Just as the dream world occupies a significant part of our reality and the individual sets itself apart from the general, there is a niche for what proliferates between the everyday rituals: the subspace.
The film was produced by Synke Schlüter together with the Filmwerkstatt Münster.
Diploma thesis at the Münster University of Applied Sciences in the Department of Design.
For computer specialist Toke, the protagonist of “Subraum”, everyday life consists of the monotony of an open-plan office. In his spare time, however, Toke sits in his small flat in front of a table full of impressive electronic parts and builds his own swimming pool under the guidance of the “Tele-Bastelstunde”. He can dive into this pool with the help of a transformer. All he has to do is flip a switch and the next moment he is floating through the water.
Freed from the laws of space and time, Toke moves through his element; the sounds reach his ears strangely muffled, the light shimmers blue, the proportions appear distorted from the underwater view and creatures seem to be cavorting in the waves.
But suddenly there is a power cut: the sound stops, the lights flicker and the “exit” switch is stuck. Toke struggles to get back to his living room, whose supposed reality also turns out to be virtual: a loudspeaker voice declares the lunch break over and calls all the employees back to their seats. A short time later, Toke can be recognised in a common room, which also contains the “living rooms” of his colleagues. He packs his entire flat into a bag and goes to his computer workstation. A colleague lovingly hands the pensive Toke a towel for his wet hair. Work begins, the computer starts up and an exit button appears on the buzzing screen to enter the virtual world.