MMP2 - Magnum Opus

Magnum Opus combines elements of gothic horror and dark fantasy, with a focus on atmosphere, symbolism, and inner conflict. The setting is quiet and bleak, showing signs of a life long forgotten. The story centers on an artist who has isolated herself in an old, crooked clocktower above an abandoned village. She is disconnected from the outside world and caught in a cycle of obsession. Day after day, she paints the same image again and again. This repetition is not just a routine, but a deep fixation. She is driven by the need to complete something that always seems just out of reach. The act of painting becomes both a comfort and a prison, reflecting her inner struggle and refusal to let go. When we finally meet her, she is close to finishing her work. The moment she applies the last brushstroke, something extraordinary happens: she becomes part of the painting itself. This moment symbolizes the ultimate surrender to her obsession—losing herself in her own creation, blurring the line between artist and artwork. The film explores themes of obsession, creative passion, and self-sacrifice. It shows how dedication to a single goal can be both inspiring and destructive. The quiet, decayed world around the clocktower reinforces the sense of isolation and fading life. Magnum Opus was developed as a semester project (MMP2) in the MultiMediaArt program at FH Salzburg. The entire film was created in Unreal Engine, making use of real-time rendering to achieve detailed and immersive visuals. Houdini was used to build dynamic effects and surreal environmental elements, which add to the film’s haunting mood. The character’s clothing was designed in Marvelous Designer, providing realistic fabric movement that enhances the natural feel of the scenes. The character model itself was sculpted in ZBrush, allowing for detailed facial features and a strong, recognizable silhouette. The film brings together storytelling, technical tools, and visual design to explore the experience of obsession and the thin line between creation and self-destruction. Magnum Opus focuses not just on painting, but on what happens when the boundaries between the artist and their work begin to blur.