How Soon Is Now(archived)
A grieving software engineer spends his days perfecting a deep learning artificial intelligence, intended to become the first AI CEO of a major corporation. Though Nick trains the AI to process language and to communicate in ways that seem very human, he values the AI's lack of human emotions and weaknesses. While Nick strives to turn off his own emotions, he begins to get pulled into the heartbreak of an anonymous co-worker which challenges his beliefs about the nature of love.
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Mia Holly KimDirector
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Mia Holly KimWriter
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Mia Holly KimProducer
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Keon AlexanderProducer
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Keon AlexanderKey Cast"Nick"The Expanse
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Paloma Garcia-LeeKey Cast"Tanny"West Side Story
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Drama, Sci-fi
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Runtime:17 minutes 28 seconds
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Completion Date:June 30, 2023
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Production Budget:45,000 USD
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Country of Origin:United States
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Country of Filming:United States
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:2.39:1
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:No
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Student Project:No
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Los Angeles Asian Film AwardsLos Angeles, CA
United States
Official Selection, Best Director Award -
Busan Short Wave Film FestivalBusan
Korea, Democratic People's Republic of
July 12, 2024
Award: Best Screenplay -
Philip K Dick Film FestivalBrooklyn, NY
United States
April 8, 2024
Official Selection
Mia Holly Kim is a Los Angeles-based writer and director with experience that blends the worlds of technology and storytelling. An alumna of NYU, she holds a BFA in Film/Television and a Master's in Human-Computer Interaction. Mia's diverse career path has seen her working with tech companies like Intel and Microsoft, and as an on-air tech reporter, experiences that have profoundly shaped her creative vision.
Her work, particularly at the intersection of emotional impact and computer technology, is driven by a desire to tell stories that resonate with the human experience in the digital age. Mia's films often explore the nuanced relationship between humans and technology, reflecting both contemporary issues and timeless aspects of the human condition.
As a staunch advocate for diversity and representation in the film industry, Mia is dedicated to bringing the narratives of underrepresented communities to the forefront. Her commitment extends beyond her own filmmaking, as she actively works to create opportunities for those historically marginalized in the world of film.
“How Soon Is Now” revolves around the question: Can a machine, intricately designed and imbued with human-like traits, evolve to experience genuine human emotions? This question is not just a speculative journey into the future of AI but also a mirror reflecting our own understanding of emotions, consciousness, and what it fundamentally means to be human.
"How Soon Is Now" challenges the audience to contemplate the boundaries of human emotion. It's a story that weaves together the complexities of loss, the quest for emotional detachment, and the paradoxical search for connection in a world where technology often supersedes human interaction.
The film features Keon Alexander, known for his portrayal of Marco Inaros in "The Expanse," and will star in the upcoming second season of "The Night Agent" on Netflix, and Paloma Garcia-Lee, whose film debut was as Graziela in Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story.”
Luke Geissbuhler is the director of photography. Luke has shot visually stunning and challenging films across the globe, collaborating with notable figures like Adam McKay, Will Ferrell, Sacha Baron Cohen, Michael Moore, Joe Berlinger, and Katherine Bigelow. He was nominated for an Oscar, for Best Live Action short, for the film, “Time Freak”.
Complementing the visual narrative, the film's visual effects are crafted by Dan Wilken, editor for "The Flash," and supervised by Nick Johnson, known for his work on "They Cloned Tyrone”,
”La La Land” and “Creed”.