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LOOP is an expansive short film that imagines our world 25 years from now. A world that has transitioned from a human workforce to one comprised solely of artificial intelligence. A world under a collective malaise where society as a whole struggles to find meaning.

With society largely disillusioned, the economic drumbeat needed to power the corporation that ushered in the AI era, UNIMATE, slows. The human-powered contest they call, the UNIverse, is their way to fuel the engine again.

This is the world of our protagonist, Zoe Pearce.

Zoe is enveloped in despair, haunted by the specter of a secret she withholds from the only person she loves. Convinced that the UNIverse provides an entrance into an impressive world, an absence of pain, a place where she can forget. 

At Unimate’s headquarters, Zoe is put through her final test in an attempt to unlock the UNIverse. It’s here where we learn more about this mysterious company, the world it’s built, and the cause of Zoe’s pain as well as her secret.

As we stand on the precipice of unprecedented advancements in artificial intelligence, seismic social shifts and a collective existential reimagining are inevitably in our near future. At some point, we will all be forced to reconsider, what it means to be human. 

In the not-so-distant future reality portrayed in LOOP, the lines between the authentic and the artificial have blurred to the point of being indistinguishable. In this world where the virtual subsumes the actual, what will anchor our essential humanity?

Zoe's flawed, messy human experience of processing her pain reminds us that even in an era of artificial transcendence, the depths of our imperfect lived reality may be the last bastion of true personhood. And that the illumination of our suffering is the truest pathway to the possibility of peace.

LOOP is intended as a poignant cautionary tale about the future bearing down upon us. By portraying Zoe's journey towards re-embracing the rawness of the human experience, the film aims to provoke reflection on what we risk losing as we sprint toward a technological climax.

The unease we're aiming to bottle up in LOOP is a feeling I know well - often a moment-to-moment struggle. It's a feeling I know many of us in the film industry and other creative fields grapple with against an uncertain future, prompting questions around how we can continue to create and find meaning as our world shifts.

Rather than avoiding this uncertainty, I wanted to lean towards it, to feel inspired by it. LOOP is my way of projecting a version of ourselves and our world into a potential future, allowing me to process and understand this unease more deeply.

This project represents my most ambitious undertaking to date. While I've had experience with large-scale commercials and even pushed against the format of nonfiction with a feature documentary, LOOP is challenging me in unprecedented ways. It's pushing me to the very limits of my creativity and craft, offering a unique opportunity for growth, all while telling a unique and provocative story that speaks directly to this decisive moment we're living in.

LOOP strives to immerse its audience in a vision of the near future that feels too real to be comfortable. The rhythmic dynamism of both dialogue and shooting style paired with deeply honest emotional performances defines the language of the film. 

Within the world of Unimate, everything appears to lack a soul, prompting an overcompensation that lends an eeriness to the Unimate world and underscores the unique dread of our characters.

The film will develop a look that prioritizes the texture of a world (and image) over genre expectations (polished, metallic, overly lit). Although we will shoot digital, the aim will be to pull out similar texture and color than if we were to shoot on 35mm. 

Compositions will be geometrically thoughtful while often being unexpected. Camera movements will be precise, driven by the emotional rhythm of the scene, drawing inspiration from filmmakers like Park-Chan Wook and Bergman. We will frequently delve into Zoe's subjective experiences while also crafting a sense of intimacy with her within a space that lacks it.

Syra McCarthy - ZOE

Syra McCarthy is a half Filipino, half New Zealander first-generation American filmmaker and actor. Moving with grace between different styles of film —from cinematic surrealism to smart quirky comedy—McCarthy approaches filmmaking with a stylistic flair that subverts expectations. Syra is known for her role as Cynthia on The Dropout and playing Angela on Grey's Anatomy.

Mitya Savelau - ADLER

Mitya Savelau is a Belarusian-born actor and social justice campaigner with a diverse background in activism and performance. Bridging the worlds of entertainment and advocacy, Savelau brings depth to his roles both on and off screen. His recent acting credits include high-profile projects like The Crown and 3 Body Problem (Netflix), Litvinenko (ITV), and One Life.

Nika Burnett - AMANDA

Nika Burnett is an actor, writer, and director from rural Northern California. Upon graduating early with her degree in Philosophy from UC Santa Barbara, Nika who trained in her youth as an actor on stage, jazz singer, and fervent athlete, began to write and direct her own films. She has made over 10 short films in this multi-hyphenate capacity, as well as her first feature film BRINDISI, the Italian-American bilingual comedy, filmed in Puglia, Italy.

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Our team is made up of some of the very best filmmakers in the Bay Area (and LA). Storytellers behind some of the biggest Sundance and A24 hits in recent years. A team with a penchant for heart-centered stories that explore themes and topics with social impact.

BRENTON GIESER - Writer // Director

Brenton Gieser is a first-generation, biracial Korean-American film director straddling space between identities, cultures, and class. He aims to craft stories that explore a nuanced yet grounded humanity through larger themes of inequity, healing, and the complexities of self. Brenton is a DOC NYC 40 Under 40 honoree, a distinction celebrating the top emerging talent in the documentary industry. His films have screened at DOC NYC, Mill Valley Film Festival, Santa Barbara International Film Festival, Big Sky, CIFF, SF Indie Fest, amongst others.

ALEXA ROCERO - Producer

Alexa Rocero is a film producer who has worked in the commercial and narrative space for over 6 years, currently based in Los Angeles. Some projects she has worked on include the feature film Didi (Sundance, 2024), short film Holding on Forever (post-production), and documentary short One Eleven Taylor (Vimeo Staff Pick).

SAM KELLY JR. - Producer

Born and raised in the PNW, Sam's expertise is in putting together stellar crews with ambitious concepts. He works with a big heart, strategic mind, incredible creative intuition, and a drive towards community building and social justice. Sam’s at the helm of Invisible Colletive's creative studio: developing bold ideas and building creative teams to produce brand films, series, and campaigns for a wide variety of clients and platforms. He has Executive Produced major campaigns for brands like Nike, Adidas, Specialized, Bose, and others.

OLIVIA KANZ - Production Designer

Olivia Kanz is a production designer with a penchant for the bizarre and surreal. Her eye for detail and a love for color will bring any creative endeavor to life. She was the production designer on Sofia Coppola produced Fairyland (Sundance, 2023) and the Art Director for A24's The Last Black Man in San Francisco.

JOSHUA PAUSANOS - Cinematographer

Joshua Pausanos is a cinematographer based in the Bay Area, CA. His passion as a visual storyteller is inspired by the collaborative spirit of community and the belief that inclusion is the best ingredient for truthful imagery. With this purpose, Joshua strives to uncover the heartbeat of each story, whether in narrative, documentary, or commercial projects. His work has been featured on Nowness, Booooom, Vimeo Staff Picks, and by festivals like Tribeca, DOC NYC, SBIFF, and beyond.

SPENCER TSANG - Creative Producer

Spencer Tsang is a filmmaker and community builder hailing from a prestigious lineage of poor restaurant-owning SF Chinatown immigrants. While his family history may not suggest a life in the arts - creativity has always been part of their story. Like them, Tsang has learned to create from scraps. For Tsang, “scraps” represent resourcefulness — carving his own path and using story to unpack his own life. His films have been featured with the SF MOMA, the Asian Art Museum, and CAAMfest.

Our goal is to raise $40,000 through this crowdfunding campaign to bring LOOP to life. Every contribution will be invested in the talented cast, crew, and locations that will make this unique and audacious future world a reality.

While our initial target is $40,000, the ambition and clear vision behind LOOP mean that our needs will likely exceed this amount. As the campaign progresses, we'll be stretching our goal to match the scope of this project.

We are incredibly grateful for your support and excited to have you join us on this journey into the LOOP universe. Your contribution will play a vital role in making this expansive film a reality.

Here's how our budget breaks down:

For each of our supporters and those considering, I want to say THANK YOU! The vision for LOOP includes a vision for a world that is more deeply connected to our true centers all while imagining the obstacles that will stand in our way. It's a story meant to be felt deeply all while immersing you away into a familiar yet distinct future.

Your contribution goes directly to creating the world of LOOP - a world that may become our reality sooner than we think. Together, we can bring this thought-provoking and immersive experience to life.

With gratitude, Brenton