Experience 'Nina Unlocked' The Inaugural Web Series By New Sci-Fi Video Platform Recursor.TV

Nina Unlocked is an original web series from new sci-fi video platform Recursor.TV.

The series follows Nina (portrayed by YouTube star Lana McKissack), a sophisticated android - and former assassin - suffering from massive memory loss.

Nina embarks on a journey of self-discovery, interviewing experts in numerous disciplines including psychology, law, filmmaking, and robotics, in order to determine her true purpose.

Written and produced by Recursor.TV CEO E.J. Kavounas, the themes of Nina Unlocked are heavily influenced by sci-fi projects such as the re-imagined Battlestar Galactica, and the motion picture Her.

The visual effects are terrific, especially Nina's exquisite design, which recalls the elegant, ethereal beauty of the android from the film Ex Machina.

The script possesses extremely sharp humor and wit, skillfully expressed through McKissack's wonderful performance as Nina.

Episodes of the series are now available for viewing on Recursor.TV: Nina Unlocked On Recursor.TV

Nina Unlocked is a smart, darkly funny web series that heralds the arrival of Recursor.TV, a video platform dedicated to showcasing exceptional, provocative, and engaging indie sci-fi films fans of the genre will love.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

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Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: ZELOS

Zelos is the provocative sci-fi short film commissioned by  KQED'S Film School Shorts to open its fourth season.

Directed by Thoranna Sigurdardottir, Zelos tells the story of Maria (Erica Piccininni), a woman who appears to have a modern storybook life - devoted husband Mordecai (Michael Ornstein), two exuberant children, and a showplace home.

However, she is feeling overwhelmed by the demands of her personal and professional life, as well the unspoken competition she is engaged in with Ari (Brooke Nevin), a beautiful colleague.

Desperate, Maria decides to purchase an exact genetic clone of herself to help her manage her many responsibilities. She thinks she has found the perfect solution to her problems  - until she realizes she has enabled a nearly perfect rival.

Watch Zelos here (Please note the film contains mature themes and subject matter. It may not be suitable for all viewers)  ...

Like sci-fi series Humans, Black Mirror and Westworld, Zelos shines a scathing light on our increasingly fraught relationship with our technology.

In our quest to "do and have it all," we have turned to revolutionary connective technologies such as smartphones, social media, The Internet Of Things and A.I. virtual assistants to help us achieve the holy grail of optimum productivity.

Despite the promises of greater connection, efficiency and personal freedom made by these technologies, many of us find ourselves ironically feeling more disconnected and over-extended than ever before.

Sci-fi narratives like Zelos are cautionary tales, warning us against the folly of depending on technology alone to foster the connection and complex relationships we need to sustain us.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

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Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: Darkwave - Edge Of The Storm

Darkwave: Edge Of The Storm is an example of a sci-fi short film so well-produced, not adapting it into a full-length feature or series would be criminal.

Set 100 years in the future, humanity has begun expanding out into the stars.

On distant planet New Earth-72, Sarah (Nathalie Cox), her husband David (Robin Kirwan), along with their young son Ben (Ben Shahin-Scales), are on the run, fugitives from their government.

During their flight, they stumble upon a defunct communications installation. There, they discover long-held secrets that threaten to alter the course of human history.

Darkwave: Edge Of The Storm boasts exceptional production on every level.

For example, the cinematography and visual effects feel truly cinematic.  They help lend the film a grand sense of scope.

The actors are wonderful too. Their chemistry together feels natural and organic. You soon come to care for this family, and their fate.

The short also features veteran character actor Shane Rimmer (Dr. Strangelove, Batman Begins) in a cameo as Ben's maternal grandfather Captain Anderson.

Watch Darkwave: Edge Of The Storm here ...

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Horror Short Film Spotlight: 'The Best Of Intentions' - A Father's Vengeful Plan Has Dreadful Consequences

For me, the best horror tales do not involve gratuitous amounts of blood, guts, and gore. Instead, I prefer horror stories that delve into the darkest crevices of the human psyche.

While ghosts, zombies, vampires, and other ghouls that go bump in the night can make for a creepy yarn, nothing compares to the terror inspired by the dark impulses of human beings.

A prime example of this more psychological brand of horror is the Swedish short The Best of Intentions.

This unsettling film is reminiscent of classic psycho-thrillers by the iconic "master of suspense," Alfred Hitchcock.

The short tells the story of  Kjell (starring famed Swedish actor Per Ragnar), a man who believes his disabled daughter is being sexually abused in her assisted care facility by her attendant Jocke (portrayed by Emil T. Jonsson, who also directed).

Furious, Kjell has a dire confrontation with Jocke about his daughter. 

From the first moment Ragnar appears onscreen as Kjell, you sense something is very amiss.  He radiates cold rage and menace that is boiling just beneath the surface of his dignified demeanor.

Jocke notices Kjell's hostility  towards him immediately, which causes the tension between the two men to gradually thicken until it engulfs them like a shroud.

Like a coiled cobra about to strike, you know something terrible and violent will happen.

To reveal more specifics would spoil the plot, but Jonsson manages to masterfully build nail-biting suspense by means of body language and dialogue alone.

When Kjell enacts a chilling plan of revenge, its tragic consequence will haunt him - and you the viewer.

Watch The Best Of Intentions in its entirety below ...

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: 'Try Catch Throw' - A Scientist Must Be Prevented From Making A Discovery That Could End The Universe

Commissioned by science journal NATURE as part of its celebration of both the 150 years since the birth of author H. G. Wells, and Star Trek's 50th Anniversary, Try Catch Throw is a intriguing sci-fi motion comic.

Written by Andrew Neil Gray, Try Catch Throw tells the story of Marielle, a woman desperate to prevent her computer scientist lover from discovering a secret that could spell the end of the universe.

To aid her quest, Marielle has been given the ability to "reset" time by highly advanced aliens. Frantic, she travels back in time to multiple periods during the course of her courtship, enacting changes that irrevocably alter her timeline, but not her boyfriend's obsession with his reality-shattering hypothesis.

In her final timeline jump that sees the birth of her beloved child, Marielle can not risk another reset, or she will lose her daughter forever.

Out of options, she makes a fateful choice.

Watch the complete motion comic here ...

Nature has also made the motion comic freely available as a digital graphic novel.  Click here to download.

Try Catch Throw is reminiscent of the most compelling episodes of the sci-fi tv classic The Twilight Zone.  

Author Andrew Neil Gray has crafted a story with a heady premise, but grounds it by framing it within an affecting human dilemma.

The artwork and illustrations by Chris Malbon are vivid and highly detailed, with a slight touch of the surreal - a perfect complement to this gripping tale.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: GEAR - A Brave Young Girl Rescues Her Robotic Ally

Set in the back alleys of a near-future metropolis, GEAR is the story of a young street urchin named Mazzy (Charlotte A. White), who embarks on a personal mission to save her only ally - a construction robot named Three.

Written and directed by Kevin R. Adams & Joe Ksander, this sci-fi action short features a mysterious, troubled, highly intelligent, and charismatic teen girl cut from the same cloth as Firefly's River Tam and Dark Matter's Five.

As the short opens, we witness how Mazzy survives out on her own - by pick-pocketing and committing petty theft. 

However, it quickly becomes apparent the young girl is not on a random mini-crime spree, but is actually enacting a brave plan to free her robotic friend from enslavement by a sinister cabal.

Charlotte A. White is completely mesmerizing as Mazzy.  As soon as she appears on screen, you will want to root for this young girl.

White gives a winning performance due to the charisma, intelligence, fire, and raw determination she infuses into her portrayal of Mazzy.

The script by Kevin R. Adams and Joe Ksander immediately pulls you into the story by creating a real sense of intrigue about Mazzy, her robotic companion, and the world they all inhabit.

This is quite an impressive feat given the short film's runtime is just under eight minutes.

Also of note, the short's visual effects are extremely well done. In fact, the cityscapes are very reminiscent of the visuals created in the underrated Steven Spielberg sci-fi thriller Minority Report.

Watch GEAR in its entirety below ...

GEAR is so well done, it left me wanting to know more about young Mazzy and her fascinating world - whether it be in the form of more shorts, a full-length feature, or a series.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

How Star Wars Inspired a New Generation of Fan Content - By Guest Blogger Cassie Phillips

When you think of the classics, only a certain type of person would place Star Wars in that canon without some qualifiers. That type of person used to be overwhelming male, white and a genius (maybe in disguise). Yet now that type of person is no longer necessarily the Chosen One. People in general are falling in line with the seers of the past. The times are most certainly changing.  

From increasing diversity to getting to use great new technology, the fan demographic of Star Wars is changing, growing and creating a strong output of great fan content that only keeps getting better.  

It Reaches New Demographics

For the latest installment of Star Wars, there’s no doubt that Finn is one of the most dynamic new characters on screen, but the presence of Rey as the series protagonist overshadows even his bubbly personality, and it’s shown in an upcrop of female-made fan content. Blogs like FANgirl Blog are taking the Star Wars ideas with a touch of estrogen, and more female writers like Sarah Dempster are flying their Star Wars flag high. While Star Wars “girl power” is not totally new (Princess Leia), it is now geared for delivering the fan take on a new audience. 

It’s also reaching a more international crowd. When Star Wars first premiered back in the 70s, it was banned in China. Now it’s one of the most popular movie franchises of all time. That’s due to the globalized economy and international share tactics. Additionally, streaming services and digital distribution, sometimes combined with clever technology such as Virtual Private Networks, have allowed content to pass international boundaries. 

How is that turning into new fan content? For one German director, Shawn Bu, the global outreach of the films led his imagination to run wild and to create Darth Maul: Apprentice, which is one of the best fan films ever made.

It means the story is reaching new minds across the globe, and they’re using the foundation work of the films to create great new projects to show off their fan-made skills.     

There Are New Gamechangers.

Star Wars fan content has always been amazingly advanced—check out the characterization, impressive visual effects, and invested story of KARA as an example—and that was helped in many ways by Lucas’s frank openness with the idea of fan fiction and fan films. Given the number of great pieces of art being created, be it the major key remake of the Imperial March, or a huge compilation film of the complete The Empire Strikes Back made entirely by fans, it’s safe to say that this is one prolific genre.

Star Wars Help Desk is a clever behind-the-scenes look at inner Empire workings through a help desk clone, but it’s really things like Sea Wars, a film created by the United States Air Force, that show how fans were not just inspired by the release of the full movie, but the initial trailers. It also illustrates the fact that big names are honing in.

While some say these films were even better than Lucas, we won’t weigh in on that count yet. Let’s just keep our fingers crossed that Disney doesn’t decide to reverse the creative flow, and keep on reading the more than 45,000 Star Wars titles on Fanfiction.net. 

Emerging Technology

For Star Wars fans, those dreams are already becoming a reality. From speeder bikes to laser cannons, the world of Star Wars is encroaching on our current world because fans have taken their skill to turn fantasy into reality.

My personal favorite is the life size AT ST Walker that looks just too good to be true, but amazingly isn’t.   

Fans with expendable time and income are in the workshop building replicas, participating in the Star Wars Fan Film Awards, and getting inspired to create by gadgets from the new movies. We have new bots, lightsabers, and hovercraft, and it all comes down to creating this realized universe in its entirety. 

Progressive ideas, technology and new voices have taken Star Wars from something of the past and catapulted it into the future, which for diehard devotees and new fans alike is something of a dream come true. 

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About the Author: Cassie Phillips is a culture writer and entertainment junkie. Her Star Wars love knows no bounds and is followed closely by her obsessions with Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter. 

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In The SF&F Web Series INHUMAN CONDITION - Three Paranormal Beings And Their Therapist Explore The Human Condition

One of my biggest frustrations in my work is the prevalent misconception that web series lack the quality, value, and legitimacy of other entertainment media.

So when exceptional projects like KindaTV's science fiction web series INHUMAN CONDITION debuts, my faith is renewed in the medium's prospects for gaining the respect, attention, and consideration it deserves.

Created and written by RJ Lackie, INHUMAN CONDITION is a serialized supernatural drama set in an alternate world where werewolves, zombies, vampires, and other paranormal beings not only exist, but are also known by the general public.  

Because of the world's knowledge of their existence, the paranormal community is ostracized - with many of its members opting to remain closeted.

The web series centers on Dr. Michelle Kessler (Torri Higginson, Stargate Atlantis), an accomplished therapist who is treating the psychological traumas of three paranormal beings:

• Tamar (Cara Gee) An emotionally fragile young woman whose mysterious powers pose a danger to the world around her

• Clara (Clara Pasieka) A alienated girl who is coping with her inexorable transformation into a  zombie

• Linc (Thomas Olajide) An enraged, cynical werewolf fighting against the systemic oppression of his people by any means necessary

As Dr. Kessler attempts to help each of her patients gain emotional stability by exploring the fraught nature of the human condition, she also must come to terms with her own complicated personal history.

Personal danger is another very real threat to the doctor, as she often finds herself in the crosshairs between her patients' unpredictable natures and the consternation of the society they all live in.

Altogether, INHUMAN CONDITION is a singular viewing experience.  

The bulk of the series is comprised of therapy sessions between Dr. Kessler and her patients. These scenes are where the show really shines due to extraordinary writing by Lackie, combined with brilliant cast performances.

Torri Higginson exudes empathy, compassion, keen intelligence, and vulnerability as the dedicated Dr. Kessler.

Thomas Olajide gives a winning performance as the fiery Linc, a werewolf who is desperately seeking a hopeful future for his people and himself.

Clara Pasieka infuses her character of Clara Walker with a despondent restlessness that is fascinating to watch.

Cara Gee is a revelation. Her performance is both captivating and heartbreaking as the demure, tormented Tamar.

Among the other notable cast members is Robin Dunne (Sanctuary, After). A genre favorite, Dunne delivers as Tamar's caring handler Graham - a man whose growing feelings for his charge could prove devastating to the world.

Watch actor Cara Gee (Tamar) reveal what attracted her to the series:

See the intriguing series trailer ...

View the pilot episode of INHUMAN CONDITION here ...

All current episodes of the web series are available for viewing on its official home on YouTube.

Elevated by superb acting, direction, writing, and overall production value, INHUMAN CONDITION exemplifies the kind of riveting storytelling possible with web series.

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Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: A DROP - A Man Dives Into The Unknown To Escape A Forsaken Megalopolis

A solitary unnamed man (Alex Winters) in the heart of an immense, ruined, and forsaken megalopolis, stands on the ledge of a skyscraper that stretches miles into the sky.

He drops from atop the tower, and falls through a dizzying, dazzling panorama of surreal imagery into the realm of the unknown.

Has the man discovered a hidden portal that offers an escape from his devastated and abandoned metropolis?

Maybe it is a figment of his imagination - a way for his mind to achieve release from unimaginable loneliness and despair?

Or is his dive an act of suicide? 

The sci-fi short film a DROP does not offer any concrete answers. Instead, the events depicted are intentionally left open to your interpretation.

Watch a DROP here ...

What filmmaker Julien Vanhoenacker achieves with a DROP is a compelling dialogue-free narrative that possesses a surprisingly affecting emotional arc.

An arc made possible by Vanhoenacker's vision and adroit use of magnificent visual and CGI effects.

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: The 6th World - A Navajo Astronaut Struggles To Save Her Mission To Mars

Here at The 7th Matrix, we are huge proponents of speculative fiction told from the perspectives of marginalized voices.

Narratives from diverse storytellers often possess a richness, depth, and complexity that make stories extremely compelling and dynamic.

The sci-fi short The 6th World is a prime example.

Written and co-produced by Nanobah Becker, The 6th World is part of FUTURESTATES, an initiative of the Independent Television Service (ITVS) that produces narrative short films depicting futures shaped by current social issues.

The short opens aboard a spaceship headed to Mars crewed by Navajo astronaut Commander Tazbah Redhouse (Jeneda Benally), and scientist Dr. Smith (Luis Lopez Aldana).

The night before her mission launches, Commander Redhouse has a disturbing premonition that proves fateful when the mission suffers a critical systems failure en route to the red planet.

Ultimately, Redhouse must rely on her training as well as the traditions of her people to ensure the survival of the mission.

Watch The 6th World in its entirety here ...

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

Sci-Fi Short Film Spotlight: EMPSILLNES - An Award Winning Animated Space Saga By Jakub Grygier

Taking over four years to make, Jakub Grygier's sci-fi short film EMPSILLNES is an extraordinary achievement.

The moment the short begins, it becomes clear why it has won awards and accolades. Grygier combines CGI and 3D animation to glorious effect.

EMPSILLNES is GORGEOUS, and its images invoke the beauty and grandeur of our solar system. 

The short's look and narrative is heavily influenced by iconic movies about space such as 2001: A Space Odyssey, Sunshine, Interstellar and Gravity.

Also of note, while the short has no dialogue, the beautiful and dramatic musical score by Pawel Gorniak is a superb complement to the film. 

The short opens on a panoramic view of a gargantuan, heavily damaged space station occupied by a lone astronaut.

Racing against time, the astronaut struggles to find a way to return home to the love he has left behind.

Watch and enjoy EMPSILLNES in its entirety here .. 

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Enjoy over 30 hours of outstanding sci-fi, horror, and fantasy short films by downloading our film guide, 200 Best Online Sci-Fi Short Films.

All proceeds from the sale of this ebook help keep The 7th Matrix independent and AD-FREE.

In NORTHBOUND The Sci-Fi Web Series - One Man Protects A Precious Cargo Post-Apocalypse

Co-Produced by entertainment site Geek Nation and production company Lullskull Ltd., NORTHBOUND season one is a six-part sci-fi web series about a Man (Nate Alwine) struggling to survive and protect his precious cargo after a global cataclysm.

Set during the first year after the mysterious cataclysm, the Man uses his military and survival skills to battle the elements, dwindling resources and disease in his quest to find sanctuary in a devastated world.

However, the greatest danger he must face is other men, men who may hold the answer to the mysterious catastrophe that has befallen the world.

Watch the official NORTHBOUND season one trailer here ...

Opening during the winter, the series was gorgeously shot entirely in the breathtaking Upper Peninsula region of the state of Michigan.

The forests, mountains, and valleys possess a grandeur and intimidating beauty that gives the series an undeniable verisimilitude.  In fact, the woodland setting itself is a vital character in NORTHBOUND. 

Besides the fantastic cinematography, among the other series hallmarks is its lead, Nate Alwine.

Alwine gives a superb performance as the Man. Without the benefit of much dialogue, he conveys a gamut of emotions including desperation, devotion, and fierce determination.

Alwine also has the imposing physicality one would expect from someone with extensive military training.

These factors combined make Alwine mesmerizing to watch on screen.

Writers/producers Seth and Nathan Anderson have created a compelling post-apocalyptic narrative that is, at its core, a classic man vs nature, man vs man saga.

Fortunately,  production on episodes for season two of NORTHBOUND is scheduled to begin in the fall.

In fact, a teaser for season two has already been released ...

NORTHBOUND deftly follows in the tradition of acclaimed, more introspective post-apocalyptic dramas such as Cormac McCarthy's The Road.  

UPDATE 08/28/19:

NORTHBOUND has completed its second season, and all current episodes of the series are available exclusively on web series distribution platform Seeka.TV.

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