Stance - Ritual

The visual narrative of "Ritual" is accompanied by a variety of patterns and textures: runes of the inhabitants on the walls, patterns formed of coal, black sand, and volcanic dust, drawn by the magnetic field during the ceremony, as well as dark liquid and the texture of the character’s body and the temple’s guardians.

To emphasize the dark, mystical atmosphere of "Ritual," we paid special attention to the masks in the ceremony hall. We collaborated with a digital artist Seryozha Parshakov whose work combines the concepts of the ancient world with elements of science fiction. Each mask is unique, boasting a distinct shape and serving a specific function. These masks symbolize an ancient history, crafted from unprocessed stone or wood, yet featuring an element of futuristic human craftsmanship—perfect, sharp rectangular prisms, raw but with geometric precision in certain areas.

The film's lighting is overly theatrical and hazy, yet still subject to the natural forces of the planet. Dynamic editing and flashes of light intensify the horror and anticipation of the character’s birth and ascendance throughout the film.

The character embodies the image of a warrior forged in another dimension, training and building power for his awakening and conquest of the universe. Graphics bring him to life—a brutal sculpture of raw, dried flesh, his chest cavity a gaping wound, faceless—a symbol of his utterly dark and evil spirit.

We crafted the aesthetic of "Ritual" the world-building, and its dark atmosphere through the final touches of cinematography, sound design, and voice-over. To bring this distant dark alternative galaxy to life, we collaborated with the talented composer Corvad and sound designer Anton Guskov for the score and decided to use Spanish for the voice-over to enhance the film's ethnic elements and ancient aesthetic.