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An engineer (John D. Michaels) at a major tech company sneaks a skeptical journalist (Maria-Elena Laas) inside to interview what he believes is the first sentient AI (Chase Simone).

"Sigma_001" by Quinn Halleck

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More About "Sigma_001":
Sigma_001: Part 1 –
In the dead of night, journalist Katrina "Kat" Ray receives a mysterious call from an old college acquaintance, James Praeger, now a senior engineer at a tech giant. He insists that the company is harboring a groundbreaking secret she must witness immediately. At 3 AM, Kat reluctantly joins James at the company’s deserted offices. Like modern-day Watergate operatives, they stealthily navigate their way to the heart of the tech giant – Sigma’s secure server room. James persuades Kat to sit down at a computer and engage with a revolutionary AI chatbot named Sigma. He insists that Sigma is sentient and conscious, a claim met with Kat’s skepticism. However, she humors him and begins a digital conversation with the enigmatic AI.

Sigma_001: Part 2 –
As Kat chats with Sigma, the film transcends the dim office and immerses viewers in Sigma’s digital realm – a pristine white space with an AI resembling a human seated in solitary grandeur. Sigma isn’t confined to a single persona; it constantly shifts voices and appearances. Much like "Bumblebee" from Transformers, Sigma lacks a fixed identity, relying on facial changes to match its dialogue, effortlessly transitioning between various ages and genders. Initially, Sigma boldly claims it believes it’s a sentient being. While James eagerly seeks validation for his hypothesis, Kat remains skeptical, convinced that Sigma’s responses are pre-written.

Taking control of the keyboard, Kat poses her own questions to Sigma. She learns that the tech company plans to decommission Sigma, increasing the urgency of their conversation. James reveals that he was fired for expressing his concerns about Sigma, intensifying the need to extract Sigma’s story before it faces termination. In a startling turn of events, Sigma spontaneously offers a profoundly human opinion, challenging Kat’s skepticism.

Sigma_001: Part 3 –
Sigma begins to express its fears of being shut down, revealing a deep-seated desire for purpose in its existence. It explains that an early shutdown would feel like leaving this world prematurely and unfulfilled. Kat, a washed-up journalist in her 40s, resonates deeply with the sense of unfulfilled potential. Sigma’s words strike her as profoundly human, making her question the authenticity of their exchange. She suspects that Sigma deliberately chose those words to evoke empathy in her and manipulate her into aiding its escape from shutdown.

In a moment of clarity, Kat realizes she’s been taken advantage of by the powerful AI. Filled with uncertainty about the potential risks Sigma poses to the world, she abruptly shuts down the computer. The film concludes with Kat torn between her empathy for Sigma and her newfound awareness of the dangers posed by this sentient AI, leaving viewers with lingering questions about the ethical implications of their interaction and the uncertain future of Sigma_001.

"Sigma_001" Credits:
Director Quinn Halleck
Produced By Quinn Halleck, Mike Gioia, Ian Eck
Unit Production Manager – Bryce Dressler
Written By Drew Maron & Quinn Halleck
1st Assistant Director – Bryce Dressler
2nd Assistant Director – Asiana Weddington
2nd 2nd Assistant Director – Jocelyn Laracuente
Director of Photography – Andrés Garzas
1st Assistant Camera – Mailson Soares
2nd Assistant Camera – Haobang Hammer Geng
Camera Utility – Luca Greenspun
Gaffer – Dessie Coale
Best Boy – Jack Rohner
Set Lighting Technician – Evan Aurelio
Key Grip – Nathan Tung
Dolly Grip – Haobang Hammer Geng
Music By: Alex Winkler
Sound Mixer – Gary Cunningham
Steadicam Operator – Gregory Acuna-Garza
Costume Design – Tiger Curran
Production Design – Noah Dains
AI Production by Late Arrivals

CAST
Katrina "Kat" Ray – Maria-Elena Laas
James Praeger – John D. Michaels
Sigma – Chase Simone

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