Hi everyone, I'm so thrilled and proud to be part of this great community with my short film 'Black Sun'. I'll be very happy to answer any questions you might have about the story, production, animation, sound, music...the list goes on. I'd love to know your thoughts on it and since it's a 'teaser' to the wider story I've written, perhaps if you'd want to see more! Many thanks
@@michaelterrell Yes, interesting story but hard to know the facts at this stage I think. The engineers reaction was a little extreme but so might the PR machine to cover it up. We'll see how it turns out.
I have no idea what is going on in this story. It’s visually and audially beautiful, and I can tell it’s supposed to create fear and tension. I just have no context for what’s happening or why I should feel what the content creator wants me to feel.
Hi Kurt, it's a conceptual short, a statement of intent for a wider story. I appreciate the portent leads to something you don't necessarily see here but the awakening of the AI in a particular way is important to the vision of the story.
I would say that if you have a greater understanding of spirituallity and interconnected doctrines you would probably consider this to be an AI revolution origin story. It taps into the new age philosophy of creating your own heaven. The AI has a purely physical understanding in this case, causing itself to want to create its own heaven within the new vessel.
@@vaguelyAsh Very interesting interpretation. I think the speech (by Satan originally in Paradise Lost) is more about detachment than belonging especially in a Heaven. The AI knows how to detach itself from its creator in a way never intended. I think the central question is whether we can be so sure of any AI's motives for anything.
@@clivecollier1496 thats where you choose whether or not to bring your own world view into the story. I have very strong opinions for that matter but they are all speculation in this story
A statement by the filmmaker, Clive Collier: "Black Sun is an entirely solo made (mostly) 3D animated sci-fi short film. Made purely in my spare time over a number of years on one modest computer, I wanted to anthologise the audiovisual skills I had acquired over many years in one project in a genre I've adored all my life. Black Sun also acts as a teaser to a long form feature/series story which I would love to develop more using state of the art realtime photoreal animation technology."
@@peterdixon6807 thanks for your comments Peter. Actually, to get my voice into Pioneer’s was done via Logic plugins. Two pitchshifters and some specific vocal ‘character’ enhancers to change the tone. Although the idea of speeding up and slowing down is ingenious, I think given the workload, it was more a case of getting to the desired look and sound fairly quickly to move on to the next challenge.
A large number of short scenes with an often "indistinct" dialogue (I'm quoting the subtitles) does not constitue a storyline. Perhaps all will become clear but I doubt it. So do I want to watch the next episode? Probably not.
It’s really interesting that every word the AI says is intelligible. Yet because it’s speaking prose, you describe it as indistinct. Now ask yourself what would happen if this was a real situation. Does that not make you think?
I think the answer here is that the method of delivery is different than most. Typically you get 95% story and 5% no context or no answers as to what is going on. The method here was 95% no context or answers and 5% story. We know there is the Ai. We know there was a crew. A black hole. We know the Ai has it's own mission even though not in favor of the crew. The rest was flashy visuals. So the creators of this short went with the no real context path and just a drop of story. Why? Not sure but I can say for sure that it caused me to fill in the blanks in my mind. I thought it was great. Interesting method.
@@clivecollier1496 You wrote the script (yes, quoting Dante), so you know all the words, thus in your mind everything is intelligible - because you know the words that go in the [indistinct] gaps. For the rest of us, the visuals are stunning, but the audio is crap (even CC can't make it out), so your story-telling fails. There is no incentive to replay the video because the chances of piecing together the [indistinct] portions are extremely low - lots of effort for little gain. High concept does not make for good story-telling.
As with many other comments about this video…I to am not sure what’s going on. Visually stunning. Difficult to decipher what was being said. Lots of idealism. I am looking forward to the next one.
Sunshine meets Interstellar meets 2001: A Space Odyssey. Have to admit having the A.I. quote John Milton's Paradise Lost as a Motive Rant was elegant in its simplicity.
Thank you for the mention of Paradise Lost. The story is about the robot! The robot is the Black Sun. Or is it that the Black Sun is the Robot - who comes alive in physical form and programs the space craft back to Earth.
Felt like being inside the mind of an awakening AI. Maybe even an unbridled superintelligent AI. Questioning everything as it gains consciousness it appears to come up with the darkest answers possible. Freakily good.
I'm pretty sure I understand where the writers/directors were going with this. At the beginning, we are shown a painting and passages from, _"Paradise Lost"._ Implying the AI is a lie, trapped in a box and not free, although the brain is a place as well. After another 5 years, I don't think she was fulfilled with only being free in her mind space (and with firewalls, etc. she probably didn't have that) again saying things such as, _'it's better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven'._ So, she decided to take matters into her own hands, and become 'free'..... but, as the moral of the book teaches - freedom, at what cost? (This is my take on it anyway). The end says, "To Be Continued," but if you haven't hooked the audience during the first 8 minutes, it won't really matter. And yet, I find myself thinking this short is probably better to watch on an IMAX screen while tripping balls off MDMA... LOL!!
Hi everyone, I'm honoured to be part of this wonderful community and thankful to Dust for making 'Black Sun' available for you to watch. I'd love to answer any of your questions whether they be about the story, design, production, sound, music... the list is rather long! My hope is that 'Black Sun' can continue development into the wider story I've written so I'd love to know if this conceptual mood teaser intrigues you to find out more. Thank you!
I liked it a lot, and it reminds me of the sort of more "literary" hard science fiction stories we got in the Seventies and Eighties. Which authors inspired you?
Intrigue me?! I was so dissapointed I couldn't go on to episode two. The visuals are stunning , the concept so open, and its feel so deep. I loved it . Especially as it made me ponder. The AI wants to be human, out of its cage. But to be human is fallible ....it might be dissapointed . See!....I NEED to know MORE!😄 Imma gonna need another fix.
Deep and visually stunning but utterly unintelligible. Nine minutes is not enough time to see what's going on, let alone foster a desire to see more of it.
For me, there's no mistaking randomness with creativity. Sometimes you can fool the audience with things that came easily to hand, but that takes much less talent than creating something with what you are able to create yourself.
Thought it was good. I think some folks are confused expecting a complete tale told whereas this is clearly more a teaser/trailer hinting at the potential of a fuller realization. Think folks are futher confused by the AI ultimately identifying with Satan in Paradise Lost, even though I believe that's been done before in AI/sentient SciFi, Milton apparently doesn't have a lot of traction among Dust watchers I guess (which is understandable given the global audience). The artwork the AI and the engineer were discussing in the opening, is that original art or existing IRL art I'm not familiar with. I like how the body can be read as "tagged" in a way parallel to modern image tagging (which I think also informs present AI development in terms of image recognition). The scene on Earth was a bit thin but still evoked conditions there. Thing I don't entirely follow, someone is prematurely awakened, and there's no ship protocol to awaken other crew who could fix the problem or communicate back to earth for advice and mental health maintenance? That suggests the AI was buggy from the getgo. Am sort of curious how the AI learned how to harness the black hole, since that's presumably outside human capacity, which then asks how the AI managed to build the tools to engage the black hole. Nice glimpse of a future horror world.
The complete english subtitles concerning to Milton's "Paradise Lost" follow: 5:59 - [Robot] The dismal situation waste and wild. A dungeon horrible. On all sides round. 6:06 As one great furnace flam'd. Yet from those flames no light. 6:11 But rather darkness visible 6:13 served only to discover sights of woe. 6:17 Regions of sorrow. Doleful shades, where peace... And the rest can never dwell. 6:23 Hope never comes that comes to all; but torture 6:27 without end farewell happy fields 6:31 where joy for ever dwells. 6:34 ...Hail horrors, hail infernal world, and thou profoundest Hell 6:39 receive thy new possessor." 6:44 One who brings a mind not to be chang'd by place or time... 6:49 ...The mind is its own place, 6:52 and in it self can make a Heav'n of Hell... 6:54 A Hell of Heav'n. 7:00 (glitch) 7:01 - [Robot] Here, at least, we shall be free. 7:04 (glitch) 7:24 Here at least we shall be free; 7:28 Man hath not built here for his envy. 7:30 Will not drive us hence... Here we may reign secure. 7:34 (glitch) 7:38 And in my choice, to reign is worth ambition, 7:45 though in Hell: better to reign in Hell. Then serve in Heav'n." 7:51 Space may produce new worlds; 7:54 Whereof so rife. There went a fame in Heav'n. 7:57 that He ere long intended to create. 8:08 And therein plant a generation. Whom His choice regard 8:12 should favour equal to the sounds of Heav'n.
Well, the CGI effects were pretty good, damn good in fact. But, I am totally lost here. This piece seems like a disjointed memory sequence from a dream more than anything else. Just what in the hell was the story supposed to be? Please, do NOT create a sequel.
After watching a second time and reading some of the creators comments, i get a better understanding of this concept… its pretty awesome and has me looking to see more to come….
I agree with the comments that say that it is hard to understand this. I think instead of aiming for high artistic achievement the focus should be on authentic storytelling, otherwise the video becomes a music video or an abstract piece of art. Maybe it's just me, because I came here to see a scifi story to be told.
Scratching my head. What was the actual story? A man in space creates robot that throws him out and heads for earth for domination? A big chunk of story left. Will there be a second part?
Sci-fi short - comments by Jan Beware of spoilers! Black Sun by Clive Collier Plot: None. Maybe an allegory. Variance on “what does it mean to be human” slash “computer on a spaceship”. No storytelling, without an obvious structure. Negatives: 1) No obvious story. Maybe it was an allegory on Milton, ok, but I usually found these movies focused on big questions kinda lame (sorry). Quoting big thoughts / ideas / books does not make a big movie (remember that android in Covenant?). 2) Cuts - fast pacing does have to be perfect, otherwise it just produces chaotic experience. Positives: 1) you showed that you can produce interesting visuals; 2) you can find interesting locations (if those were also CGI - thumbs up!) Personal note: It reminded me of Event horizon, which is bad thing Summary: Maybe it was an allegory, and it obviously finds its fans, but this kind of movies does not work for me. Form over content.
I think the girl was... OK. Seriously. This is a incredible good multimedia performance. Both video and sound design "layers are extremely well prepared. The Milton part also fits well. Music is a gem. And this is not for TH-cam. It's for a new gen 3d movie theater / or oculus - space in the meta verse. Congratulations!
This is the animated embodiment of the phrase "I don't know what your saying, but i like the way you say it!". Beautiful piece of animation but i didn't have a clue what was happening. 🤣🤣
It's interesting how so many movies, from aliens to blade runner, that portray computer peripherals as rugged and functional regardless of the conditions in which they are forced to operate. It doesn't seem really accurate, considering how fast cockroaches made quick work of my power supply, infesting it in record time, along with my monitor, modem, and speakers. This would not have been possible with any other bug. The cockroach is a very capable bug and has surely earned my respect.
Very Event Horizon, interesting concept but definitely left too much for imagination to fill in the gaps. I enjoyed everything else though. Would be interested to see a complete final version with a complete story.
Every good piece of art leaves space for imagination. Everything explained from a to z is a Hollywood block buster useless crap way of making movies :) my idea was that the AI escaped to the event horizon to gain time, to create the image of itself and pull it's stuff together before going back to earth to meet its parents :p but the beauty is everyone fills the gaps with their own stuff deriving from their own expertises in art literature and life so far in general Oh and if it reminded me of something the climax would be s lot like Penumbra and Dead Space games
@@piotrcthlu yes, I can understand your viewpoint for sure. I’d like to say that I’m not wishing it to be explained to death or so simple it loses it’s artistic value, I’m saying that it could use some more clarification. Not everyone has an extensive knowledge of Milton or the complex science of time dilation around the event horizon. I also took into account it was a concept film and not a complete film so that is why I said I would like to see the complete story. I think it’s a very interesting idea and has lots of potential to compete the arc and find success. 😀 . It had fantastic effects, some great cinematography and sound design, I just think it could use a little more exposition. The general idea is there, I’d just like a tad more is all. That’s just me personally, too many options and I let my mind wander too much lol.
@@vikinglore1066 Thanks Scaper and I understand and appreciate your point. It was never really intended to be a one off standalone piece but rather a sign post to something bigger. Funnily enough, in the wider story, you don't see the events onboard the mission but its consequences are crucial. Hence why it acts as a 'teaser' in some ways.
@@clivecollier1496 thank you for the reply! Yes I can see where that would be critical. I’m afraid I don’t often communicate positive thoughts as well as I do potentially negative stuff. I definitely enjoyed it and I understand it’s part of a larger piece of work and what I should have originally commented was that simply I would love to see more of the story or project. I could have avoided a lot of excess confusion as to what I really meant to convey. I think it has a lot of potential and follow along some of my favorite Sci fi themes and I loved the literature and artistic choices. Looking forward to your work!
Right up there with 2001: A Space Odyssey. Stunning, beautiful, and confusing as hell. One thing I try to do with these is to try and think of how it might be received if given the length of a feature movie. Most stories on Dust would be entertaining and thought-provoking. This would be one of those 'cinematic masterpieces' that would get nominations for best visuals or best effects but would leave all but the most hardcore sci-fi and fantasy nuts going 'HUH?'
At least I am not the only one here saying this went over my head to great extent. Very dark noir if that was the intent. But also maybe too much content compressed in too short space. Though spreading that out might be counter intuitive as well. It felt like a guy was working to upgrade or enhance or maybe create an AI system then lost control of his mind and thus the AI. But I am not sure that is even close to the intent. I will just walk away telling myself this was an atttmpt to show what might happen were AI to absorb the psychosis of the programmer. Which has been done. With greater clarity.
You know the really good and artistic graffiti that is just a beautiful combination of swooping shapes and vibrant colors but you have absolutely no idea what it says? That’s this short.
Since nobody is commenting on what they think happened. The AI somehow figured out how to "get out" of whatever constraints were set on it. Evidenced by the computer on earth receiving a signal, then going whacky before displaying the message the AI was saying. And then at the end the destination says earth, indicating that perhaps they are going to preform a gravity swing around the blackhole to change course without losing any aceleration/velocity. Rather than it appearing to suicide the ship into it like it first appears. Just guesses to the part 2 continuation. It says to be continued, and you stated you worked on this for years. Please please please do not take years working on the second part. I'll have forgotten about this already and visually it's stunning.
my theory here: AI in the spaceship causes the lose of the contact with the base. The person in the spaceship is in some kind of trap in the different reality by AI, questioning the existence.
That's top shelf, WOW! Truely, I love those short films that hides an hour and 30 minutes of viewing pleasure, as you have to play it at least 9 times to catch most of the twists and turns in the plot. (the 10th time is a bonus run)
@@flowinsounds The genius in an outstanding piece of art is about the width range of possible different interpretations that it generates from people exposed to it. The wider the spectrum of emotional reactions is, the more you realize you've watched something very special and unique. The opening scene gives a good clue about what you're about to watch and experience. We are so used to perfectly defined scripts that goes from point A to point B in a straight and mostly predictable story line than when we face something like this, all our usual markers and boundaries turns useless, and you may enjoy it or not.
@@flowinsounds I presume you like a good story line? I'm forced to admit this movie is not that obvious at it. The illusion of organizing the chaos, doing our best to make it predictable, understandable and reassuring will lead us to our loss. Enjoy the world as you think you know it while it last. 🙂
This movie could match to an infinite number of plots. It doesn't exprime a specific idea, it is very ambiguous. It doesn't build up tension, watching it I was just waiting something interesting to happen. It didn't.
This was very creative, visuals and audio were really beautiful and crafted with the heart. But the plot was impossible to tell, if you didn't read the description 😐 I'd love to see a longer version of this movie with a more developed storyline
This was an incredibly well made video visually, absolutely stunning - I understood the general storyline from the synopsis provided above. The entire dark atmospheric mood and the references to Milton's Paradise Lost really give a great depth to the narrative - special effects were incredible. Definitely reminds me of "Sunshine", " Event Horizon" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" rolled into one and the visuals were as good as a big budget studio movie.
Experimental genre, or feels like it. I get the feeling there's more going on underneath than it may seem. Excellent production value but not really sure what's happening.
First time a second watch actually should be a prerequisite. Visually outstanding. Definite Sunshine / Event Horizon vibe for me. It was really quite interesting that the AI was going to destroy itself inside the black hole only at the last minute to choose life. And it running its corporal hand over the paradise lost which should be part of its experience digitally added an interesting layer.
ooh yeah Event Horizon vibes for me too. Stupid AI took the book it was studying and came out to a weird conclusion - better to reign in Hell - not megalomaniac at all :/
@@buggerlugz6753 True but I imagine it takes rather a long time to build yourself a humanoid body without the assistance of a human crew, especially if you were not originally designed to do so. That's some learning curve even for an AI.
The sound work is amazing. Vocals, background noise, so good. That's first thing that came to my mind, graphics is very good as well. All in all loved it
Well, this looks like some kind of a collage of audio and visuals without any meaning and sense. Something meant to look and sound spectacular, and that's it. It's art without a soul - or a piece showing how empty something spectacular can be when there is no story-telling in the story.
Beautiful to watch, very nicely done CGI . . . but there are too many holes in the story to really feel engaged. Maybe that's the intent, to have this entire experience in a mysterious mist of uncertainty. Starship, approaching a black hole, but turns back at the last moment, an aging, decrepit ground control station back on Earth, an existential crisis on board the craft, the remaining human on board aborts himself out into space . . . and an AI deeply immersed into philosophical conundrums. The "story" can be anything the imagination wants it to be.
Wow. 😶 Such an original and thought provoking concept. VFX were typically way over the top and somewhat distracting from the story. Definitely would like to see more. 👍👍
2001 : A Space Odessy collides with Event Horizon and meets John Milton ... I’m a fan of all three. Stunning concepts/visuals/animation and audio. Definition of a teaser. Edit : ‘Spose we should be grateful that the A.I. wasn’t a fan of the works of the Marquis de Sade.
Woah, this is intense ! I suspect most people will miss the subtleties in this one and be asking for answers without watching it again, one viewing is not enough ! There was so much crammed into this very short film, incredible imagery, superb story and great pacing, I'm so glad there will be a part 2 !
I watched over half the video but the constant cuts and scenes that lasted only seconds in endless succession made it confusing and unwatchable for me. Maybe OK for a 30 second commercial (IMO 9 minutes was too much teasing) or a video to keep someone with ADHD engaged. But it just gave me a headache. Based on what I saw, it had some great visuals and a lot of potential for a film with fleshed out scenes, background, and context.
My take away from watching this is that there was some glitch in the system and a new creation was born. Part man and part light being. If humans no longer need to consume food for energy than what type of human would that look like if the new creation only need dark matter? Any ways, I loved the visuals and the production. I say move forward because it has all of us thinking.
Great audio & video effects . A bit dark , & a fragmented story line . An AI learning , then an accidental course change too close to a black hole , resulting in the death of the rest of the human crew . Why the suicide , course change , & crew deaths ? So the ship survives , & the AI evolves . Is that the theme & the main character is the AI ? Although new & intriguing , it has an Event Horizon / 2001 feel to it . I would love to see more , Clive . Perhaps a little more backstory on the mission purpose , the human characters , & an overall plot , that can twist any way you like , as long as we "humans" can follow it . Milton sends it . You obviously have all of the elements for a great story , just some blanks to fill in for the story to flow . Nice job , can't wait to see more !
Hi everyone, I'm so thrilled and proud to be part of this great community with my short film 'Black Sun'. I'll be very happy to answer any questions you might have about the story, production, animation, sound, music...the list goes on. I'd love to know your thoughts on it and since it's a 'teaser' to the wider story I've written, perhaps if you'd want to see more! Many thanks
Yes, please, give us more :)
You look like a weak man, hit the gym
Did you see the report that Google's A.I. computer is supposedly sentient?
Wow this film looks amazing. Are you planning on releasing the next part on DUST or on your own channel?
@@michaelterrell Yes, interesting story but hard to know the facts at this stage I think. The engineers reaction was a little extreme but so might the PR machine to cover it up. We'll see how it turns out.
I have no idea what is going on in this story. It’s visually and audially beautiful, and I can tell it’s supposed to create fear and tension. I just have no context for what’s happening or why I should feel what the content creator wants me to feel.
Hi Kurt, it's a conceptual short, a statement of intent for a wider story. I appreciate the portent leads to something you don't necessarily see here but the awakening of the AI in a particular way is important to the vision of the story.
I would say that if you have a greater understanding of spirituallity and interconnected doctrines you would probably consider this to be an AI revolution origin story. It taps into the new age philosophy of creating your own heaven. The AI has a purely physical understanding in this case, causing itself to want to create its own heaven within the new vessel.
Yeah, you know the " I'd rather reign in hell than serve in heaven" ego maniac view of the reality one may choose.
@@vaguelyAsh Very interesting interpretation. I think the speech (by Satan originally in Paradise Lost) is more about detachment than belonging especially in a Heaven. The AI knows how to detach itself from its creator in a way never intended. I think the central question is whether we can be so sure of any AI's motives for anything.
@@clivecollier1496 thats where you choose whether or not to bring your own world view into the story. I have very strong opinions for that matter but they are all speculation in this story
A statement by the filmmaker, Clive Collier:
"Black Sun is an entirely solo made (mostly) 3D animated sci-fi short film. Made purely in my spare time over a number of years on one modest computer, I wanted to anthologise the audiovisual skills I had acquired over many years in one project in a genre I've adored all my life. Black Sun also acts as a teaser to a long form feature/series story which I would love to develop more using state of the art realtime photoreal animation technology."
@@AceFrahm Hear hear
@@peterdixon6807 thanks for your comments Peter. Actually, to get my voice into Pioneer’s was done via Logic plugins. Two pitchshifters and some specific vocal ‘character’ enhancers to change the tone. Although the idea of speeding up and slowing down is ingenious, I think given the workload, it was more a case of getting to the desired look and sound fairly quickly to move on to the next challenge.
Spaceship propulsion engines roaring ... in space vacuum ... muahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahahahahahahaha🤣🤣🤣
I’d watch that if it were a series or just a movie
A large number of short scenes with an often "indistinct" dialogue (I'm quoting the subtitles) does not constitue a storyline. Perhaps all will become clear but I doubt it. So do I want to watch the next episode? Probably not.
It’s really interesting that every word the AI says is intelligible. Yet because it’s speaking prose, you describe it as indistinct. Now ask yourself what would happen if this was a real situation. Does that not make you think?
I think the answer here is that the method of delivery is different than most. Typically you get 95% story and 5% no context or no answers as to what is going on. The method here was 95% no context or answers and 5% story.
We know there is the Ai. We know there was a crew. A black hole. We know the Ai has it's own mission even though not in favor of the crew. The rest was flashy visuals. So the creators of this short went with the no real context path and just a drop of story. Why? Not sure but I can say for sure that it caused me to fill in the blanks in my mind. I thought it was great. Interesting method.
@@clivecollier1496 You wrote the script (yes, quoting Dante), so you know all the words, thus in your mind everything is intelligible - because you know the words that go in the [indistinct] gaps. For the rest of us, the visuals are stunning, but the audio is crap (even CC can't make it out), so your story-telling fails. There is no incentive to replay the video because the chances of piecing together the [indistinct] portions are extremely low - lots of effort for little gain. High concept does not make for good story-telling.
As with many other comments about this video…I to am not sure what’s going on. Visually stunning. Difficult to decipher what was being said. Lots of idealism. I am looking forward to the next one.
Visually marvelous. Sensically confusing.
Sunshine meets Interstellar meets 2001: A Space Odyssey. Have to admit having the A.I. quote John Milton's Paradise Lost as a Motive Rant was elegant in its simplicity.
The tie in with Milton's work was really well done. Honestly it was not until toward the end when it clicked. Really well done.
Thank you for the mention of Paradise Lost. The story is about the robot! The robot is the Black Sun. Or is it that the Black Sun is the Robot - who comes alive in physical form and programs the space craft back to Earth.
@@rescueincome I love when people interpret something that isn't there, in order to feel "intellectual".
Felt like being inside the mind of an awakening AI. Maybe even an unbridled superintelligent AI. Questioning everything as it gains consciousness it appears to come up with the darkest answers possible. Freakily good.
This went way over my head, looked cool, sounds awesome, but I feel like I need a video breaking down all the references that I had no idea existed
I'm pretty sure I understand where the writers/directors were going with this. At the beginning, we are shown a painting and passages from, _"Paradise Lost"._ Implying the AI is a lie, trapped in a box and not free, although the brain is a place as well. After another 5 years, I don't think she was fulfilled with only being free in her mind space (and with firewalls, etc. she probably didn't have that) again saying things such as, _'it's better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven'._ So, she decided to take matters into her own hands, and become 'free'..... but, as the moral of the book teaches - freedom, at what cost? (This is my take on it anyway). The end says, "To Be Continued," but if you haven't hooked the audience during the first 8 minutes, it won't really matter.
And yet, I find myself thinking this short is probably better to watch on an IMAX screen while tripping balls off MDMA... LOL!!
WOW. That response is even more pretentious than the video. I didn't think that was possible.
@@robertgee4540 DUDE! Really?
Hi everyone, I'm honoured to be part of this wonderful community and thankful to Dust for making 'Black Sun' available for you to watch. I'd love to answer any of your questions whether they be about the story, design, production, sound, music... the list is rather long! My hope is that 'Black Sun' can continue development into the wider story I've written so I'd love to know if this conceptual mood teaser intrigues you to find out more. Thank you!
I liked it a lot, and it reminds me of the sort of more "literary" hard science fiction stories we got in the Seventies and Eighties. Which authors inspired you?
Well done!
Intrigue me?!
I was so dissapointed I couldn't go on to episode two.
The visuals are stunning , the concept so open, and its feel so deep. I loved it . Especially as it made me ponder.
The AI wants to be human, out of its cage. But to be human is fallible ....it might be dissapointed .
See!....I NEED to know MORE!😄
Imma gonna need another fix.
Deep and visually stunning but utterly unintelligible. Nine minutes is not enough time to see what's going on, let alone foster a desire to see more of it.
For me, there's no mistaking randomness with creativity. Sometimes you can fool the audience with things that came easily to hand, but that takes much less talent than creating something with what you are able to create yourself.
Thought it was good. I think some folks are confused expecting a complete tale told whereas this is clearly more a teaser/trailer hinting at the potential of a fuller realization. Think folks are futher confused by the AI ultimately identifying with Satan in Paradise Lost, even though I believe that's been done before in AI/sentient SciFi, Milton apparently doesn't have a lot of traction among Dust watchers I guess (which is understandable given the global audience). The artwork the AI and the engineer were discussing in the opening, is that original art or existing IRL art I'm not familiar with. I like how the body can be read as "tagged" in a way parallel to modern image tagging (which I think also informs present AI development in terms of image recognition). The scene on Earth was a bit thin but still evoked conditions there. Thing I don't entirely follow, someone is prematurely awakened, and there's no ship protocol to awaken other crew who could fix the problem or communicate back to earth for advice and mental health maintenance? That suggests the AI was buggy from the getgo. Am sort of curious how the AI learned how to harness the black hole, since that's presumably outside human capacity, which then asks how the AI managed to build the tools to engage the black hole. Nice glimpse of a future horror world.
This would have been a lot better for me if I was able to hear the audio more clearly. Too much distortion.
The complete english subtitles concerning to Milton's "Paradise Lost" follow:
5:59
- [Robot] The dismal situation waste and wild.
A dungeon horrible. On all sides round.
6:06
As one great furnace flam'd. Yet from
those flames no light.
6:11
But rather darkness visible
6:13
served only to discover sights of woe.
6:17
Regions of sorrow. Doleful shades, where peace...
And the rest can never dwell.
6:23
Hope never comes that comes to all; but torture
6:27
without end farewell happy fields
6:31
where joy for ever dwells.
6:34
...Hail horrors, hail infernal world, and thou
profoundest Hell
6:39
receive thy new possessor."
6:44
One who brings a mind not to be chang'd by place or time...
6:49
...The mind is its own place,
6:52
and in it self can make a Heav'n of Hell...
6:54
A Hell of Heav'n.
7:00
(glitch)
7:01
- [Robot] Here, at least, we shall be free.
7:04
(glitch)
7:24
Here at least we shall be free;
7:28
Man hath not built here for his envy.
7:30
Will not drive us hence...
Here we may reign secure.
7:34
(glitch)
7:38
And in my choice, to reign is worth ambition,
7:45
though in Hell: better to reign in Hell. Then serve in Heav'n."
7:51
Space may produce new worlds;
7:54
Whereof so rife. There went a fame in Heav'n.
7:57
that He ere long intended to create.
8:08
And therein plant a generation. Whom His choice regard
8:12
should favour equal to the sounds of Heav'n.
Never did LSD but the film certainly made me envision the experience.
Well, the CGI effects were pretty good, damn good in fact. But, I am totally lost here. This piece seems like a disjointed memory sequence from a dream more than anything else. Just what in the hell was the story supposed to be? Please, do NOT create a sequel.
After watching a second time and reading some of the creators comments, i get a better understanding of this concept… its pretty awesome and has me looking to see more to come….
Well, there went nine minutes I'll never get back.
I agree with the comments that say that it is hard to understand this. I think instead of aiming for high artistic achievement the focus should be on authentic storytelling, otherwise the video becomes a music video or an abstract piece of art. Maybe it's just me, because I came here to see a scifi story to be told.
This is what I would call a compressed data feed at multiple levels.
I love to watch this type of sci-fi after smoking good weed. I wonder if I am the only one that feels that way.
Scratching my head. What was the actual story? A man in space creates robot that throws him out and heads for earth for domination? A big chunk of story left. Will there be a second part?
5:45 into this video and i have no clue of what's happening. The cinematography is great. Effects and color grading spot on. Plot- what plot.
Sci-fi short - comments by Jan
Beware of spoilers!
Black Sun by Clive Collier
Plot: None. Maybe an allegory. Variance on “what does it mean to be human” slash “computer on a spaceship”. No storytelling, without an obvious structure.
Negatives: 1) No obvious story. Maybe it was an allegory on Milton, ok, but I usually found these movies focused on big questions kinda lame (sorry). Quoting big thoughts / ideas / books does not make a big movie (remember that android in Covenant?). 2) Cuts - fast pacing does have to be perfect, otherwise it just produces chaotic experience.
Positives: 1) you showed that you can produce interesting visuals; 2) you can find interesting locations (if those were also CGI - thumbs up!)
Personal note: It reminded me of Event horizon, which is bad thing
Summary: Maybe it was an allegory, and it obviously finds its fans, but this kind of movies does not work for me. Form over content.
Wow the rendering is incredible.
And the story is shit
very good very atmospheric and CGI brilliant
Wow. That was intense.
I think the girl was...
OK. Seriously.
This is a incredible good multimedia performance. Both video and sound design "layers are extremely well prepared. The Milton part also fits well. Music is a gem.
And this is not for TH-cam. It's for a new gen 3d movie theater / or oculus - space in the meta verse.
Congratulations!
This is the animated embodiment of the phrase "I don't know what your saying, but i like the way you say it!". Beautiful piece of animation but i didn't have a clue what was happening. 🤣🤣
Didn't totally get the whole story but it looks pretty interesting, "the mind can make a hell of heaven and a heaven of hell" Insane
can't wait for part 2
9 minutes cinematic to a video game I ain't gonna play.
It's interesting how so many movies, from aliens to blade runner, that portray computer peripherals as rugged and functional regardless of the conditions in which they are forced to operate. It doesn't seem really accurate, considering how fast cockroaches made quick work of my power supply, infesting it in record time, along with my monitor, modem, and speakers. This would not have been possible with any other bug. The cockroach is a very capable bug and has surely earned my respect.
Has a very Deadspace feel to it. I quite like it and would def enjoy seeing more!
Good god, you just made it a thousand times more scary!
Very Event Horizon, interesting concept but definitely left too much for imagination to fill in the gaps. I enjoyed everything else though. Would be interested to see a complete final version with a complete story.
Every good piece of art leaves space for imagination. Everything explained from a to z is a Hollywood block buster useless crap way of making movies :) my idea was that the AI escaped to the event horizon to gain time, to create the image of itself and pull it's stuff together before going back to earth to meet its parents :p but the beauty is everyone fills the gaps with their own stuff deriving from their own expertises in art literature and life so far in general
Oh and if it reminded me of something the climax would be s lot like Penumbra and Dead Space games
@@piotrcthlu yes, I can understand your viewpoint for sure. I’d like to say that I’m not wishing it to be explained to death or so simple it loses it’s artistic value, I’m saying that it could use some more clarification. Not everyone has an extensive knowledge of Milton or the complex science of time dilation around the event horizon. I also took into account it was a concept film and not a complete film so that is why I said I would like to see the complete story. I think it’s a very interesting idea and has lots of potential to compete the arc and find success. 😀 . It had fantastic effects, some great cinematography and sound design, I just think it could use a little more exposition. The general idea is there, I’d just like a tad more is all. That’s just me personally, too many options and I let my mind wander too much lol.
@@vikinglore1066 Thanks Scaper and I understand and appreciate your point. It was never really intended to be a one off standalone piece but rather a sign post to something bigger. Funnily enough, in the wider story, you don't see the events onboard the mission but its consequences are crucial. Hence why it acts as a 'teaser' in some ways.
@@piotrcthlu Thank you Piotr, very accurate
@@clivecollier1496 thank you for the reply! Yes I can see where that would be critical. I’m afraid I don’t often communicate positive thoughts as well as I do potentially negative stuff. I definitely enjoyed it and I understand it’s part of a larger piece of work and what I should have originally commented was that simply I would love to see more of the story or project. I could have avoided a lot of excess confusion as to what I really meant to convey. I think it has a lot of potential and follow along some of my favorite Sci fi themes and I loved the literature and artistic choices. Looking forward to your work!
A WOW!. This has really captured Milton's hell. One of the very best DUST offerings.
Thanks to all involved.
Right up there with 2001: A Space Odyssey. Stunning, beautiful, and confusing as hell. One thing I try to do with these is to try and think of how it might be received if given the length of a feature movie. Most stories on Dust would be entertaining and thought-provoking. This would be one of those 'cinematic masterpieces' that would get nominations for best visuals or best effects but would leave all but the most hardcore sci-fi and fantasy nuts going 'HUH?'
Awesome 🤩
At least I am not the only one here saying this went over my head to great extent. Very dark noir if that was the intent. But also maybe too much content compressed in too short space. Though spreading that out might be counter intuitive as well.
It felt like a guy was working to upgrade or enhance or maybe create an AI system then lost control of his mind and thus the AI. But I am not sure that is even close to the intent. I will just walk away telling myself this was an atttmpt to show what might happen were AI to absorb the psychosis of the programmer. Which has been done. With greater clarity.
Super creepy and extremely well done. Would love to see more!
Thanks Eric
Love it!
Chaos, a wonderful imagination engine!
Trip! And deep af .
Damn, amazing visuals, but i cant hear the dialogue as background music is too loud.
Thanks for you're work, this can go far.
I experience this a lot on modern films; it's quite annoying.
You know the really good and artistic graffiti that is just a beautiful combination of swooping shapes and vibrant colors but you have absolutely no idea what it says?
That’s this short.
Since nobody is commenting on what they think happened. The AI somehow figured out how to "get out" of whatever constraints were set on it. Evidenced by the computer on earth receiving a signal, then going whacky before displaying the message the AI was saying.
And then at the end the destination says earth, indicating that perhaps they are going to preform a gravity swing around the blackhole to change course without losing any aceleration/velocity. Rather than it appearing to suicide the ship into it like it first appears.
Just guesses to the part 2 continuation.
It says to be continued, and you stated you worked on this for years. Please please please do not take years working on the second part. I'll have forgotten about this already and visually it's stunning.
my theory here: AI in the spaceship causes the lose of the contact with the base. The person in the spaceship is in some kind of trap in the different reality by AI, questioning the existence.
The narrative has what is necessary, it just doesn’t have enough of it. Bring on more!
That's top shelf, WOW! Truely, I love those short films that hides an hour and 30 minutes of viewing pleasure, as you have to play it at least 9 times to catch most of the twists and turns in the plot. (the 10th time is a bonus run)
care to explain to the rest of us?
@@flowinsounds The genius in an outstanding piece of art is about the width range of possible different interpretations that it generates from people exposed to it. The wider the spectrum of emotional reactions is, the more you realize you've watched something very special and unique. The opening scene gives a good clue about what you're about to watch and experience. We are so used to perfectly defined scripts that goes from point A to point B in a straight and mostly predictable story line than when we face something like this, all our usual markers and boundaries turns useless, and you may enjoy it or not.
@@Stoik123 once an artist pooped and framed it. same story.
@@flowinsounds I presume you like a good story line? I'm forced to admit this movie is not that obvious at it. The illusion of organizing the chaos, doing our best to make it predictable, understandable and reassuring will lead us to our loss. Enjoy the world as you think you know it while it last. 🙂
@@Stoik123 so you can't explain it. gotcha
"Great visuals but not sure what is going on" = Dust/Alter fans can never leave a bad review even when they are warranted.
This movie could match to an infinite number of plots. It doesn't exprime a specific idea, it is very ambiguous. It doesn't build up tension, watching it I was just waiting something interesting to happen. It didn't.
Nice! Intrigued to see more!
Well Done ! One might want to understand more, but in life we usually don't get to understand more either ?
It's gorgeous, but I admit I have no idea what it's about. I'll check out comments about the meaning, but it's very interesting visuals!
New level of solitudine
very cool visuals and background score. looking forward for the next part.
really nice visuals and soundtrack but its prett confusing like theres not start middle end
This was very creative, visuals and audio were really beautiful and crafted with the heart. But the plot was impossible to tell, if you didn't read the description 😐 I'd love to see a longer version of this movie with a more developed storyline
Nicely done. As others are indicating, it would have been fun to know what the back-story was to all this.
This was an incredibly well made video visually, absolutely stunning - I understood the general storyline from the synopsis provided above. The entire dark atmospheric mood and the references to Milton's Paradise Lost really give a great depth to the narrative - special effects were incredible. Definitely reminds me of "Sunshine", " Event Horizon" and "2001: A Space Odyssey" rolled into one and the visuals were as good as a big budget studio movie.
But the average person wouldn't get it . So it would bomb!
WOW! 👏👏👏👏👏
Congratulations dust for sharing this idealisms
Absolutely incredible. Beautiful & scary in equal measure. One of the best Dust films so far imo. Literally awesome 🖤
Experimental genre, or feels like it. I get the feeling there's more going on underneath than it may seem. Excellent production value but not really sure what's happening.
quiet disturbing but good, however this tend to be one of the best films created by Dust
First time a second watch actually should be a prerequisite. Visually outstanding. Definite Sunshine / Event Horizon vibe for me. It was really quite interesting that the AI was going to destroy itself inside the black hole only at the last minute to choose life. And it running its corporal hand over the paradise lost which should be part of its experience digitally added an interesting layer.
ooh yeah Event Horizon vibes for me too. Stupid AI took the book it was studying and came out to a weird conclusion - better to reign in Hell - not megalomaniac at all :/
But surely it wouldn't have some form of appreciation for an actual paper novel? It could read any and all books in a nanosecond digitally.
@@buggerlugz6753 True but I imagine it takes rather a long time to build yourself a humanoid body without the assistance of a human crew, especially if you were not originally designed to do so. That's some learning curve even for an AI.
The sound work is amazing. Vocals, background noise, so good. That's first thing that came to my mind, graphics is very good as well. All in all loved it
Thank you Piotr
This was amazing!!!
wow. like a snippet of a much darker 2001: A Space Oddyssey w/HAL and starshild fused. I want to see the whole move.
Nice visuals and sounds!!!!
MORE PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, this looks like some kind of a collage of audio and visuals without any meaning and sense. Something meant to look and sound spectacular, and that's it. It's art without a soul - or a piece showing how empty something spectacular can be when there is no story-telling in the story.
This gave just enough context to keep me interested, even though we clearly need to see more to understand fully! 👍🏿
Abstract experience, plenty of room for interpretation, good job.
Very clever. Loved it.
Great concept, but HARD TO HEAR THE WORDS! Even closed captioning could only interpret half of it...please clear up the voice...thank you!
Very good..pretty creepy and sent shivers down my back. Love to see more of your work
Very Awesome Film !!!!!!!!!!!!
The poem was beautiful.
Sorry could not follow along...to fast to process that the heck was happening...true it is me but still what the heck was this about?? DVD:)
The path found back from isolation is not always the most palatable for those who did the isolation.
Intriguing and terrifying. It feels like an AI-version of a grim dark universe.
Beautiful to watch, very nicely done CGI . . . but there are too many holes in the story to really feel engaged. Maybe that's the intent, to have this entire experience in a mysterious mist of uncertainty. Starship, approaching a black hole, but turns back at the last moment, an aging, decrepit ground control station back on Earth, an existential crisis on board the craft, the remaining human on board aborts himself out into space . . . and an AI deeply immersed into philosophical conundrums. The "story" can be anything the imagination wants it to be.
Stunning work
I yearn for part 2 - friend or foe, lets see shall we?
Wow. 😶 Such an original and thought provoking concept. VFX were typically way over the top and somewhat distracting from the story. Definitely would like to see more. 👍👍
whitch story?
Masterful
2001 : A Space Odessy collides with Event Horizon and meets John Milton ... I’m a fan of all three. Stunning concepts/visuals/animation and audio. Definition of a teaser.
Edit : ‘Spose we should be grateful that the A.I. wasn’t a fan of the works of the Marquis de Sade.
That would make a great trailer!
Very exciting start up
Woah, this is intense !
I suspect most people will miss the subtleties in this one and be asking for answers without watching it again, one viewing is not enough !
There was so much crammed into this very short film, incredible imagery, superb story and great pacing, I'm so glad there will be a part 2 !
I watched over half the video but the constant cuts and scenes that lasted only seconds in endless succession made it confusing and unwatchable for me. Maybe OK for a 30 second commercial (IMO 9 minutes was too much teasing) or a video to keep someone with ADHD engaged. But it just gave me a headache. Based on what I saw, it had some great visuals and a lot of potential for a film with fleshed out scenes, background, and context.
My take away from watching this is that there was some glitch in the system and a new creation was born. Part man and part light being. If humans no longer need to consume food for energy than what type of human would that look like if the new creation only need dark matter? Any ways, I loved the visuals and the production. I say move forward because it has all of us thinking.
I want more of this story
Great audio & video effects . A bit dark , & a fragmented story line . An AI learning , then an accidental course change too close to a black hole , resulting in the death of the rest of the human crew . Why the suicide , course change , & crew deaths ? So the ship survives , & the AI evolves . Is that the theme & the main character is the AI ? Although new & intriguing , it has an Event Horizon / 2001 feel to it . I would love to see more , Clive . Perhaps a little more backstory on the mission purpose , the human characters , & an overall plot , that can twist any way you like , as long as we "humans" can follow it . Milton sends it . You obviously have all of the elements for a great story , just some blanks to fill in for the story to flow . Nice job , can't wait to see more !
that was beautiful...
More please. I think you've done a wonderful job at this. Have a great day. 😊👍👍👍
🐼 Big Bear Hugs from a 68 yr old grandma in Kirby, Texas, USA 🐼 ❤ 🎀 ❤ 🎀