Canadian filmmaker Vincenzo Natali is launching a feature film and multi-media production company, Headspace, which will develop cutting-edge digital production techniques such as the Cinema HD process

Best know for his debut cult hit Cube, Natali recently signed to direct the movie Nothing for newly launched Vancouver production house 49th Parallel (Screendaily 12 Oct) Senator International, the principal financier, will handle worldwide distribution excluding Japan where The Klockworx Co. holds all rights.

Natali has already shot a 'temp' version of Nothing - filming all 105 pages of the script in five days - and plans a 'workshop' process akin to that of a theatre company. Said Natali, "Like a musician's temp track, it will allow us to refine the film's structure without the expense and pressure of production. It's a comedy but with only two performers and a few locations it's so contained we'll need to define the performances. It's hard to sustain over the duration of a ninety minute film." The film begins principal photography in July 2002.

"Headspace is a chance for me to experiment with new formats and foster original work" said Natali. Amy Green, who recently exited a development position at Robert Lantos' Serendipity Point Films, has joined Natali as Head of Production and Development for the company. Serendipity had an option on another Natali project but let the option lapse.

Natali also plans to experiment with the Cinema HD process, used in Company Man and such films as Tarsem Singh's The Cell and the Coen Brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou', a system that enhances 35 mm film using state-of-the-art compositing and colour processing tools. With this technique filmmakers can apply a wide array of digital image enhancing tools unavailable with a standard film finish. Said Natali, "I'm convinced that in a very short time, Cinema HD will become an industry standard for most theatrical features."

Natali is currently completing post-production on Pandora's upcoming conspiracy thriller Company Man starring Lucy Liu and Jeremy Northam. Miramax is distributing Company Man in North America. Gaga, which also handled Cube, has rights in Japan.

Two original projects Natali has in development are the Tokyo-based sci-fi verite Android Dreams and Uberman, a film concept he describes as "the Citizen Kane of superhero movies".