Meet the team

Max

Leeming

Producer / Director

Advertising doccumentarian and short film Assistant Director.

Katie

johnson

producer /

Editor

Short film producer and editor for social action projects.

Ateeb

Malik

Director of

Photography

Short film and advertising DofP with a strong technical background, including Arri and Sony cameras.

Rachael

Walsh

1st Assistant

Director

A Talented AD with a keen focus on production management and an expert in keeping a production on time!

Lucian

Dean

Production Designer

Art Director of “Mercenary”

Working several on upcoming short films.

Adam

Berry

Sound operator

Highly trained sound operator mentored by Industry Veteran Peter Wobser.

Introduction

”The Empathy Box”was inspired by the opening chapter of the world-renowned “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep” by visionary science fiction author Philip K. Dick.

The book (which inspired the1982 movie “Blade Runner”)

featured a machine called the ‘Penfeld Emotion Organ’ which allowed people to dial up emotions such as a “six-hour self-accusatory depression”. I thought this idea was fascinating and it was a shame it didn’t make it into the movie - this detail was a wonderful piece of worldbuilding!

I thought the idea of a machine that you could use to control and manipulate your emotions would be a fascinating idea to explore, it would allow people to control their emotions and when we discussed the concept we developed the idea further, trying to have a unique sense of worldbuilding separate from “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep”

The Empathy

Box

Emily discovers that her husband has been secretly injecting her with happiness in an attempt to save their failing marriage.

In a dystopian future where emotions are up for sale, Emily grapples with post-partum depression and failing marriage. Mark's desperate attempt to save their relationship takes a dark turn when he is caught installing happiness in Emily's 'Empathy Box.' Emily discovers his act of emotional manipulation, sparking a confrontation that challenges the foundations of their “idyllic” relationship, autonomy, and the true cost of artificial happiness. After hearing the cries of their infant child, they both consume the final vials, leaving them in a wreckage of artificial smiles, questioning the authenticity of their emotions and the price they've paid for a semblance of happiness.

Emily

Emily is battling with her failing marriage and postpartum depression she works a job like nursing or paramedicine. She has fallen out of love with her partner, Mark, Who works a string of dead-end job. they both earn a pittance and are deeply in debt.

Emily makes an attempt to be put together, but you can tell by her chipped black fingernails that she bites them a lot that times are very tough for her.

She wears a blouse for work which is similarly creased.

For bed, she wears a white (but yellowing) tank top and gray bottoms.

Mark

Frustrated with his wife's mental health struggles, he decides to dope her with happiness to short-cut the healing process.

He works a string of dead-end jobs because he cannot find work anywhere else and the couple have to afford to make ends meet and pay back their ever-mounting debts. He is trying to keep Emily with him by any means, resorting to tampering with her Empathy Box at night to keep her happy.

Mark wears a shirt and tie, his shirt is un-ironed and dirty.

To sleep, Mark wears grey pyjamas, his face is stubbly and unwashed.

Buster Friendly

‘The Empathy Box' is a versatile project with broad appeal, captivating science fiction fans with its immersive narrative and heartfelt storytelling. Simultaneously, its exploration of human relationships and its unique premise make it equally enticing for lovers of social dramas. The project's unique blend of speculative fiction and cerebral storytelling positions it as an attractive choice for those seeking conceptual pieces that challenge conventional norms. In essence, 'The Empathy Box' promises to resonate with a diverse audience, spanning science fiction enthusiasts, fans of social dramas, and those intrigued by innovative storytelling

The film is inspired by movies like Blade Runner, Don’t Worry Darling, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Equilibrium and Black Mirror.

Poised to participate in such festivals as:

‘SCI FI London” | “Sci-FI & Fantasy: Pinewood” |

Dreamers of Dreams | Bolton Film Festival | Lytham Film Festival | Manchester Film Festival | The North-west Flying Saucer Festival |

WE NEED FUNDING!

We expect to need between £700 and £1,000 for this project, with the majority of it going towards production design and locations.

Building the world adequately requires a high density of detail and the art department will be required to construct many small vials of emotions as well as build ‘empathy boxes’ that can attach to the talents arm.

I also intend to pay an honouraraium to attract talent to my film, allowing me to cast an ‘Emily’ that will embody the role, giving a strong performance.

To do this I will do a crowdfunding campaign to raise some capital for the picture, as well as provide some of the budget myself.

Promotion Strategy