Short of the Week

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Dark Comedy GHOST + COW

BIG DATA "L1ZY"

A typical suburban family is terrorised by a new A.I. device.

Play
Dark Comedy GHOST + COW

BIG DATA "L1ZY"

A typical suburban family is terrorised by a new A.I. device.

BIG DATA "L1ZY"

Directed By GHOST + COW
Made In USA

Beware, L1ZY is watching! Directed by John Carlucci and Brandon LaGanke (GHOST + COW), BIG DATA – “L1ZY” is a music video like no other. Formatted as a mini web series, the darkly satirical parody of Echo Dot commercials, takes its inspiration from Black Mirror and turns our paranoid fears of a global A.I. domination into reality. Rarely have depression, bullying and child murder been wrapped in such a hilarious package of dystopian fun.

BIG DATA – “L1ZY” follows a regular, suburban American family who purchase an Alexa-style smart home device to make their lives easier and more efficient. When the A.I. assistant, capable of learning and improving as it goes, starts to increasingly interfere with its owners schedules, needs and (very personal) desires, things soon take a sinister turn. The nine-minute horror comedy is a laugh-out-loud interpretation of our increasing dependence on technology.

“We are very scared of A.I. and this is the main inspiration for the piece. It is a very real threat; hence why we classify (BIG DATA – “L1ZY”) as a horror short film” – the directors confess. Using the film as a music video, with the track cleverly interspersed throughout was a brilliant PR decision, but the fact that the film works as a standalone comedy as well, is a real stroke of genius from the GHOST + COW duo.

I have to admit, BIG DATA – “L1ZY” won me over instantly. From the moment I saw the whole family dance to mum’s favourite music track, the absurdity of the situation amplified by their hilarious moves, I was doubling over in stitches. And it only got funnier as it went along. The film does exactly what a good horror spoof should do, it pokes fun at well trodden ground and injects just the right amount of unease to bring home the message. BIG DATA – “L1ZY” will tickle you in all the right places, and leave you wanting more.

GHOST + COW are currently in pre-production on their first feature length film called DRUNK BUS – a coming of age comedy scheduled to be filmed in Feb 2019. We’ll be keeping an eye out for it so stay tuned!