OFFF 2022: DECIMA

It Has Been a Long, Strange Trip

We’ve done a lot with our robotics platforms. By incorporating tech and developing software we’ve generated an exponential flexibility of control over more types of robots. And now, we’ve figured out ways to make them characters. We don’t get to create on film very often, but when we do, we want to create something unique and real. Working again with our friend and collaborator GMUNK, we set out to bring the film DECIMA to life, right as the pandemic began.

DECIMA was one of the main titles at Barcelona’s 20-year-old OFFF Festival. The film takes place in the Andromeda galaxy in the 24th century, after a plague has wiped out nearly the entire human race’s ability to dream. The disease has made humans obsolete to the Vi, a race of robots that harvest their dreams to predict the future. As a result, the Vi have cut off all resources that it allocated for humanity.

The film follows the awakening of the last human matriarch, the titular DECIMA, the last human with the ability to dream.  DECIMA explores a surprisingly deep array of motifs during its 15-minute runtime. The human condition, loss, rebirth, mortality, empowerment, and illumination.

We started working on DECIMA way back in 2020. It’s not every day we get to work on short films, and this project provided us a way to use our skills in unique ways. We handled production, design, lasers, and robotics. We even built a few of the film’s set pieces ourselves. 

To create the dark, bleak, techno-wave vibe of DECIMA’s future, we brought GMUNK’s vision to life with four different filming rooms. Playing with lighting elements like LEDs and lasers along with cutting-edge cinematography, we set the tone of each scene. Additionally, our robotics expertise allowed us to create the Vi, with all of their dark malevolence.

We’re pretty familiar with working in the real world where visitors can touch, feel, and experience them fully. But by adding a lens and controlling the audience’s perspective in the environment of a short film, DECIMA allowed us to try new production techniques and flex our old skills in new ways.

Scope

  • Creative Technology
  • Robotics
  • Engineering
  • Design
  • Creative Design
  • Production
  • Lighting Design
  • Custom Fabrication

Credits

Starring Nana Ghana and Jagger Hunt

Production:

  • Director: GMUNK
  • Screenplay: Shimmerkid
  • Story: Bradley G Munkowitz
  • Production Company: JOJX
  • Executive Producer: Jackson Morton
  • Executive Producer: Joe Care
  • Executive Producer: Pedro Aragão De Oliveira
  • Production Company: Commandeer
  • Line Producer: Micah Ross
  • Line Producer: Lars Ruch
  • Prod Supervisor: Conor Bailey
  • 1st AD: Ryan Lippert
  • 2nd AD: Patrick Gorman
  • Director of Photography: Isaac Bauman
  • 2nd Unit DoP: Adrien Oniega
  • Ronin Tech: Andrew Brinkhaus
  • 1st AC: Payam Yazdandoost
  • 2nd AC: Alan Certeza
  • DIT: Jack Schaefer
  • Decima: Nana Ghana
  • Eidolon: Jagger Hunt
  • Wardrobe Stylist: Michelle Martini
  • Stylist Asst: Stephanie Porter
  • Make-Up Artist: Allyson Joiner
  • Hair Stylist: Bianca Harris
  • Art Director: Arne Knudsen
  • Leadman: Steve Tobler
  • Production Design: VTProDesign
  • Robotics Studio: VTProDesign
  • Executive Creative Director: Michael Fullman
  • Executive Producer: Paul Elsberg
  • Director of Creative Technology: Matt Wachter
  • Robotic and Animation Lead: Jordan Ariel
  • Robotics Design and Animation: Hailey Mendoza
  • Designer: Tyler Lampe
  • Art Director: Anass Benhachmi
  • Laser Operator: Derek Abbot
  • Senior Creative Technologist: Dom Ricci
  • Fabrication Lead: Jim Shawhan
  • Motorized Precision Director: Sean Brown
  • Motorized Precision: Shepherd Duff
  • Motorized Precision: Brian Davidson
  • Key Grip: Adam Kolegas
  • BB Grip: Daniel Tucker
  • Grip: Casey Slade, Mike Gray, Izzy Ernst
  • Grip (Pre): Johnathan Gonzalez
  • Gaffer: Paul Monroe
  • BB Electric: Taylor Freeland
  • Electric: Connor Burns
  • Electric (Pre): Theo Hyppolitte
  • Electric (Shoot): Nick Riportella
  • Stills: James Heredia
  • BTS: Aaron Marcellino, Andrew Curtis, Scott Middow
  • Sound Mixer: Houston Guy
  • Medic: Michael Smith
  • SFX Rigger: Pat Romano
  • PA Office: Olivia Tripp
  • PA Truck: Tristan Copeland
  • PA Set: Colby American

Post Production:

  • Editor: Matt Berardi
  • Composer: Ben Lukas Boysen
  • Sound Design: Jochen Mader
  • Post-Production Studio: Psyop Berlin
  • Executive Producer: Justin Stiebel
  • Creative Director: Stefan Susemihl
  • Lead Compositor: Stefan Susemihl
  • 3D Artist: Thomas Sali
  • 2D Compositor: Thomas Sali, Florian Dehmel
  • Hologram Designer: Peter Clark
  • Concept Art: Toros Kose, Nicolas Lopardo
  • Colorist: James Bamford
  • Titles Typography: Felipe Carvalho
  • Titles Animation: João Vaz Oliveira
  • Producer: Jodi Kraushar
  • Producer: Matthias Bauerle