Amazing how good a cheap, well made film can be. This is what is scaring Hollywood, these little movies get made for 20-40K and are good, vice 120 million for a piece of crap with too loud a sound and pretty effects.
Yes, a friend used to work in special effects on Hollywood movies (e.g., Pirates of the Caribbean.) He reported that it was not unusual for a producer to get a new vacation house built from scratch and billed to the movie production. (No, I don't recall if it was done on Pirates.)
And thus gets born the 120 million movie that really was a 40 million or less movie. Richard hatch (of Axanar) spoke of the very topic at SD Comic Con in 2015.
Enjoyed it very much but left me with a lot of questions as to why, what were they trying to accomplish, where can they go next? Will watch others of this venue if I can find them.
A short film has to pack a lot into a little, but do it carefully. They gave you a couple clues along the way, the human robots were sleepers put into place to unknowingly and unscheduled destruct, i.e. a perfect terror weapon. When they discover, or think they are one, they head back to the robot colony for help. Of course there are a lot of unanswered questions, some writers want it that way, to allow the view to play "what if", but sometimes they miss the mark. I have watched it a few times and still am not quite sure of everyone's motives.
I used to feel that way too, then I got so disgusted with seeing a 90 minute POS, I had to change and accept that there are really good artists and producers out there who can tell a good story in 10 or 15. LEAP was another one.
Thanks, nick!
Electronic Barge in San Fransisco Bay.
http://youtu.be/uBNyhwHzuTw