I am Emily Ross and this project is my cinematic tribute to EPIC the Musical, reimagining the final chapter, the Ithaca Saga, through live action. With support from a small crew, I directed and produced these fan films to showcase the full range of video production skills I’ve developed. From prop design and storyboarding to cinematography, editing, and post-production, I poured my heart (and over 100 hours of work) into every element to bring this epic tale to life in a bold new way.
Why I Chose This Project
Ever since EPIC: The Musical began releasing in 2022, I was hooked. The story of a man overcoming every obstacle to return home to his family deeply resonated with me. It’s a powerful tale that beautifully explores themes of love, passion, depression, determination, and reconciliation. I grew to love this musical, and I wanted to create something that would show just how much the story, and the creator’s work, means to me.
At first, I planned to turn the Ithaca Saga into a live-action video as a personal passion project. But as I worked through the logistics, like renting equipment, managing my schedule, and securing filming locations, it made sense to transform it into my senior project. In the end, I’m proud of how everything came together, and I’m so excited to share this as the culmination of my time in college. More than anything, I hope the creator of EPIC finds this tribute meaningful and enjoyable.
Process
Pre-Production
To prepare for filming, I created detailed storyboards for each of the songs. My friend Griffin Moeller contributed by storyboarding the song “Hold Them Down” based on my direction. Another friend generously offered to redraw my storyboard for “The Challenge” to improve the visual clarity and artistry. These storyboards became essential tools on set, helping us stay organized and efficient during our shoot days. While it took time to compile everything, the effort paid off. It made the filming process much smoother and more focused.
As part of pre-production, I also organized auditions and wardrobe fittings. During auditions, I focused not only on finding talented performers but also on casting actors who visually fit the roles. My goal was to honor the expectations of EPIC the Musical fans by ensuring the characters looked as close as possible to how they might imagine them. The fitting days were incredibly helpful, not only for tailoring costumes to each actor’s body shape, but also for testing out makeup looks with my makeup artists to lock in the visual style of each character.
Additionally, I prepared all the props and costumes for each character. For “The Challenge”, I built a functional loom from scratch by sanding, staining, and weaving the threads to match the look I envisioned. For the various weapons featured throughout the videos, I gathered and borrowed what I could. For the rest, I crafted foam spear tips by hand and painted them to look like realistic, battle-worn weapons.
I designed several costumes for this shoot, but the two I’m most proud of are Penelope’s and Athena’s. For Penelope’s outfit, I focused on creating “swooping” lines to give her a graceful, flowing look. I also incorporated a vivid pop of purple to help her stand out visually and reflect her strength and presence on screen.
For Athena’s costume, I wanted to stay true to how fans of EPIC the Musical often envision her—tall, regal, and armored. She’s typically depicted in a simple yet elegant dress, adorned with armor and a symbolic owl diadem representing her wisdom and cunning. To bring that vision to life, I handcrafted the armor and diadem from foam, painting them in silver and blue to help her stand out as the Goddess of Wisdom. I aimed to capture both strength and intelligence in her appearance. For the dress, I used a simple dark blue gown and created dramatic drapes by hiking part of the skirt with a clip, adding visual texture and movement.
Production
The production stage was when things truly became chaotic. Between coordinating schedules for over a dozen major and minor actors and managing the equipment rental process, I found myself constantly juggling communication, logistics, and creative decisions.
As the director, I was involved in every part of the filming process. I made sure each scene matched the vision I had mapped out in pre-production. I worked closely with actors on their performances, oversaw wardrobe and makeup on set, adjusted blocking and camera angles as needed, and ensured each shot captured the emotion and energy of the story. I also monitored the lighting and composition throughout each shoot to maintain a consistent visual style.
Keeping everything running smoothly meant wearing a lot of hats. I was constantly checking in with crew, tracking our shot lists, and making on-the-fly adjustments to stay on schedule. Even with a small team, the collaboration and focus on set helped bring each moment to life. It was exhausting but incredibly rewarding to see everything start to come together in real time.
Post-Production
Post-production is where I invested the majority of my time, with over 50 hours of editing. As the sole editor for each music video, I focused intensely on pacing, visual flow, and matching the actors’ performances to the lyrics with precision. I paid close attention to color grading and tone, making sure every shot contributed to a cohesive cinematic look.
Beyond editing, I designed YouTube thumbnails and promotional posters for each video to give the project a unified and professional presentation. I also managed the marketing side, promoting the series across social media platforms. Through this campaign, I grew my YouTube channel by over 1,000 subscribers and gained more than 60 new followers on both TikTok and Instagram. Additionally, on the first video I posted it got over 20,000 views and 2,000 likes on YouTube. This is something I’m especially proud of, considering it was all organically built from the ground up.
Each video presented unique challenges. Hold Them Down had to be assembled from fewer shots than I had originally planned, requiring creative editing to maintain momentum. Odysseus needed an extra pass of color correction and filtering to transform bright daytime footage into believable evening scenes. I also took great care in building the end credits, making sure to recognize everyone who contributed, especially those who worked behind the scenes.
Despite the long hours, post-production has been one of the most rewarding parts of this process. Watching all the pieces come together into a cohesive and powerful tribute to EPIC: The Musical has made every effort completely worth it.
Challenges
Like any creative production, this project came with its fair share of challenges. Our very first film day had to be canceled due to unexpected rain. And when we did get back on set, we ran into technical issues with the gimbal and the Blackmagic 6K camera, which prevented us from capturing all the shots I had carefully planned. To make things more difficult, about half of the footage we did manage to record that day ended up corrupted and unusable.
It was discouraging, especially after so much preparation, but instead of letting those setbacks derail the project, I learned to adapt quickly. I revised shot lists, found creative workarounds, and leaned on the incredible support of my cast and crew. Some actors jumped in to help with slating, while others held umbrellas and reflectors to control the lighting in tough conditions. Their teamwork and flexibility kept us moving forward.
Most of our filming days ran longer than expected, and at times, the pressure of managing everything (schedules, equipment, performance, direction) felt overwhelming. But through it all, I learned how to stay calm under stress, how to make confident decisions on the fly, and how to problem-solve without losing the creative vision.
These challenges taught me more than any textbook or class could. I became a better communicator, leader, and filmmaker through the process. And despite everything, I’m incredibly proud of the final results. Every obstacle pushed me to grow, and in the end, I created something I truly love, and I hope others will too.
Conclusion & Final Product
Throughout this entire process, from concept to final cut, I’ve grown tremendously as a storyteller, director, and video producer. I learned how to manage a production from the ground up, lead a team through creative challenges, and bring a complex vision to life with care, patience, and determination. Every obstacle taught me something valuable, and every success reminded me why I love telling stories through film.
More than anything, this project is a tribute to EPIC: The Musical and the incredible work of its creator, Jorge Rivera-Herrans. His storytelling inspired me from the very beginning, and I hope this adaptation captures even a fraction of the heart, depth, and passion that makes the Ithaca Saga so powerful.
I’m so proud of what this project has become, and now, I’m thrilled to share the final result with you.
Please enjoy my live-action adaptation of The Ithaca Saga from EPIC: The Musical.
Behind the Scenes Photos & Videos
