTS reels, and final cuts can boost your portfolio and help build a following.
• Followers = Leverage – The more genuine visibility you gain from this project, the more likely you’ll get called for future opportunities (casting, sponsorships, collabs, funding).
• Creative Business – Teaching workshops, co-directing passion projects, and freelancing for others become easier when you have real experience and proof of work like this.

The more we share what we’ve learned here, the more we open doors — for ourselves and for others. That’s where long-term opportunity and revenue begin.

Guerrilla Flexibility & Project Lifecycle

As a guerrilla documentary, Deadline Hypersonic maintains creative freedom over its scope and duration. This project can pause or end at any time — whether due to rising costs, burnout, or a shift to a new opportunity. This flexibility is part of the DNA of the project.

• Not locked into a fixed structure or episode count
• Allows pivoting to new ideas, film styles, or collaborations
• Encourages continuous iteration and rethinking the story

Creativity shouldn’t be limited by budget ceilings or artificial timelines. The story continues as long as it fuels us.

Origins in Oasyc & Existential Themes

Parts of the world of Deadline Hypersonic began during the early COVID-19 lockdown through the music and concept art of the band Oasyc. What started as raw, experimental performance clips evolved into a deeper story — blending cyberpunk themes with gritty emotional realism.

The emotional charge in songs like “Hypersonic” and “Jimmy’s Labor Day” revealed early expressions of this universe. The band’s aesthetic and worldview now serve as partial DNA for the film’s tone.

This all coincides with a pivotal moment in real history: the exponential rise of AI, led by companies like NVIDIA, and the emergence of a technocratic elite that shapes world policy and power through data. These themes bleed into our characters, conflicts, and cinematic texture.

• Music and storytelling from Oasyc as a spiritual foundation
• Technological anxiety and transformation as story fuel
• Power, profit, and algorithmic control as antagonists

This project is a reflection of our time — artistically, economically, and politically.