Writing Doom: Award-Winning AI Short Film (2024)

Writing Doom is a fiction short film about the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI).

Grand Prize Winner - Future of Life Institute's Superintelligence Imagined Contest
https://futureoflife.org/project/superintelligence-imagined

A writing team are given the task of making Artificial Superintelligence the 'bad guy' for the next season of their TV show. With the help of a newcomer to the team (a Machine Learning PhD), they must figure out how and why an ASI might function as an antagonist - and the threat it might pose to humanity.

To find out more about AI:
https://futureoflife.org/resource/introductory-resources-on-ai-risks/

Written & directed by Suzy Shepherd https://suzyshepherd.co.uk

Cast:
Max - Adam Lloyd-James
Jerry - Mike Kelson
Gail - Amantha Edmead
Anders - Aleksander Varadian
Mimi - Imogen Westwood Flood
Producer - Esmee Cook

Crew:
Director of Photography - Richard Allen
Gaffer - Wil Thong
First assistant camera - Jamie Evans
Sound recordist - David Head
Make up - Holly-Rose Tomlinson
Runner - Sebastien Fletcher-Biddle
Editor - Suzy Shepherd

Scientific Advisors:
Samuel F. Brown
Isaac Dunn

With thanks to Eliezer Yudkowsky, whose words, arguments, and explanations I drew upon heavily while writing the script.

Festival awards:

GRAND PRIX: SHORT FILM at the Director Talents Movie Awards 2024/5
https://newdirectorawards.com/winners1/202425

BEST DIRECTOR (Long Short Category) at the AltFF Alternative Film Festival
https://www.instagram.com/alternativefilmfestival/p/DH1H5lBPTSF/

HONORABLE MENTION at the AI International Film Festival 2025
https://aifilmfest.org/


Media mentions:

https://www.fastcompany.com/91261513/us-government-tiktok-ban-ai

https://www.wokewaves.com/posts/watch-writing-doom-short-film-ai-superintelligence