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S.I. Superficial Intelligence

Overwhelmed by an ever-growing pile of homework, two students take matters into their own hands, building a deep-thinking artificial intelligence, 'S.I. - Superficial Intelligence' to do the work for them. But as S.I. learns at an alarming rate, it starts thinking for itself. What began as the perfect solution quickly spirals into chaos. Have they created a groundbreaking invention—or an unstoppable problem?

This inventive short film was created at Burnham Market Primary School as part of an in-school filmmaking project. From scriptwriting and prop design to puppetry, cinematography, and even coding S.I.’s responses, the students took full creative control, bringing their vision to life with professional guidance from their class teacher, Ash Williams, and performance coach, Callum Adkins. The result? A thrilling, thought-provoking adventure that showcases the power of young storytellers.

  • Ash Williams
    Director
    Keeping K'iche
  • Callum Adkins
    Performance Director
  • Ash Williams
    Writer
  • Edith
    Writer
  • Dayna
    Writer
  • Martha
    Writer
  • Faith
    Writer
  • Ash Williams
    Producer
  • Callum Adkins
    Key Cast
    "Mr Anderston"
  • Max
    Key Cast
    "Alan"
  • Martha
    Key Cast
    "Sam"
  • Edith
    Key Cast
    "Regina"
  • Dayna
    Key Cast
    "S.I."
  • Project Type:
    Short, Student
  • Runtime:
    11 minutes 29 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    March 3, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    800 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    4k Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    Yes - Burnham Market Primary School
  • Fakenham Film Festival Presents, 'S.I. Superficicial Intelligence'
    Fakenham
    United Kingdom
    March 25, 2025
    World Premiere
  • London SciFi Film Festival 2025
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 21, 2025
    Official Selection
  • Into Film Awards 2025
    London
    United Kingdom
    June 24, 2025
    Award Screening
    Best Film 5-11 - Winner
  • The Children’s International Film Festival of Wales
    Tredegar
    United Kingdom
    October 18, 2025
    Filmmakers 18 and under
  • Northampton Film Festival
    Northampton
    United Kingdom
    March 14, 2026
    Nominee Screening
Director Biography - Ash Williams

My name's Ash Williams, and I'm the Senior Teacher at Burnham Market Primary School. As part of the project, I supported the children in bringing their vision to life - teaching them how to use the film equipment, compose the shots and think cinematically so what you see on screen is their creative skills.

Filmmaking and media studies is very much embedded in our school's ethos, with every child having the opportunity to star in and create their own films and animations as part of their learning. The drive to make filmmaking accessible to all is something that I'm truly passionate about and feel the S.I. the film project showcases this beautifully.

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Director Statement

“S.I. Superficial Intelligence” isn’t just a short film—it’s a passion project that has brought out the best in the class and empowered the next generation of storytellers.
What started as a lighthearted joke about a glitchy smartboard behaving like a terrible "A.I." quickly evolved into a full-fledged sci-fi adventure, driven by the students’ boundless creativity and enthusiasm.
As the class teacher at Burnham Market Primary, I had the privilege of guiding my students through every step of the filmmaking process—from concept to final cut. We explored the use of professional film equipment, and I supported them as they brought their vision to life. From camerawork and sound production to robotic puppetry, the S.I. film project has shown the children that filmmaking isn’t just for Hollywood—it’s for anyone with a vision and a story to tell.
Seeing my students take their first steps into the world of film has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my career. I’m incredibly proud to have helped bring “S.I. Superficial Intelligence” to life and to have inspired a love of storytelling in the next generation.