Close Encounter (2024)

A skeptical teenage girl, Riley, reluctantly joins her UFO-obsessed father, Jerry, on a road trip to a UFO convention, only to experience an otherworldly encounter that brings them closer together.

Starring: Allison Carmody and Dale Dobson
Produced by: Jamison Acker, Jeph Porter
Directed by: Jeph Porter
Written by: Jeph Porter and Mikey Chastain
Director of Photography: Jamison Acker
Edited By: Michael Lux

UPCOMING SCREENINGS

SCREENING HISTORY

March 3rd, 2025 | MidWest Weird Fest, Eau Claire WI
March 22nd, 2025 | Patrick Lives On, Chicago IL
March 29th. 2025 | Panic Fest, Kansas City MO
May 25th, 2025 | Georgia Shorts Film Festival, Atlanta GA

Behind the Scenes

Thanks to our partners at Resolution Studios and Miller Creative.

DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT

CLOSE ENCOUNTER began with a simple phone call from my producing partner, Jamison Acker, asking if I wanted to try making a film on a virtual production stage. He had attended some training sessions at a facility in Chicago and thought we could probably talk someone into letting us shoot a film there. I agreed, of course, because I always like a challenge, and I believed that our experience in the industry and track record would be enough to convince someone to let us use their highly technical and expensive equipment for little to no money. Through some sort of magic, Resolution Studios in Chicago agreed.

When it came to the film, I didn’t want it to be a glorified tech demo showcasing virtual production. While the technology is impressive, it’s still just a tool to support storytelling. My goal was to tell a compelling and engaging story that would still be best served by the technology. My writing partner, Mikey Chastain, and I brainstormed a UFO abduction story inspired by a single shot idea, using virtual production to simulate a car being pulled into a UFO by moving the background rather than the car. This shot stands out in the final film because it subtly demonstrates what’s possible with virtual production without feeling obvious.

However, the technology alone wasn’t enough; the story needed emotional substance to achieve our goal. As we developed the script, the UFO abduction became a vehicle to explore the complex relationship between a father and daughter, navigating their changing relationship, which became more personal and meaningful than I had expected.

I’ve never been abducted by aliens (that I know of), but like many, I have a complex relationship with my parents, especially as I’ve grown. In the film, Riley is on the cusp of adulthood and is struggling to identify with her “weird” dad, Jerry. Ultimately, her experience gives her a new perspective on that relationship. With this heartwarming story, the film found its footing as a relatable and universal experience that transcends the bounds of merely technical achievements.

While CLOSE ENCOUNTER pays obvious homage to CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE THIRD KIND, we were also inspired by the tone of other 80s Spielberg films—particularly their ability to balance the fantastical with intimate, relatable family dynamics. That feeling of wonder paired with emotional depth guided our storytelling. The title, CLOSE ENCOUNTER, became not only a reference to the famous film but also a reflection of Riley and her father’s emotional close encounter as they enter a new phase in their relationship.

This film was completely self-funded by Jamison and me. That was part of the benefit of shooting on a virtual production stage—we didn’t have the budget to build sets, but we knew we could shoot 90% of the movie inside a car, which saved us a lot of costs. We used the power of virtual production to transport the car wherever we needed, including to an alien planet trillions of light years away, ironically during a crippling blizzard in Chicago that nearly prevented me from getting into town. But again, the power of virtual production proved itself, as we were able to shoot a film with multiple locations all on the same stage, regardless of the weather.

Jamison’s dad happened to own a green-and-white 1970s VW Vanagon, which became the visual hub for the film. We dressed Jerry, the dad, in complementary colors and Riley in clashing colors to represent their feelings about being in the van. We even found a 3D replica of the van for a few wide shots that were done entirely in 3D. All of the environments were built by our incredible 3D artist, Rachel Oftedahl. We spent many months on Zoom calls crafting those environments, as they would be part of an in-camera effect and thus couldn’t be easily changed afterward. Having never done this before, it was a godsend to have Rachel there to guide us through the process. We also had an amazing team at Resolution Studios in Chicago, who managed all of the hardware, and Miller Creative, who handled and ran the Unreal environments. We shot over two days with an incredible crew of talented Chicago professionals who helped us bring this crazy idea to life.

In the end, I believe we achieved our goal of making a film that could stand on its own and not just as a showcase for virtual production. CLOSE ENCOUNTER is a story about connection—how we navigate complicated relationships, particularly with our parents. I hope the audience sees themselves in Riley or Jerry and walks away reflecting on their own relationships with family, and how being transported across space and time could help them appreciate their value. Ultimately, I’m proud of the film we worked hard to make and the people who helped make it possible. Plus, it’s got a UFO in it, so that’s cool.