60 Seconds Of Darkness

This short is an adaptation of the SciFi masterpiece “El Eternauta” (“The Eternaut”) by Argentine writer Héctor Germán Oesterheld. Directed by Pablo Conde, the short pays homage to the original story and covers its beginning.

Four characters, a conflict with the environment that triggers a strong internal conflict and a SciFi theme with an Argentine/Porteño flavor are the main elements of this short.

Staging plays a key role, as the snow generates the initial conflict of the story. It also provides an element of surprise for those who know Buenos Aires, as a snowy landscape is almost never seen in the city.

Wider framing slowly changes towards tighter framing, as the story moves from establishing the location and its SciFi theme to presenting the characters. Visual rhythm increases accordingly, helping raise tension and conflict. The director switches from tilts and pans to faster camera moves such as crash zooms and whip pans. Editing pace is faster, as is the motion of the characters within the frame. Rhythm slows down again towards the end, when tango music resurfaces and the two characters in suits walk away.

The role of music is worth highlighting as it’s employed as a narrative device at the beginning, starting as screen music (with a visualized source), moves to pit music as it plays in the background when different locations of Buenos Aires are shown, becomes visualized again when the record player is thrown through the window, and starts playing once again as pit music around 2.11, with a different version of the same song that sets the mood for the ending.

“60 Seconds Of Darkness” took 5 years to make by Argentine artists in their free time. According to director/animator Pablo Conde, currently he has no plans to adapt the whole “Eternauta” to film format.