Sci-Fi Short Film "The Automaton" | DUST

[@brianjay9811]

This is a beautifully tragic story, and the young actress did a great job. I admire the creativity in placing a robot of wood, gears, and steam in an old west setting. The reaction from the neighbor was believable for that time and I'm glad they spared showing us the destruction of the machine, because I have no doubt that would have been the next step...

[@charlespeter6268]

If you ever find something amazing that makes you happy don't tell anyone they will take it away

[@MdVaDc]

Exactly

[@dustbunnieboo]

And get curtains for the windows.

[@SierraHarmony]

For his own good, I wish I never told my partner he was my everything. He passed away and I've never met anyone close to him.

[@bluef1sh926]

Or get a gun and shoot everyone who steps into your yard uninvited.

[@jonathansinger3818]

Or put a tax on it....

[@FlappyBandAid]

The other consideration is, she was already insane from the death of her husband, and we are taken on a journey through her dementia. Meaning the automaton never really existed in the capacity we see it - maybe her inventive husband was toying with the idea and shared it with her before he died. Therefore the envisioning of Auto was how she dealt with it. Notice upon seeing the electrode-shock machine, she is pleased and seems to have associated it with “Auto” in her mania. Either way, I was well invested in the story, visuals, and acting.

[@jordel2010]

Interesting interpretation. Perhaps it could have been corroborated with just a bit more exposition, but the creators of this short film most likely decided on leaving it very open to interpretation.

[@SierraThunder]

I actually believe that it may have been a case of "post partum depression", known better as melancholia in the 1800's, this was a mental illness quite common back in the nineteenth & early twentieth centuries and still happens today. Back then it was caused by losing a child, as a good many children didn't live to see their first birthday. It's also caused by a hormonal imbalance following child birth & has been the cause of a number of tragedies, both accidental & intentional. It was also one of the reasons that people back then had such large families. So I don't think her melancholia was due to her husband's death, think about the scene where she was putting some of her late husband's belongings in the empty nursery room with the crib & other baby items in it.

[@lizzyp70]

My thoughts exactly. Why even include the mother character at all? I love that it’s meant for us to interpret. Personally, I think the mother’s mental state coincides with her daughters’ delusions. Just my opinion, but there are many other possibilities. That is the mark of a brilliant film!

[@jaybingham3711]

@@lizzyp70 Mother was necessary to impart issues of existing familial mental issues. This dynamic changes the entire tenor of the goings-on.

[@ShadowsOfEssence]

I was think along these lines as she obviously couldn't have kids and basically turned Auto into her child.

[@cthulhufhtagn2483]

I love how the robot talks! Somebody put real thought into how something that could only communicate through wax cylinders would speak.

[@pogodanaprzygode]

like a BumbleBee from Transformers :)

[@zenokarlsbach4292]

Sophia avant la lettre ...

[@onidaaitsubasa4177]

Yeah, it was great, the only other way an automaton of that time could've talked would be with small bellows that blow through a woodwind type larynx to a complex moving system with watch like complexity that works like a mouth, lips, and tongue to form voice and words, and since the science of mechanical television was made one year prior it might even be possible to have a type of vision system, and apparently the automaton had type of brain possibly something to do with the green liquid and the way water and perhaps other liquids has been shown to have memory, perhaps that's why a drop falls when the robot seems to learn things, and if that's the case, then the creators of the film went all out and even worked out how the automaton's brain would work, and that makes the film even more impressive.

[@willarcher2356]

Welp, there goes 21:48 minutes of my life gone forever.

[@joshhayl7459]

🔵 I hope they got a-LOT of wax cylinders on hand, those cylinders only record 2-minutes a-piece!

[@Ramipon]

This is the case where I WANT the machine to go on a roaring rampage of revenge...

[@raymondo162]

perhaps it did ??

[@BradfordGuy]

I was thinking the same thing. Remember the Tin Man in The Wizard of Oz? His song, "If I Only Had A Heart? Changing the words up for the Automaton to say "If I Only Had Two Legs," or, "If I Only Had A Gun!" Then he could exact his revenge.

[@ShadowsOfEssence]

The true beginning of Skynet

[@hijederayo4921]

I thought it was an interesting inversion of the usually AI tropes, that the AI was a source of happiness and healing from the beginning. Its possible that the late husband built this machine as a way to reach out to his wife in ways after life that he couldnt do during it.

[@watchdust]

That's a great observation, thank you for watching!

[@tangz42]

That's what I was thinking too!!

[@aqciningjavillo5324]

yeah thought so

[@shingshing01]

We need more positive visions of the future. Or, in this case the past.

[@ericrose3877]

@@shingshing01 DUHHHH, to all of you. Otto should have saved them from the evil witch, the false 'Pastor' and his 'nice men'.....

[@scottcupp8129]

I love the way this was made. The Automaton is amazing. I love the way they incorporated wax cylinders as a form of the machine's communication. So neat.

[@xccxvindaloo]

“What we don’t understand, we fear and destroy” something that was said to me in my younger years. I see more and more in today’s society, can we be saved, I am not sure, but hope is eternal so maybe we can.🤔

[@Deebz270]

Wise words and redolant of all that has tranpired over the past 10,000 years, but even more so over the past ten decades. Hope may appear eternal and to keep one going when things get tough, but like faith, is usually vacuuous in the realm of reality. The reality on this beleaguered planet is such that it is highly unlikely that many species, including our own will survive into the next century. And this reality is predicated on *facts.*

[@babydriver8134]

Receive Jesus or not, your choice.

[@guesswho5370]

Classic case of minding someone else’s business

[@touofthehighplains]

This is exactly what will be happening with these red flag laws.

[@RadioForYahweh]

The first Susan to call the cops

[@imrighthere5878]

But but, they were concerned, and it's for your own good

[@dickiedollop]

don’t you just love a busybody - the nosy old bag !

[@chadstinson9886]

This is why freedom to bare arms is so important.

[@1GUNSQUIRREL]

the busybody was an 1897 KAREN

[@conrad13579]

Amazing Story re-watching this after a year. Is anyone else totally disgusted with the Pastor and the Churchs' Backward, Uncaring Nosy Hypocrisy in this epic emotional short movie? Great Throwback of an era. Excellent letting us 'Remember' the Geniuses that died of whom we necer got a chance to meet.

[@marymagmartha7453]

_The “omnipotent moral busybodies” have been around for a long time_

[@speckledperch4158]

They had no right to give her frontal lobe therapy. She was already happy.

[@WardNightstone]

it was 1897 at that time anythign fun enjoyable or pleasurable was thought of as evil and bad (except drugs)

[@skepticalbadger]

@@WardNightstone Plenty of societies and cultures in 1897 were able to enjoy themselves; look at music halls (which were even for poor people too). The lower classes did what they enjoyed depending upon their means, and even straitlaced Victorian upper classes got up to all sorts behind closed doors. Religious extremists held more sway in the U.S. at that time sure, but it's highly unlikely that a widow would be committed for showing a pastor a machine like that - this is fiction after all.

[@JDLeonard74]

Re-education camps never really go away.

[@kevinlane1219]

Htx457 By “18th century”, do you mean the 1700s?

[@lancerobinson8364]

Anyone who administered that sort of 'therapy' should get a taste of it themselves.

[@tietjen666]

Great to see this! (again!) Thank you DUST: Providing sanity during the pandemic. And always!

[@MezziK]

Basically she found more comfort in the machine than in people. Really shows how we need to be better as people.

[@prachuap2164]

It's rare to find a treasure like this on this channel. An exceptionally good story, not actually sci-fi. The film describes reality as it is up until today. Nothing has changed.

[@spacecowboy2010]

The early conversations sounded like every time I talk to Alexa...

[@Flashjan1]

You shouldn't talk to people like Alexa, she can't be trusted.

[@pauls5745]

@@Flashjan1 yeah,, Alexa uploads to the cloud and everything is evaluated like most common questions asked, but who knows if there is a personally identifiable database of information built up. the tech is there... haha

[@theducksanctuary951]

Should’ve had some curtains or something on the windows to keep out nosy neighbors. she could’ve at least smeared black paint on the windows. Damn. I hope there’s a second to this, it was amazing and sad at the same time.

[@Natasha___.]

The lady who played the nosey old witch was a really good actress! I've never wanted to reach through a screen and slap someone so much in my life, I was legitimately angry when she barged in with the pastor. 😄

[@mimiwilson3810]

“slumped over like a sack of dried corn”. 😂

[@watchdust]

Aww shucks.

[@AdamSwiggitySwooty]

Chick was mad insensitive

[@rogercraven2667]

This one was well-rounded. I was surprised at the originality of this project. Keep up the good work. It looks like my future really is Dust.

[@zenokarlsbach4292]

in dust we trust.

[@secondchantz]

This film puts Hollywood to shame. Brilliant. Everything about it.

[@SamanthaYoung]

So the “pastor” is responsible for having a widow electro shocked for being happy. He is no more a pastor than many so called pastors around today.

[@1TalldrinkH2O]

The bible says, "Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness." James 3:1 Because leaders should, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves." Philippians 2:3 Blessings!

[@KrustyKlown]

Pastors have become symbols of horror & abuse ... just as Clowns did a few decades ago. Perceptions change once the truth is revealed and acknowledged .. men preying on the feeble minded and young, while hiding behind a facade of "Good".

[@Catbytes]

@@1TalldrinkH2O funny, i just read James 3 today. And i was thinking much the same as i watched the video.

[@Catbytes]

It doesn't help that the people that write for such characters usually have no relationship with God themselves, therefore lack of discernment in their character's actions.

[@1TalldrinkH2O]

@@KrustyKlown True !

[@derasor]

Finally, sci-fi where the AI, human roles are actually accurate.

[@aric5011]

Timeless. The same story can still happen today.

[@starrgamer13]

This was so good. Not sure what writer came up with this concept of an 1897 version of AI but this beautiful!!! Tragic at the end, but still a beautifully written story!!!

[@hawaiapril]

Westworld I imagine

[@lloydrobert6182]

This was so strangely discomfiting (for its content), but truly satisfying for its treatment. Will see it again just to understand the genius of its makers.

[@tinyGrim1]

This is quite profound. So many people are judged, or taken away what truely works for them and allows them some happiness, and peace and a will to be so, and go on. Too many think they know what's good for the soul even in today's world, and still, punitively so. I know.

[@CraigMacdonaldAeon]

Multiply each character by 20 million and you've got America 2021.

[@shgstewart4674]

Astonishing use of props and costumes, set and setting in this one.

[@barrahart]

A masterful commentary on the ignorance, fear and tyranny to which we, as primarily social and emotional apes, all too vulnerable.

[@kampilandelacruz4925]

I remembered a genius man that people think he's crazy because they don't understand the advance way he think.

[@SkyRied1]

Who is he?

[@MalhaIIa]

this could be a lot of people, but naturally a certain austrian painter comes to mind

[@pogodanaprzygode]

@@SkyRied1 Nicolaus Copernicus for example

[@garicrewsen1128]

I've watched and read a LOT of sci-fi in my half century here. With only a few exceptions, this was, by leagues, the most difficult story to endure. In this genre, in my opinion, this is a masterpiece of tale telling. I'm very curious to view what's been percolating 'neath that gifted mind of yours. Here's to the future. Hope to see you soon.

[@jcayzac]

It reminded me of the movie "Hugo" about a boy who tries to connect with his departed father through a robot he was building, also in late XIXe century IIRC.

[@mesoflushy]

Said the filmmakers dad

[@Natasha___.]

This one was so thought provoking and different, I absolutely loved everything about it!

[@EldritchMango]

The tragedy and the pain hurt so strong and in all the right places. I applaud the whole crew for making this short such an amazing piece of art

[@debraj.thomas661]

Great tragedy. Love lost, entrapment, freedom of being close to her husband through a machine, great story line. Even the shock therapy was embraced! Great twist at the end!

[@reloads223]

WOW never saw this before , great acting and special effects

[@billmurray7473]

The ending is what I thought it might be, given the time period the story is set in.

[@elizabethgaspodnetich4322]

Well, that turned out to be more true than fiction. Sad in a weird way. I liked it!! I love these weird little twisted tales, keep 'em coming!

[@DaveKraft1]

A timely parable for the age, THIS age: intelligent thought, kindness, happiness - crushed by patronizing ignorance and self-righteousness incapable of understanding any of those.

[@MikePuorro]

"This will all end in tears, I just know it."

[@dontaylor7315]

I must have saved this when it was newly uploaded, because when I came across it again today enough time had elapsed that I didn't remember it and when I played it again it only came back to me very gradually. The tragic end left me wishing Margaret had answered differently when the church people questioned her: Maybe things might have gone better if she'd just said "We're listening to an improved gramophone my husband built."

[@barnaclejim3119]

man this channel is the best

[@kazimrahman7499]

WoW.....Dust Never know...everytime when I feel low by hard work.....their short films wake me up to go for Another round of hard work...thanks DUST....for nice Plots and hard work...!!

[@WilliamHBaird-eq2hp]

The quality of the most recent films in DUST are fantastic!

[@AvCAnothervapeChannel]

The things we hold onto are as unique as the people we are trying to hold onto.

[@wayneg2139]

Very well done short. Very well written and acted. Lots to think about in this one. This would make a very COOL movie!!! Think about it. The Automaton uses his one arm and manages to remake himself to look human, and heads off to rescue his widow/master.

[@katim2644]

One word: Excellent! Sets, acting, production value, wardrobe, story, themes.......WOW! (I guess that's two words.)

[@AnthonyMiyazaki]

Brutal. But times, they have not changed. // Brilliant filmmaking.

[@worldwar2lucky961]

I talk to animals and they communicate back in their own way .I would have been put away for that. You ever had a pigeon guilt trip you, or deliberately give you the cold shoulder like a tired old coot because you'll wake up the babies. ITS THE BEST 😁😁😁😁😁

[@Philamosity]

I had to replay it because her eyes kept taking my attention away from the words she was saying lol. Seriously though, her eyes are amazing!

[@JustinHaskellWheelz]

Glad this video is back after people got it taken down. I guess they didn't know the audio is supposed to sound old.

[@christiansoldier5782]

And to think Their still doing This Treatment Today. Great Show

[@oxymoron02]

I'm loving this so far, but the mastered volume is so quiet compared to the rest of KZbin.

[@MikinessAnalog]

This just demonstrates, technology changes. People rarely do.

[@krazeediamond1]

"Number 5 is alive!" I 💘 the irony at the end, what a twist! 😁

[@Deebz270]

'Auto' - Great, great, great grandfather of Will Robinson's 'Robot'.

[@Waltham1892]

Skynet becomes self aware: August 29, 1885.

[@CallMeMrRook]

And sent out it's first terminator, the Tfour2, to find Sarah Connor's grand mother?

[@Dude101p]

Exzactly what i was thinking 😂

[@jaspersilence9328]

Wow that was dark af!!! I loved it!!!

[@Mad_Moxx]

Man that is some beautiful color grading and lighting!

[@Tsiri09]

You have to admire the person who created this for the movie using the technology of the 1800's. It's spectacular.

[@yeahrightbear8883]

I know a girl who has had electroconvulsive therapy done to her close to 20 times. She's even more messed up now than she was before. I can't believe they still do that to people.

[@jv-lk7bc]

how can you still call it therapy?

[@mshayashi]

The movie was cut short...I didn't expect to end like that.

[@MarcelGomesPan]

I love that it is set in the 1800’s. 🎩 It gives it almost a Steampunk/ Frankenstein flavor without being either.

[@kevmodee1866]

In her time of pain, with a mother suffering from dementia, and having lost her husband; a woman finds comfort through an invention ahead of it's time, made by her husband. Sadly, an overzealous religious nut job does the typical and passes judgement on her because her joy is found through something she(the b#tch) doesn't feel is in line with the church's faith. Back then, within a religious community, a pastor's judgement is practically law; much like during the Salem witch trials. So of course he found the robot to be intelligent so it must be of Satan; thus quantifying a commitment to the insane asylum for the young lady. Sadly, this crushed her mental capacities that held onto sanity. Truly a sad story, but oh so true to life, even today freedoms of expression and religion are trampled on by our very own leadership.🥺😷 Thank you for the upload.

[@donaldmack2307]

Well said.

[@1TalldrinkH2O]

I love you or reference to Covid-19 politics with the mask covered (-: .

[@markmunroe-hz8rf]

It's not that I am anti-religious, I just hate ignorant religious folks who can't see beyond their extremist ideals. It extends not only to overzealous religious people, but to secular ones as well. Treat everyone with respect, whether you agree with them or not.

[@Aishindojo]

So glad she got the help she needed at the end - so looking forward to everyone getting their Covid shots wether they want them or not.

[@cyohe8643]

I sincerely hope this was sarcasm.

[@Aishindojo]

@@cyohe8643 - *groan* yes, too many people out there trying to force people into doing what they think is right because they are idiots.

[@johnmanno2052]

Give the tech crew and prop designer who made that 19th century android Oscars.

[@almatt21]

Pastor Evens, it's none of your business (2020) 🤣😂 fab short film 👍

[@giraffebecky]

This was brilliant! I absolutely loved it! Keep it coming!

[@AlgoRhythmmike]

Steam Punk lives! Great film here.

[@franganmacloud8046]

Madness is a happiness and the blessing!

[@TruthPrevail777]

Feels like it's a Sci-fi being told through Shakespeare's drama. The time, the music, dark religion and human ingenuity. Couldn't have been done in a better setting.

[@R2D2999]

Whoa! O.K...Damn. Imma be thinkin' about THAT one for a while. Thanks!👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@StephenJEscobedo]

Just want to say I really loved this one, and hope that AUTO finds his way.

[@zenokarlsbach4292]

it will take "revenge"'

[@grantsiemensma4978]

That was so good. I feel happy and sad about the film.

[@emiliebova]

The score was wonderful. Copland echoes

[@SirHuggingtons]

All fun and games until Otto crumbles the barn in his giant mech spider body in revenge while "wild, wild, west" starts playing.

[@judyvalencia3257]

The "barn" looks like the building in Warehouse 13.

[@silus212seven7]

THAT WAS WAY BEYOND GOOD!!!!, the acting was fantastic, what an awesome true representation of life back then and today still, not everyone is or was the same, people always expect others to be just as they are..not everybody is going to fall into the same mold even though we may be surrounded by duplicates its not logical to think we are alone in an endless universe that there's not something other than ourselves and neither is it logical to expect everyone else should think ,act like ,look like, walk like or talk like we do, the i,i,i,iiii, is a prison for the mind and death to understanding ,this is why it's not good to live in a neighborhood of only one kind of people because it only reinforces the notion that you and what you are is something to be regarded above all else, when all your doing is destroying with your ignorance, yes love your own and that with passion, thats your whole obligation as a human being but you and yours do not comprise the universe.

[@slagit]

Nice but sad story in the end. I really enjoyed the retro robot design!

[@NaomisNews2]

Saw this one last week, cool robot for wht appears to be pre little house on the prairie days..💚

[@takispothitos]

Will you like it? I don't know. Is it worth watching? Absolutely YES!!!

[@PopJacare]

Wow! Very sad. But very good!

[@noth606]

most steampunk I've seen on DUST, cool stuff

[@lisanidog8178]

Wow 1897. Even before my grandparents.

[@argon1611]

this was rather extraordinary, thank you

[@atnorthabc]

What a great story so believable and to some extent true. The Auto Machine was amazing to watch and well thought out thankyou for this story

[@Axgoodofdunemaul]

Very well done, and original too. It's like a Ray Bradbury story.

[@vulcanlogic4480]

And that’s how people help.

[@chrislooney9906]

Fuck. This is well done. Like, really, award winningly, well done. Hat's off to everyone involved with this.

[@myday805]

I think the theme is that though the machine was real its independent interaction with her was imagined.

[@KatorNia]

They were doing electroshock therapies in Mississippi, 4 decades before Cerletti invented them? Now that's innovation!

[@dmrr7739]

Oh, not at all. Experimenters have been jamming electrodes into patients practically since the invention of the Leyden Jar. See Franklinization (named after Ben himself), Galvinism and others.

[@SierraThunder]

You would have thought that the property master would have thought to remove or mask the "quartz" emblem off of the small clock on the table in the barn, (as there were no small clocks that even remotely looked like that in the late 1890's), they should have at least tried to find an old wind-up alarm clock, or at least a replica, I know that they make them as I own one.

[@steveberryman2710]

I found this very depressing. left me feeling sad.

[@kusheran]

In the land of the blind... Meaningful music and interesting connections are the only sources of human happiness on this 'barren plain' of existence. All else is madness. ... the one with night vision binoculars is terrifying!

[@debajeetbasak6531]

People fear what they don't understand

[@christfulfillingprophecy6104]

Explain why she looked so happy at the end with the electrodes on her head then.

[@christfulfillingprophecy6104]

@@pakde8002 wow. Oh boy.

[@lovingmayberry307]

@@pakde8002 Auto, short for Automaton.

[@scottcupp8129]

I loved this so much. I am watching it for the 4th time in a row.

[@Baud2Bits]

An excellent short; complete in every way.

[@LDrumsOhio]

Beautiful film. Great soundtrack.

[@TRAVELLEROFWORLDS]

People are the dangerous ones. Technology is but a tool. But we can be good...

[@Lia-A-Eastwood]

Hope never dies...