Subterranean

Virtual production pitch · StoryFutures Academy application

A sci-fi thriller concept following a man’s attempt to erase false information about himself from a heavily monitored data headquarters. His escape leads him into an unexpected world: a vast city hidden beneath the building.

Developed at Soluis for an application to StoryFutures Academy’s virtual production training programme, the pitch explored how a continuous chase could connect contrasting environments and build towards a dramatic architectural reveal.

Context: Concept proposal developed at Soluis
Focus: Visual storytelling, environment direction and virtual production planning
Outcome: Successful application to the StoryFutures Academy virtual production training programme

The brief

The application presented an opportunity to explore a short-film concept through virtual production. The aim was to propose a visually ambitious story while considering the practical challenges of bringing its environments, characters and action to the screen.

Subterranean centres on a chase through connected spaces, moving from an imposing headquarters to an unexpected underground metropolis. This progression provided a framework for exploring scale, transitions and the relationship between physical performance and digital environments.

Visual direction

The visual concept centres on the contrast between two worlds: the ordered, closely monitored headquarters above ground and the sprawling city concealed beneath it.

Architecture shapes the narrative. Controlled interiors create tension through restricted views and confined routes, while the underground reveal opens the frame to a much larger, unfamiliar environment. The shift in scale marks the moment Rei’s personal mission becomes part of something beyond his understanding.

The reference moodboard explores monumental structures, layered urban spaces and dramatic contrasts of light and shadow. These references establish the intended atmosphere and provide a starting point for developing the film’s environments.

Title: Subterranean

Genre: Sci-Fi Thriller

Outline:

On a bright day, Rei Solis approaches the imposing data headquarters, where his infamous reputation is broadcasted across holographic screens that surround the building. Determined to clear his name, he meticulously reviews his plan to erase the false information tainting his image. A crowd of people moves in and out with robotic precision, and Rei joins the flow, entering the sleek, minimalist interior of the headquarters.

As he steps inside, he feels the weight of countless cameras locking onto him, their lenses tracking his every move. With nerves of steel, he navigates past security and makes his way to the server room. Just as he begins to connect to the mainframe, blaring alarms shatter the tense atmosphere. The sounds of hurried footsteps and shouts echo in the hallways as guards mobilize to apprehend him.

Rei's escape route is quickly cut off, forcing him to sprint through a maze of corridors, evading capture in a heart-pounding chase captured in a seamless, continuous shot. Just when he reaches a dead end, he spots a service elevator. He hurriedly selects a random floor as the doors close, narrowly escaping the approaching guards.

Suddenly, the elevator plummets at an alarming speed, descending deep underground. As it comes to a jarring halt, bright lights illuminate the space around him, revealing a vast underground city through a glass window. Rei, bewildered and on edge, realizes he had no idea this hidden metropolis existed beneath the headquarters.

With no other option, he steps into the unknown. The elevator doors open to reveal a rooftop, where a small group awaits him. Without fully grasping the situation, Rei makes a split-second decision and leaps off the edge, plunging into the depths below.

Cut to black.

Three story beats

01 — Infiltration

Rei approaches the headquarters and moves into its minimalist interior. The space appears calm and orderly, but the constant presence of surveillance makes every movement feel exposed.

Visual focus: Establish the building’s authority through scale, controlled composition and clearly defined routes.

02 — Pursuit

An alarm transforms the headquarters into a trap. Rei moves through a succession of corridors as his escape routes close around him.

The chase is conceived as a continuous shot, using camera movement and connected spaces to maintain momentum.

Visual focus: Keep the action readable while building tension through changes in framing, pace and proximity.

03 — Discovery

A service elevator carries Rei below the headquarters. The enclosed space gives way to a view of an immense underground city, revealing a world he never knew existed.

Visual focus: Use the contrast between confinement and openness to give the reveal its impact.

Technical Challenges.

I needed to identify the technical challenges that could hinder production or pose obstacles to the film while utilizing the latest technology. Some of the challenges are outlined below

  • Virtual Characters

    • Challenge: Creating realistic human characters can be resource-intensive, and achieving the desired fidelity while maintaining performance is crucial.

    • Strategy: Optimize Metahuman assets and adjusting LODs (levels of detail) for distant characters. Also, consider pre-rendering certain animations or using lower fidelity characters if they are in the distance

  • Large scale realistic environments:

    • Challenge: Deciding between Cesium for 3D geospatial data visualization or using photogrammetry for detailed, textured environments.

    • Strategy: Assess the requirements of your environment. Cesium is great for large-scale landscapes and real-world data integration, while photogrammetry excels in capturing detailed, small-scale objects. You might also consider combining both methods to leverage their strengths.

Visual Quality vs. Performance Trade-Offs:

  • Challenge: Striking the right balance between visual fidelity and real-time performance can be a constant struggle..

  • Strategy: Conduct performance testing throughout the production process. Use profiling tools to identify bottlenecks and make informed decisions about where to optimize or downgrade visual quality. Use texture streaming techniques to load only the necessary UDIM tiles for visible objects, minimizing memory usage. Consider baking details into textures where possible to reduce the number of UDIMs needed and using procedural assets.

Outcome

The application to StoryFutures Academy’s virtual production training programme was successful.

Developed during my time at Soluis, Subterranean brought together narrative development, visual research and early production planning. The pitch established a creative direction and identified the questions that would need to be resolved through previs, environment development and testing.