A glimpse beneath the surface and a look behind the pixels.

This is the process behind the polish — a layered walkthrough of how 158 HOURS came to life in a single take, entirely inside After Effects. From early blocking and particle simulations to lighting, texturing, and compositing. This breakdown explores the precision, rhythm, and relentlessness baked into every frame.

A collaboration between:

John Sawyer — Direction, Design, Edit, Motion, VFX

Justin Mayer — Sound Designer, Composer, Mixer

Music by Living Room

Featured Music

“BRAZILIAN SUNSET”

WRITTEN AND PERFORMED BY LIVING ROOM

COURTESY OF COOKIE RECORDS

© 2021 COOKIE RECORDS. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.