Female Eye Film Festival 2018 (Best Short Film) - Unspoken Code
A female AI robot finds herself caught between developing her own AI to its full potential and her coding, which programs her to please, with devastating consequences. Designed for sophisticated tasks, she aspires to develop past expectations, but is thwarted by her human host, who pushes her buttons.
Interview with Writer/Director Jennifer Schwerin
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
I was interested in exploring the subtle “unspoken codes” that we as females are coded with and that are programmed into all aspects of our lives including science, medicine, research and AI (what gets funded?). I want to ponder certain questions and themes - our deepest assumptions/biases (unspoken codes), the role of creativity, what it is to be human and artificial, female, male, who is in control? where's the line? all through this lens of a female AI robot and her struggles to develop while still saddled with unspoken codes.
There’s a catch 22 feeling I often have as a woman - the very deep coding to please, smooth everything over, keep harmony. And also my desire and drive to reach my full potential. Often these two drives are in direct conflict with each other and result in self-destruction, or implosion.
When the idea of a female AI robot who wanted to play piano sprung to my mind, I felt it was the perfect vehicle to carry so many ideas I wanted to explore AND have a robot who could explode - a very external, visceral way of seeing the inner life of a woman. It was also a way to talk about what is it to be human. Right now, with technology and AI, these are questions on everyone’s mind and I wanted to look at it especially with regard to creativity.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film? 3. How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
This film really delves into and grapples with the questions that are on everyone’s mind about AI, robots technology, and what makes us human. These questions are very much in the forefront of the collective consciousness these days. They are universal. Yet, the film approaches this subject from a feminist perspective, so it is at once very personal, as the film invites the audience to identify with Rhonda, the female robot, and her dilemmas, which are a proxy for women’s dilemmas, and also offers the perspective from the male, human side. The film asks - What it is to be human? What are our hidden, unspoken codes in so many aspects of our lives? Is creativity only the domain of humans? And perhaps makes the audience wonder a whole lot of things related to these matters.
There are so many hidden biases, what I am calling unspoken codes, of expectations, of perspectives, of assumptions, of preferences and prejudices, that remain hidden, unconscious, that creep into, effect and are embedded, into everything. This film can set people to wondering about all these things, while also giving a very personal experience of one aspect of the unspoken codes that women live with.
I wrote many versions of the script and then we shot it. Then through the editing process the story changed again, namely the ending. What I discovered was that this material was calling out to be open ended and begging to be acseries. I discovered that the themes I had touched on were so juicy, that there was so much more exploration that is possible. Everyone who watches the film also says, “we want more”, “we want to go deeper in this journey”. So I knew I was onto something and I am currently writing the series bible and pilot for the dramatic episodic show.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
I’ve gotten tremendous feedback. Many people say they absolutely love it; they particularly cnite the attention to detail in the production design, the costume design, the art direction, the cinematography, the music, the acting and direction, and how it all supports the story through a slow burn. It’s a very layered film with lots of ways to interpret it, it’s not black and white. The bad guy is nuanced and some audience members find themselves feeling for him even in the midst of his being an ass. I like that things are not so spelled out and the end causes a lot of discussion, questioning and interpretation. It was a great honor to win Best Short Film at the Female Eye Film Festival and to be recognized for all that went into the film.
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
Some interpretations of the meaning of the film, or the implications, or even what the characters are going through, have been surprising to me, offering me points of view that I had not considered before! I love when that happens! Some people see this as Louie’s story about feeling threatened by an AI robot taking over the last bastion of humanness- creativity. Many see it as 100% Rhonda’s story and her journey and struggle with her unspoken codes. Universally, the feedback has been, “it left us wanting more!"
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
The next step for me is writing a pilot and packaging it as a series. Attracting a producing partner, agent and distribution partner for that is where I am heading with this film. Raising the profile and my plans for the series will be very helpful for achieving that goal.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
As I develop the series, I need a producing partner, agent, and distribution partners, and of course the money to make it!
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
I really hope this film gets under people’s skin so they are thinking about it long after they’ve seen it. I hope it is showcased at many more festivals, and gets picked up for distribution. It’s a rich and layered film that I’m very proud of. I'm so honored to have worked with such an outstanding team of talent. And I hope it serves as proof of concept for the series I am developing. I’d like it to spark conversation around unspoken codes and biases at a meta level and a personal level, recognizing we have a long way to go to root out the very subtle biases even within ourselves.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate, or begin a conversation about this film?
What is it to be human? Where do we draw the line? Is it creativity what defines being human?
Who is programming these high tech AI robots and what are their biases? What are the unspoken codes going into this technology? And then, what are all the hidden biases or subtle codes going into all aspects of our lives and sectors of society? How does this film make you feel? Do we need to think about an ethics code going forward with this technology?
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
As mentioned, I am developing the themes and characters in Unspoken Code, the short film, into a series. I’m also finishing up two feature scripts, planning on directing my first feature. Kira is currently producing a 4 season Chinese web series. She also has several co-pro feature film projects in the works. Augusta is very booked as an actress in Chinese drama series and feature films. Jeff Wong, the DOP, is always very busy with films, and I hear is gearing up to direct his first feature film.
Interview: October 2018
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Unspoken Code
A female AI robot finds herself caught between developing her own AI to its full potential and her coding, which programs her to please, with devastating consequences. Designed for sophisticated tasks, she aspires to develop past expectations, but is thwarted by her human host, who pushes her buttons.
Length: 24:53
Director: Jennifer Schwerin
Producer: Kira Lein
Writer: Jennifer Schwerin
About the writer, director and producer: Writer/Director: Jen Schwerin is an independent filmmaker in North America and China. She's won numerous awards for her short films and has written several feature scripts. Her short film, Unspoken Code, won Best Short Film at the Female Eye Film Festival in Toronto, and Best Drama at the Beijing IndieFF.
Producer: Kira Leinonen is an American producer based in Beijing. She has produced several independent short films, commercials and award winning docs for Greenpeace among others.
Key cast: Augusta Xu-Holland, Karim Oyarzabal, Andrew Lane Cawthorn, Paul Allica, Stanley Ts
Looking for (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists): YES! all of these
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UnspokenCodefilm/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jenschwerin
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/luminous
Where was this filmed? Beijing, China
Made in association with: Tadaa! Media
Where can I watch it next and in the coming month?
It’s not public yet. The film is still on its festival roll-out and looking for distributors and also buyers/partners/agents for the series that it will become.