A number of so-called "screen movies" have been popping up in recent years. Thrillers like 'Searching' and horrors such as 'Unfriended', its sequel and 'Paranormal Activity 4' play out entirely on screens, be it on the characters’ laptop screens, phones, or television screens. In times like these, we're used to communication and consumption of media via screens more than ever. Thus this latest movie development just makes sense.
The storytelling tool is being referred to as "Screenlife" tech and will be utilised in five upcoming movies across different genres.
Universal is behind the series which will use ultra low budgets.
They're partnering with director-producer Timur Bekmambetov on the venture.
Bekmambetov is behind such movies as 'Wanted' and 'Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter'.
Speaking with Deadline, he said: "We are all in different cities, and we can record screens without meeting each other. It’s the nature of this language, this Screenlife format, to work like this.
"It is a very organic production process, and what we learned in the past few months is we are the only production technology allowing us to work during the restrictions.
"My actor is in London and I can record his screen from Los Angeles, and he can act and communicate with another actor who is in Sydney, in front of the screen. I am recording their conversation and it’s the same as filming them. There is a story, a drama, love story and they can interact with each other and I record the interaction.
"It’s not only about faces, in Skype and Windows, or a conference system, it’s also the screen of the character. What I’ve learned is, it’s most important to see your character’s behavior. If you see my screen, you know exactly what I feel, what I do, what I’m dreaming about."
For fans of the action-thriller 'Wanted', a sequel could be in the making via these techniques.
"Maybe do the sequel in Screenlife," Bekmambetov said. "I cannot imagine an assassin in today’s world would run with a gun. Why? He will use drones, he will use computer technology, probably. You don’t need to bend bullets anymore. You need to bend ideas."
It's a method the filmmaker is well-versed in having been a producer on the aforementioned 'Searching' and 'Unfriended' movies as well as the film 'Profile'.
