Mind-warping and trippy sequences will shock and confuse you in Remedy Entertainment’s latest offering. Our guide discusses how to complete Zane’s Film in Alan Wake 2, the Initiation 8 chapter in the Poet’s Cinema.
How to Complete Initiation 8: Zane’s Film in Alan Wake 2
You can complete Initiation 8: Zane’s Film in Alan Wake 2 by meeting with the Cult Grandmaster inside Poet’s Cinema. Here’s a quick summary:
- Reach the Poet’s Cinema by going through the southeastern street past the main plaza.
- Upon reaching the metal gate at the end of the street, destroy the Darkness Orbs using your flashlight’s boost. Just beware of hostile Taken in the area.
- There are many collectibles and goodies in this chapter, such as four Words of Power and several Echoes. However, our Zane’s Film guide will only discuss the Echoes integral to progression.
What to Do in the Lobby Scene
Here’s what you need to do once you’ve arrived at the Poet’s Cinema:
- Place the ticket in the booth to open the main doors.
- Grab the Poet’s Cinema map in the kitchen area behind the concession stands in the Lobby area.
- There’s a Word of Power on the right-hand side of the balcony area of the Lobby.
- Another Word of Power can be found on the ceiling of the bathroom on the ground floor.
- There’s an Echo in the Lobby: the light orb is on the ground floor, and the dark orb is on the second floor. Stand behind the dark orb on the balcony and move your character to align the two. This unlocks the Cult of the Word inspiration/theme.
- The above was a major issue when I played the game before its release. The two orbs simply couldn’t be aligned, so I couldn’t progress. Thankfully, I can say that the bug is fixed now, so you shouldn’t worry about this issue.
- Go to the back of the concession stand, pick the Lobby scene, and use the Cult of the Word theme. This reveals another Echo, which grants you the New York’s Finest theme.
- Return to the Lobby and choose New York’s Finest to access the Theater Hall.
What to Do in the Theater Hall Scene
Here’s what you need to do in the Theater Hall as part of the Alan Wake 2 Zane’s Film chapter:
- Go to the stage in front of the cinema to align the Echo.
- Head to the back area and switch to Cult of the Word. Align the Echo here, too.
- Your goal is to enter the door that leads to the projector room, but it’s locked.
- Use the new Clip of the Lost Film inspiration/theme in the Theater Hall. This will play Thomas Zane’s short flick.
- At the end of the sequence, you’ll see Zane holding an Angel Lamp. Walk toward it and use your own Angel Lamp to funnel the light. This will reveal a passage to the garage area.
What to Do in the Out in the Night Scene
Once in the backyard, you’ll get a scene called Out in the Night. The goal here is to reach the rooftops:
- Using the New York’s Finest theme, you’ll see a police car. Use the Angel Lamp, and you’ll notice that its headlights point to a doorway. Unfortunately, some obstacles block this section.
- Switch to another theme (i.e. Cult of the Word) and stand in the small nook where the doorway is, then swap back to New York’s Finest. This lets you go through the doorway.
- Climb the ladder to the rooftop. There’s a Word of Power near the spotlight section.
- You’ll spot a gate and hear Tim Breaker humming. This is one of Tim Breaker’s locations, so chat with him and interact with the map that reveals collectibles.
- If you look at the water tank from Tim Breaker’s shed, you’ll also obtain another Word of Power perk.
- Outside the shed, follow a walkway that leads to the back of the rooftop. Switch to Cult of the Word. You’ll see an Echo that completes the scene. This also nets you the Grandmaster theme.
- Return to the backyard area and use the Grandmaster theme. This unlocks the door back to the cinema.
How to Track Down the Grandmaster
Now, it’s time to conclude the Alan Wake 2 Zane’s Film chapter. We need to locate the Grandmaster at this stage. Here’s a quick summary:
- Return to the Theater Hall and use the Grandmaster scene. This causes another movie to play, whereupon the Grandmaster enters a door.
- The idea is to walk to the stage and interact with the door on the screen, allowing Alan to warp to an entirely different place.
- I genuinely got a bit confused during this part, and it took me a few minutes to figure out what I needed to do. I should also warn you about a particular bug that can occur with the projector room door. It’s possible to choose a different theme that reveals a passageway. However, due to slow-loading textures, you could find yourself inside the small connecting area with the door leading back to the Theater Hall completely shut. As such, I advise you just to use the Grandmaster scene and “walk through the door” on the screen, as opposed to doing other stuff.
Zane’s Film Conclusion and Point of No Return
Only a few tasks are left for this final section:
- Alan needs to pass through several small storage areas, and he’ll realize he’s in a loop.
- On your third loop, there’s a small room with a TV that nets you a video to play in the Writer’s Room.
- Progress to the fourth loop, where you’ll find a mysterious man wearing a mask. The man will beg you not to use the knife, which is right behind him. Pick up the knife to cause the man to bolt away.
- Once you reach the dead end, turn back the way you came to find yourself in the “normal” projector room. Two cops are dead, and one of them is wearing the Moose Skull Mask. This is used in the Kalevala Knights Workshop puzzle, implying that Alan is helping Saga in her own arc.
After the cutscene, you’ll conclude the Alan Wake 2 Zane’s Film chapter in the Poet’s Cinema. You may also watch Zane’s short film, which lasts around seven minutes.
Lastly, I should tell you that the next task involves placing a quest item in front of a statue in the main plaza. This is the point of no return for Alan’s arc, and there’s absolutely no warning shown. As such, I suggest obtaining all of Alan’s collectibles before you tackle this objective.
In any case, that’s everything you need to know about how to complete Initiation 8: Zane’s Film in Alan Wake 2. For other tips and tactics, you can visit our AW2 guides hub.
