WATCH
Open on YouTube ↗
Synopsis
The film follows one man at four ages, carrying the same notebook the whole way up. Each age meets one idea: chaos, the abyss, adversity and, at the summit, amor fati, the love of one’s fate.
The narration is adapted from English translations of Nietzsche’s writing, compressed for a single voice.
STATUS
Released
HOW IT WAS MADE
MATTHEW’S ROLE
A film by Matthew O’Boyle.
CONSTRAINTS
One character across four ages, no dialogue, and narration adapted from Nietzsche’s writing.
THE PROBLEM
A whole life has to pass in about two minutes, without dialogue.
THE CHOICE
One man is shown at four ages, from about 25 to about 55.
WHAT IT CHANGED
Time passes through his face and his body rather than through dates on screen.
Character study showing his oldest age.
The same character in the released film, at 1:45.
THE PROBLEM
The four ages could feel like four separate short films.
THE CHOICE
He carries the same notebook throughout, with a gentian pressed inside.
WHAT IT CHANGED
The notebook links the ages; the pressed flower returns near the end, at 1:39.
Storyboard panel: the notebook with the gentian.
The corresponding shot in the released film, at 0:19.
THE PROBLEM
The film is narrated in the voice of a real philosopher.
THE CHOICE
The narration is adapted from English translations of Nietzsche’s writing, compressed for a single voice, with one idea for each age.
WHAT IT CHANGED
Chaos, the abyss, adversity and amor fati arrive at four points in one life.
Storyboard panel: the summit.
The corresponding shot in the released film, at 1:50.
FINAL DELIVERABLES
The film, 16:9, released on YouTube.
A vertical teaser and launch stills for Instagram and LinkedIn.
Reference
The summit composition was informed by Caspar David Friedrich’s Wanderer above the Sea of Fog (1818).
STILLS
The meadow.
The walk through the woods.
Supporting material: full storyboard sheets.
Supporting material: character studies showing four ages.
CREDITS
A film by Matthew O’Boyle.
Words adapted from Friedrich Nietzsche.
A Mobius Media production.
MOBIUS ORIGINALS
Follow the films.
New films, notes from production and the occasional essay, on Substack and YouTube.
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