By Jeremy Sta Ana, Alissandra Mariano, Alicia Herrera and Jennifer Tang 

Following another dreadful day at her corporate office job, a woman comes across an advertisement for a device that offers temporary solace into a simulated world. ​Intrigued, she decides to try it out, but quickly finds herself unable to resist its allure. ​Will she be able to break free from its addiction?

The short film was created by shooting sequences in the mundane, cityscape environment juxtaposed to the idyllic, blissful gardens and nature. The real world is distinguished by the monotnous colour palette that illustrates the lifelessless of the coroporate environment. This black and white aesthetic visually contrasts with the vibrant and colour design of Dreamscape, which fosters a surrealist and alluring atmosphere. The film immerses audiences into the Dreamscape, allowing them to disconnect from real world surroundings as they explore dreamy virtual environments, interact with unusual entities, and find relaxation. XR elements such as the void sequence was produced by a green screen, and the portal at the end was created using VFX in post-production. Moreover, Piper was 3D modelled by a software program and inserted into the film along with voicelines created in Audition. Dreamscape’s soundtrack was produced by Jeremy whilst the remaining foley were sourced online. The acting performed by Zoe helped create a compelling story that explores the illusion of escapism.

This project revealed the dire consequences of excessive use of technology and how it can enforce an unhealthy disengagement from reality. This issue parallels to any model of technology, such as phones and computer games as they continue to transform how we live. The transcendence of the real world and Dreamscape illustrates the feeling of loss and disconnection when you try to break free from reality.