Welcome to Sci-Friday, Hyper-Reality is a film about the cautionary problems of VR, augmented reality, and AI. Even though it came out in 2013, Hyper-Reality still feels fresh and vibrant, like the film came out yesterday. Take a look and then we’ll discuss.
From the website: Our physical and virtual realities are becoming increasingly intertwined. Technologies such as VR, augmented reality, wearables, and the internet of things are pointing to a world where technology will envelop every aspect of our lives. It will be the glue between every interaction and experience, offering amazing possibilities, while also controlling the way we understand the world. Hyper-Reality attempts to explore this exciting but dangerous trajectory. It was crowdfunded, and shot on location in Medellín, Colombia.
This wasn’t Matsuda’s first project – he made two other films (Link) (Link) to experiment with different ideas before committing to the bigger project in 2013. Beyond the ideas and concept, Hyper-Reality was Kickstarted, shot on location in Medellín, and helped propel Matsuda to work with Bulgari, Nokia, and Sony Japan. Goes to show that when artists find their voice, they only go upward. Good for him!
My takeaways are pretty simple – one, this is a brilliant piece of cyberpunk. Two, I love that the film breaks us out of the AmeriEuroAsian dynamic of cyberpunk and forces us to reckon with the brilliant information economy happening in South America. Lots of times, we get unwittingly stuck in a mode of ‘this only happens in some places.’ The truth is that the future is everywhere, and no one knows how it will grow or change.
Lastly, the Smashwords seasonal book giveaway is happening right now. I’ve already given away 122 books in 5 days and I hope to give many more before the end of tomorrow. Pick one out for yourself.
That’s Sci-Friday for this week – I hope it brings a smile to your face. Please feel welcomed to dive down the rabbit hole of every other Sci-Friday I’ve published in the past couple years. Have a great Weekend. <3
