FML Explores the World of FATES with Those Beyond
Game developers and storytellers Those Beyond commissioned Feed Me Light to create a film to connect us to the dystopian concept for their web3 world, FATES. This world is not just a game to be played but a digital universe you can exist in as a character played by you. In the world of FATES, humans are evacuating Earth after an anomalous and terrifying event known as the Braid threatens humankind with extinction. As a protagonist in this world, you are challenged with the decision of when, how and where you evacuate our planet to travel to and hopefully survive. Or, do you stay and attempt to hold on through this catastrophe? Everything in the world of FATES is designed to be a choice, your choice. Your fate. With this creative conundrum at their feet, Feed Me Light worked closely with Those Beyond to take their audience on a journey where we see what might happen once you make that decision.
Fox Rogers, creative director of Those Beyond, comments, "FATES is a science fiction universe with emotional depth and rich world-building. Our world is a vessel for heartfelt storytelling - familiar concepts of love, loss and hope but told in a new, unfamiliar and exciting setting.
In this short chapter of the FATES story, we wanted to portray the importance of fellowship to find hope in a seemingly hopeless place.
Feed Me Light and director Sébastien embodied this direction - creating deep layers of thoughtful, rich, nuanced storytelling that ripples through the narrative, environment and sound design. This is a film where every moment is masterfully told - every frame is intentional.
I think what results is a beautiful, raw story told with subtlety and delicacy. It's a triumphant declaration of the importance of companionship - that without those you love, living is merely surviving."
With Sébastien Iglesias directing, the team tapped into the human experience of Being left behind on Earth - in a world now almost devoid of life. We watch as our protagonist and their dog venture off into a world Abandoned and neglected by those who once lived there. As we journey through vast landscapes and harsh weather things become less familiar and more ominous. What begins as a hopeful but intrepid expedition ends in a desperate mystery.
The striking thing about this piece of work is the visual language crafted to immerse us in the narrative. The bespoke animation style is a refreshing take on the 2D genre. And it could be deemed minimalist but when you look at the detail in the texturing, shading, lighting and character designs we see there is an abundance of careful decisions enveloped in the creation of each element.
The colour palette used is another intriguing aspect of the film. We see peachy hues contrast beautifully against deep moody purples, creating dramatic landscapes and weather that sweeps us into the world of FATES. The imagery is other worldly but recognisable enough that the tension of venturing into the unknown is palpable. We immediately understand life has been threatened here and curiosity sparks as we wonder what this person is looking for. We are pulled into the quest for any useful remnants of civilisation and become committed to finding out what is out there. The terrain is bleak and an eerie air of imminent danger is felt as our explorer journeys onwards.
The sound design is vital in this atmosphere created for BARREN; without the strong winds whistling in your ears and the sound of the detector bleeping its way forward, much of the build up to what comes would be lost. JM Finch’s soundscape sweeps us into this land, this quarry, this cave and holds us breathless as we watch the strangeness unfold. As machinery clangs and dust whips across our view we understand the solitary existence of the main character. It emphasises the importance held in the relationship between the dog and the person; A loving bond surviving in the destruction, chaos and isolation of this barren world.
Director Sébastien Iglesias comments on the creation of this unique film: “For this film I wanted to focus on atmosphere through composition and sound. We needed to feel the character is lost in a hostile environment. I used a lot of references like western and samurai films, mostly Sergio Leone or Akira Kurosawa. They are not silent films but the absence of dialogue leaves space for imagery and sound design, actions and movements, leading the story and emotions. Emotionally speaking, because the main character was supposed to be faceless the dog was then the principal vector of expressions; the whole challenge was to make it alive and bring empathy through it. Sound design was a very important step in the film, a lot of elements come from offscreen thanks to the sound. For the visual style I wanted something simple in shapes but deep in lighting and atmosphere. We needed to feel that the whole scene is wiped by sandy wind and under a cloudy and heavy sky. The orb was a big challenge, we wanted something graphical and alive. We spent some time developing it and finding a good way to treat it. It's mostly flat 2D effects.”
Executive producer Phoebe Scott says “My favourite part of the production of BARREN was the relationship that formed with Those Beyond; Candid communication was encouraged at every juncture, whether it was about a technique for an element we wanted to switch up and take a moment with to try it differently and achieve better fluidity between design and animation or just a simple tweak to the dog’s bark, everything was discussed openly each week. That dynamic created a real trust between the studios and allowed for experimentation and flexibility which we are not always so lucky to experience. It ultimately led to an original, beautiful piece of work. We were granted a unique opportunity to work as we needed to, taking time and care with anything the team felt required. This growing trust meant we were able to breathe and think as a team and allowed for creative freedom. It certainly got the juices flowing to resolve a few challenges and I think that really shines through. It was an incredible effort from every artist!”
Those Beyond collaborated closely with the team at Feed Me Light, devising the approach to the inception of this world. The synergy formed between the two studios meant that BARREN not only delivered an exciting journey for the viewer but interweaved very human sentiments: inquisitiveness, companionship, bravery, pain, abandonment, confusion, adventure. These exist in all of us and make this film all the more fascinating as we watch the main character’s scavenger hunt. Injecting and emphasising these emotions and experiences, elevates the story above your classic apocalyptic gaming exposition. You can feel how the team pushed this into a deeper realm. You crave insight into FATES if not only to see if this poetic dystopia exists in the same way there.
There were challenges on the way, many resolved with days of testing techniques to create 3D actions in a 2D style. The trial and error of these tasks produced an artful, unique design that fits into this genre in a refreshing way. It does not rely on obviously muted palettes for gloom, silence for suspense or playing out mostly in darkness to push us into fearing the unknown. BARREN comprises innovation in using almost romantic tinges of peach, pink and purple, the alien electrical sounds of an unfamiliar force, endless landscapes peppered with colossal machinery. We see most signs of former life eradicated as the film refuses to plunge us into the usual claustrophobic ghost town with evil threatening to jump out at us any moment. This is more gentle in its approach to portraying an evacuated planet. Pulling on loneliness to explain the human population has dwindled, you are left wondering what happened. Don’t you want to find out why it’s BARREN..?
