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In a dystopian prison where work fuels dreamlike escapes to Astra, the love of his life, Kian’s routine shatters when new inmate Pax exposes the system’s exploitation. As their roles shift and dreams blur with reality, Kian must confront his fate before it’s too late.
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The Idea
To tell the story’s dreamlike world, an imaginative and surreal backdrop was essential. Traditional set construction alone could not achieve this vision, leading to the use of virtual production. By utilizing an LED wall, actors were seamlessly integrated into the environment, enabling real-time coordination between physical sets and virtual elements in the studio. Other scenes, set in the film’s grounded reality, were created using classical set construction techniques to provide a distinct contrast to the dreamlike sequences.
Inspired by Paul Verlaine’s Mon rêve familier, Cadenza Zhao’s Ewigkeit in einem Traum explores the tension between routine and freedom in a dystopian world. The film reimagines Verlaine’s recurring dream as Kian’s fleeting escape from an oppressive system, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.
My Tasks
Building an Unreal environment
When the decision was made to use virtual production, I eagerly took on the challenge of creating the film’s surreal backgrounds. Collaborating closely with the production designers (Philomena Köbele, Kasia Suchecka) , I brought their concepts for the dreamlike virtual worlds to life in Unreal Engine 5. These included two distinct dreamscapes – one set in daylight, the other at sunset. To ensure seamless integration, I coordinated with the physical set design, aligning the Unreal environment with the real-world build.
Operating the Unreal Level on set
On set, I operated at the Brain Bar, making real-time adjustments to lighting and object positioning based on camera angles and scene composition. Always in direct communication wth the DOP (Sebastián Schroth) and the production designers. This workflow allowed for immediate refinements, ensuring the virtual elements harmonized perfectly with the live-action shots.