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Short Film · Production

The Relay

An operator keeps sending a daily weather report to a station that stopped answering.

Specification

Genre
Science Fiction, Drama
Target runtime
15m
Aspect ratio
2.39:1
Resolution
4K

Visual style

Muted, single-source practical light. Long lenses. Minimal camera movement.

Progress

6 of 8 shots have a selected take

75%

3 acts · 4 scenes

Act / Scene / Shot / Take

Act 1

The Routine

SCENE 01

Relay Station Interior · Locked

INT. RELAY STATION - 06:00

Ilse sends the four thousandth report. Nothing answers.

  • SHOT 1A

    Wide. The room, Ilse small inside it.

    Wide · Static · 8s

    Take 3 selected

    • T1
    • T2
    • T3
    • T4
  • SHOT 1B

    Close on hands keying the report.

    Insert · Static · 5s

    Take 2 selected

    • T1
    • T2
    • T3
  • SHOT 1C

    Ilse waits for a reply that does not come.

    Medium close · Slow push · 11s

    Take 5 selected

    • T1
    • T2
    • T3
    • T4
    • T5

Continuity

Time of day:
Dawn, 06:00
Weather:
Clear, hard frost
Lighting:
Console glow only, overhead strip off
Wardrobe:
Grey thermals, jacket, repaired left cuff
Hair and makeup:
Unwashed, flattened on the left from sleep
Props:
Enamel mug (full), logbook open
Character state:
Calm, practised, not yet spoken aloud today

Establishes the routine that everything later breaks.

SCENE 02

Landing Pad

EXT. LANDING PAD - MIDDAY

A supply craft arrives unannounced.

  • SHOT 2A

    The craft descends through low cloud.

    Wide · Tilt down · 7s

    Take 1 selected

    • T1
    • T2
    • T3
  • SHOT 2B

    Ilse watches from the pad edge.

    Medium · Static · 6s

    Take 2 selected

    • T1
    • T2

Continuity

Time of day:
Midday
Weather:
Overcast, wind rising
Lighting:
Flat daylight, no shadows
Wardrobe:
As scene 1 plus outer parka and gloves
Hair and makeup:
Hood up, hair not visible
Props:
None carried
Character state:
Guarded. Has not had a visitor in two years.

Wardrobe inherits from scene 1. Parka is additive, not a change.

Act 2

The Visitor

SCENE 03

Relay Station Interior · Locked

INT. RELAY STATION - AFTERNOON

Tomas explains he is here to decommission the relay.

  • SHOT 3A

    Two shot across the console.

    Two shot · Static · 14s

    Take 4 selected

    • T1
    • T2
    • T3
    • T4
    • T5
    • T6
  • SHOT 3B

    Tomas realises she has been sending reports the whole time.

    Close · Static · 9s

    No takes

Continuity

Time of day:
Afternoon
Weather:
Wind audible against the panels
Lighting:
Overhead strip on, flickering
Wardrobe:
Parka removed, thermals and jacket as before
Hair and makeup:
Hood mark visible across the forehead
Props:
Two mugs now. Logbook closed.
Character state:
Defensive, over-precise

Second mug is the first change to the room in the film.

Act 3

The Last Report

SCENE 04

Relay Station Interior · Locked

INT. RELAY STATION - 06:00

The final transmission. Ilse decides what to say.

  • SHOT 4A

    Mirror of shot 1A. The room, and her decision.

    Wide · Static · 12s

    No takes

Continuity

Time of day:
Dawn, 06:00
Weather:
Clear
Lighting:
Console glow only. Overhead strip dead for good.
Wardrobe:
Thermals, jacket. Cuff repair now torn open again.
Hair and makeup:
As scene 3
Props:
One mug. Logbook open to a blank page.
Character state:
Resolved

Deliberate override: the torn cuff breaks inheritance from scene 3.

Cast

  • Ilse Marek

    Locked

    Lead · 6 approved references

  • Tomas Aldrete

    Locked

    Supporting · 4 approved references

Open the character bible

Deliver

Nothing here is published. A finished film is submitted to AIMoovies.com, then reviewed before it can reach an audience.

  • 75% of shots have a selected take. A film can be submitted before it is finished, but reviewers see what you send.
  • Export is not wired up yet. It will produce the master file that gets submitted.
  • Submission runs automated inspection, then safety, technical, rights-risk and editorial review. Submitting never guarantees acceptance.