Artificial (2022)

Artificial is a visually and audibly evocative experimental short film that explores modern humanity’s reliance on artificial light, using layered sound design and striking imagery to probe the concept of umwelt.

In the short experimental film Artificial, filmmaker Spence Scott embarks on an abstract exploration of light, vision, and perception in the modern world. Through a hypnotic blend of footage capturing artificial light sources and a carefully crafted soundscape, the film delves into how humans have come to depend on their sight, illuminated by man-made lights, and raises questions about our sensory experience of the world.

At the core of Artificial is the concept of umwelt, the idea that each organism perceives the world in a way unique to its sensory and perceptual capabilities. By juxtaposing artificial light with ambient, layered sounds, the film invites viewers to reflect on how technology has shaped our perception of reality and how deeply this reliance on sight has influenced our environment and existence. As Spence’s first foray into the experimental mode, Artificial is a brief but thought-provoking meditation on the boundaries between nature and artifice, perception and reality.

Written, Directed, Produced, Shot, and Edited by Spence Scott

Runtime - 3 minutes