EPILOGUE is the first of four upcoming feature films in the EVOLUTION OF MACHINE sci-fi saga, written and directed by David Lichtenauer. It follows space traveler Eren Gaparso (Daniel Grave), who awakens alone from cryogenic sleep on the distant Earth-like planet Aeyuna to find his entire crew missing. With only a bodiless AI, UMA, and a small robot, OA-1, he must survive and safeguard humanity's future. Filmed entirely inside a confined spacecraft set, cinematographer Manuel Schamberger and gaffer Lars Elliger used Rosco DMG Lighting fixtures to enhance the mood, tone, and overall aesthetic of the film.
Watch the spacecraft set being built by David Lichtenauer.
Lichtenauer, who also served as the production designer, collaborated closely with Schamberger to design the set, paying careful attention to lighting from the outset. “It was crucial to create visual variety using different tools, despite the extremely limited location,” Schamberger explained.
DMG DASH fixtures illuminate the recessed wall niches inside the spacecraft set.
He went on to describe the deeper relationship between lighting and narrative: "The lighting in the film is closely tied to the development of the story and the emotions of the main character, Eren. To accomplish this, we experimented with shadows, color temperature, and light movement. Since the story is essentially about loss, loneliness, and isolation, it was clear from our earliest discussions that the film should have a dark and gritty tone. We wanted space - and especially the interior of the space capsule - to feel unpleasant, creating an atmosphere that feels hostile.”
Film crew at work inside the spacecraft set.
To achieve the desired look, filmmakers installed several DMG MAXI™ and DMG DASH™ CRMX fixtures as practical light sources inside the confined location. Schamberger said: “The ‘panoramic roof’ of the space capsule gave us the opportunity to illuminate it from the outside with DMG MAXI fixtures to simulate the sun or the glow of the nearby planet ‘Ayuna.’ We were impressed with the incredible output of the fixtures, which we used indirectly - bouncing them off a poly board through the overhead openings fitted with ¼ diffusion gels.”
DoP Manuel Schamberger (left) and gaffer Lars Elliger (right) on the spacecraft set lit with
DMG MAXI fixtures.
DMG DASH was used to illuminate the eye of the AI protagonist, UMA. Gaffer Lars Elliger explained: “We used a fisheye lens for her eye and placed a DASH behind it, shooting through Depron foam. The Depron gave us a nice, organic texture when viewed up close through the lens. The DASH was the perfect light for this setup because of its size, good color rendition, and built-in CRMX.”
Filmmakers also used DMG DASH with the DOT Round Diffuser accessory to create effective eye light when needed. Placed strategically, the fixture produced a subtle reflection in the actor’s eyes, enhancing the depth and intensity of their emotions on screen.
DMG DASH, fitted with the DOT Round Diffuser, was used to create a soft, natural-looking eye light.
Additionally, the fixture was used with either a white molton bounce board or a poly board to provide soft, flattering light on the actor’s face. “I really fell in love with the DASH fixtures,” said Schamberger. “They made it possible to achieve perfect lighting for our actor, Daniel, even in extremely tight spaces.”
In this scene, the actor is illuminated with two DMG DASH fixtures: one fitted with a DOT Round Diffuser for an eye light, and the other using a poly board to create flattering light on the face.
When asked why he chose DMG Lighting for this project, Schamberger said: “Rosco DMG Lighting fixtures are, without a doubt, some of the highest-quality lights on the market. I’ve used DMG Lighting solutions on various shoots in the past and have always been very impressed with their color rendition - especially in classic daylight and tungsten settings, where many other LED brands still fall short. It was also crucial to maintain consistent light quality even when dimming the LEDs down to 1%. With the DASH fixtures, that happened quite often, and there was absolutely no loss in performance or color fidelity.”
Elliger further commented: "The fast response and reliability of the built-in CRMX receiver were crucial and helped us significantly, especially when working with lighting effects. The color rendition in the RGB range - particularly with red tones - was also excellent."
To learn more about EPILOGUE, visit www.evolutionofmachine.com or follow @evolution_of_machine on social media.
Be sure to follow the filmmakers behind EPILOGUE to stay updated on their latest projects:
For more information about the products filmmakers used to light the sci-fi EPILOGUE, please explore the DMG Lighting product page on the Rosco website.
Photo credit: Julian Hülser
Tatiana Massano June 19, 2025 Questions?
Content Marketing Specialist: Based in the Madrid office, Tatiana is ideally positioned to share inspiring stories of how customers use Rosco products to accomplish their ideas in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
