Sep 2026
Four Nominations at FilmQuest
THE COLOR is nominated for Best Sci-Fi Short, Best Cinematography, Best Sound and Best Visual Effects at FilmQuest 2026.
From sci-fi horror short to feature film
— Trailer
Watch Trailer
> STATION 314 · TRANSMISSION LOG
— Overview
Proof of concept
for a feature film.
A self-financed sci-fi horror short. Years of work, a small crew, hand-built sets, 311 VFX shots. To create a world that's ready for a bigger story. And now we are going to tell it.
Feature Film Development →
01 / 25
— Stats
25Minutes
311VFX Shots
8months of set building
14Shooting Days
Several years. Low Budget. Small crew.
— What is it
We really love sci-fi horror films. So we made one ourselves.
THE COLOR is a self-financed, low-budget passion project that took several years to complete. We shot it in 14 days with a small crew, on sets the director and producer built themselves with help from friends and interns who believed in the project.
Over 300 VFX shots were created by a three-person team led by director and VFX artist Lukas Kunzmann. No Generative AI was used. The final mix was completed in Dolby Atmos by producer and mixing engineer Jürgen Daßing, in a new 7.1.4 setup we built in his studio for the project.
We are happy to share the final result with you. And this is only the beginning.
— From short to feature
Feature film in development.
We made this short film to show what we can achieve with smart approaches to filmmaking and VFX, a small crew and a lot of passion. Big scale worldbuilding on a low budget. The feature film is now in active development. We are looking for partners to bring the next story to the big screen.
Get in touchIn development with
Chris DeFaria · Founder & Producer
Keylight was founded in 2019 by Hollywood-based producer Chris DeFaria, whose credits span some of the most successful and technologically innovative films of the past decade. Working with the world's leading creative digital studios, Keylight produces theatrical films, original series, and XR and transmedia projects with a focus on innovation and the creative application of emerging technologies.
— Selected credits
— Creator
Filmmaker · VFX Artist
Lukas Kunzmann is a self-taught filmmaker based in Germany.
As a visual effects artist he has worked on feature films for Blumhouse, Universal, Sony, Amazon Prime and Netflix.
He directs narrative films with extensive visual effects, alongside music videos and commercials.
THE COLOR is his first longer narrative project. A self-financed, low-budget short he developed, directed, and largely post-produced himself over several years, together with a small crew.
— Recognition
— Cast
Ewa
Photo: Ingo Peters
Winner of the Goldene Kamera for Best Newcomer for Alles Isy. Other work includes Druck, Tatort, Die Discounter, and The Roads Not Taken alongside Javier Bardem and Elle Fanning.
Jakow
Photo: Ingo Peters
Peter John Sinclair
Irish actor, based in Ireland. He has appeared in productions including Game of Thrones, Vikings, Normal People, and Hardy Bucks.
> REMAINING CREW:
— Production facts
- Format
- 25-min Short
- Genre
- Sci-fi · Horror
- SPEC
- 4K DCI Scope · Dolby Atmos
- Budget
- Low · self-financed
- Set Building
- 8 months
- Shooting Days
- 14
- VFX Shots
- 311
- AI Used
- None
— Logline
One of the last surviving scientists wakes up in a research station with no memory and no way out. The crew is gone. Something happened here, and she is the only one left who can piece it together. To survive, she has to face amnesia, betrayal and a force that should not exist.
— Main Crew
Writer · Director · Production Design · VFX · Sound Design
Lukas Kunzmann
Executive Producer · Production Design · Mix
Jürgen Daßing
Executive Producer
Chris DeFaria
Cast
Milena Tscharntke · Peter John Sinclair · Charles Morillon · Akiko Hitomi
Director of Photography
Johannes Schmidt
Editor
Carsten Kurpanek
Original Score
William Morris
Color Grading
Joakim Rissveds
3D Generalist
Jan Ruppert
Digital Matte Painter
Steven Cormann
Additional VFX
Highway VFX
Still Photography
Ingo Peters
Stunt Coordinator
Steffen Jung
Produced by
Lukas Kunzmann · Jürgen Daßing
Unfortunately we can't list the full credits here. Big thanks to everyone
who contributed to this project from the bottom of our hearts. <3
who contributed to this project from the bottom of our hearts. <3
— Latest transmissions
Oct 2026
FilmQuest · 22nd - 31st October 2026
Official Selection at the 13th FilmQuest in Provo, Utah.
Oct 2026
Fright Nights Horrorfilmfestival · 21st - 24th October 2026
Official Selection at the Fright Nights Horrorfilmfestival in Austria.
Oct 2026
Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival · 9th - 11th October 2026
Official Selection at the 7th Sydney Science Fiction Film Festival. Australian premiere.
Oct 2026
H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival · 2nd - 4th October 2026
Official Selection at the 31st H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival & CthulhuCon at the Hollywood Theatre in Portland, Oregon. Pacific Northwest premiere.
Aug 2026
Winner · Best Effects at HollyShorts
THE COLOR won Best Effects at the 22nd Oscar-qualifying HollyShorts Film Festival in Los Angeles.
Aug 2026
HollyShorts Film Festival · 13th - 23rd August 2026
Official Selection at the 22nd HollyShorts Film Festival in Los Angeles. US premiere.
May 2026
World Premiere in London · 16th May 2026
We are proud to announce that our world premiere will be at the Sci-Fi London Film Festival.
Jan 2026
Short Film Complete
After over four years, VFX, Grading and final Dolby Atmos mix are complete. The film is done.
May 2025
FMX Showcase
Lukas was invited by MAXON to present and showcase the making of the shortfilm and how the VFX were approached using various tools from MAXON. First exclusive teaser was shown there.
2021 - 2025
Production · Post Production
Over four years of work to complete the short film
— Funded & Supported by
Sparkasse Mainfranken · Druckertankstelle Wuerzburg · Cineworld Dettelbach · Sir Quickly · MARKTCAFÉ BRANDSTETTER · Aputure · Pille Film · Billy's Lens Rent · SPECTRAL GmbH & CO KG · An Chroi Enterprise Centre Tubbercurry Ireland
· Dropout Films · ANQER