Sci-Fi Short Film - "Lancer 21"

[@jonnoble5624]

The perfect example of why "show, don't tell" needs to become the filmmakers' mantra again. I could go on and on but I'm afraid I wouldn't do it justice. It's a six-minute masterclass really.

[@DarkPathVFX]

Absolutely flattered by your high praise. Thank you for taking the time to give it a watch!

[@nicholassmith7730]

Show what? Some text slowly teletyping onto a CRT while bleeping on "advanced spacecraft"? Engine noises in the vacuum of space? Manned fighters? Fighters that for some reason have to roll to bank in space like they are using flight surfaces in atmosphere? This is 90's SciFi with 2000's CGI. (No offence @TheDarkpathfilms) I love this and subscribed but I love this for what it is and what it is isn't a "masterclass". It's good, old fashioned, SciFi.... But my microwave has better tech than your spacecrafts UX. =P

[@jonnoble5624]

Immediately after the creator says how flattered they are, your instinct is to tear into my comment? Very well. Everything in this short film is accomplished with establishing shots and atmosphere. There’s no unnecessary dialogue, exposition, or text scrawl. The tension is established and story told wholly through the visuals, showing the creator understands their craft. I did not NEED complex visuals made with bleeding edge technology to fulfill its goals nor to prove its value. It accomplished exactly what it set out to do and did so perfectly. I’m not going to argue with you over anything other than the ill-considered placement and timing of your comment. The creator was obviously very happy with my comment and your attempt to ruin that “shows” a great deal about you as well. If there was a masterclass for etiquette and manners that I was aware of, I’d direct you there immediately.

[@nascar33car]

Do tou know what "show don't tell" means? Or did you never finish basic English?

[@TheRyujinLP]

@@nicholassmith7730 Why not maned fighters? Despite the hype (and that's all it is, hype) AI isn't going to replace humans in high skill areas like that any time soon if ever. All AI does is effectively really high end copy/pasta. It's not thinking, it's not plotting. It's not even aware of what it's doing.

[@gabe9125]

"Heat level critical, shutdown sequence initiated" We got some Mechwarrior/Battletech fans in this house, folks

[@AdamStephens]

I noticed that too. As soon as I heard that I thought "Ruh roh, I'm in danger!"

[@MostlyPennyCat]

Critical Hit too

[@daspolecat]

I miss the days of FASA - Clan Wolf, Clan Jade Falcon, Clan Wolverine - the unnamed clan

[@JettMann8]

Right here, I thought the SAME THING

[@MostlyPennyCat]

@@daspolecat Smoke Jag-waaaaaaaaaaaR

[@leefinthewind2311]

Part of what’s so good here, in addition to the visuals and writing, is the radio chatter. The key is to sound bored, like this is what you do every day. When people sound excited over the radio it makes it feel fake.

[@Leprechaunlock]

For sure, if trained pilots sound excited or distressed, it's for a serious reason.

[@dektarey4024]

@@Leprechaunlock Its the single reason why some games like Homeworld Cataclysm are so good. Calm radio chatter using authentic dialogue being the norm suddenly filling with (professional) panic? Always a hit. Authentic dialogue and sound can carry a great many things. In my opinion its far more important to any media than visuals are.

[@glennbrymer4065]

I'm 73, back in the day, my favorite thing was finding a scifi short story. Only a couple of pages long. But, packed with a incredible impact once you read it. This is the same. We'll Done! Thank you.

[@doktormcnasty]

Just in case you haven't run across it yet I believe "The Last Question" would fit the bill for you.

[@blacklion8208]

A.C. became God; "Let there be light". ;)

[@doktormcnasty]

@@blacklion8208 I don't think you're supposed to spoil it like that.

[@aieeegrunt]

“Set Condition One”, the helmet lights and shape, the blocky build of the Athena, so much BSG style and I love it

[@WarbirdPhoenix]

The laugh coming out of the storm was creepy enough,but knowing the origin was even creepier. No monsters,no hostile aliens,just a never ending loop of being killed by yourself as you go insane.

[@Scarletlord]

He actually always survives and always dies, the perfect loop. A prison until the end of all things, that's my kind of horror.

[@michaelbarnard8529]

No, he dies in a personal time loop, and the rest of the universe goes on without him.

[@everrybody]

Its always cool to see the top comment is a major spoiler

[@Scarletlord]

@@everrybody So get in the habit of watching before reading. 😘

[@Kohlenstoffkarbid]

He does just one round in this loop and it ends for him when he dies. So just a normal one time death for him.

[@everrybody]

@@Scarletlord the chat box is visible before the video even starts

[@GySgtRay]

The acting and graphics were SPOT-ON.....well done! I'd love to see more of your work!!

[@DarkPathVFX]

Really appreciate the compliment and thank you for taking the time to give our little film a watch! We're hard at work on another Sci-Fi short!

[@loadtoad]

This would have made a GREAT Battlestar: Galactica episode! Absolutely loved it!!! RIBBIT!

[@markphillip4512]

Bsg is being rebooted as we watch this

[@loadtoad]

@@markphillip4512 OUTSTANDING NEWS!!! Thanks so much!

[@DarkPathVFX]

Thanks! That means alot! Absolutely love BSG

[@timisoutdoors]

@@markphillip4512 Whaaaaaaaaaaaa!?

[@EduardoRamosMontijo]

That was my thought too! Could definitely feel the BSG world vibe in this! Loved it

[@CammieRacing]

Finally, an intelligently written sci-fi that doesn't need to feed us hand to mouth with what's going on and simply allows the viewer to be engaged.

[@jennaskylark]

@@jonlittle5032Are you really that oblivious that you have to ask such an incredibly ignorant question?

[@Hypogeal-Foundation]

@@jennaskylark Of course he is, it's too Dumb of a Concept to Understand. Who begins with thinking, oh yeah, Temporal Storm. Temporal Anomalies Do not exist, because there is no such thing as an Anomaly.

[@danielc2701]

@@Hypogeal-Foundation Never mind anomalies, I'm wondering who in their right mind shoots something down before even confirming what it is. Can you imagine one day their President comes for an inspection and they decide "Woo, unknown ship, let us shoot it down!". Definite career boost that one /s.

[@Project2457official]

The cinematography is good but the worldbuilding tropes of “space is air” among others ruin it for me. It doesn’t take too much research and creative effort to understand and look into how spacecraft actually work or how they’d realistically work. You can nail a realistic look without having something as absurd as fighter jets swaying as if they’re flying through the atmosphere, with their engines constantly on. Check out the Expanse or even Avatar, they prove my point (though the Expanse should have better radiators tbh)

[@danielc2701]

@@Project2457official To be really fair, "pilots" in space is already a stretch. There is no way a human being can "eyeball" astro-dynamics, it's all computerized and pre-calculated. The "Lost in Space" remake nails this exactly with the phrase the pilot uses. "And the monkey flips the switch.".

[@BensPokePlace]

That Voice - Unmistakable. The Computer Female Voice from MechWarrior 2. All systems nominal.

[@LapoftheWorld]

Lol, found my people. The "autopilot" sounded familiar, the heat warning was unmistakable.

[@Nicholas_Chen_]

This is absolutely stunning. The nods to other scifi masterpieces are brilliant and you captured the desolation, mystery and claustrophobia in deep space very well. ❤

[@DarkPathVFX]

Thank you! The piece is definitely an homage to many Sci-Fi classics that have influenced us. Really appreciate you giving it a watch!

[@gapjunction11]

@@DarkPathVFX Are the dangling chains in the hangar a nod to "Alien"?

[@nymalous3428]

The computerized voice sounds like it comes from Mechwarrior 2 (4:36 "Autopilot engaged," 4:46 "Heat level critical," 4:48 "Shut down sequence initiated," 4:52 "Shut down sequence aborted"). Nicely made.

[@goatfish480]

Yep! i'm glad other people got that. Makes me feel old though now too

[@Wolf-o8f]

That was definatley bitching betty

[@lukasvrana6388]

Noticed this as well. And got some Freespace 2 feelings too :D

[@goatfish480]

@@lukasvrana6388 that game was amazing and so so hard

[@goatfish480]

My personal favorite was wing commander 2.

[@RadoslavNedyalkov]

That was one intense opening sequence and MindF story arc for 6:26 minutes, most Hollywood "masterpice" need at least 3 hours to tell the story you told...just saying. Epic shor ❤

[@DarkPathVFX]

Thank you so much! Really glad you enjoyed it!

[@Shorts11327]

I thought the opening credits was great. Maybe next time they could list the names a bit slower and maybe try to make the credits account for 75% of the next short film. That was the best part

[@thisnamewerx0350]

This video is top notch and the twist was perfect. I started laughing at the exact moment the pilot also started at the end. I freaking love it!

[@DarkPathVFX]

So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for giving it a watch!

[@thalon1]

an amazing short film with nods to Battlestar Galactica, and amazing special effects well done

[@DarkPathVFX]

Thank you! We definitely tried to pay homage to BSG

[@st6jimslayer341]

by the looks of it to harlock space pirate as well, from the carrier/battleship design@@DarkPathVFX

[@ToddWaid1]

Very nicely done. I love the creepy storm. Gave me major Event Horizon vibes.

[@davidstanleyblake923]

Speaking of which , Event Horizon was such a great movie

[@GiovanniV69]

yes! Great reference! It does have that feel.

[@JBTriple8]

yeah it was very lovecraftarian horror

[@Jasey357]

Great short! Thanks, I even spotted the Mechwarrior voice effects. Made me smile 😉👍👍

[@nymalous3428]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who recognized that. Brings back memories. :)

[@Takenmynameandmycat]

Bitchin’ Betty rides again…

[@MorteWulfe]

@@nymalous3428 hehe I recognized it too!

[@DarkSideofSynth]

Great work on all levels. Well done! Nice and engaging.

[@kinghamsterswarren653]

I love that you used soundbytes from the game, MechWarrior 2, for the female AI voice. I played that game so much, I know the dialogues. It was a nostalgia trip for me. The film was interesting too!

[@killerbees1199]

I knew I recognized the Athena voice!

[@rogerlau4932]

Ship designs are credible, what you'd expect them to look like. The plot generated a mild sense of tension, but there was nothing drawn out enough to sustain or build on it. The mystery of the "unknown signal" didn't have any buildup after its initial detection. So the viewer is just left waiting around in the rain. This left things too bland emotionally until our hero's ship gets slammed by something unknown. Then the tension is typical "my ships's in trouble" until the ending sequence where you find out our "hero" is the source of the unknown signal. A good time-loop idea, and good initial try, but needed more beef in the plot and mood of the film.

[@roberthoward5015]

Agreed. The story needs to be bigger and stronger and longer but still fit in the 6ish minute box

[@Wolfgang-Schnaufer]

I also agree. This looked stunning, but...,

[@Spaceman719]

… and less head shaking in the cockpit we could do without 🫨

[@Zeta_Reticulum]

Well, but still better than 95% of the short videos on YT For that reason: 15K views per day, for a 4 min. clip

[@TheExperimentalFreak]

Loved this, wow! The outcome gets more terrifying the more you think about it

[@Epoch11]

You guys told the whole story in about 5 minutes. There are plenty of Hollywood movies which are two hours long that can't tell a story. Bonus points for being Twilight Zone esque.

[@dose814]

Absolutely incredible Story telling, have not seen something this high qualitry in a long time I cant find the words to properly describe how well made this short film really is

[@Murrminator]

That was excellent, the plot twist at the end was completely unexpected and the visual effects were superb. I would love to see a full length movie from ya’ll. Bravo!

[@DarkPathVFX]

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed it!

[@CharlesHuse]

Wing commander: I know you just shot yourself down. You still coming to work tomorrow, right??

[@DarkPathVFX]

Brilliant! lol

[@livingchutoy5422]

Ok. Can I say something? The Athena? Just the design of of, the way she crept into the light, the sheer aesthetic of the ship? I s*** you not. I felt a disturbance in the Force. Like every, single, solitary Star Destroyer in the whole of the SW universe just collectively crapped their pants and turned tail for Alderan crying "Not It!". I love this ship!

[@DadrickOriginal]

Love the Mechwarrior sound effects.

[@n1vg]

Came to see if anyone else noticed that. It's been 28 years and those sound still do something to my brain. I can hear "target is beyond inspection radius" playing in my head, too.

[@Ahdtsjjjtdyhjryik]

>>HEAT LEVEL CRITICALSHUTDOWN SEQUENCE INITIATEDSHUTDOWN SEQUENCE ABORTED

[@micksmith7867]

That calm voice. My first pc game back in 95. I wish they would release it for the modern pc

[@KN1GHT501]

Who could forget the best betty this side of the Inner Sphere lmao

[@EvolvedTactical]

Very well done! Also, the Sidewinder tone for missile lock was a nice touch.

[@DarkPathVFX]

Thank you - thought we'd slip that little sound effect in there =)

[@blacklion8208]

Loved the laugh at the end by Lancer 21 when he saw himself on the screen. It connected to the laugh right at the beginning of the vid... Great short (loop), thanks for posting.

[@ashemgold]

Yes, haunting.

[@blacklion8208]

​@@ashemgold Very 👍

[@syrhassan116]

Nice job... Why do I want to play Mech Warrior now?

[@blueplanetoff]

The design of space fighters and the helmets... I smell some Battlestar Galactica inspiration here :D Anyways, great short film

[@adam45011]

Great use of MechWarrior 2 sound bits!!!!! “Autopilot engaged” “heat level critical”. Loved it all!!

[@pseudonym5872]

Gotta love the MechWarrior "Bitchin' Betty" cockpit warnings near the end...

[@GiovanniV69]

Apache pilot? Great reference to MW though. I also got a Space: Above and Beyond vibe.

[@fachkraftemangel8463]

Crisp, rough, love it. Congrats.

[@johnharrison7997]

This is an example of great writing and storytelling. Amazing short. Well done to everyone involved. 👏👏👏👏

[@fleepflorp2347]

Really interesting, can’t wait to see more.

[@DarkPathVFX]

Thank you! Glad you liked it!

[@jennaskylark]

That was not terrible. So I take it the "storm" was some kind of temporal disruption and Lancer 21 ended up shooting himself... right? Well, that's what I got from this. Subbed cuz I want to see what else you guys can do.

[@DarkPathVFX]

You nailed it! We appreciate you giving it a watch!

[@wilsonrawlin8547]

@@DarkPathVFX For a roughly 6min clip, very well done and a nice quick mind trip that closed very well.

[@philmcclenaghan7056]

​@@Athanasius1964lol how could you not

[@MattU4970]

Yup. The whole "Interstellar" movie in 6 minutes.

[@robdead4550]

Reminds me of the sort of short stories comics like 2000AD used to do. Really great work, I was engaged every second.

[@LucanoGaming]

The Mech Warrior sounds made me chuckle.

[@Telyzan]

THE PUBLIC DEMANDS MORE!!! Excellent job!

[@RealBLAlley]

Very well done, with a level of verisimilitude we rarely see these days, especially in SciFi.

[@centerfield6339]

My first time watching the Battlestar Galactica miniseries I was blown away with a VFX crash zoom to a brief out of focus then into focus shot of distant spaceships. I'd never seen space battles look so real before. This really brought me back to that moment. Thanks!

[@DarkPathVFX]

Thank you for the high praise! Lancer was definitely influenced by BSG.

[@DarkAssassin274]

Very well done short film.. It just drove me nuts how he was rocking through the ENTIRE thing... Straight and level flight up to the storm did NOT need it.

[@soumyareema]

Great movie and very deep message: Never be too quick to attack a friendly target That's instant Karma right there Very disturbing but amazing movie

[@DarkPathVFX]

Glad you enjoyed the short. Appreciate the high praise!

[@WillnichtRein]

The perfect Sci Fi short story.

[@GiovanniV69]

Space: Above and Beyond feeling, or BattleStar Galactica. Excellent. Well done.

[@Orion40000]

I...I think I might need to go have a lay down after this. I can't imagine what that man was thinking when the realisation set in. Bravo, guys. Bravo.

[@fbi9009]

feels like smth that could be straight out of warhammer really put into perspective how chaotic the warp is (pun intended)

[@traecummings9853]

Pretending those were a lost Raptor Squadron from a Battlestar. Bravo...FRACKING Awesome!!!

[@thrutheturnstyles]

This is incredible. Absolutely well done!

[@elektro3000]

Love this short timeloop horror, and I love that it feels like a side story from between the two Cylon wars.

[@gilbertdarisse4705]

This has more story to it than some blockbuster movies released by major studios now a days! Great job!

[@droopy0266]

First comment: absolutely brilliant and I love the nod to Star Wars and Battlestar Galactica in your ship designs. Good job.

[@DarkPathVFX]

Thank you so much 😀

[@calebweigt732]

Beautiful!

[@actuallyrealcover]

This deserves unlimited budget. I'd love to see it as a movie.

[@Unther]

"Action stations, action stations - set condition 1 throughout the ship!" Oh, it felt great hearing this again...

[@deliriumarts]

Oh wow. Atmosphere and suspense, absolutely! Very well-constructed and leaves you wanting more!"

[@PhDParapsychologistDr]

I like how he is moving back and forth like there is turbulence in space

[@stulliboy4422]

classic timelap and tempural circut. Nicely done

[@LeonardoSalvatore]

Nice short. That MechWarrior shutdown sequence bring me back memories...

[@huskyfrank9058]

What makes this better are the voiceovers taken directly from the legendary Mechwarrior 2 PC game.

[@Mayflower-Yev]

Love how they actually use modern fighter combat instead of the basic Sci-Fi tactics of dogfighting. Most of space warfare is definitely going to be missiles and LONG range arty either way basically pretty much nothing for short range.

[@KN1GHT501]

Really cool yall used the Mechwarrior 2 computer voice in some parts. Well done!

[@photobobo]

There are so many things wrong with this video that I would have to take a whole day out of my life to describe them. Life is to short for that.

[@chrisjones1798]

Absolutely outstanding 👏 👌 🙌

[@vikinggameprogrammer7233]

Nice.The Mech Warrior "mech" computer voice from Mech Warrior 2 was a nice touch too.

[@TelekinesisStudios]

GREAT idea. Superb technical execution.

[@richardede9594]

Great stuff. If this was a full-length feature about the time-rift it'd be great. Well done all involved.

[@androssthered1157]

Great stuff. Loved the MechWarrior heat levels Easter egg.

[@canadadelendaest8687]

The music nails this

[@DarkPathVFX]

Glad you liked it!

[@richardmoss5546]

This was epic. I really enjoyed it. Thanks for the awesome work to all involved.

[@baahcusegamer4530]

Very nice. I recognize that Mechwarrior 2 computer voice ;). Film has a nice BSG/Expanse feel to it. Very well executed.

[@coolerman_13]

I stumbled upon a few other VFX studios doing these short films and it led me here. great work.

[@petescott]

If I hadn't of guessed the twist in the first minute, it would have been the best Dust movie yet haha.

[@MoruganKodi]

feels like BSG 2004 all over again. I love it.

[@andrewgoldin675]

that dude with a motorcycle helmet, in the beginning, is DEFINITELY rocking side-to-side while sitting on a swivel chair

[@killswitchon8159]

Freaking awesome man! You killed it!

[@CybershamanX]

Love the use of the Mechwarrior 2 "bitchin' Betty" voice. Fun little short! Bravo! 😎🤘☮

[@Sebastian1979XD]

YOOOOOOOO THAT WAS SIIIICCKKKK!!! SHEEEEEEEEEEEEEESH 🔥🔥🔥

[@ashshadownight]

Hah nice Battlestar Galactica vibes with this!

[@SpinDizzy-fr8bc]

Well crafted story! I don't know why but it has reminded me of Ray Bradbury. This, novelized, would have fit right into "The Illustrated Man". Not to mention the CGI was outstanding. Well done!

[@notmyself2533]

So true Hollywood would need 3 hours tell this story this was simply horrifying

[@tbonez5906]

Really cool... getting some BSG vibes 😁

[@johnprezioso270]

Story was neat, but what sold it was the great atmosphere.

[@phatcritic9503]

I've been in some sci Fi short films and this is like a dream project. Very cool.

[@DarkPathVFX]

Appreciate the compliment! Glad you enjoyed it.

[@letsgetserious4048]

Better than the last 3 Star Wars Movies.. Well done

[@mycroft16]

Masterfully told! That was a lot of fun. And a cool twist. I love a good infinite loop story. Great visuals. The Athena is awesome looking.

[@TurinAlexander]

Reasonably well made, but honestly, saw that ending coming a mile away. I was really hoping I was wrong about it, but nope.

[@st.patrickiv1238]

the Mechwarrior 2 audio samples used were an awesome touch. Well done !

[@MissionReloadedGaming]

hahaha love the battlechatter and various alarms from all my favorite shows and games. XD

[@necroticism]

Glad you gave love to the classic MW3 bitchin' betty SFX.

[@elliottmclauren1987]

Using Mech Warrior 2 's voice commands I see ; nice touch

[@kenji214245]

Nails the most important parts of making a good scene. Sound and Visuals are working togheter Show don't tell without overuse and allowing the viewer to fill in the gaps on their own while still adding enough details to help clarify Stay simple don't complicate it if you don't have too. Attention to details without hyperfixating.

[@JOEmega64]

Nice. Loved hearing John as the pilot! Fantastic DP work as well 😁

[@josephcrawley7622]

This was so good. *Leaving a comment for the algorithm*

[@rintintinman9223]

That was Excellent,,,, the mood was dark,, and remained that way,, till a little enlightenment,,, then it got REAL Dark.

[@chrillechrillesson6045]

Wow. This is so freaky! Nicely done!

[@lewismassie]

Wow this was awesome. Great stuff

[@mikecrabtree8200]

Nice video. Hints of BSG in there.