Shifters - Matt Young

Posted by Steve on 20 July 2010 | 1 Comments

Tell us about your sci-fi web series.

Shifters is a sci-fi/adventure series aimed at teenagers and young adults. It tells the story of Michael Fleming, Sam Braden and Krystal Mack - three school friends - who end up stranded in a parallel universe, a world that is similar but with vast differences to their own. It is not until they enact a daring plan that ultimatley has them shifting from world to world in an attempt to find their way home, unbeknownst to them of the mysteries and villians that await them!

Where did the idea/concept for your web series come from?

The idea for Shifters came to the director when he was only twelve-years-old, he wrote stories and his siblings would subscribe to each story and await them anxiously. His first real fans! It was originally called Timegate and the first few episodes very similar to what they are today, even the characters; the main difference would obviously be that the story, characters and show overall matured with the director as he grew through his teens and into adulthood. In January of 2009, he sat down a put out a first draft of the pilot and it all spiralled from there and became Shifters.

Name some of your sci-fi influences. Any favorite movies, TV shows, novels?

The biggest sci fi influences for this show would most definatley be Stargate, Lost and the most obvious would be Sliders.

Tell us about the technical production of your show. What camera & equipment did you use? Editing software & hardware? For visual effects, etc?

The pilot was originally going to be ultra low-budget and shot on a small HD consumer camera, but after meeting up with filDirect Matt Young and Cast of Shiftersmmaker Daniel Maddock, whom the director had worked with on a previous production a few years earlier - the production became a whole lot bigger.

The pilot was shot on the Sony HVR-ZIP High Definition camera and recorded to Sony HDV Master Grade Tapes. The entire shoot was done with one camera but with the backup of professional sound and lighting equipment thanks to some of the crew coming from Springfield University in Brisbane.

We filmed the show in a total of 12 days, over six months spanning from June 20 through until December 14, 2009. With post-production occuring in the midst of principal photography.

The pilot was then finally edited on Canopus Edius Pro 5 and graded using Apple Color before being encoded to Apple ProRes files (The only type of file that would be recognised on both a MAC and PC) before being put back into Edius, a sound mix done and the final edit rendered out in SD and HD Master formats.

It sounds easier than it was!

We are now entering into production on the second and third episodes. Each on their own will suprass the pilot in so many ways! So be on the look out for them later this year!

Can you tell us any interesting facts or trivia about your show? Any funny stories?

The city museum in the pilot was in fact shot in three very different locations in and around Brisbane. The main foyer was shot at Brisbane City Hall, the curators office was at the Macarthur Museum and the lower levels/warehouse was shot at the Commissariat Store on William Street. Put all together and it became the City Museum in an un-named city that the show takes place within.

Better yet! The stone/gem device that allows our heroes to travel from world to world; "The device was created by an intelligent group of beings over half a century ago..." is in fact a Samsung MP3 Player.

Shifters can be found on Facebook here.

Shifters - SciFinal Page

More behind the scenes from Shifters below:

Matt Young (center) with the Cast and Crew of Shifters

On set of Shifters

On location with Shifters

Shifters Poster