Barry Levinson, the Oscar-winning director who has been a cinematic jack of all trades for decades in the film industry, spanning genres with films like Diner, Rain Man, Good Morning Vietnam, Wag the Dog and the doomed from the start fantasy yarn Toys, dips his director’s cap into the supernatural well with The Bay, which was showcased in a panel on Saturday at the IGN Theater at New York Comic-Con.

The Bay, a seemingly compelling cover-up tale starring Kristen Connolly from Cabin in the Woods, speaks of a small town that buried what really happened when over 700 people perished during a tragedy that occurred years earlier. An investigative reporter tries to unlock the airtight sealing of the cover up, and in 24 hours, tries to unravel the mystery of the quotient with testimonials by people who were there, using eclectic and unorthodox methods as iPhone video recordings, Androids, and webcams to illustrate the events to put the pieces of the puzzle together.

Hosted by the always charismatic Chris Hardwick, Levinson himself appeared on the panel to discuss the film and show a trailer, which was intense and almost done in a cinema verite style.

Levinson discussed the genesis of the film, taking place in Maryland, which is a staple state for many Levinson productions. He also spoke of using various digital sources to film the production which made it an interesting experience for the actors. More exclusive clips for the film followed, which were creepy, and ever more so by the purposeful low budget phone video shooting.

Standard Q&A followed, in which Levinson explained his technique for filming his scenes, all of which were staged to look realistically amateurish. Levinson talked about the challenges of directing this film with a low budget and using unknowns as the main protagonists.

The Bay, which looks to be a unique small town thriller, hits theaters in limited release on November 2, 2012.

Panel Photos

Additional contribution by Empress Eve; Photos by Dave3.