Date: July 19 2020
Dear Filmmakers,
Before this message, we were silent observers of the old world's paradigm sinking and disappearing for ever and awaiting what and when will come next.
Change occurs when two conditions are met: first, when “anomalies” and/or "vulnerabilities" contradict the dominant paradigm, and second, when a new alternative social model (or new paradigm) gives evidence, highlights and then validates the existing gap, lack and crack of the whole social architecture of the dominant paradigm.
What kind of new paradigm will best fit this complex turbolent age ?
After many months of "Lockdown", it was to time to take action.
We all know now how vulnerable and fragile our complex society is.
This virus attack showed all the vulnerabilities of our society.
The new millennium entered today and not in year 2000.
The adaption of this millennium shift, required 20 years of configuration and settings.
Everything was happening silently and then suddenly emerged.
We are living times of great stress and uncertainty. These are times showing that the activities we’re doing are in its most critical level. Everything changed instantly and has been swepted away. We would like to understand quickly what really happened and where we are going to, but it seems that there is still a blurred vision of the future worldwide.
Inside our film festival, we’ve changed (and still adapting) our creative value chain, and other third party processes to give priority to what we think is vital in our core activities, but everything time we finish , we have to restart again.
Now more than ever, we must do the right things and be prepared to take steps beyond what we’re typically required to do.
It is not a short term change, but this change requires much more time than expected.
You can not change 1000 years in one day.
This transition requires not only years, but decades to become effective and perfectly fit and match our complex society.
We often face various challenges in our daily lives, but we have to learn how to embrace struggle and to carve out learnings in the midst of chaos.
We have to be ready for change in every moment of our day.
It seems to be a "Universe Loop", much more than a "Moving Target".
On the second semester of 2019, we were working on an experimental entertainment cab, to avoid wearing a helmet, where users were able to live a full immersive interactive entertainment experience.
The project was designed for 4 seats, but after Covid19 we had to adapt it only for 1 seat.
On the second semester of 2019 we were also working on an experimental mobile shooting camera (something similar to a 6 legged robot with all kind of sensors like cam vision and microphone) to be used in extreme hostile environments.
We never thought it was going to be used in our neighbourhood during a "Lockdown".
With great surprise this unmanned automated vehicle, during "Covid19 LockDown", while humans were locked inside their rooms, was an extremely great success and attracted the interest of many worldwide main players.
I’m really grateful for the messages you are sending and posting on socials. I’ve received hundreds of emails from filmmakers and seen posts on social media thanking you all. Your care and interest have been noticed at all levels and by everyone.
Experts predict things are going to get worse before they get better.
I hope this time they are wrong.
On autumn 2020 we will not be yet far away from this deep economic crisis.
Our team is deeply focused on COVID-19 and on how we can handle this transition in the best way. Our hearts and thoughts go out there to everyone around the world who has been impacted by COVID-19. Last year (2019), the world was a different place, with no global pandemic on the horizon.
Now, we are all monitoring the rapidly changing and unpredictable situation (crossing our fingers).
We simply forgot that the world is now and always has been dominated by the smallest entities like bacteria and virus.
Maybe human specie domination on Earth is ending.
We don’t know about humans, but insects are going to love it when the Earth gets hotter in the coming years.
Insects evolved to be so tough and adaptable that they survived several mass extinctions.
And insects, particularly the so-called “social insects” appear to be logical successors to humanity.
Also the smallest entities like virus are struggling to become the next rulers on Earth.
Evolution is some kind of intelligence and leads any kind of specie only for higher survival and reproductive success.
This is the first time human kind is facing such a terrible apocalyspe like this.
I know this causes stress for everyone. Everyone is still astonished of what happened and nobody could ever immagine that this was able to happen.
But being creative and well informed is the best antidote to panic.
These our times to take care of our local communities.
In such bad times, there is always time to dream and space left to immagine.
For this reason entertainment becomes vital for our soul and mind.
And these our times to rethink about a new kind of entertainment for the new millennium.
There should be an alternative to boring online virtual film festivals.
We don't want to become an online virtual film festival.
I personally do not believe that online virtual film festival is the only alternative to Covid19.
Before Covid19, we were working on an entertainment project.
In 2019 we already designed and built an user centric prototype for immersive interactive entertainment called the "Dream Machine".
The Dream Machine is not only a mobile entertainment cab unit, but it is much more.
We were lucky to dare and think about a new kind of mobile entertainment cab unit.
We will soon publish the link.
Unfortunately "Social Machinery Film Festival" is still freezed and suspended in its original and traditional format.
Our team can not go anywhere around the world.
Screenings are really difficult to organize, owing to the fact regarding the social distances and many other Government rules and laws.
We will gather again our worldwide team and try to finish the missing stages of the edition 2019.
But we will soon be back with a new disruptive concept of entertainment.
A new concept of entertainment far away as you ever immagined since today.
Take care, be safe and aware
Joseph Caristena
Art Director
Social Machinery Film Festival
