MMP2 – Orpheus X

Orpheus X is a short animated film created as a MMP2 by the four-person team consisting of Magdalena Aschauer, Alessandro Gaggia, Dennis Green and Lea Kraml. The project explores a post-apocalyptic future in which humankind, driven by the destruction of nature and therefore depletion of natural resources, has turned to the unexplored ocean depths in search of new sources of energy. The narrative follows a small submarine, the infamous Orpheus X, dispatched from the much bigger mothership called Titan’s Ark, diving into unknown territory to investigate an energy signal coming from a crystal cluster on the seafloor. As the submarine gets ready to extract this energy source, a stronger signal appears on their radar. The strength of this new signal promises to sustain humankind indefinitely, so the crew decides to venture deeper. A massive hidden cave glowing with energy crystals is soon uncovered. Blinded by this discovery they realize too late that the cave is, in fact, the lair of a colossal sea creature, the Leviathan. The film was developed using a combination of industry-standard tools: Maya and Blender for modelling, ZBrush for creature sculpting, Houdini for environment assets such as plants and debris, Substance Painter for texturing hero assets, Unreal Enginge 5 for assembly, lighting and rendering, as well as Nuke for the final compositing. One of the central unique aspects for this creative project was achieving a cohesive visual style, conveying the feeling of being underwater, exploring unknown depths alongside the Orpheus X. The storytelling stands out for its environmental narrative approach, unfolding the plot through radio communication and visual clues. This decision placed a strong emphasis on the believability of atmosphere and environment, adding even more possibilities for technical difficulties. But Orpheus X stands as a testament to what can be achieved when creative vision and technical skill come together in a unified pipeline.