SYNTHETIC HOPE, 16min., USA
Directed by Chris Hinton
Faced with certain death a young girl unleashes a mysterious AI to help her escape.

https://www.instagram.com/synthetic_hope

Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film? Listening to the first 30 seconds of Gravastar by Hybrid when I was sick. It sounds like what a robot would hear when it's booting up. I thought to myself what scenario could I create to have this in live action. So I wrote a story that created this situation. Unfortunately I couldn't get Hybrid to let me use the song. I was close though, they were talking to me about it. Also I want to say, recent advances in AI motivated this story as well, there are a lot of unknowns as to how this emerging technology will be used.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film? About 4 months.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!? Something New.

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film? Building the Robot's suit, I am a big fan of practical effects and I knew I didn't want to CG the Robot into the film so I had to build it from scratch.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video? It's hard to get honest feedback from friends and family, and sometimes even the cast and crew. Hearing totally strangers with no attachment to the project speaking so positively about my film got me very excited and motivated to do more.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films? Ever since I was a kid, My friends and I would make little movies with my parents camera. This film making never stopped as I went from teen to young adult.

7. What film have you seen the most in your life? That's a hard one, probably a tie between Aliens, Terminator2, and the Original Predator.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career? It would be great to have your winners film's played on a large streaming platform like Amazon Prime or something.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site? It was very easy and straightforward.

10. What is your favorite meal? Tacos

11. What is next for you? A new film? Yes!