MASK OF THE PHANTASM

2021

CGI / MYTHOLOGY / NFT / GEISHA / CINEMATIC

SYNOPSIS

Set in the dark future, the world is not what we expected it to be. False promises, and utopian dreams, merely became an illusion for people, now nothing seems real anymore. Amidst death, chaos, and despair, everything went through metamorphosis to survive.

In the olden days, geishas were a symbol of feminism, independence and excellence. But there was always a downfall to recall every time the world was in a calm state. The geishas have suffered endless harassment and abuse, the culture came to the brink of extinction.

Today we live in a strange, harsh time. A world dominated and run by machines. There is no space for the weak ones, scarce traces of the few left from the old world who are constantly being hunted down, being erased from existence, almost becoming history.

But they have protectors in this depleted world, living in the dark. They don't have a name, they don't exist, just legends about ghosts, a tribe. The phantasms who wear masks, leave the mark of the long-lost culture. Behold the new world geisha.

They're strong and fearless, but their suffering still lives within them, evolving them to become death in the eyes of those who do no good to what remains of humanity. Weapons are mere instruments manipulated by their will, mastered in the art of vengeance.

If you come across one, pray that you did some good if spared to live, because the rest remain haunted eternally.

DIALOGUE

There's a lot of interesting thoughts behind the aesthetics of this piece. From the katanas in the background to the lighting and movement of each entity, countless iterations formed into a simplified creation that resonates with the story.

THE PROCESS

The creation involved workflow between Cinema 4D and Unreal Engine. The majority of the output was finished within UE4, later color corrected and composed in After Effects.