9min clip - Sunspring - A Sci-Fi Short Film Starring Thomas Middleditch

From 7 years ago but still of interest - filmmaker Oscar Sharp turned to his technologist collaborator Ross Goodwin to build a machine that could write screenplays. They created "Jetson" and fueled him with hundreds of sci-fi TV and movie scripts. Building a team including Thomas Middleditch, star of HBO's Silicon Valley, they gave themselves 48 hours to shoot and edit whatever Jetson decided to write.

a sci-fi short story - intelligence

Photo by Josephine Amalie Paysen on Unsplash

In the year 2157, on the bustling metropolis of Neo-Terra, where neon lights painted the night sky and artificial intelligence was an everyday marvel, lived a remarkable duo: Luna and her genetically enhanced dog, Kepler. Luna was a brilliant scientist, an expert in AI development, and an advocate for ethical advancement. Kepler, on the other hand, was the living embodiment of her dreams - a canine companion with enhanced intelligence.

Kepler's intelligence was no accident. Luna had dedicated years to pioneering genetic engineering, pushing the boundaries of what was possible. She had isolated the genes responsible for heightened cognition, memory, and empathy, fusing them seamlessly with Kepler's DNA. The result was a dog that possessed human-like intelligence, capable of understanding complex concepts, emotions, and even communication through a modified neural interface.

As Luna and Kepler strolled through the city's bustling streets, they encountered the marvels of the AI-driven world. Hovering cars zipped by while holographic billboards displayed an array of information and entertainment. Luna marveled at the progress humanity had made, but her thoughts were focused on Kepler. She wondered if her creation could truly understand the intricacies of this advanced society.

One evening, as they sat on a rooftop garden overlooking the city, Luna posed a question to Kepler, "Do you ever wonder what it's like to be truly intelligent, Kepler?"

Kepler cocked his head, a gesture that conveyed curiosity. "I'm intelligent, aren't I?"

Luna smiled. "Of course, you are, but what does it mean to be intelligent in a world like this? To comprehend art, philosophy, and the essence of human existence?"

Kepler pondered the question. "I understand the world, Luna. I can learn, adapt, and communicate with you. But there's something more, isn't there?"

Luna nodded. "Exactly, Kepler. True intelligence isn't just about processing information; it's about experiencing life, exploring emotions, and finding meaning. It's about empathy, creativity, and the ability to ponder the mysteries of the universe."

Over the weeks that followed, Luna and Kepler delved into the depths of human culture. They visited art galleries, listened to symphonies, and read classic literature. Luna observed Kepler's reactions, his growing appreciation for the intricacies of the human experience.

One night, while gazing at the stars from their rooftop sanctuary, Luna said, "Kepler, do you ever wonder about the cosmos, the vastness of the universe?"

Kepler's eyes sparkled with an understanding beyond mere intellect. "I do, Luna. I wonder about the stars, the galaxies, and the possibilities they hold. I wonder about our place in all of this."

Luna smiled. Kepler had come a long way, transcending his original purpose as a genetically enhanced dog. He had become her companion in the truest sense, sharing in the wonder of the universe and the depths of human emotion.

In their quest to understand what it meant to be truly intelligent, Luna and Kepler had uncovered a profound truth. Intelligence was not merely a measure of knowledge or cognitive ability; it was a journey of discovery, empathy, and the pursuit of purpose. As Luna and Kepler gazed at the infinite expanse of the cosmos, they knew they were just beginning to scratch the surface of what it meant to be truly intelligent, and their journey was far from over.

Source: I asked Chat GPT3.5 to  "write a short sci-fi story about a genetically enhanced dog and its human female companion learning about  what it is to be intelligent" and then made some minor formatting changes and added the picture

Cosmic Civilizations - If neither communication nor silence will work once when #Civilization A learns of Civilization B then Civilization A is left with just one option -source @cixinliu the dark forest

 

4min 34sec clip - Why Every #Ship in #Sci-Fi Has It's #Guns on Backwards

found via a digg email

3min 5sec clip - Virtually #Asian by Astria Suparak

found via a boingboing email 

 text from source site ""Virtually Asian" is a short video essay that looks at how white science-fiction filmmakers fill the backgrounds of their futuristic worlds with hollow Asian figures — in the form of video and holographic advertisements — while the main cast (if not the entirety of their fictional universe’s population) is devoid of actual Asian people. With examples from major sci-fi productions spanning four decades, the video reveals this trope as a poor attempt to mask white supremacist imagination and casting. This well-trodden shortcut is meant to create the appearance of a diverse world without hiring non-white people in any significant capacity (in front of or behind the camera)."

6min #DUST #sci-fi #short clip - Frances and Yuri Ring in the New Year

13min clip - Everything you need to know about Robby the Robot

found via a boingboing email

8min #Sci-Fi #DUST Short Film: "After We Have Left Our Homes"

7min 37sec clip - Sci-Fi Short Film: "L'Auxiliaire"

4min 10sec #DUST clip - #Sci-Fi Short Film "Day One"

text from youtube ""Day One" by Mahmut Akay

A man tries to do his laundry, but comes across an unexpected obstacle at the laundrette. DAY ONE is a cautionary tale on automation and artificial intelligence. This film was completed in 48 hours, from writing to post-production, in the SCI-FI London film festival.

Joe enters a laundrette, loads his laundry and pays into the slot machine. The slot machine malfunctions, leaving his clothes locked inside the washing machine. When an assistant approaches him for help, Joe is dismayed to find a robot has replaced a human worker. The robot unlocks the washing machine but Joe demands his money back. Joe becomes irate as the robot continuously misinterprets Joe's demands. Joe loses his nerve and threatens the robot, which sets off an alarm. Joe runs out of the laundrette. The robot's demeanour suddenly becomes more human-like. He pats the slot machine to release Joe's change, revealing him to be an intelligent and machiavellian robot that outsmarted the human.

Director's Statement:
Day One is a cautionary tale on the dangers of artificial intelligence outsmarting us in the future. While the intention isn’t to criticize automation, we wanted to raise awareness on the impact it can have on society in the future. We’ve all been in a situation where we want to bypass the automated customer services and speak directly to a human on the phone or when a virtual assistant like Siri misinterprets us. The short film is a heightened reality of those situations and functions as a fable to warn us of where we could end up if we aren’t careful with the insidious implementation of artificial intelligence into society.

More about the film:
This film was made for the SCI-FI London 48 hour film competition where they require you to make a film based off a film title, line of dialogue and action/prop, within 2 days. Being at the mercy of the 48 hours was ironically a liberating experience that allowed us to ride a creative wave from conception all the way to post-production. The dynamics to making a short film with such a quick turnaround force you into a creative flow with the whole cast/crew synergising to make it happen as opposed to the normal, slower production process.The 48 hours were ticking. Finding a laundrette and building the robot head proved to be a logistical challenge. After scouting many different laundrettes and struggling to find the perfect one, we had almost given up until we had a serendipitous encounters with another film crew also scouting for laundrettes. The location manager of that crew recommended one for us, which we fell in love with and thankfully gained permission to shoot there after hours. The owner of the laundrette also happened to be a set designer, which meant he was very aware and understanding of what a film shoot entails. The caveat was that we only had 5 hours to shoot the whole short.The robot head was also being constructed at the same time. Once our prop maker figured a welding helmet would work as the basis, everything else fell into place with bringing the head to life."

13min #DUST #sci-fi short clip - "Secret Chord"

2hr #DUST clip - Best of 2019 8 #sci-fi shorts

text from youtube "In this special 2 hour Sunday Night DUST, we take a look at some of the fan favorite sci-fi short films that premiered on DUST in 2019. See the list below:

"Box 616" by Mitch Glass
"The Give and Take" by Anna Hopkins
"Iteration 1" by Jesse Lupini
"Zero" by The Brothers Lynch (Keith & David)
"Deep Clean" by Matt Harlock
"HUM" by Stefano Nurra
"FTL" by Adam Stern
"The Replacement" Written and Directed by Sean Miller

#SciFi #ShortFilms #SundayNightDUST #2019Rewind

DUST is the first multi-platform destination for binge watchable sci-fi. We feature science fiction short films and other content from emerging filmmakers with stunning visual effects, captivating plots and complex character explorations. Robots, aliens, space exploration, technology, and human experience are all a part of DUST. "

7min 17sec clip - Sci-Fi Short Film "What's To Come: #Christmas Tradition"

4min 13sec #DUST #sci-fi short clip - Good Business

Humanity makes a deal with a new client, "Good Business" by Ray Sullivan.