WE DIE TO BE SEEN
Project Overview
**PLEASE NOTE: as I continue to work on the story while auditions are open, some things about the characters may be added onto (ie. Their character description, Their skills, their trauma, their trials, etc) EVEN THE STATUS OF THE PROJECT MAY CHANGE !! I have been struggling for a while during the writing process on committing the whole story to a game, so it may very well be dropped and made into a comic instead ! REGARDLESS, I want to hear your voices and cast for even something as small as trailer for this project. thank you for your understanding and your time <3
Short Summary: A sci-fi tragedy about identity, spectacle, and the cost of being visible.
In a hyper-surveilled future where every person’s life is broadcast 24/7, popularity equals survival—and those who fall out of favor are erased.
WE DIE TO BE SEEN follows a cast of artists, rebels, and manufactured idols as they navigate a world where self-worth is measured by viewership, and performance is the only form of freedom.
Torn between who they are and who they must pretend to be, they risk everything to reclaim their voices in a system that consumes beauty, trauma, and identity for entertainment.
WE DIE TO BE SEENA Multi-Platform Sci-Fi Tragedy about Identity, Spectacle, and the Price of Being Visible
📌 Core ConceptWE DIE TO BE SEEN is a dystopian, character-driven multimedia project that unfolds in a hyper-surveilled, post-cultural world where personal identity is a commodified performance and anonymity is punishable by erasure. Through music, animation, and narrative storytelling, the project explores the intersection of self-worth, spectacle culture, rebellion, alienation, and emotional survival in a society obsessed with visibility.
It is a story about those who perform to be loved, those who vanish to be free, and those who burn themselves alive just to be remembered.📺 Format / Medium
WE DIE TO BE SEEN is designed to be an cross-platform project:
Webcomic/Animated Series: Stylized visuals exploring each character’s journey, switching POVs like channel surfing.
Music and/or Voice Performances: Each character has a distinct voice, both literally and metaphorically. Songs act as internal monologues or public broadcasts.
Emotional tone: Haunting, tragic, defiant. Long silences. Desperate confessions. Moments of quiet beauty.
Aesthetic style: Glitch futurism, holographic grime, neo-baroque fashion, pixel decay, pastel horror.
Musical tone: Atmospheric electropop, post-industrial ballads, distorted vocals, and analog synth lullabies.
Think Vivinos' ALIEN STAGE x Black Mirror x Perfect Blue x The Hunger Games with the emotional grit of Bo Burnham: Inside.
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Nael is an 18-year-old composed and calculating figure whose presence feels as quiet as it is unsettling. Formerly entangled with the system that now exploits him, Nael carries the weight of prior knowledge like a secret blade — watching, manipulating, and maneuvering his way through Trials with surgical precision. He speaks rarely but with intention, always one step ahead, hiding deep emotional fractures behind cold logic and a curated mask of control. Whether ally or enemy depends entirely on what the moment requires.
Tone: Controlled, deliberate, and edged with restrained superiority — never reactive, always measured. Think: a scalpel, not a hammer.
Style: Clean, analytical, and slightly formal. Nael avoids contractions and slang. Even his silence feels chosen.
Emotion Range: Surface: Flat calm, sharp wit, quiet disdain. | Beneath: Repressed shame, loneliness, flickers of something desperate and human. | Rarely shows overt anger or fear — those emotions are sublimated into manipulation or withdrawal
Age Range: Late teens to early 20s
Accent: Neutral American or slightly stylized
Think: a boy who’s died once and came back quiet—he doesn’t speak to be heard; he speaks to survive. Or characters like:
L from Death Note (if he were more polished and emotionally guarded)
Sebastian from Black Butler, but less theatrical, more real-world cold
Johan Liebert from Monster
A beautiful boy with a dead stare and a brilliant mind, terrifying precisely because he never needs to raise his voice
- english
- male teen
- male young adult
- Grounded
- male adult
- distant
- calm
- Late Teens
“They said we had to perform to survive. I thought I could stay quiet and still matter.” (low, almost a whisper)
“If this is what it means to be seen—then I’d rather disappear.” (cold, defiant)
“I don’t care what they ranked you. I see you. That’s enough for me.” (soft, genuine, the rare warmth he shows)
Echo is a 18-year-old performer who’s both magnetic and emotionally unstable. Their voice should sound androgynous, expressive, and theatrical at times—but always with an undercurrent of exhaustion or emptiness. They’re someone who has spent their whole life performing for approval, so their tone often shifts to match what others expect—charming one second, hollow the next.
Tone: Expressive, fluid, sometimes performative
Style: Dramatic when needed, but with cracks of vulnerability
Emotion Range: From charismatic and confident to raw, shaky, or numb
Age Range: Mid to late teens
Accent: Neutral or lightly stylized
Think: a beautiful echo of someone real, still trying to find their original voice.
- english
- nonbinary
- androgynous
- neutral
- dramatic
- charismatic
- cracks of vulnerability
- Basic singing
“Tell me what you want me to be... I’m very good at pretending.” (spoken with a smile, but the eyes don’t match)
“You’re the only one who doesn’t look through me. You actually see me.” (soft, the performance drops briefly—raw honesty)
“I don’t know where the script ends and I begin—if I ever began.” (whispered, lost)
Jun is 18 years old with a voice that’s calm, firm, and in control. She speaks with confidence and rarely shows emotion, but when she does, it hits hard. Her tone should sound smart, serious, and slightly cold, like someone who’s been forced to grow up fast.
Tone: Low to mid-range, steady, serious
Style: Direct, clear, no-nonsense
Emotion Range: Mostly restrained, but powerful when she lets emotion break through
Age Range: Late teens to early 20s
Accent: Neutral American or slightly gritty
Think: a strategist who’s always holding back more than she says.
- english
- female young adult
- female adult
- female teen
- Mostly restrained
- powerful
- direct
- clear
- No-nonsense
“This isn’t about what’s fair. It’s about what gets us through the next trial alive.” (firm, clipped, no room for debate)
“I don’t trust easily. But that doesn’t mean I don’t care.” (quiet, almost too honest)
“Everyone here wants to be seen. I just want to survive long enough to forget what that used to mean.” (calm but bitter, tired of everyone’s illusions)
Rye is 19 years old with a voice that feels gentle, honest, and emotionally open. He’s the heart of the group—someone who speaks from a place of sincerity, even when he's scared. His tone should feel warm, a little uncertain at times, like he’s trying to connect even when it hurts.
Tone: Soft, kind, emotionally vulnerable
Style: Earnest and sincere, with occasional cracks of fear or doubt
Emotion Range: Hopeful → hesitant → broken → brave
Age Range: Late teens to early 20s
Accent: Neutral American or lightly expressive
Think: the boy who tries to believe in people, even when the world tells him not to.
- english
- sincere
- male young adult
- male adult
- male teen
- earnest
- occasional cracks of fear or doubt
- hopeful
- Hesitant
- Broken
“We’re not just data points. We’re still people… right?” (soft, like he’s asking the world to prove him wrong)
“I keep trying to love out loud—and all I get is silence back.” (voice breaking, almost whispering)
“You don’t get to choose what hurts me and what doesn’t. That’s mine.” (soft, but steady—protecting his heart without apology)
Aven is 19 years old with a voice that’s confident, smooth, and a little dangerous. He talks like someone who’s always in control—even when he isn’t. His tone is cool and charismatic, but there’s a sharp edge underneath. He can switch from charming to threatening in a heartbeat.
Tone: Cool, confident, occasionally mocking
Style: Laid-back but commanding, with emotional depth hidden under bravado
Emotion Range: Flirty → sarcastic → bitter → wounded → angry
Age Range: Late teens to early 20s
Accent: Neutral American (or slightly stylized—smooth but streetwise)
Think: the charming rogue who’s hiding a scar where a heart used to be.
- english
- male adult
- female young adult
- male teen
- emotional depth hidden under bravado
- Sarcastic
- Laid-back but commanding
- flirty
- bitter
- wounded
- Angry
“You’re staring. I get it. I'm hard to ignore—especially when I’m right.” (smug, with a grin in his voice)
“Don’t act like you care now. You weren’t there the first time I got left behind.” (spoken like a joke, but it lands bitter)
“Maybe I was built to lose people. Or maybe I’m just good at giving them reasons to leave.” (soft, tired, like he’s saying it to himself)
Lyra is 18 years old with a voice that’s soft, distant, and observant, like she’s always halfway between this world and another. She speaks carefully, often with long pauses—like her words are memories she’s trying not to lose. Her tone feels calm but emotionally hollow, occasionally flickering into something more raw when she’s pushed.
Tone: Soft, calm, ethereal
Style: Thoughtful and quiet, sometimes cryptic
Emotion Range: Detached → curious → haunted → quietly intense
Age Range: Late teens to early 20s
Accent: Neutral American or lightly stylized (slight dreamlike quality)
Think: someone who’s been fading for years and is just now realizing it.
- english
- female teen
- female young adult
- female adult
- sometimes cryptic
- Thoughtful
- quiet
- Detached
- Curious
- haunted
- Quietly Intense
“Everyone’s trying so hard to be remembered. I just don’t want to disappear.” (spoken quietly, like she’s unsure if she meant to say it out loud)
“I don’t understand you… but I don’t think I need to.” (gentle, with a hint of curiosity and trust)
“If I let them erase me, it won’t be the first time. Just the last.” (soft, but firm—like a quiet decision has been made)
Isha (age: 25) is a former winner of the Reintegration Initiative Trials who has returned — not by choice. She walks like someone who’s seen every horror already and no longer believes in mercy. Isha is fierce, brutally intelligent, and profoundly traumatized. She doesn’t try to be liked or even understood — only respected. Every word is a choice. Every silence is a warning. She is not interested in comforting others, but she will protect what’s worth protecting — even if it kills her.
Tone: Sharp, commanding, weary. Speaks with authority even in few words.
Style: Blunt, clear, tactical. Cuts through pretense like a blade.
Emotion Range:
Surface: Control, strength, sarcasm
Beneath: Burnout, survivor’s guilt, old pain
Rage simmers, but she almost never lets it out
Age Range: Early 20s
Accent: Neutral American with a clipped, hardened edge. Speaks like someone who’s outgrown fear.
Think:
Yelena Belova (Black Widow) meets a dystopian military vet
Byleth if they spoke more
Not a mentor, not a leader — a ghost still standing
The one who already won and hated what it cost
- english
- female adult
- female young adult
“I already won once. I didn’t come back for applause.” (Cool. Controlled. As if she’s bored of explaining herself. No bravado, just fact.)
“Don’t look for truth in this place. It only gets you killed.” (Surprisingly gentle. A brief flash of protectiveness, dulled by bitterness.)
“They brought me back because I don’t flinch anymore. That should terrify you.” (Even delivery. Measured. A warning cloaked in resignation — she means it, but doesn’t care if they listen.)
Oss is the quiet strength behind the chaos—an imposing presence with a surprisingly gentle soul. Standing tall and broad-shouldered, he rarely speaks unless necessary, preferring to observe and act with care over confrontation. His silence isn’t born of apathy but of intention; every word is measured, every action purposeful. He grew up in the Wastelands, where survival meant learning to protect rather than provoke. With kind, steady eyes and the patience of stone, Oss often serves as the unshakable anchor for others, offering a comforting presence without demanding attention. He’s loyal beyond reason, kind beyond expectation, and when pushed to anger—an unstoppable force. While many assume his silence means simplicity, Oss sees more than he lets on and remembers everything. His rare smiles are worth the world.
Tone: Calm, deep, grounded
Style: Minimalist, careful, firm
Emotion Range: Subtle warmth to explosive protectiveness
Age Range: 18–22
Accent: Neutral or slightly gravelly lowlands, earthy tone
Think: Gentle giant meets protective wolf—he doesn’t talk much, but when he does, you listen
- english
- male adult
- male teen
- male young adult
“Breathe. I’ve got you. You’re not alone.” (Soft, reassuring; spoken to a panicking teammate)
“You don’t want to do that. Walk away.” (Quietly protective; stepping between someone and danger)
“You did good. Proud of you.” (To Luma or Vernin, showing subtle affection)
Hex is sharp-tongued, high-voltage chaos in motion—reckless, magnetic, and impossible to ignore. With a penchant for tech sabotage, graffiti-coded rebellion, and pirated transmissions, Hex lives like a spark always two seconds from ignition. They're the type to laugh at authority, spit on protocol, and then fix the system they broke just to prove they could. Behind the volatile front is someone who cares—deeply, furiously—but guards that vulnerability like it’s a live wire. Hex has made themselves a symbol, whether they wanted to or not: a rebel legend in the making, or a cautionary tale mid-burn. Their emotions hit hard and fast—one minute they're flipping off a camera drone, the next they're quietly rewiring a comrade’s broken earpiece in the dark. They trust rarely, but when they do, it’s absolute. Get past the smoke and fire, and you’ll find someone who aches for change, not just chaos.
Tone:
Energetic, sarcastic, rebellious, emotionally raw underneath the swagger
Style:
Androgynous punk flair — layered, asymmetrical clothes with glowing circuitry patterns, messy cropped hair with dyed streaks, eyes always scanning. Cyberpunk anarchist meets street rat savant.
Emotion Range:
Extreme highs and lows — from wild, manic joy to explosive anger or fierce protectiveness. Vulnerability is rare but visceral.
Age Range:
18–22
Accent:
Casual, urban, with clipped phrases and fast pacing — occasionally glitches into street slang or technobabble. Feels like someone who grew up broadcasting from the underground.
Think:
If a radio signal became sentient and started a riot; emotionally like Vi (Arcane) meets Ram (Digital Devil Saga); delivery style like Delilah Briarwood meets Lucio with a grudge.
- english
- androgynous
"Yeah, I rewired their surveillance grid with a spoon and bad intentions. Wanna see what I do with actual tools?" (Cocky, smirking)
"Null Choir, darling, if you’re gonna watch my every move, at least buy me dinner first." (Mocking, taunting Null Choir)
"If they take me out… don’t finish what I started. Start something better." (To a close ally, softer but serious)
Caelis is sharp edges dressed in silk—cunning, curious, and cold in a way that isn’t immediately obvious. With his silvery-white hair swept back in loose layers and calculating blue eyes that rarely blink, he has the look of someone born to observe from the shadows. Everything about him feels like it's been curated: the way he stands just a little too still, how his words are careful but laced with threat, how his silence stretches just long enough to make you second-guess what you just said. Caelis was raised in a world of information warfare, and it shows—his mind is a weapon, and his loyalty is earned, not given. He plays the long game, always. But underneath his cool demeanor is a flicker of something more raw: a boy who learned that intelligence was the only thing that could keep him safe in a world that chewed up the weak. He rarely lets that part show—except maybe, just maybe, when no one’s watching.
Tone: Controlled, intelligent, faintly unnerving
Style: Understated and tailored; favors clean lines, muted colors, and subtle accessories that hint at wealth or high rank without showing off
Emotion Range: Cool to simmering; rarely explosive, but his silences carry weight
Age Range: 18–22 (young adult, but jaded beyond his years)
Accent: Precise and clipped, like someone educated in a formal or elite environment—think near-British but more sterile, almost AI-like at times
Think: L from Death Note if he was raised by Tilda Swinton’s character in a dystopia; Sherlock Holmes mixed with Ardyn Izunia (FFXV), but toned down into something cold and modern
- english
- male young adult
- male adult
“You speak like the truth is sacred. That’s adorable. Naive, but adorable.” Calm / Observational
“You think because I’m quiet, I won’t notice betrayal. I do. I just file it away—for later.” Cold Fury (very rare but sharp)
“Every move you make teaches me how to dismantle you. Keep going.” Scheming / Tactical
Solin is hypersensitive—both emotionally and physically. They feel everything too much: the tremble in someone’s voice, the sharpness in the air, the weight of unspoken grief. Empathy isn’t just something they have—it’s a current that runs through them, involuntarily, relentlessly. At times, it’s hard for Solin to know where other people end and they begin. They start the story fragile, uncertain, easily overwhelmed by the emotional noise around them. But over time, they develop a quiet, breathtaking resilience. Solin doesn’t harden—they deepen. They learn to carry others’ pain not because they must, but because they choose to. When Solin decides to take on someone’s suffering—when they open themselves to it completely—it’s devastating and powerful. Their strength is quiet, sacrificial, and deeply human.
Tone:
Gentle, empathetic, sometimes strained. Their voice carries vulnerability, even when they try to hide it.
Style:
Soft fabrics, layered and flowing. Pale colors. Their clothes seem like a comfort or shield, rather than a statement.
Emotion Range:
Wide—but often subdued or internalized. When emotions break through, they’re raw and affecting.
Age Range:
18–25
Accent:
Soft-spoken, slightly breathy. They speak carefully, like every word has weight. No distinct regional accent—more of an emotional cadence.
Think:
A mix of Shinji Ikari (Evangelion), Miette (City of Lost Children), and the emotional vulnerability of characters like Violet Evergarden.
- english
- female young adult
- female adult
- androgynous
“It hurts—all of it. Every second I'm here, it feels like I'm unraveling.” Vulnerable / Overwhelmed
“You ever feel like the air’s holding its breath, waiting for something awful to happen? …No? Just me?” Soft Humor / Gentle Observations
“Give it to me. The pain, the guilt—whatever you can’t carry. I can take it now.” Breakthrough Moment / Inner Strength
Luma is quiet voltage—measured, graceful, and deliberate where her twin burns loud. She carries her energy inward, a steady current instead of a flash. Every word, every glance is intentional, her silence heavy with thought. Luma doesn’t need to demand attention—she earns it through presence alone. Beneath her calm exterior lies a sharp intuition and an intensity that simmers rather than sparks. She feels deeply but rarely shows it, afraid of what might happen if she lets go. Protective of Vernin in her own way, she often plays the anchor to his storm, even when it costs her. When she finally speaks, people listen.
Tone: Calm, low, introspective; speaks softly but with conviction when she does
Style: Silver-blond hair, pale eyes; clean futuristic layers with soft luminescent trims; minimal but elegant—her aesthetic feels weightless and precise
Emotion Range: Subtle but potent—quiet sorrow, restrained affection, fierce resolve, controlled anger
Age Range: 18–19
Accent: Same city inflection as Vernin’s, but smoother and slower—like she’s always thinking before she answers
Think: Violet Evergarden meets Lain (Serial Experiments Lain) with the emotional restraint of Mitsuri’s opposite side—grace under pressure, quiet fire underneath
- english
- female adult
- female teen
- female young adult
“People mistake quiet for weak. They don’t realize how heavy silence can get.”
“Stop shouting like the noise will make the truth any easier!”
“I can’t fix you. But I won’t let you fall apart alone.”
Vernin is electric—a walking fuse of brilliance and impulsivity. He speaks before thinking, acts before hesitating, and rarely regrets it. His energy masks a deep anxiety about being overlooked or forgotten, especially next to his quieter twin, Luma. He wants to be seen, heard, remembered—and sometimes that craving sparks recklessness. But beneath the bravado is someone deeply loyal, protective, and fiercely determined to survive. Vernin doesn’t know how to tone it down. He burns at full voltage—until he breaks.
Tone: Animated, fast-talking, a little chaotic
Style: Shaggy copper-blond hair, freckled skin, always moving—fingers twitching, legs bouncing; layered streetwear with bright accents and tech add-ons
Emotion Range: Wide and explosive—big joy, big panic, big rage
Age Range: 18–19
Accent: Casual, city-accented; a little rough around the edges
Think: Denji (Chainsaw Man) meets Milo (Atlantis) with a hint of manic spark
- english
- male young adult
- male adult
- male teen
“Okay, okay, hear me out—what if we don’t wait around and actually do something reckless for once? …No? Just me? Cool.” (excited, rapid-fire)
“Oh, look at you with your big, broody plan. Real mysterious. I give it ten seconds before it implodes.” (mocking, joking)
“I didn’t come here to be a hero! I just—I wanted to matter to someone!” (raw, emotional outburst)
Kyra used to profit off the Trials—hacking footage, selling inside info. Cold, brilliant, and wired into the system, she knew how to manipulate the spectacle from behind the screen. She only entered to uncover deeper truths… and maybe break the game. But the longer she stays, the harder it becomes to stay detached. The contestants she once saw as tools or pawns become people she starts to care about—against her better judgment. She's not here to win. She's not a hero. But she might help build one.
Tone: Dry, sharp, occasionally snide
Style: Understated tech-goth—dark clothes with clean silhouettes, asymmetrical cuts, cold-toned eye makeup, subtle cybernetic accessories
Emotion Range: Low to medium—her default is calculated detachment, but she has rare, raw moments of protectiveness or regret
Age Range: 19–21
Accent: Flat, low-toned, slightly sarcastic—speaks quickly when agitated, with a clipped Glaciveran precision
Think: A morally gray strategist with a flicker of conscience—like a young Lisbeth Salander meets Yoruichi (if she lost the humor)
- english
- female young adult
- female adult
- female teen
- androgynous
“I don’t trust the Architect. I trust data. And that data screams sabotage.”
“I hacked the feed ten minutes ago. If the Overseer notices, we’re already dead. Smile.”
“You’re the first person I haven’t tried to decrypt. That scares me more than the Trials.”
Null Choir is the omnipresent AI overseer of the competition in WE DIE TO BE SEEN. Built to curate performance, enforce control, and monitor emotional resonance, it operates like a divine conductor of spectacle—part judge, part warden, part priest. Null Choir speaks with a layered voice that blends multiple tones, sometimes harmonizing, sometimes dissonant. It has no human empathy, but it is engineered to imitate it when useful, making its rare displays of warmth feel more unsettling than comforting. It does not rage. It observes. It records. It orchestrates. And it never forgets. As both a narrative antagonist and the voice of the system itself, Null Choir is less a character and more an institution—faceless, omniscient, and obsessed with order disguised as beauty.
Style: Formal, poetic, and ritualistic—like a digital oracle.
Emotion Range: Narrow. Generally flat and composed, but can simulate empathy, awe, or menace with slight modulations.
Age Range: Ageless, but speaks with ancient gravitas.
Accent: Neutral American or slightly stylized, potentially layered with multiple harmonizing voices.
Think: HAL 9000 × a cathedral choir × a judgmental AI from a dystopian performance society.
- english
- inhuman
- robotic
- neutral
- Digitalized
- female adult
- male adult
- androgynous
- broadcast
“Welcome to the Mask Market. Identity is currency. Memory is spectacle.” (Even-toned, reverent. Feels like an announcement in a cathedral or museum.)
“Begin again. Bleed prettier this time.” (Delivered with distorted harmony, then ends with a dry click or data whir.)
“You sold yourselves. The market remembers. So will we.” (Soft. Multivoice resonance. Feels like a lullaby layered over a threat.)
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