Video Editing/ Motion Graphics
The Lost Treasure of Isle Royale
I created this opening credits sequence for a fictional movie about a lost treasure hidden on an island in the 1000 Islands region of New York and Canada. This region is centered on an international border formed by the Saint Lawrence River, and has a rich history which includes some key battles during the French and Indian War.
Techniques
I used mostly my own footage which I filmed on location in the 1000 Islands region. In the opening scene I used one stock video of a diver with a snorkel device. I overlayed this video with my own footage, and my own motion graphics combined with special effects to create an interesting overlapping of shapes and places. The intention was to set a mood of mystery and intrigue.
The opening credits makes extensive use of old map fragments, which come together to reveal clues about the treasure while providing interesting spaces for credit placement. To create the maps, I researched local history and made illustrations using Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop. I created textures and shapes by cutting up pieces of illustration paper and burning the edges. I took photos of these weathered fragments of paper and then used them as a base for my digital map illustrations. I created the motion graphics for these maps using Adobe After Effects, and finished the video editing in Adobe Premiere Pro.
Inspiration and Plot Writing
I came up with a plot which centers around the true story of Fort Levis, a French stronghold on Isle Royale, not far from Ogdensburg, NY. The French Fort, under the command of Pierre Pouchot and his forces was invaded by the British under the command of Lord Jeffrey Amherst. The French held off 3 British controlled gunboats for days until they were forced to surrender. Local legends say that the French Fort had a stash of a significant amount of gold which would have been used to pay the French soldiers, but Pouchot secretly buried the gold so that the British wouldn’t confiscate it. Other legends tell stories of clues left by Pouchot, which a family member used generations later to find the long lost gold. However, when Pouchot’s descendant located the gold, his ship sunk in a storm not far from the island.
The story would follow a team of local characters during modern times who set out to look for the Gold. They follow the trail left behind by Pouchot and his descendant who returned to seek the treasure. The characters must travel to historic sites connected to Pouchot’s history and the French and Indian War, as well as the war of 1812 and various events which took place during the lost 200 years between the battle at Fort Levis and the dredging of the Saint Lawrence River during the 1950s. The characters have to find clues and follow the secret instructions left behind by Pouchot to tell where the treasure is buried. The characters find old maps and documents which they must piece together before they can find the site of the buried treasure. Along the way they overcome many obstacles, and have to shake off certain greedy individuals who find out about the treasure and start following the team.
Asset Attribution
Bubbly water Texture
Video by Vimeo from Pexels: https://www.pexels.com/video/underwater-bubbles-857131/
Diver
Video by Phydio Patcho: https://www.pexels.com/video/deep-dive-underwater-17809337/
Music
Into the Depths by Jingle Punks
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBhZANtJRHk&list=PLzCxunOM5WFIudfMTgJzXkOE-xbVWrpIF&index=128