Emergence
Los Angeles, California | Film Short
Horror, Sci-Fi
A troubled woman wakes up in a remote hospital — and must outsmart her humanoid robot nurse who has decided she isn’t worthy of life. Pitting human emotion against AI, this short film explores the importance of human connection and imperfection through a sci-fi-horror lens.
24 supporters | followers
Enter the amount you would like to pledge
$4,025
Goal: $13,000 for production
A troubled woman wakes up in a remote hospital — and must outsmart her humanoid robot nurse who has decided she isn’t worthy of life. Pitting human emotion against AI, this short film explores the importance of human connection and imperfection through a sci-fi-horror lens.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
It's night. Annie wakes up in an unfamiliar hospital room in a remote, forested area. As she tries to make sense of the accident that brought her there, she develops a sneaking suspicion that her nurse, Cara, is a malfunctioning AI humanoid robot.
Annie and Nurse Cara’s shaky relationship goes from supportive to threatening after disagreements over what constitutes true healing and the role of empathy in patient care.
With the support of Glenn, a kind and helpful employee who is monitoring the hospital from a control room, Annie must figure out what Nurse Cara’s prime directive is, how to shut her down, and escape before it's too late.
This terrifying (and timely!) film examines the ethical and societal impact of AI as it disrupts
human-centered fields like healthcare. Our team is made up of real-life medical professionals, teachers, and artists who all fear that AI will continue to infiltrate and decay the humanistic foundation of our fields.
Through this short film, we'll explore themes of humanity,
empathy, connection, and healing in a world where innovation and efficiency drive
industry standards and practices long before ethics, impact, and governance exist.
Our production team is already hard at work planning an unnerving, visually-stunning film.
Your shares and pledges go toward a hyper-realistic hospital set and props, a dedicated SAG-AFTRA cast, our talented crew, and other production needs such as gear, catering, and on-set safety measures.
Our team is uniquely qualified to create Emergence. Besides collectively having worked with studios and platforms including HBOMax, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, and more, Emergence creator, co-writer, and star Ambar Martinez is an actor and real-life nurse who is currently recurring on HBOMax's The Pitt as Nurse Kim.
Associate producer Mel Oliver is a real medical advisor on film and TV shows, including but not limited to Paradise, 9-1-1, The Pitt, Grey's Anatomy, and more. Her years of experience teaching filmmakers how to create realistic medical situations will ground this production in medical reality.
Our co-writer and director J. Scott Miller is both a seasoned theater and independent film director whose last short film (Future Ref) screened at the Houston Comedy Film Fest, San Diego Movie Awards, and Studio City Film Festival. He has also has done production work on television shows including 9-1-1, Season 1 of BEEF, A Friend of the Family, and Succession.
Producers Brooke Becker and Delaney Sharpe of Black Ribbon Productions are experienced horror and sci-fi filmmakers (The Veil, Thin Air, You Know The Drill).
To see more of our team, head to the Team tab above.
In order to bring Emergence to life, our team has set a goal of $13k which includes production and pre-production costs.
To support us:
1) Please pledge to our Seed & Spark campaign! Click the blue “make a pledge” button above, and select your favorite incentive (we have some great ones!). Make a safe, secure contribution using your personal credit card information. Your credit card will not be charged until the campaign ends on July 16th and ONLY if we hit our goal. If we don’t hit our goal, no credit cards are charged. You can always add more to your pledge as the campaign progresses if you’d like.
2) Please engage with our page and share this link as often as you can with your friends, family, and on social media. Hit the “follow” button above to get updates! Shares seem simple, but they matter a lot.
3) If you’re not already, please stay connected to us on Instagram at @emergence.horror. Keep an eye out there for special flash incentives, team updates, and more.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Hospital Location
Costs $4,000
This is the rough budget estimate for a realistic hospital set.
Props, Costumes, and Misc
Costs $1,000
Props, costumes, and misc spend for immersive storytelling.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Ambar Martinez
Co-Writer, Producer, "Annie"
Ambar is an actor, writer, and producer with degrees in Nursing and Psychology. A lover of horror and comedy, she is currently working on a horror feature and a horror comedy short film. She has training in sketch and improv from Upright Citizens Brigade and Groundlings. She recurs on HBO Max’s The Pitt as Nurse Kim, and has appeared on other shows such as ABC’s 9-1-1 and Hulu’s How I Met Your Father.
J. Scott Miller
Director, Co-Writer
J. Scott Miller is an actor, writer, and independent filmmaker based in Los Angeles.
He began his career as an educator and has taught writing, storytelling, theater, and film production for over 20 years.
He co-founded NinjaBoo Productions to be a gathering place where artists can elevate their talents, meaningfully collaborate, empower their authentic voice and vision, and enjoy the process of making art with others.
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland his projects typically blend dark and comedic themes that revel in the flaws of human communication and connection. Miller holds a BA in Theatre and Film and an MFA in Writing and Poetics.
Brooke Becker
Producer
Brooke is a multi-hyphenate filmmaker, actor, & creative based in Los Angeles. She is best known for projects such as Hulu’s The Dropout, HBO Max’s Head of the Class, and Freeform’s Grown-Ish. She was a staff writer and recurring on the award-winning television show Parallel from Seasick Studios which is currently streaming on Prime Video.
Brooke completed production on the short film Thin Air in 2025 which she wrote, directed, and produced and is in development with an original series under the same title with Citizen Skull Productions. She holds a degree in English from Loyola Marymount University and is the co-founder of Black Ribbon Productions.
Delaney Sharpe
Producer
Delaney Sharpe is a Los Angeles-based creative, actor, and writer. Originally from Colorado, Delaney has written several produced plays, including Emily Dickinson is Dead at the Aurora Fox Theater and her directorial debut, adaptation: Harrison Burgeon.
After moving to L.A., Delaney began editorial work and art direction which led to production design for genre content including Thin Air and You Know the Drill, music videos, and commercial work.
During the 2020 lockdowns, her efforts moved to narrative podcast work with Project Outbreak. Acting credits include short films Reputation and Artefact, and feature film Army and Coop streaming on Prime Video. She is the co-founder of Black Ribbon Productions.
Mel Oliver
Associate Producer
Mel is a cardiovascular perfusionist and the co-founder of Reel Medical Consulting, which is a consulting company for TV, film, and commercials.
She has worked on medical shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, St. Denis Medical, and The Pitt.
Priscilla Emprechtinger
Associate Producer
Priscilla Emprechtinger is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, producer, and podcast host whose work is defined by a deep commitment to authentic storytelling and cultural representation.
She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy in 2020. Since then, Priscilla has written, directed, and produced a series of acclaimed short films, including Mija (2020), Serenity: Rise of a Warrior (2022), and Adam & Eva (2024).
Priscilla currently works on the producing team of the hit Warner Brothers television series The Pitt, which streams on MAX.
Brent Roberts
Associate Producer
Brent Roberts is a farm raised, renegade Pastor, Real Estate Broker, Actor, Writer, Director and Producer. An adventurous storyteller who feels authenticity wrapped in humor is the key to a good life and sharing great stories.
Brent is the founder of The New Road Productions, creating powerful, edutainment-style stories that raise awareness and inspire meaningful action on critical social issues.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
It's night. Annie wakes up in an unfamiliar hospital room in a remote, forested area. As she tries to make sense of the accident that brought her there, she develops a sneaking suspicion that her nurse, Cara, is a malfunctioning AI humanoid robot.
Annie and Nurse Cara’s shaky relationship goes from supportive to threatening after disagreements over what constitutes true healing and the role of empathy in patient care.
With the support of Glenn, a kind and helpful employee who is monitoring the hospital from a control room, Annie must figure out what Nurse Cara’s prime directive is, how to shut her down, and escape before it's too late.
This terrifying (and timely!) film examines the ethical and societal impact of AI as it disrupts
human-centered fields like healthcare. Our team is made up of real-life medical professionals, teachers, and artists who all fear that AI will continue to infiltrate and decay the humanistic foundation of our fields.
Through this short film, we'll explore themes of humanity,
empathy, connection, and healing in a world where innovation and efficiency drive
industry standards and practices long before ethics, impact, and governance exist.
Our production team is already hard at work planning an unnerving, visually-stunning film.
Your shares and pledges go toward a hyper-realistic hospital set and props, a dedicated SAG-AFTRA cast, our talented crew, and other production needs such as gear, catering, and on-set safety measures.
Our team is uniquely qualified to create Emergence. Besides collectively having worked with studios and platforms including HBOMax, Amazon Prime, Disney+, Netflix, Hulu, and more, Emergence creator, co-writer, and star Ambar Martinez is an actor and real-life nurse who is currently recurring on HBOMax's The Pitt as Nurse Kim.
Associate producer Mel Oliver is a real medical advisor on film and TV shows, including but not limited to Paradise, 9-1-1, The Pitt, Grey's Anatomy, and more. Her years of experience teaching filmmakers how to create realistic medical situations will ground this production in medical reality.
Our co-writer and director J. Scott Miller is both a seasoned theater and independent film director whose last short film (Future Ref) screened at the Houston Comedy Film Fest, San Diego Movie Awards, and Studio City Film Festival. He has also has done production work on television shows including 9-1-1, Season 1 of BEEF, A Friend of the Family, and Succession.
Producers Brooke Becker and Delaney Sharpe of Black Ribbon Productions are experienced horror and sci-fi filmmakers (The Veil, Thin Air, You Know The Drill).
To see more of our team, head to the Team tab above.
In order to bring Emergence to life, our team has set a goal of $13k which includes production and pre-production costs.
To support us:
1) Please pledge to our Seed & Spark campaign! Click the blue “make a pledge” button above, and select your favorite incentive (we have some great ones!). Make a safe, secure contribution using your personal credit card information. Your credit card will not be charged until the campaign ends on July 16th and ONLY if we hit our goal. If we don’t hit our goal, no credit cards are charged. You can always add more to your pledge as the campaign progresses if you’d like.
2) Please engage with our page and share this link as often as you can with your friends, family, and on social media. Hit the “follow” button above to get updates! Shares seem simple, but they matter a lot.
3) If you’re not already, please stay connected to us on Instagram at @emergence.horror. Keep an eye out there for special flash incentives, team updates, and more.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Hospital Location
Costs $4,000
This is the rough budget estimate for a realistic hospital set.
Props, Costumes, and Misc
Costs $1,000
Props, costumes, and misc spend for immersive storytelling.
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Ambar Martinez
Co-Writer, Producer, "Annie"
Ambar is an actor, writer, and producer with degrees in Nursing and Psychology. A lover of horror and comedy, she is currently working on a horror feature and a horror comedy short film. She has training in sketch and improv from Upright Citizens Brigade and Groundlings. She recurs on HBO Max’s The Pitt as Nurse Kim, and has appeared on other shows such as ABC’s 9-1-1 and Hulu’s How I Met Your Father.
J. Scott Miller
Director, Co-Writer
J. Scott Miller is an actor, writer, and independent filmmaker based in Los Angeles.
He began his career as an educator and has taught writing, storytelling, theater, and film production for over 20 years.
He co-founded NinjaBoo Productions to be a gathering place where artists can elevate their talents, meaningfully collaborate, empower their authentic voice and vision, and enjoy the process of making art with others.
Originally from Baltimore, Maryland his projects typically blend dark and comedic themes that revel in the flaws of human communication and connection. Miller holds a BA in Theatre and Film and an MFA in Writing and Poetics.
Brooke Becker
Producer
Brooke is a multi-hyphenate filmmaker, actor, & creative based in Los Angeles. She is best known for projects such as Hulu’s The Dropout, HBO Max’s Head of the Class, and Freeform’s Grown-Ish. She was a staff writer and recurring on the award-winning television show Parallel from Seasick Studios which is currently streaming on Prime Video.
Brooke completed production on the short film Thin Air in 2025 which she wrote, directed, and produced and is in development with an original series under the same title with Citizen Skull Productions. She holds a degree in English from Loyola Marymount University and is the co-founder of Black Ribbon Productions.
Delaney Sharpe
Producer
Delaney Sharpe is a Los Angeles-based creative, actor, and writer. Originally from Colorado, Delaney has written several produced plays, including Emily Dickinson is Dead at the Aurora Fox Theater and her directorial debut, adaptation: Harrison Burgeon.
After moving to L.A., Delaney began editorial work and art direction which led to production design for genre content including Thin Air and You Know the Drill, music videos, and commercial work.
During the 2020 lockdowns, her efforts moved to narrative podcast work with Project Outbreak. Acting credits include short films Reputation and Artefact, and feature film Army and Coop streaming on Prime Video. She is the co-founder of Black Ribbon Productions.
Mel Oliver
Associate Producer
Mel is a cardiovascular perfusionist and the co-founder of Reel Medical Consulting, which is a consulting company for TV, film, and commercials.
She has worked on medical shows such as Grey’s Anatomy, St. Denis Medical, and The Pitt.
Priscilla Emprechtinger
Associate Producer
Priscilla Emprechtinger is a Los Angeles-based filmmaker, producer, and podcast host whose work is defined by a deep commitment to authentic storytelling and cultural representation.
She earned her Bachelor of Fine Arts in Filmmaking from the New York Film Academy in 2020. Since then, Priscilla has written, directed, and produced a series of acclaimed short films, including Mija (2020), Serenity: Rise of a Warrior (2022), and Adam & Eva (2024).
Priscilla currently works on the producing team of the hit Warner Brothers television series The Pitt, which streams on MAX.
Brent Roberts
Associate Producer
Brent Roberts is a farm raised, renegade Pastor, Real Estate Broker, Actor, Writer, Director and Producer. An adventurous storyteller who feels authenticity wrapped in humor is the key to a good life and sharing great stories.
Brent is the founder of The New Road Productions, creating powerful, edutainment-style stories that raise awareness and inspire meaningful action on critical social issues.