Viral:
Survival In a Fallen Singapore
2018
Film BrandingVisual IdentityHorror NarrativeDystopian AestheticsMarketing Materials
VIRAL is an indie short horror film that reimagines the zombie apocalypse genre within Singapore's urban landscape. Set in a dystopian 2027, the project encompasses both the film and its marketing materials, creating a cohesive and unsettling visual experience.
The narrative revolves around a laboratory accident that releases a dangerous virus, transforming Singapore's population into zombie-like creatures. Against this backdrop, the story follows a young man's desperate search for sanctuary in the infected city.
The marketing campaign for VIRAL utilises a striking colour palette of neon green, black, and white to create an eerie atmosphere that permeates all promotional materials. Cinema tickets, posters, and even popcorn containers are designed to immerse the audience in the film's world before they enter the theatre. These materials blend biohazard symbols and stark imagery of hands and faces with apocalyptic messages, emphasising the "survive or die" theme central to the story.
A key aspect of VIRAL's appeal is its integration of recognisable Singaporean elements. The project grounds its fantastical narrative in familiar settings like HDB flats and local landscapes, creating a unique juxtaposition between the orderly reputation of Singapore and the chaos of a viral outbreak. This localisation of the zombie genre aims to resonate strongly with Singaporean audiences whilst offering a fresh perspective to the global horror community.
Through its marketing and the film itself, VIRAL explores themes of survival, infection, and societal collapse, inviting viewers to reconsider their everyday surroundings through a lens of apocalyptic horror. The project not only aims to create buzz for the film but also to push the boundaries of Singaporean cinema, demonstrating the potential for locally-produced genre films to captivate audiences and contribute to the global horror landscape.