EQ Journal

Film by prototypeD.org, Directed by Janak Alford

My name is Janak Alford. I am an Architect, a hacker, an artist and a filmmaker. I run not-for-profit, Ottawa-based, underground film studio, prototypeD.org. About eight months ago and after reading an early version of his manuscript, I was captivated by the world of Quantum Entity created by novelist Bruce M Firestone which describes a near term future that is both wondrous and dangerous. You are shortly going to meet young Damien Bell, perhaps the greatest physicist of his day. He has created Quantum Entities, artificially intelligent creatures that bond with their human counterparts—they are more like familiars than pets and they are very, very clever. One of the central questions of the novel is at what point do artificially intelligent creatures acquire consciousness, at what point do they or should they acquire human rights?

Before you see my film, take another few moments to read the rest of my introduction, then roll film OK?

Damien faces implacable opposition from established US-based industry whose economic interests are damaged by this upstart, ultra fast growing, globe spanning tech company he and Ellen Brooks have founded—Quantum Computing Corp. He has many interesting experiences in his journey through life not least of which is that he is loved by two women—performance artist Miss Nell from Palos Verdes, California and the fabulous Ellen Brooks from upstate New York.

The book that Prof Bruce wrote is available at www.brucemfirestone.com. It moves in one direction and this film is a cross-section of it—we call it Generation Q because it is our artistic interpretation of six parts of his novel and also this story to me is about a generation of Quantum Entities who, in their mid 21st Century world, are the real successors of today’s Gen Y, hence the name, ‘Gen Q’. It’s a ride and I very much hope you will enjoy it.

More Background on the Book

If you would like to read the first four chapters of Quantum Entity | We Are All ONE, you can get them free by signing up here: http://www.exploriem.org/quantum-entity-subscribe. It will start you on an incredible journey that over the course of the trilogy will combine action/adventure, romance, politics and the law with science and science fiction as well as business and entrepreneurship. You will learn many things as Firestone tries to answer the big questions in life and finally the tale becomes a spiritual one as well.

More Background on the Film

I met Prof Bruce many years ago when I was a student of his at Carleton’s School of Architecture. More recently, about eight months ago actually, Bruce shared with me an early version of his manuscript which became the novel Quantum Entity | We Are All ONE that was released at Artifex on June 20, 2012 along with my film based on it.

One Sunday afternoon, many moons ago, I invited Prof Bruce to our not-for-profit Ottawa-based, underground studio, prototypeD.org—it’s in the Glebe on Bank Street—and I asked him, “Do people ever create original, live action, green screen short films with digital effects that take on the role of a film trailer but not to promote films—instead to help launch new books, products and services?” His immediate reaction was enthusiastic and so we decided to make a film trailer for his book. But somehow a 4 to 5 minute trailer has become a 26 minute long short film which you can see above.

In the book, there is a struggle before the Supreme Court of the United States to make a determination as to whether sufficiently intelligent, yet artificial creatures, have any rights or can they be turned of with no more thought than when you unplug your toaster? These creatures have laid bare the architecture of the Internet and can access all information there– paywalls, firewalls, security systems mean nothing to Quantum Entities, they are as transparent as a clean window pane of good quality glass. Damien says that QEs can do no harm since they are bound by Issac Asmiov’s three laws of robotics (actually, a close but not exact version of those). Others think they are not only a national security threat but a threat to the economic interests of large, entrenched mega-corporations. It’s a case that closely reflects the earlier civil rights struggle as well as the efforts by women to acquire the vote and cease being property and the struggle by gay persons for equality under the law. It is a problem that our society is only too likely to face and perhaps it won’t take to mid-century before it is upon us.

I hope you enjoy the ride.

Helping Us

If you would like to help our not-for-profit studio, you can purchase images from the film from a related site: qrankcase.com. Images on practically indestructible canvas will last four generations and are ready to be hung on your wall the moment you receive them from us. You may also purchase the DVD of the film which will allow you to enjoy it in a way that improves on the YouTube experience.

You will also be helping propel our studio in a new direction: creating original, live action, green screen short films with digital effects that take on the role of film trailer but not to promote films. Instead, they are used to help launch new books, products and services.

Also if you believe in Ellen’s message that ‘We Are All ONE’, can you help us spread the word? Let your friends know that they too can get the first four chapters of Quantum Entity | We Are All ONE free by sharing going to this page: http://www.exploriem.org/quantum-entity-subscribe/

You will be introducing them to a future that is both marvelous and frightening—filled with abundant opportunity and many challenges and populated by characters who seize their days on this planet, every day, making each day count.

Please also follow us @JanakAlford, @ProfBruce, @Exploriem and @Quantum_Entity.

Thank you,

Janak Alford
Director
@JanakAlford
prototypeD.org
qrankcase.com
youtube.com/quantumentitytrilogy

Please note: the launch of the book and film at Artifex were assisted by not-for-profit Exploriem.org, a not-for-profit, professional entrepreneur, intrapreneur and artpreneur network.

Meet Pet3r, Whose Quantum Number is 1

Media Release about Artifex, Film and Book Launch: http://www.eqjournal.org/Artifex-Media-Release-18-june-2012.pdf