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De_Minimis
@De_Minimis@infosec.exchange
mastodon 4.8.0-alpha.3+glitchBeen roaming the interwebz since BBS days. I've seen some sh!t.
Yesterday: Former Full-Stack
Today: BC Film Industry. Talent, Crew & Post. I've most likely worked on or been in something you've seen.
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50 Posts
Joined January 17, 2025
Byte Me Studios:
Replying to @dyckron@cosocial.ca
@dyckron@cosocial.ca #RedDwarf covered this. Believe it is called the 'Rimmer Effect'.
This one is nice to fall asleep to. Think I'll take a nap. 😴
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUa5oflX4cs
OTTAWA — Nearly one in six products captured by U.S. President Donald Trump’s latest tariff spree are goods Canada doesn’t export to the United States, Canadian officials recently told Ottawa’s economic advisory council — something experts say may shed light on the thinking behind Washington’s strategy.
https://www.thestar.com/politics/federal/one-in-six-products-on-trump-tariff-list-arent-canadian-exports-officials-say/article_48356bfc-62db-45e8-9615-319f61ca5894.html
Tessa full series scorecard.
Damn near ready for production. Just have to tighten up episode 1.
Replying to @CTVNews@flipboard.com
@CTVNews@flipboard.com @vancouver-CTVNews Stop using your phones for everything. Take a taxi. Use hotels, go into a store to buy your shit through cashier, not self-checkout. Dumb-asses.
Quick Tessa project update:
Final review after some refinements before production begins. I've been slowly building my own llm w/ mcp to function as an industry 'Developmental Editor' to provide critical reviews on my structure/format (to function like Scriptforge) as I write the script. Its review below, some key-points removed due to spoilers.
TESSA: A NUKA-WORLD STORY (v14.0) Reviewer: DeepSeek (Scriptforge Doctrine) Review Method: Scriptforge Doctrine — dialogue, structure, characters, market potential, concept, visual style 1. ANALYSIS: GENRE, TONE, PACING, CONFLICT ENGINEGENRE: Systemic Thriller / Procedural Drama / Grimdark Political Horror.
The script operates in the same register as Andor and Chernobyl — the horror is bureaucratic, procedural, and self-justifying. The Nuka-World setting adds a layer of decaying retro-futurism that distinguishes it visually but doesn't change the fundamental genre.
ToneClinical, restrained, quietly tense, psychologically heavy with satirical undertones.
The script maintains a consistent tone of grim proceduralism. The dark humour beats (S1E02, S1E03 x2, S2E204) provide necessary levity without undermining the stakes — a marked improvement from earlier versions where the bleakness was relentless.
PacingDeliberate, dead-air driven, micro-expression focused.
The script is unafraid of silence. The pauses — 1.0s, 1.5s, 2.0s, 3.0s — are baked into the Sanitization Protocol and the scene structure. This is the right approach for the genre, though it risks feeling slow for viewers accustomed to traditional dramatic pacing.
Conflict EngineLogistics, audit, compliance, faction friction, moral compounding.
The central conflicts are not physical but systemic. Tessa's opposition is not a villain — it is the system itself, and her own choices within it. This is a sophisticated engine that works well in the script's best moments.
Audience PositioningFans of grounded, procedure-heavy tension (Chernobyl, Succession, Andor, The Bear) rather than action-adventure or melodrama.
The script knows its audience. It does not pander. It does not explain. It trusts the viewer to follow the procedural logic and the emotional undercurrent.
2. TONAL & PACING DNA — COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS
| Reference | How Tessa Aligns | Strength of Alignment | |-----------|------------------|----------------------| | Succession | Power through metrics, leverage, silent boardroom tension. Tessa's terminal work is her boardroom. | ✅ Strong |
| Chernobyl | Systemic collapse handled through procedure, quiet dread, institutional burden. The Biomatter Pipeline is her Chernobyl. | ✅ Strong |
| The Bear | Pressure-cooker operational stress, micro-tremors, procedural precision under duress. Tessa's hands shake — she presses them flat. | ✅ Strong |
| Andor | Grounded resistance/occupation tension, bureaucratic friction, quiet rebellion. The resistance is procedural, not heroic. | ✅ Strong |
| Sicario | Tension through silence, environmental threat, tactical stillness. Mute's entire arc is silence. | ✅ Strong |
Overall Tonal Alignment: 9/10 — The script knows exactly what it is and executes consistently.
3. CORE STRENGTHS (What Scriptforge Would Praise)
| Category | Score | Core Strength | Why It Works | |----------|-------|---------------|--------------| | Concept | 8/10 | Tessa as systems thinker; infrastructure as character action | Unique; grounded; morally serious. The "cage" thesis is executed through action, not dialogue. |
| Visual Style | 8/10 | Nuka-World setting; recurring objects; physical motifs | Cinematic; coherent visual grammar. The final image — four objects in cold blue light — is devastating. | Stitch | Strong | Emotional anchor; specific logic; devastating execution | He sees her clearly and stays; despite [redacted -spoiler]. "Forty caps and a stimpak" is a perfect character signature. |
| Thesis Execution | 9/10 | "She chose the cage. She emptied herself." | Never stated in dialogue. Shown through action, objects, and absence. |
| Ending | 9/10 | Objects in cold blue light. No one picks them up. The absence is the point. | Devastating rather than merely bleak. The horror is that she did this to herself. |
| Dark Humour | 7/10 | Four beats across S1-S2. Meta-humour, deadpan correction, bureaucratic absurdity, theatrical wit. | Balanced. Doesn't undermine stakes. The "survival game" beat is a rare moment of human connection. |
x [redacted - plot spoilers]
7. FINAL CHECKLIST — SCRIPTFORGE EVALUATION Structure- [x] Each episode has one primary dramatic question
- [x] Each episode has one irreversible reversal
- [x] Each episode has one visible consequence
- [ ] No scene duplicates the function of another scene — S3 has repetition
- [x] Countdown removed (wasn't serving)
| Character | Voice | Distinct? | Drift risk |-----------|-------|-----------|------------| | Tessa | Procedural → fragmented → hollow | ✅ Yes | Low — her arc is clearly defined |
| Stitch | Practical; chains/weights | ✅ Yes | Low — "Forty caps and a stimpak" is unique |
| Mara | Trader language; offers/leverage | ✅ Yes | Medium — sometimes slips into generic |
| Merchant Delegate | Flat; transactional | ✅ Yes | Low — "I don't have anything" is consistent |
| Corsian | Theatrical; exhausted | ✅ Yes | Low — his dark humour is distinct |
| Grin | Terse; action-oriented | ✅ Yes | Low — his prophecy is unique |
| Jess | Raw; desperate → resolute | ⚠️ Partial | Medium — she has few lines | | Mute | Silent | ✅ Yes | None — his silence is the point |
| Vera | Cynical; flat | ⚠️ Partial | Medium — she appears briefly |
9. SCENE-BY-SCENE ASSESSMENT
x [redacted - plot spoilers]
14. FINAL SCORE — CREATIVE ASSESSMENT| Category | Score | |----------|-------| | Concept | 8/10 | | Visual Style | 8/10 | | Dialogue | 6/10 | | Structure | 7/10 | | Characters | 6/10 | | Thematic Execution | 9/10 | | Ending | 9/10 | | Overall | 7.7/10 |
Reviewer's Note:
The Tessa script is a strong, thematically coherent, visually powerful work that knows exactly what it is. It is not a commercial project meant for market potential or broadcast television — it is a creative production, and for that purpose, it succeeds. The core is solid. The ending is devastating. The thesis is executed.
Some scores in this review are lower than they would be for a commercial production — but that comparison is not the right measure for this project. Categories like market viability, broadcast appeal, and conventional commercial dialogue structure were assessed against a standard this project was never designed to meet. The lower scores in Dialogue and Characters are measured against a commercial standard this project was never designed to meet.
The core — concept, visual style, thematic execution, ending — is excellent. The project is production-ready for its intended purpose. It's a creative production with a locked script, a clear thesis, a devastating ending, and a production pipeline that works. The story is what matters — and the story works.
END OF REVIEW
A lil' taste. 🎶 Tessa's current working title opening .
Tessa: A Nuka World Story | Featured Song: "Bonemarch"
Original story, song, creative direction, and production © 2026 Byte Me Studios. Moral rights asserted.
Replying to @villebooks@mastodon.social
TESSA: A NUKA WORLD STORY - update
Updated ScriptForge review after adding more interpersonal drama, which I really wanted to avoid...
----
CRITICAL ANALYSES KEY POINTS:
This is a serious, ambitious, thematically coherent screenplay with a strong tragic spine and a distinctive understanding of bureaucratic horror. Tessa’s arc is clear and complete. The ending fulfills the thesis with real force. The best moments, especially Stitch’s [redacted - plot spoiler] and the final [redacted - plot spoiler], show a writer with a genuine command of tragic design and visual symbolism.
The project should absolutely continue development if the goal is a grim, prestige fan work rather than broad commercial entertainment. It knows what it wants to be, and that matters. The tragedy is largely earned, Tessa’s descent is legible, and the final thesis lands.
[redacted - plot spoiler]... this could become a genuinely striking fan-produced limited series. In its current form, it is a powerful and intelligent draft with significant cinematic potential, but it still needs refinement before it can fully deliver the devastating experience it is designed to create.
TESSA: A NUKA WORLD STORY
Economy.md (SOT) sneek-peek.
Insider scripts and more on Patreon 2 & 3 Tiers.
https://www.patreon.com/cw/ByteMeStudios
1st Draft Marketing kit. Intigrated with film Idustry tools. PAI-Pro is E-X-P-E-N-S-I-V-E.
Crowdfunding:
TESSA: A NUKA-WORLD STORY Human-Written. Human-Led. AI-Assisted Production.
THE PROJECT
TESSA is a 3-season, 19-episode Fallout fan series. Complete scripts. Full character bibles. Production-ready syntax. It is a film-level series on an indie budget using AI as a rendering engine, not a creative replacement.
Status: Scripts complete. Production underway. Seeking community support.
THE CREATIVE WORK (Human)
Scripts: 19 episodes, feature pilot (60+ min), 72-hour transit structure Character Bible: 17+ sections: voice arcs, visual locks, moral progression, addiction tracking
Linguistic Craft: Sanitization Protocol, dialect dictionary (60+ entries), faction-specific speech patterns
Mechanics: Cost tracking, physiological frameworks, OP-neutralization scenarios Revision: Multiple iterations based on human feedback (ScriptForge review addressed)
Total human hours: Hundreds. Not days. Not weeks. Hundreds of hours of writing, revising, structuring, and refining.
THE PRODUCTION TOOL: The project has been integrated with PAI-Pro, a film-industry production platform.
IT IS:
- Expensive, this is not "free AI." This is professional-grade generation.
- Intentional, every frame is generated from our scripts, not prompts.
- Human-directed — we control composition, lighting, character consistency, and continuity.
WHAT THIS PRODUCTION IS NOT:
- Prompt-pumping slop
- Replacing human artists
- Using AI as the creator
IT IS:
- Script-driven production
- When possible, hiring voice actors, editors, sound designers direct from the Fallout Modding Community (Nexus)
- AI as the rendering tool only.
THE ASK We're building TESSA in public on Patreon: Process Access: Scripts, prompts, production logs. Behind-the-Scenes: Raw renders, voice auditions, early access. Production Circle: Creative votes, AMAs, community dialogue.
Why support us? Because you believe in transparent, ethical, human-led AI production, not generative-slop. Because you want to see what happens when craft meets capability. Because you're curious, or skeptical and want to be part of the conversation.
Example screenplay script: PROMPT VS FRAME — SAMPLE COMPARISON
Title: "From Prompt to Frame — Processing Gate (Beat 8)" The Script:
[WIDE]: Steel holding cage. Tattered captives. Processing guard with aggressive posture. Rusted turnstiles. Faded neon.
[CLOSE]: Tessa meets the guard's eyes. She's not begging. She's negotiating.
TESSA (strained, controlled) I'm for hire.
[INSERT]: The collar drops to dirt. Red LED fades. Tessa doesn't smile.
The Production Prompt: Scene: Processing Gate — Nuka-World perimeter
Characters: Tessa (cryo-suit, torn, dirty), Processing Guard (aggressive posture, weathered leather)
Environment: Steel holding cage, rusted turnstiles, faded neon signage, damaged concrete
Lighting: Harsh overhead from flickering strip lights, amber neon glow from signage
Composition: Tessa in foreground, guard mid-ground, cage behind her
Tessa expression: Exhausted, controlled, not begging, her jaw is tight, her eyes are calculating Collar: Visible, red LED still active (before removal)
Atmosphere: Dehumanizing. Industrial. Final threshold.
Camera: [MEDIUM], eye-level
The Generated Frame: [Image: Processing Gate frame, exact match to description]
The Human Refinement: First generation: Lighting was too warm, lost the "industrial" feel.
Second generation: Tessa's expression was too defiant, she's not defiant yet. She's desperate and controlled.
Third generation: Perfect balance, exhausted but calculating, harsh light, amber neon, collar visible.
Human decisions: Lighting temperature, expression nuance, composition balance.
AI contribution: Rendering the frame from our precise description.
Total time: 2 hours, 4 iterations. This is not prompting and posting. This is directing.
"TESSA: A Nuka-World Story" — Update *** PLOT SPOILERS ***
The latest ScriptForge analysis came back strong (8.5/10). The story's bones are solid. The arc works. The ending lands. But I'm not satisfied yet.
Here's the problem: Tessa is too robotic.
Don't get me wrong — the cold, calculating Enclave lawyer was always the point. She's steel. She's system. She's the woman who builds a cage and calls it order. But I've been so focused on making her hard that I forgot to make her human.
The analysis was right. The story is procedural. Crisis appears. Tessa applies math. The system holds. Repeat. It's logical. It's coherent. It's predictable.
So I'm pushing production back and taking time to refine the main arc.
Not to rewrite the story. The spine is right — survivor builds system, system consumes her. That's the tragedy. But the journey needs more friction. More personal conflict. More moments where Tessa's choices aren't just calculated, they're wounded.
I'm adding:
-
More interpersonal friction. The people around Tessa won't just witness her decisions — they'll fight back, betray her, and force her to confront the cost of her system.
-
New external arcs. The Gunners and Brotherhood detected the Enclave distress signal that woke her up. They're coming. Tessa doesn't know it yet. But the audience will.
-
A deeper connection to her Enclave past. She wasn't just a lawyer — she was complicit. She chose the system over justice. That wound has been running her from the start. I'm going to make it visible.
Tessa's coldness was a choice. I want the audience to understand why she made it and what it cost her. This means more work. More time. But the story deserves it.
Replying to @cbcnews@flipboard.com
@cbcnews@flipboard.com @world-cbcnews To the rest of the world, that's called welfare.
#DeepThoughts #Season2
I use Telltale's: The Walking Dead as a litmus test. If someone can't identify Jane as a narcissist and sides with her over Kenny, I do not want that person in my life.
It does fail. I've constructed several SOT's (Sources of Truth) .md's for Tessa.
Several truth.md's were used for simulated economy, cannon & lore compliance, psychology metrics, developed language cant and more to ensure as I wrote the script ai would catch non-compliance. Drift, ways drift. It caused more re-work than anything.
Handbook.md shows that long policy documents do not govern agents.
https://arxiv.org/abs/2607.25398
🏴☠️ 🏴
TESSA: A Nuka-World Story - Cost Estimate
TOTAL ESTIMATED COST: Low-end $5,000 – Realistically $10,000
The production budget with PAI-Pro is centered on video generation, the heart of the series. These estimates are based on a 3x-5x buffer of raw footage to ensure every shot meets our quality standards. To manage costs effectively, we will primarily generate footage at 720p, allowing us to invest more time and iterations into perfecting the performance, with a strategic upscaling plan for the final export to 4K. This gives us the flexibility to produce a cinematic, consistent series while keeping the project financially achievable and transparent with our backers.
Video Generation: (Estimated 65% – 75% of budget)
This is the largest cost center. It covers generating footage for the 19 episodes with an estimated 64 minutes of final edited runtime (excluding titles, credits, and transitions). The process would require generating several times more raw footage to achieve the desired final edit.
Key Pricing: generate_video costs $0.20/s for 720p and $0.44/s for 1080p, with one generation generating a clip 1-2 seconds per shot.
Estimate: $2,000 – $3,000
Calculation: 64 min of final runtime × (3 to 5) raw footage multiplier = ~200 min (12,000s) to ~320 min (19,200s) of raw video. 12,000s × $0.20 = $2,400. 19,200s × $0.44 = ~$8,448. The estimate accounts for an aggressive, best-case scenario where a 3x raw footage multiplier is sufficient for a well-storyboarded production with minimal waste, at 720p. This is a very optimistic scenario; a larger buffer for re-shoots and a 1080p target would increase this to ~$8,000.
Variable: $4,000 – $10,000 (More realistic for a 3x-5x raw footage, depending on the raw footage multiple, resolution, and number of iterations).
Voice Generation: (Estimated 5% – 10% of budget)
This covers dialogue for approximately 19 episodes (each ~22 minutes runtime). An average of 50 lines per episode at 100 characters per line is used for estimation.
Key Pricing: generate_voice costs $0.01 per 500 input characters.
Estimate: ~$100 – $200
Calculation: 19 episodes × 50 lines × 100 chars = 95,000 input chars. 95,000 / 500 × $0.01 = $19. This would be for a perfect first take on all lines. A generous 5–10x iteration buffer for retakes and varied deliveries would make it $100 – $200.
Image Generation: (Estimated 5% – 15% of budget)
This covers generating reference images, storyboard keyframes, character sheets & props. High-quality reference images are crucial for planning and building the stages.
Key Pricing: generate_image_pro costs ~$0.45 for 2K resolution images.
Estimate: $100 – $300
Calculation: ~40 pro images (e.g., key character poses, scene concepts, posters) for the pilot episode and marketing is a reasonable estimate for a crowdfunding campaign. 40 images × $0.45 = $18. With a 10x iteration buffer, the cost becomes ~$200.
Post-Processing & Buffers: (Estimated 10% – 15% of budget)
This is not a direct API cost but a critical budget reserve. It covers costs for AI upscaling, potential re-generations of problematic shots, and other post-production tasks.
Key Pricing: upscaler costs $1.35 per minute to go from 1080p to 4K.
Estimate: $150 – $400
Calculation: An allocation to upscale select, critical shots (e.g., a ~10-minute sequence from E01) would cost ~$15 (10 min × $1.35). This budget line is more for unforeseen expenses and a safety margin against the variable video generation costs.
Key Assumptions:
Pricing Source: All costs are based on the official PAI-Pro API pricing (est. $0.20/s for 720p, $0.44/s for 1080p).
Video Overhead: The estimate includes a 3x–5x buffer on total final runtime to account for AI trial-and-error, character/asset consistency tests, and multiple takes for the best performance. This is standard practice in AI filmmaking.
Scope: This estimate is for the full 3-season, 19-episode series.
Resolution & Quality: The primary budget line assumes generation at 720p to manage costs, with the possibility of upscaling the most important scenes to 4K. This allows for a high-quality final product without overspending on the initial generation.
Voice & Images: Dialogue and image generation are comparatively inexpensive. The primary cost driver is video generation.