Aoife Copland
Skin Suits is the final scene in a science fiction film set in a post apocalyptic world. After setting upon a mission to find his wife, he finds her in a laboratory. Due to her radiation poisoning, she sought out the scientists to help her and they had agreed. The scientists had another idea. Now, she is not his wife anymore. The laboratory has stripped her insides until all that is left of her is a suit of her own skin. She is nothing but code and a smile. A smile that our protagonist only slightly recognises.
The two actors were shot in front of a green screen and composited on top of digital backgrounds depicting the laboratory and apocalyptic landscape. Special effects were also added in After Effects and edited in Premiere Pro.
I have had a deep appreciation for science fiction from a young age. Every few months, I find myself captivated by a new world or narrative. Throughout these stories, whether in film or in gaming, there is often an underlying political message. Currently, discussions surrounding the female body have been prominent in the media, focusing on issues of ownership and autonomy. I aimed to explore this theme, highlighting how women frequently experience a loss of control over their own bodies, with decisions about female autonomy often being made without their consent. My intention was to create a response to this ongoing debate. Ultimately, I believe that these governmental and societal decisions may yield unintended consequences, with those who impose restrictions on women’s autonomy now witnessing the feminist movement challenge and reconsider these policies.
"Skin Suits" is the final scene of a short science fiction film. Set in a post-apocalyptic wasteland, we follow our protagonist and his challenge of learning that scientists in a beloved 'world-saving' laboratory have enslaved his wife and turned her into a robotic nightmare. There is nothing left of his wife except a suit made of her own skin, to show off a smile that no longer matches her eyes. Knowing that the woman he fell in love with was basically already gone, he decided to kill this abomination, in respect to his departed wife. The final scene shows him facing what he has done. He wants his wife back so much that he hallucinates her in the sky. Reaching out for her from the cliffs edge, he stumbles and falls to his own demise. Joining his beloved wife.
The actors were shot in front of a greenscreen and composited on top of digital backgrounds. The backgrounds were created using a mix of softwares such as Blender, Character Creator and Unreal Engine. Special effects were added in Adobe After Effects and the final edit was created in Adobe Premiere Pro. This project challenged me like none before, as I am a 3D Artist, not a director, cinematographer or editor. Even so, I overcame many such hurdles. I am so proud of what has been created and I look forward to where my next project.
The human mind is inherently curious and continually seeks knowledge. The genre of science fiction has, for nearly a century, served to motivate and inspire countless individuals worldwide. Through science fiction, even when certain innovations cannot yet be realised practically, we are able to create and share these ideas visually through fictional media, thereby extending our collective imagination.
Sharing our passion for curiosity in this manner has proven valuable in numerous ways, encouraging creatives to consider what may be possible in the future. This has led to the realisation of ideas once regarded as mere fiction, many of which now underpin our society. The modal verb shifts from ‘could’ to ‘when’, reflecting a sense of inevitability.
Despite our curiosity, humans remain cautious about embracing significant change. The ideas presented through science fiction can sometimes be perceived as threats rather than as hypotheses to be explored. This paper explores the concepts of scepticism, religious thought, and conspiracy theories, utilising science fiction as a framework to examine its influence on contemporary culture and perceptions of reality. An analysis of three distinct works of fiction is employed to illustrate the impact of science fiction, focusing on the varied portrayals of believers on screen, the presentation of the theories themselves, and the scientific principles underpinning these beliefs.
Aoife Copland is a recent graduate of Design For Film with a specialty in VFX/Game. She also has a level 5 Certificate in Illustration in Design from Stillorgan College of Further Education. Over the span of four years, she has increasingly learned about 3D modelling, 3D printing, Special Effects, Compositing, and so much more, including how to use her mediums to express herself. In her third year, she travelled with Erasmus to Genk, Belgium and studied Game Design in LUCA School of Arts for six months. She hopes to work as a 3D modeller one day and travel the world working on different projects, as she did during her Erasmus.
