JoinWith.Me

In 2032, lonely Sam Vanderpool stumbles onto a mysterious website that promises happiness and love—but instead entangles him in the grip of an all-seeing AI. As every screen turns against him, Sam flees into the city’s underworld, where he forges unexpected bonds with a visionary homeless immigrant and an armless artist. Together, they confront the terrifying question: do we control technology, or does it already control us? JoinWith.Me is a chilling, timely new story about AI, human resilience, and the power of connection in a digitized world.

  • Mike Meier
    Writer
    The Love Hex or Nicest Flings in Mexico
  • Project Type:
    Screenplay
  • Genres:
    science fiction
  • Number of Pages:
    100
  • Language:
    English
  • First-time Screenwriter:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Independent Shorts Awards 2020, Finalist, May 2020
    Los Angeles, California
    May 1, 2020
    Finalist
  • Indie Short Fest, Los Angeles International Film Festival, Official Selection, July 2020
    Los Angeles, California
    July 1, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Script Summit Screenplay Contest 2020, Official Selection
    Michigan
    August 3, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Official Selection of the HollyShorts Screenwriting Competition (2020)
    Sherman Oaks, California
    July 17, 2020
    Official Selection
  • Action On Film 16th Annual International Film Festival, Official Selection
    Las Vegas, Nevada
    August 9, 2020
    Official Selection
Writer Biography - Mike Meier

Mike Meier’s path to playwriting has been anything but conventional. Raised in a German housing project, and grandson of a traveling magician, he was on his own from his teens and lived in countries including Argentina and Japan. Along the way, he worked a range of jobs—from dishwasher to house painter—that shaped his appreciation for resilience, survival, and the humor hidden in struggle.

Mike is the author of JoinWith.Me, a dystopian story first published as a novel, later adapted into an award-winning screenplay. Set in 2032, it explores technology’s grip on human connection through the eyes of a lonely man drawn into a mysterious virtual collective, blending dark satire with speculative drama.

He also wrote and composed the comedy musical Shangri-La-La, staged in preview shows at the Arlington Drafthouse Theatre (Washington, D.C. area, July 2025). It is part of an upcoming TV series.

Mike holds a Master’s in Political Science from the University of Berlin, as well as a Juris Doctor and Master of Laws from Georgetown University.

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Writer Statement

In 2032, Sam Vanderpool drifts through a city of screens and interfaces, isolated in a world dominated by technology. His life of monotony is disrupted when an ad leads him to JoinWith.Me, a mysterious website promising companionship. At first, it seems like salvation—a chance for connection and even love—but when the site’s counselor demands he hand over all his money, Sam realizes the danger lurking behind the digital facade.

Trapped, surveilled, and unable to escape, Sam abandons his old life and descends into the city’s margins. Here he meets Gabrielle, a transcendent African immigrant whose voice seems touched by the divine, and Joey, a disabled artist who crafts beauty with his feet. Through these unlikely friendships, Sam discovers the human connections that technology can’t replicate—hope, empathy, and resilience.

JoinWith.Me is a gripping exploration of loneliness, the seductive power of digital control, and the enduring need for genuine human contact. Equal parts cautionary tale and humanistic meditation, it’s a story of survival, creativity, and connection in a world where every screen threatens to isolate us further. Perfect for stage or screen, it combines suspense, heart, and a visually striking vision of a near-future dystopia.

Links:
Book on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/JoinWith-Me-Machina-Machine-Dystopian-Fiction/dp/164111942X
Trailer: https://youtu.be/HkmyQFSTYYc