After a space station’s collapse, a scientist awakens in a synthetic body with corrupted memories. Alone with a mysterious repair robot, he searches for fragments of his past while confronting the question of what remains human when memory itself can no longer be trusted
(3D Animation) Writer – Director – Animator
(About the project)Rather than offering answers, the project builds an atmosphere of quiet unease and discovery
LonePost is a cryptic sci-fi thriller about memory, identity and what it means to exist when the line between human and synthetic has blurred. Set after the fall of a vast space station, once part of an artificial sun experiment, the story unfolds in fragments, following a scientist who wakes in a synthetic “backup” body with corrupted memories It reflects on how memory defines selfhood, how grief reshapes identity and how isolation can distort what we perceive as real. Beneath its futuristic setting lies a deeply human story about loss, guilt and the struggle to understand what remains of oneself when memory and reality begin to fracture
“LonePost” poster
(Behind The Scenes)What defines us when our memories are rewritten or erased? And if emotions aren’t only human, where do we draw the line between life and imitation?
The teaser relies on environmental storytelling, where objects and spaces speak louder than words. Abandoned rooms, scattered belongings and flickering systems reveal the aftermath of catastrophe, while the surrounding mountains heighten the feeling of detachment and solitudeVisually and tonally, LonePost blends the precision of hard sci-fi with the melancholy of psychological drama. The muted lighting, layered sound design, and subtle animation choices immerse the viewer in a world that feels technological but ghostlike, like a reflection of the protagonist’s fractured consciousness
(Production Process)The catchy score by Said layers synthetic tones with distorted echoes, reinforcing the project’s themes of isolation and distorted memory
Created over six months in Unreal Engine, LonePost was a collaborative effort between two artists. I handled the design, modeling and animation of the protagonist, while my collaborator fully developed the repair robot. Together we shaped the narrative’s rhythm through visuals and pacing The title “LonePost” captures this duality: once a beacon of light, now a message lost in the dark. All assets were sculpted in ZBrush, textured in Substance Painter, and rigged and animated in Maya before being transferred to Unreal for integration
(Acknowledgements)Produced during the BFA, Animation & Illustration at HSE University, Moscow
With thanks to HSE advisors, the animation crew, cast and tutors for their support throughout development, production and post-production.
Writer / Director: Vladimir Zhdanov, Nikita Krasnobrizhev, Producer: Egor Tomskiy,
CGI & Animation: Vladimir Zhdanov, Nikita Krasnobrizhev, Editor: Vladimir Zhdanov,
Engine Specialist: Nikita Krasnobrizhev, Designer & Colorist: Vladimir Zhdanov, VFX & Matchmoving: Stepan Dorodnykh, Music: Said Bazhaev