Making Case Obsidian

An interview with editor Iruka Kogata and his passion project to recut the film Captive State.

(Editor’s Note: This is a conversation between the photographer Iruka Kogata and multimedia artist Daiki Sato, about Kogata’s recent completion of an academic artistic exercise re-editing the film Captive State (2019). It accompanies the release of the project.)

---

This interview has been translated into English from Japanese and edited to be more direct.

DS: What is Case Obsidian?

IK: Case Obsidian is an edited art project, or as I say in the title card a reimagination, of the British director Rupert Wyatt's film Captive State, which tells the story of Americans trying to drive out alien invaders.

DS: Can I call it a fan edit?

IK: I would call it an academic exercise. I love Captive State, but it's hard to call yourself a fan without a fanbase.

DS: What are the differences in the edits?

IK: Case Obsidian is 30 minutes shorter than Captive State. The most noticeable cut is the first act. I completely removed two roles because I felt they were not central to the story of the terrorist team. I want these actors to know that this is not because I have a problem with the quality of their acting. Many online writers said the original movie is confusing, so one job I gave to myself was to try to help it focus.

I also added new footage from other films to increase the backgrounds of the main characters and help us feel close to them. Many scenes are in a new order, the colors of each shot have been completely changed, and the film is in black and white with a more tall frame shape like an old documentary.

In addition, I changed many music tracks and sound effects, only possible because the score on the Blu-Ray is mixed into a different channel from the sound effects and dialogue. I thank the mixers for making that choice.

DS: Would I say your edit is better than the original?

IK: No, I would never say that. Captive State lost a lot in theaters, but I would have lost even more if I had released my cut. I'm not trying to make something for everyone. Not a Big Mac. I'm just trying to follow my passion and learn about filmmaking in a way that's interesting to me.

DS: Are you a filmmaker?

IK: No, but I am a photographer and an editor. I'm grateful that Wyatt gave me these toys to play with because I could never have made what he made.

DS: Why did you choose Captive State?

IK: I saw this movie during the coronavirus period of 2020. It had bad reviews and featured an actor named Machine Gun Kelly, so I was expecting something immature and simple like Attack the Block. Instead, I realized it was a complex and smart piece of work, and I became obsessed with thinking about why the public didn't like it and what I could learn from it. I also like working on movies without fans because it's peace and quiet. If I had re-edited The Avengers, there would have been too much discussion online when I posted it.

DS: How did you decide where to add music and sound effects?

IK: I wanted it to feel like the whole world was busy and full of energy. I lived in America for two years and I learned that Americans are very loud. I don't think this would change even if they were conquered by aliens. For example, in one scene three poor kids are watching TV, but in the original Captive State the sound effects are like jazz. I said that's not right. That's why in Case Obsidian the kids are watching Dragon Ball Z. There are many more songs I wanted to add, but they did not have an appropriate place so I let them go.

DS: What does the name mean?

IK: It's not important. The best names are just about emotion, like Reservoir Dogs. I have my own interpretation of the title, but I don't need it to enjoy the movie.

DS: What happens now?

IK: Now I go back to work and living my normal life alone. I am finishing a series of photos of the oldest train stations in my region right now. Making this cut was like a passion disease for me, but now that it's finished, I'm cured.

---

I have included an embed of the project, so interested people can watch the film. Thank you very much for your time.

---

Iruka Kogata is an editor and photographer living in Kanto, Japan. If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing free to Futurist Letters.