Video: “I’m afraid I can’t lower the temperature, Dave.”
Still: Space Oddity Films via YouTube
Space Oddity Films and Eko recently released a short interactive film called Cool, where viewers take on the role of a smart thermostat that’s part detective, part Peeping Tom, and all creepazoid. Written and directed by Alex J. Mann, the short dives into the fear of what smart technology is capable of, while feeling like a mix between 2001: A Space Odyssey and Paranormal Activity… with the acting talent leaning heavily on the latter.
Cool plays out like a Choose Your Own Adventure book, where the thermostat’s actions influence what happens to homeowners Dave and Kira, whose relationship seems to have some problems (not least of which being that Dave is an arsehole). It all starts with the viewer choosing whether to side with Dave, who wants the house cooler, or Kira, who’d like to heat things up. I won’t spoil what happens, but let’s say there’s a small chance that something will end up on fire. You can check out the interactive short below.
[Eko]