The Endgame Study (2007)

Director:

Lance Mazmanian

Writer:

Lance Mazmanian (writer)

Genre:

Short | Sci-Fi

Tagline:

The Beginning of the World.

Plot:

An off-world intelligence agency manipulates global political affairs at the highest levels. But when one of their operatives allows Jerusalem to be "wiped-off-the-map," their power paradigm on earth is forever changed. |

Cast

  (Credited cast)

Anthony DiMaria	...	Julien
Jessica Ranek	...	Tulla Morren
Melody Cross	...	Agent Three
Rufus D'Bauchee	...	The Doorman

Runtime:

6 min (theatrical version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

USA:Unrated

Filming Locations:

Hollywood Boulevard, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Trivia:

"Julien" was named after the director's friend Julien Lecat.

Of IMDb Shortcomings and The Powerless...

It's unfortunate that the hard work a lot of people put into an excellent production like THE ENDGAME STUDY has to endure the faceless, cowardly anonymity of individuals with a personal axe to grind.

Via negative votes on the IMDb, these invisible vermin are likely snickering themselves to sleep at night, thinking they've somehow managed to wield power in the midst of their personal powerlessness (as suggested by another person here).

Furthermore, the voting situation on THE ENDGAME STUDY completely invalidates the IMDb's oft-expressed love for its own "weighted" ratings system. It's an obviously broken methodology, I'd say, and ironically has created precisely the situation they insist it avoids.

I mean, really: Explain how you get a 2.7 rating from 25 votes of 8 or better. That's right...in the real world, you don't.

But, such is the occasionally negative nature of the internet: Granting delusions of power to the weak; allowing those incapable of doing "anything much" the imagined ability to actually do something other than draw breath and occupy physical dimension...and all with the click of a mouse.

Bravo.

Now, let me be perfectly frank: If any of these negative voters had actually seen the film, I'd be fine with their harsh appraisal. If and when someone doesn't like something, there's just no arbitration: That's the way it is, and you take the good with the bad.

But, none of these three negative voters has actually seen THE ENDGAME STUDY.

Not one.

Thus, their negative votes are simply personal attacks. Against whom is unknown. Perhaps at least one of them hates George Clooney, and thinks, as others did for a time, that he had something to do with the film (hint: the "anonymous" exec is indeed a multiple Oscar-winner, but it's not Uncle George, though he is within proximity of the guy).

In any case, the 25 positive votes against three hollow negatives tells the real-world story of the film's perceived value, and the numerous e-mails and phone calls we've received asking what the "H" is wrong with the IMDb clearly indicate that the only people being fooled by this skewed voting system are the IMDb itself.

Hmmm. Perhaps the IMDb should sell its very interesting "voting algorithms" to Diebold.

Wouldn't that just be something?

Cheers.

- Lance Mazmanian