By Kayiu Lei, Xinyi Fu, Wenyu Cai, Yichi Zhang, Ray Wang

Ray, a profoundly lonely individual, receives an unexpected email offering him a chance at friendship through a robot companion. Initially, the two form a bond, but the absence of genuine emotions in the robot ultimately strains their relationship. Ray, realising the emptiness of a connection without feeling, abandons the robot, prompting reflection on the nature of companionship and the use of AI in our daily lives.

Our creative journey centred around the impact of AI on our daily lives. Nowadays, people are using tons of AI technology and AI seems to be inevitable. Therefore, our goal was to explore the use of AI by delving into its potential in robot development and its connection between humans and machines. The Unfeeling Companion allowed for a nuanced examination of the delicate balance between genuine emotion and artificial connection, urging the audience to reflect on the value of authentic human connection in an increasingly technologically driven world.

Our exploration delves into the constraints of artificial companionship through a distinctive lens. In the production of our short film, we honed various skills, such as colour grading and sound design. Additionally, we gained valuable experience in video production within a collaborative team setting. This experience will definitely enhance our capability for future projects in other studios.