CHRAPKA USES TECHNOLOGY TO PORTRAY TECHNOLOGY IN S.A.M. (Sentient Automaton Mode)

Editor Peter Chrapka explains his work on this film about android's emotions.

  If you stop for a minute to really consider it, what allows society to function? There are layers to each of us. We can choose to conduct ourselves by our more base and primal instincts or with a higher sense of purpose and community, something at least influenced by altruism. Regardless of which we choose and the consequences, it is our own choice. At our core, we choose to edit our own actions and present ourselves to each other as we’d like to see ourselves. Technology has increased our awareness of this. Do we really want to “share” or “like” this message? “I only have 140 characters so I’d better choose exactly what I want to say.” These types of ideas and situations inspired the science fiction film S.A.M. Sentient Automaton Model (2015). The film’s protagonist, Sam (an android), realizes that he’s in love with his human co- worker Kaitlin. After Kaitlin’s announcement that she is moving to New York, Sam has decided to declare his love to her before it’s too late. His prospects are threatened when a new emotionally savvy android asks her out. In a perfect blend of technology meets the humanity of self-editing, who understands this dilemma better than editor Peter Chrapka?

  Technology has made communication ubiquitous and exponentially more complex. While mankind attempts to master technology, S.A.M. flips the scenario and shows technology (or a blend of it) trying to master human connection and communication. Chrapka was hired by the film’s producer Jaskaran Singh, poetically via modern technology.

 

  Peter worked closely with Jaskaran and director Hector Carreon Pinera over a blindingly fast two-week period to achieve two (yes two) separate final cuts; one for the producer and one for the director. The two filmmakers debated the merits of each and returned with a unified idea for the final cut. The results were highly successful as S.A.M. was awarded Best Sci-Fi film - Toronto Short Film Festival, Best Sci-Fi film - Socal Clips Indie Film Festival, and the Award of Excellence - Canada Shorts Film Festival. Peter was proud that his first editing of a sci-fi film was met with such a positive reception.

  Although Chrapka admits to being a fan of science fiction films, this was his first production of the genre. He used the opportunity to add to his already ample set of skills. He notes, “I learned a lot about VFX while working on this film and it has become a valuable lesson that I utilize in all my projects which have VFX work. It’s an important skill as the amount of VFX shots in film has increased and is in great demand now. Having knowledge in VFX made a huge difference when it came to communication on S.A.M.. I was able to work with the VFX team and deliver to them the shots that they needed. In order to edit these uncompleted VFX shots, you need to have a clear idea of what it will eventually look like. It was interesting working with the scenes where VFX shots were going to be later on inserted. We had to creatively visualize how these VFX shots would look and cut based on this, which was challenging but a good learning experience. Obtaining the skill to edit a film without having the final VFX shots completed is a requirement for an editor working with modern film. The VFX shots for S.A.M. look amazing and they cut seamlessly into the predetermined spots we had selected for them.”

  The finished film and its accolades speak for itself. While new to the sci-fi editing world, Peter swung and hit big; a perfect template for humanity and technology communicating emotion…just as S.A.M. wanted.