Ultra vs Clotra

Ultra vs Clotra formerly known as Ultraman vs Cloverfield Monster is a science fiction film, kaiju film, and kaiju tribute fan film directed by Stephen Stelmach Jr. It is also the first Ultraman fan film made in Monster Pictures Studios and the fifth giant monster film to be made since the "Godzilla vs Kat Kong" film made 11 years before; "Two-Headed Giant Monster" was made 10 years before; and "Godzilla Junior vs Destroyah Attacks Los Angeles" made three months before. Stephen Jr. made this film with the film production class at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley back in May 2018.

The original film was in good looks after it released on June 1, 2018, but in the long-run years later; it was too rushed. So it was decided that started in November 2020, Ultraman vs Cloverfield Monster would need to be re-edited with new live-action scenes, new miniature scenes, new characters, newly-revamped opening title, updated end credits, and an updated plot structure that would fit the Daikaiju Cinematic Universe. This was the first film in the Daikaiju Cinematic Universe.

Conceptual Inspiration
Ultra vs Clotra was inspired by the giant monster films of "Cloverfield"; "Ultraman Gaia: The Battle in Hyperspace"; "Godzilla Against Mechagodzilla"; "Godzilla 2000"; and numerous other giant monster films. Some plot elements were carried from Stephen Jr.'s childhood cartoon shows, and other science fiction movies he seen.

Plot
It starts out with a meteor plummeting towards Earth, targeting the Los Angeles metropolitan area. A peaceful day in Van Nuys, Los Angeles begins with Toshiya and Ashley begin a college project together at Delano Park, until Ashley hears the meteor coming down onto the San Fernando Valley. Car alarms go off. Ashley gets frustrated with her backpack to find her cell phone. They hear a TV news broadcast on Toshiya's cell phone that a giant monster known as the Cloverfield Monster has emerged from the meteor and begins destroying the Van Nuys neighborhood of Los Angeles. The monster then destroys the 405 freeway, rips down overhead power lines along Sepulveda Blvd, smashing vehicles, and knocking down buildings. Toshiya and Ashley witness the destruction of their hometown by the giant monster. Ashley is scared. Toshiya turns into Ultraman, a giant superhero. Ultraman fights the monster, defending his hometown from the alien creature. They also destroy the city at the same time as when they're fighting. Ultraman then throws the monster at the oil tanks next to the Sepulveda Orange Line station, and the oil tanks explode. Ultraman fires his attack beam at the creature, exploding it into a burnt black husk of the monster. Ultraman turns back into normal Toshiya Kai. Ashley runs up to him, exclaiming that she was worried Toshiya's safety. Ashley thanks Toshiya for saving the city fron the Cloverfield Monster. Emergency vehicles come in to the destroyed city. Van Nuys is left in ruins.

Concept of "Ultraman vs Cloverfield Monster"
Ultra vs Clotra started with when Stephen Jr. and his former best friend Pico began the conceptual storyline for Ultraman vs Cloverfield Monster on May 18, 2018; when Stephen and Pico were in a film production class at Pierce College on that day. After the film class; they began to conceptualize a "War of the Worlds-esque" science fiction alien film that would take place in Van Nuys, Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley which is Stephen Jr's hometown; and had Keelee O' Berry to be the co-screenwriter of the film, but a couple of hours later after Stephen Jr got home from school; Pico called him on Stephen Jr.'s cell phone and said to him that "we should make a giant monster movie instead of an alien movie, because it's much easier to make". Stephen Jr agreed on the idea and Pico suggested that Ultraman/ Toshiya Kai should be the main hero protagonist of the giant monster film and the Cloverfield Monster should be the antagonist monster of the film, Stephen Jr has also agreed on the idea as well. Ultraman vs Cloverfield Monster was officially greenlighted pre-production on May 18, 2018. On the weekend of May 19th to 20th 2018; Stephen Jr., Pico, and Keelee began writing the screenplay for Ultraman vs Cloverfield Monster up until that Sunday evening of May 20th, the screenplay was completed. Keelee O' Berry came up with the General Hakate character (only mentioned in the film) and now later played by Dan Luong in the cancelled films of the Daikaiju Cinematic Universe, starting with Godzilla vs Baragon, however, the General Hakate character is now prominently added to Ultraman vs Cloverfield Monster when the remake is greenlighted on November 2020. For the Toshiya Kai character, Stephen Jr came up with the first name Toshiya, while Pico came up with the last name Kai for that main character. However in the former later films, Pico did not want to reprise his role as Toshiya Kai in the second film Godzilla vs Baragon, but Stephen Jr. then figured that Pico has poor acting skills; so Stephen Jr then casted the first actor Keanu Gonzales as Toshiya Kai, but dropped out and replaced by a few actors such as Lucas Lyu, but no longer responds after September 2021. Leonard Zhang is now playing as Toshiya Kai in the film, since January 2022.

By May 21, 2018; Stephen Jr. and Pico Rualo began casting for the film, was underway at Pierce College, but there were failed attempts on getting two actors and an actress to play the Ashley Fujioka character, the George Hartley character, and the news helicopter reporter character. Stephen Jr. and Pico were struggling to find actors to play the supporting characters until the next day on Wednesday May 23nd after Stephen Jr. officially passed his GED, he finally found two actors from West Valley Occupational Center's film production class; Joseph Estrada and Alexandra Klivans; and they both accepted the roles of George Hartley and Ashley Fujioka, the second and third characters of the film. Filming also officially began on the same day, starting with the news reporting scene, background plates of the city at the top level of the parking structure at a Target department store in Van Nuys and a couple of miniature scenes in Van Nuys, Los Angeles. On that same day, they also tried to get permission to film inside the Wendy's fast food restaurant or the Fatburger fast food restaurant in Van Nuys, suggested in the screenplay; but they were turned down and denied permission filming there, due to trademarked logos and legal challenges.

The next day on May 23, 2018; Stephen Jr. and Pico Rualo began the second day of filming for Ultraman vs Cloverfield Monster, with the filming of city footage and the scenes of Toshiya & Ashley. Over that weekend miniature scenes were filmed, and so were background plates. Over that one Sunday night into early Monday morning, Stephen Jr did much of the film editing before the deadline of the project of June 1, 2018. By May 28, 2018; the film is has officially finished and turned into the film class at Pierce College. The film premiered on June 1, 2018 at the last day of the film class at Pierce College.

"Remaking" Ultraman vs Cloverfield Monster
By Wednesday, November 25, 2020 early morning, Stephen Jr had watch the original film multiple times