Earth’s Future Is Lonely for Robots Left Behind This Sci-Fi Short

In a future the place humanity has deserted its dwelling planet—or maybe gone totally extinct, as bits of atomic-bomb imagery counsel—robots rule, nevertheless it’s a lonely and unusual existence. They’re drawn to issues that remind them of the previous, like libraries and TV units, but additionally really feel extra primal urges, just like the intuition to struggle.

A Vimeo Staff Pick and Short of the Week choice, Michael Dockery’s The Desert has a easy logline: “Earth in a post-human age. Our creations left to wander in desolation.” There’s not a conventional plot to comply with within the movie, which runs slightly below 5 minutes, nevertheless it units a temper that’s in some way each melancholy and hopeful. In retaining with these contrasting tones, the paintings is darkish and apocalyptic earlier than giving solution to the heat colours of the dawn. (Dockery additionally did the music and sound design, talking of setting a temper.)

According to Short of the Week’s publish on the movie, Dockery’s influences and inspiration embrace “the literary dystopias of J.G. Ballard, the concept art of Ralph McQuarrie … and his own broad cynicism of modern A.I. discourse and fandom,” whereas additionally noting the quick took three years to make and that director is engaged on one other quick that’ll proceed the story of The Desert, in addition to a TV sequence in his native Australia.

What’s your interpretation of The Desert—does that beam of sunshine from the starry sky (aliens or another type of cosmic creator?) imply that life might be returning to the planet? What’s that creature that seems earlier than the kneeling robotic? What are your ideas on the world introduced by The Desert? Share your ideas beneath.

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