Pulsewidth

Overview

Pulsewidth is an experimental short film that challenges the idea of a digital consciousness.

What is a digital consciousness? A digital consciousness is the theory of being able to upload your mind into a computer and live on in the digital realm.

Why is this important? Many tech giants right now are funding research, and being put on waitlists to have their mind immortalised. With the rise of AI, attempts at uploading one's mind are not far around the corner.

What is our stance? We believe that our consciousness is inherently linked to our physical body, therefore cannot be transferred through words and numbers. Any digital consciousness will only be primitive copies of who we truly are.

Our Project

A man with no memory learns that he is the sensory extension of his own digital consciousness, intended to experience and create art.

Pulsewidth follows a central character, The Physical, who has no memories and is stuck in a concrete pit. He must create art in order to satisfy the computer (his own digital consciousness, aptly named “The Self”) that claims to have put him here. The Self shows The Physical its digital world via a headset. The Self explains why it needs The Physical to use his senses to experience the real world, and with this experience, create art.

The Self cannot create art as it has no experience of the world.

Eventually, The Physical begins to question the authority of The Self. A dialogue ensues that escalates into an intense monologue and a final defining action.

Why now?

It is the perfect time to be making a film like this. Tech billionaires are already looking to have their brains preserved and some say we could achieve digital consciousness in as little as 50 years from now.

We are making this film to outline the shortcomings of a digital computer vs a biological computer (ourselves).

The Team

Director: Louis Nixon is a 3rd year film student at Massey University, completing his final year of study. This is his major project of the Bachelor degree.

Writer: Thom Honeybone - is a third year design student with a passion for visual arts and storytelling. He works in a range of different mediums and often has a multimedia aspect to his art.

Producer: Isabella Zangirolami is a third-year film student at Massey University. Her passion for creativity drives her to experiment with various art forms.

Cinematographer: Ben Panckhurst is a 3rd year Screen Arts student at Massey University in his final year of study. For Ben, as an aspiring Cinematographer, Pulsewidth acts as a visual representation of the style and experimental techniques discovered over his years of study.

Sound: Hamish Mckinley is a third year film student at Massey University. He is an experienced filmmaker and has recently delved heavily into the world of sound, mixing and recording music for multiple bands and film projects. 

Lead Actor: Kahukuranui Hunter-Brown is a 3rd year music student at Massey University. He has a performing arts background that lends itself perfectly to this project.

The Funding

Your donations will go toward many aspects of our production, namely:

• Location fees and costs
• Catering for cast & crew
• Various set pieces

Pulsewidth will be shot in Mid August 2024.