Project Description

This short motion picture is a portfolio project I developed while staying in New Orleans during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic. My primary motivation was to explore Adobe After Effects’ functions for creating the double exposure effect, popular in VFX. The creative process consisted of first shooting photo and video footage around New Orleans and on excursions into more rural parts of Louisiana, then studying tutorials and finally editing and compiling the scenes. Possum Stakes Composite Reel takes the form of an opening title sequence for a fictitious TV show. “Possum Stakes” refers to my impression, at the time, of the COVID-19 response measures: a nation playing possum, and what’s at stake. The names used for the cast and crew aren’t entirely fictitious; they are all famous circus performers.

Music: New Orleans Walkin' Dead by North Mississippi Allstars