Legacy is an emotional sci-fi drama that explores memory, connection, and the quiet defiance of preserving what matters. Inspired by a conversation with my father, who once told me he no longer felt he belonged in a world built for the young. Legacy is a tribute to the generations that came before us, whose labor, love, and sacrifices shaped the ground we stand on. It asks what we owe to those who came before, and to those yet to come. Through the story of a technician uncovering a dying woman's final wish, Legacy challenges a system that erases the past for profit, and honors the enduring impact of those who plant seeds for trees whose shade they may never sit under.

(my dad & I)

In today’s climate where rapid advancement and constant reinvention are prized above all, Legacy asks us to pause. We’re living in a time where elders feel increasingly invisible, where the pace of progress makes it easy to forget the roots we grew from, and where younger generations are told to keep moving forward without ever looking back. But we are not self-made. Our lives are patchworks of unseen labor, sacrifice, and inherited resilience. Legacy is my way of saying: the past matters. Connection matters. And building a better future starts with honoring the ones who planted the roots. Legacy is a tribute to the generations that came before us, whose labor, love, and sacrifices shaped the ground we stand on. It asks what we owe to those who came before, and to those yet to come. Through the story of a technician uncovering a dying woman's final wish, Legacy challenges a system that erases the past for profit, and honors the enduring impact of those who plant seeds for trees whose shade they may never sit under.

Desperate to pay off her debts, Charlie, a young technician, takes a job at an illegal memory-wiping facility, where androids are erased and repurposed. On her first day, she is assigned to wipe a caregiver android storing the final memories of Dr. Jocelyn Liang, a forgotten scientist whose research on the endangered Silver Lilies could have revolutionized medicine. As Charlie uncovers Jocelyn’s buried legacy, she begins to question the system she works for, realizing that erasing memories isn’t just about profit, it’s about erasing human connection itself. Under the watchful eye of her ruthless boss Maggie, Charlie must choose: comply and walk away debt-free, or risk everything to preserve a legacy.

The world of Legacy blends emotional sci-fi with a haunting, melancholic undercurrent, rooted in a sense of personal loss, generational disconnect, and quiet resistance. Rather than a loud spectacle or dystopian collapse, Legacy leans into stillness, tenderness, and introspection, evoking films like Never Let Me Go and After Yang.

A near-future, hyper-functional society where technology has integrated into almost every aspect of daily life, especially in caregiving.

There’s a sense of fading beauty and invisible labor, with moments that are poetic, restrained, and quietly gutting. Even in a future setting, the tone is deeply human, centered on memory, grief, connection, and the quiet power of choosing to care when the world says not to.

The memory facility exudes a cold, clinical surrealism, where corporate precision masks something deeply unsettling- a labyrinth of sterile hallways, eerie silence punctuated by mechanical hums, and an atmosphere of quiet, enforced detachment, where employees erase memories like data, never questioning what’s left behind.

The android’s POV, in contrast, is quiet, natural, and contemplative, rendered in softness and warmth. These memories of Jocelyn’s world are filled with light, textures of wood and soil, the rustling of plants, imbued with a sense of slowness and care. While Charlie’s world is cold and fast, the android’s world is gentle, grounded, and deeply human.

The POV camera style is inspired by "Nickelboys" to explore the android's memory and perception of Jocelyn.

This visual and tonal juxtaposition reflects the emotional journey of the film: from numb disconnection to reawakening through remembrance and empathy.

The world through the Android’s memory: Natural lighting that evokes a sense of melancholy, creating an intimate atmosphere that emphasizes the emotional weight of the characters’ experiences and their connections to the past.

The budget for Legacy has been carefully planned to support the story’s vision and production needs. A key portion is allocated to building the film’s world through Production Design, VFX, and using assets for the LED wall, enabling us to create immersive dystopian environments that bring the story to life. Every line item—from hiring skilled talent and securing essential equipment to covering insurance, location fees, and post-production has been thoughtfully considered to bring our concept to life. This budget reflects our dedication to crafting a professional, visually striking short film that will deeply resonate with audiences.