The Artifice is becoming quite a phenomenon. The Facebook fan page is as spares and mysterious as all communication about the project. The only post on the page is a teaser trailer from October 5th last year. Still, The Artifice has over 3.5 million fans. People are obviously intrigued, but what is the Artifice really?
The Facebook fan page tags The Artifice as a movie, a virtual world, and a unique point of view. More mystery. A few tidbits of information is available about the project though. It is clear that The Artifice is a feature length movie, that was set to be released late in January this year. The release date has since been pushed back to May 5th (apparently due to beta testing if you believe the Facebook page). One source claims that the film makers have revealed that the movie is a psychological drama. The movie explores deeper consciousness through everyday and mundane settings and events.
The official synopsis for the movie supports this and gives a little extra information:
“Imagine if you had the ability to see every tiny connection, every movement, every decision, every concept, and every consequence. Would you embrace this gift or try to hide it would you be able to use it without effect or would this knowledge change your life forever?
The Artifice aims to explore the subject of a deeper awareness through characters and situations that we see in everyday life. Its not about intergalactic space travel, lost civilisations, or people from the future. Its about us; who we are, who we have and always will be; The Artifice is now.”
The movie is being produced by Fortune Frames, a small independent film company based in Coventry, England. According to their website, Fortune Frames focus on micro budget movies that are entertaining and though provoking at the same time. With the Artifice the company is exploring the recent developments in microfinancing and crowd sourcing to create a collaborative movie where the audience is asked to help finance the studio.
To give a taste of the style and themes of the movie, a teaser trailer is available online. While the footage is not taken from the movie, it is meant to give an indication of the style and themes of the film. The trailer shows a young man in a hospital looking up at a doctor and a nurse. As the heart monitor flat lines time freezes and the man gets up from the bed and starts walking around the hospital. Everything is frozen in mid air indicating that the scene is happening on a different level of consciousness outside of regular time and space.
The main focus of the project seems to be in connections. How seemingly small and irrelevant events are all inter connected and equally important in linking us all together. Reading the website of the production company, these kinds of connections are at the core of their mission. This probably gives a strong indication of what to expect from the Facebook game that is rumored to follow the release of the movie.
Facebook is ultimately a platform for creating connections, and the Artifice game will likely revolve around this fact. Tagged as a virtual world it is fair to guess that the Artifice on Facebook will explore ways to connect friends and friends of friends into the game experience. With the somewhat abstract concept of the movie, the Facebook game can turn out a number of ways. It is even possible that the Facebook hype and internet buzz is all just part of a clever advertising plan.
No matter what the Artifice turns out to be it is clear that the makers have succeeded in creating a viral phenomenon. With millions of people following the project through social networks, and intriguing teaser material Fortune Frames has done everything right in generating interest for their project.
Sources:
http://www.ftframes.com/
http://www.facebook.com/theartifice
http://www.rantrave.com/Rave/What-is-The-Artifice.aspx
