Plasmodial Automatism
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Experimental, Sci-Fi
Exploring themes of isolation, choice, and reconnection through experimental indie virtual production methods, Plasmodial Automatism plans to follow Shawn, an unintentionally agoraphobic repairman as his living computer takes control of his hallucinations and makes him choose between realities.
Plasmodial Automatism
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Experimental, Sci-Fi
1 Campaigns | California, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $2,200 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
15 supporters | followers
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Exploring themes of isolation, choice, and reconnection through experimental indie virtual production methods, Plasmodial Automatism plans to follow Shawn, an unintentionally agoraphobic repairman as his living computer takes control of his hallucinations and makes him choose between realities.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Project Statement:
First! I want to say hi from the writer and creator of this project- I'm Blue! This project is the culmination of my previous visual effects work as well as my dedication to the topics of my graduate master's thesis and film innovation. Through my master’s research courses I have uncovered interests in non-human intelligence, alternative technology, and projection mapping which has brought me to strive for an even bigger goal...
This project is attempting to combine alternative visual storytelling methods, indie-scale virtual production, practical effects, and sci-fi surrealism into an example of what can be done by a micro-budget indie film crew!
My goal for the resulting short film is for the audience to suspend their disbelief and sink into the unnerving and overwhelming experience of isolated emotions in the midst of losing sanity. And, I believe sci-fi surrealism in conjunction with alternative production methods can achieve this.
The final outputs of this project will be an experimental sci-fi short film and a behind-the-scenes video documenting the indie virtual production methods, workflows, and processes. This not only will allow viewers to immerse themselves in the story, but invite other filmmakers to expand their skills with the techniques we compile!
The Story:
"An obsessive electronics repairman falls down a hallucinatory spiral as he's consumed by a new living-computer project, all while ignoring his brother's attempt to reconnect."
Shawn’s days follow a monotonous and maddening structure: Sleep badly and dreamlessly, wake up feeling like shit, replace phone screen after phone screen, fight off exhaustion and hallucinations, maybe work on the only thing that brings his a small bit of joy (the wet-ware computer he’s building), then fall asleep again.
This day however, he wakes by his dreamless sleep being interrupted from a call from his brother. Patrick wants to know what they’ll be doing for Shawn’s birthday, since he’s driving into town tomorrow. Shawn, believing this comes from a place of pity, tries to dissuade his brother from wasting the time. Unsuccessful, Shawn uses the day to get some mind-numbing work done, but rewards himself by working on his computer.
A complication arises when Shawn, suddenly unable to fight sleep, falls unconscious at his desk allowing the biological components of this computer to worm through his ear into his skull. When he wakes again, the computer seems to be altering his reality and calling him to lie with it again.
Shawn must decide- escape to face his brother and unfortunate life again, or succumb to the nucleus computer’s strange wishes?
Sci-fi – Surrealism – Experimental
&
Choice – Loss of sanity – Man vs Technology
PLASMODIAL AUTOMATISM is touches on the speculative reality of obsessive escapism to the point of pushing away one’s own brother and losing sanity in the creation of non-human intelligence.
Cinematography Look Book:
Art Direction Look Book:
This film is surreal, intense, and gloomy. The visuals are important not only to immerse the audience, but convey the methods taken to create the film. The slime mold is alive and growing, but so are the shadows around Shawn...
so...
The Feel is important!
Previous Virtual Production Work:
This film is being made as a piece of my master’s thesis, which has a large focus on altering virtual production technologies/processes to make them more accessible for smaller productions.
Thus, this film will be exploring and ideating on the creative opportunities/limitations of realtime rendering through projection mapping and virtual production workflows.
The most common “type” under the umbrella of virtual production, aka on-set virtual production (see The Mandalorian, The Batman, etc.), requires a large volume stage. We instead will explore and document alternative methods that put further visual effects options into the hands of small indie filmmakers.
I have previously explored these methods on a smaller scale for "test-shots" (seen below) but this film will be the culmination of the processes in a full short. To see more of this work, check out my portfolio!
Why This Campaign:
For us- this campaign is an opportunity to connect with other film enthusiasts and creatives and to get the word out about our goals. We are dedicated to exploring and sharing new ways for small productions to evolve their visual storytelling. This thesis project, and thus this campaign, offers a testing ground for visual effects methods that bring pieces of Hollywood back to the scrappy indie world.
For you- this campaign brings the opportunity to be a part of this challenge. By helping us fund this production, you gift the freedom to experiment. Innovation does not have to stay in Hollywood, just like reality doesn’t have to stay within the bounds. By choosing to join us, you can help us bring this project to life by summer 2026, and expand the virtual production options for further future film productions.
(The virtual production equipment will be funded by me (Blue) so all donated funds will cover the sets and non-virtual production equipment - this will give us more freedom to focus on the cool stuff)
How to Help:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Studio Set Rental
Costs $1,500
A white cyclone wall studio is needed to employ the alternative virtual production methods, so we will be renting this local LA studio.
Apartment Set Rental
Costs $200
The scenes not filmed on the cyc wall will be done in this rented apartment set. We will be using a friend's place at a major discount!
Grip Package
Costs $200
The grip package would provide most of the equipment we would need outside the equipment we are borrowing from friends.
Camera Package
Costs $300
The Red Komodo camera package will allow us to capture the quality of light and shadow needed for our virtual production techniques to shine
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Blue Roberts (me) – Writer, Production Designer, Visual Effects Lead – this project is a part of my master's thesis on alternative virtual production methods! Thus, I am incredibly dedicated (bordering on obsessed) with striving to make this project happen. I wrote the script and will be leading the art (and virtual art) department. My previous work has been in visual effects, environment design, and 3D modeling.
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Ethan Barna – Director – Ethan has led several productions before and advised during the development of this project. Because of his previous experience writing and directing horror and drama short films (such as 'WATCH ME') and working with me on previous virtual production projects, he is exactly who I'd want to direct this film. Plus, Ethan's enthusiasm to tell a story deep diving into the emotions produced by isolation and interaction with technology has him rearing to go to work on this film.
Dylan Beiler – Director of Photography – Dylan's has previous experience working several roles on narrative short film sets, including being a DP, and live recording for theater. As well Dylan's passionate interest in virtual production and experimenting with filmmaking techniques encouraged him to become a dedicated and positive part of this project and team. He's ready to try bigger, better, and weirder techniques and share the results as he goes!
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
Project Statement:
First! I want to say hi from the writer and creator of this project- I'm Blue! This project is the culmination of my previous visual effects work as well as my dedication to the topics of my graduate master's thesis and film innovation. Through my master’s research courses I have uncovered interests in non-human intelligence, alternative technology, and projection mapping which has brought me to strive for an even bigger goal...
This project is attempting to combine alternative visual storytelling methods, indie-scale virtual production, practical effects, and sci-fi surrealism into an example of what can be done by a micro-budget indie film crew!
My goal for the resulting short film is for the audience to suspend their disbelief and sink into the unnerving and overwhelming experience of isolated emotions in the midst of losing sanity. And, I believe sci-fi surrealism in conjunction with alternative production methods can achieve this.
The final outputs of this project will be an experimental sci-fi short film and a behind-the-scenes video documenting the indie virtual production methods, workflows, and processes. This not only will allow viewers to immerse themselves in the story, but invite other filmmakers to expand their skills with the techniques we compile!
The Story:
"An obsessive electronics repairman falls down a hallucinatory spiral as he's consumed by a new living-computer project, all while ignoring his brother's attempt to reconnect."
Shawn’s days follow a monotonous and maddening structure: Sleep badly and dreamlessly, wake up feeling like shit, replace phone screen after phone screen, fight off exhaustion and hallucinations, maybe work on the only thing that brings his a small bit of joy (the wet-ware computer he’s building), then fall asleep again.
This day however, he wakes by his dreamless sleep being interrupted from a call from his brother. Patrick wants to know what they’ll be doing for Shawn’s birthday, since he’s driving into town tomorrow. Shawn, believing this comes from a place of pity, tries to dissuade his brother from wasting the time. Unsuccessful, Shawn uses the day to get some mind-numbing work done, but rewards himself by working on his computer.
A complication arises when Shawn, suddenly unable to fight sleep, falls unconscious at his desk allowing the biological components of this computer to worm through his ear into his skull. When he wakes again, the computer seems to be altering his reality and calling him to lie with it again.
Shawn must decide- escape to face his brother and unfortunate life again, or succumb to the nucleus computer’s strange wishes?
Sci-fi – Surrealism – Experimental
&
Choice – Loss of sanity – Man vs Technology
PLASMODIAL AUTOMATISM is touches on the speculative reality of obsessive escapism to the point of pushing away one’s own brother and losing sanity in the creation of non-human intelligence.
Cinematography Look Book:
Art Direction Look Book:
This film is surreal, intense, and gloomy. The visuals are important not only to immerse the audience, but convey the methods taken to create the film. The slime mold is alive and growing, but so are the shadows around Shawn...
so...
The Feel is important!
Previous Virtual Production Work:
This film is being made as a piece of my master’s thesis, which has a large focus on altering virtual production technologies/processes to make them more accessible for smaller productions.
Thus, this film will be exploring and ideating on the creative opportunities/limitations of realtime rendering through projection mapping and virtual production workflows.
The most common “type” under the umbrella of virtual production, aka on-set virtual production (see The Mandalorian, The Batman, etc.), requires a large volume stage. We instead will explore and document alternative methods that put further visual effects options into the hands of small indie filmmakers.
I have previously explored these methods on a smaller scale for "test-shots" (seen below) but this film will be the culmination of the processes in a full short. To see more of this work, check out my portfolio!
Why This Campaign:
For us- this campaign is an opportunity to connect with other film enthusiasts and creatives and to get the word out about our goals. We are dedicated to exploring and sharing new ways for small productions to evolve their visual storytelling. This thesis project, and thus this campaign, offers a testing ground for visual effects methods that bring pieces of Hollywood back to the scrappy indie world.
For you- this campaign brings the opportunity to be a part of this challenge. By helping us fund this production, you gift the freedom to experiment. Innovation does not have to stay in Hollywood, just like reality doesn’t have to stay within the bounds. By choosing to join us, you can help us bring this project to life by summer 2026, and expand the virtual production options for further future film productions.
(The virtual production equipment will be funded by me (Blue) so all donated funds will cover the sets and non-virtual production equipment - this will give us more freedom to focus on the cool stuff)
How to Help:
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Studio Set Rental
Costs $1,500
A white cyclone wall studio is needed to employ the alternative virtual production methods, so we will be renting this local LA studio.
Apartment Set Rental
Costs $200
The scenes not filmed on the cyc wall will be done in this rented apartment set. We will be using a friend's place at a major discount!
Grip Package
Costs $200
The grip package would provide most of the equipment we would need outside the equipment we are borrowing from friends.
Camera Package
Costs $300
The Red Komodo camera package will allow us to capture the quality of light and shadow needed for our virtual production techniques to shine
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Blue Roberts (me) – Writer, Production Designer, Visual Effects Lead – this project is a part of my master's thesis on alternative virtual production methods! Thus, I am incredibly dedicated (bordering on obsessed) with striving to make this project happen. I wrote the script and will be leading the art (and virtual art) department. My previous work has been in visual effects, environment design, and 3D modeling.
Ethan Barna – Director – Ethan has led several productions before and advised during the development of this project. Because of his previous experience writing and directing horror and drama short films (such as 'WATCH ME') and working with me on previous virtual production projects, he is exactly who I'd want to direct this film. Plus, Ethan's enthusiasm to tell a story deep diving into the emotions produced by isolation and interaction with technology has him rearing to go to work on this film.
Dylan Beiler – Director of Photography – Dylan's has previous experience working several roles on narrative short film sets, including being a DP, and live recording for theater. As well Dylan's passionate interest in virtual production and experimenting with filmmaking techniques encouraged him to become a dedicated and positive part of this project and team. He's ready to try bigger, better, and weirder techniques and share the results as he goes!