The Compass of Imagination

In 2016, The Compass of Imagination was embarked by taking on a role as Director of Photography, Set Designer, as well as Co-writer while thrust into this all-involving, exhausting, but fun TV series pitch aimed at Netflix. Co-created and directed by Louis 'Yosh' Bolivar, we immersed ourselves in the realm of Spielberg-class 80's, magic-fantasy-thriller goodness. Overall production time was about 3.5 months, most of it planning, with a week to shoot, and about 18 months afterward on post and visual effects.

The closest thing we could think of to making a film was a wedding. You pray everyone shows up after a long and drawn-out process of choosing every part of what's going to be or not and hope the photographer keeps up to capture it. Whatever fails, you save in the cut. Ultimately a film is born in the editing room. Audio is 60%.

By exploring color palettes, we were able to figure out our direction during a great deal of labor into behind-the-scenes photos, work-in-progress CG, and storyboard sketches. Since digital cameras were clean and pristine compared to traditional ones, we figured older lenses with subtle but natural wear and micro-abrasions along with strong fog and subtle lighting, would yield the greatest depth possible. LUTs played a key role. By shooting in linear range and handling the rest in post, freedom to get any look and feel we wanted was unprecedented. Yet it took careful forethought to make it work; the look required split decision-making and purposeful choices. The contrast of a sharp camera with worn lenses was key in achieving a vintage look. It's subtle but pays dividends.

To recreate the protagonist Max's room, we used a lot of props and set decor, with attention to color and material reflection. Glossy items reflected light well and stood out, while more matte-finish objects were carefully placed away from the focal point to maximize attention. HDRI reflection probes were utilized for the compass and floating props in post. Speaking of, we bought around ten compasses (maybe less, we lost count) to find the one that fit our story best. It's a shame we didn't pay close enough attention to the one used in our trailer versus what was shot in the first scene. We figured it could've been fixed in post, but given how much of a pain it was, we learned later to avoid that at all costs.

In terms of written material, besides the graphic novel and initial screenplay, there were actually three seasons of story. But due to constraints, we later pivoted to a web comic, serving as a prequel and preview for the third arc. Check it out in the links below!

The following was a scene after our trailer. Starring Brandon Quan as Max and Joey Sinko as The Sailor, we attempted our first episode but stopped short due to complications with scheduling and budget. With weeks of planning, it was shot in a day with a BlackMagic camera and several Nikon lenses. Location scouting and prop hunting were the most time consuming, especially where we could rent a row boat.

It was supposed to take place in the middle of the ocean among islands but at some point had to settle for a large lake. Certain elements in the background needed to be comped out, others in, with the compass also requiring replacement. At that moment, we had our rough in hopes we could pick up where we left off when chance allowed.

For a full-episode preview check out: Episode One Screenplay.

The Compass of Imagination was originally conceived when Yosh attempted a 3D storyboard animatic pitch for Dreamworks. He called one day asking to borrow assets from an older project during our time at Finale entitled Clubhouse Chronicles, using one of the characters and bedroom scene to tell a short story. While it didn't fit what the company was looking for, afterward, it evolved into something more, inspiring us to push further into a full-blown epic. Yosh wondered "what if instead of making this in 3D, we shot it on film?"

Funny enough, to populate the bedroom, we did something one shouldn't: a massive shopping spree at Target and certain other stores. All receipts were kept, since each item would only be used for a day. Whatever couldn’t be obtained in person was ordered online. Every box and package also kept over the weekend. Then, a few days later, they were returned—as in, everything... hundreds of dollars of merchandise for our first shoot. It was a bit of a gamble and highly embarrassing, but thankfully it worked out. Though next time, it may be wise to look for smarter alternatives and refrain from doing it again.

A packet was also made as part of our pitch. Here you see examples of storyboard roughs with character bios written and composed by Yosh. The goal was to create a world that felt lived in, with a sense of history and depth.

While currently on pause, the collective experience of working on this project proved difficult, yet enjoyable and insightful. Due to an overwhelming passion for games, it was placed on hold with the aspiration to assume a Showrunner or Producer role in the future. Should the opportunity arise, it would be a dream come true.

We also wrote a 300 page novel. It was way faster to write unpublished than produce a series. Due to scheduling conflicts, and a soul searching desire for making games, we hit pause. While we plan to publish it someday, most efforts went toward the comic, since it would allow us to share a full vision without constraints. Alternate covers for the novel became promotional material for it. Most of our work was graphic design while illustrations were done by various artists we hired.

Admittedly, had we gone in this direction, the project could've been a hit. All of it had been widely well-received. But ultimately we had to make a choice. Move forward to become a showrunner for TV or make games.

Which do you think we chose?

Behind the Scenes

• Read Episode One Screenplay (52 pages)
• Preview Three-Season Series Outline (9 pages)
• Preview Novel Second Draft (283 pages)

Graphic Novel (Webtoons)

• The Compass of Imagination Comic (Webtoon) >