Boris Meshkov
Director | Film, Music, Photo
The future is now.
Saigon 3000 is a collection of Sci-Fi stories based in
Saigon, Vietnam.
This project aims to create a series of cyberpunk short films with it’s original plot, storyline, lore and art. The film series consists of 3 stand-alone episodes, all under 20 minutes long, and all based in one location and timeline, but with different stories and characters. The series title refers to each episode's thematic connection.
Artist: Tú Na
Artist: Tú Na
The Runner
Runners in Saigon 3000 are freelance couriers, searching, getting and delivering any kind of information. Alike Shinobi, they work solo, but have an inner network, connecting runners to communicate and update each other. They don’t kill, but certainly can defend themselves. Stealthy, smart and quick.
The Runner is a human that functions as an android. It is a body with no brain, but a Hard Drive with personal information in his backpack. It contains a programmed script code,
Runner follows it like NPC in video games. His Katana is a multifunctional device: it is an IMMI, SID and a deadly weapon all-in-one. He has a modified motorcycle, that is a part of his operating system.
Runner was a successful developer (Dev) of SID™ in the past, betrayed by Corpo due to SID development conflict and unsuccessful business partnership. Dev was arrested and debrained by Corpo along with his brother (Coder, Security). Dev predicted this and programmed his body to function without a brain. He creates a script for his muscle memory to revenge Corpo.
A brainless body, completing Devs plan to revenge Corpo. Basically he acts like NPCs in
video games: has no personality, no emotions, follows pre-coded script. Stealthy, smart and quick. Katana mastery, parkour, motorbike, spying and hacking skills are uploaded to his muscle memory as Abilities. Glitches when events go off the script.
Corpo
Handsome devil, man of power, business prodigy. Good thoughts, bad actions. Double game player: successful leader of NOVA overground, merciless criminal boss underground. Spends years to gain enough power to go through Mu challenge and join the ancestors, becoming digitally immortal. He kills, betrays, steals with no mercy as he values his goal over peoples lives. His gadgetry gives him almost total invulnerability, he's hard to find, he's hard to trick, he's hard to kill. The one with Plan B.
NOVA is the biggest conglomerate in the world. NOVA runs departments all over the world. Corpo is a head of NOVA department, located in Saigon 3000. As a successful businessman, he has strong connections, high reputation, financial and informational power. While he manages to run and develop NOVA , he swims deep in the waters of corruption, shadowing, blackmail and human traffic.
But money, power and fame are just tools for reaching his main goal - passing Mu challenge and becoming digitally immortal, joining his ancestors in cyberspace.
The MG uses his biomechanical hand as multifunctional device, The MacGuffin. Its a smoking pipe, gun, dagger in one gadget. It's an item that can transform into different shapes.
Corpo is one of the few lucky to have Limo, a flying anti-gravity vehicle. Privilege of the rich, the ultimate answer to the traffic question. The good of luxe, the avantgarde of science, the death proof machine.
Security
Security Devs brother, his partner, his muscle. Used to take the dangerous part of the job while Dev was constructing SID in collaboration with Corpo. Deals with hackers, gangs, junks and other runners. Keeps the workflow safe. Once debrained by Corpo, Coder becomes Security. Brainless body following the scripted code. The code contains security skills, which Coder already had: drone piloting, net security, search and destroy ability. Serves Corpo unconsciously. After Coder is debrained, Corpo programs his body to serve him as a security guard. He keeps his Katana combat , cyber security and drone operating skills. He is a samurai serving his master.
Artist: Lê Song Bảo Duy
World of 3000
In early 2000s The Scientist discovers time hole. He decides to travel back in time to change sequence of events. This would open another dimension timeline. The Scientist believes that the world in another dimension could be a better place than his reality. The date set to March 15, 44 BC to prevent assassination of Julius Caesar. After several attempts he survives, history takes a different turn. The Scientist provides Ceasar his knowledge about future technologies. This information boosted the tech level growth. Ceasar managed to set Roman Civilization on the right track. The world blooms, by year 2000 it reaches technological peak. Humanity knows no wars, no poverty, no diseases. Absolute nirvana-a paradise built on earth.
It came up to mutual understanding that the only way up - is cyberspace. In year 2000 civilization reaches digital immortality. 90% of population transfers their consciousness into cyberspace. 10% are tribes, outcasts, the lowest ones, the leftovers. As the transfer succeeds in 2020, people leave Temples-ports after themselves to give an access to those outcasts, who can handle cyberspace existence. World infrastructure, machinery, cities are abandoned. The Temples are filled with rotting corpses of the people who achieved Digital Immortality. Huge Greek statues across the globe are the reminders of the old age, monuments of perfection, intelligence in its exact form. For the people its a huge step up, but for those who left life turned into even worse nightmare than it was. Post apocalypse, hundreds of years of survival.
Saigon 3000 is a city in parallel dimension, where history took a different turn. By year 3000 there’s no government and country/nation separation. World citizenship and rule of international morality. Capitalist system took over civilization. Any form of work is considered as a paid service, whether it’s city authorities, police, health or fire departments. All the services are committed after direct payment. Information is the most valuable source: you can buy and sell things with information, you can steal and fake information, you can upload information in your muscle memory. More information you have, more powerful you are. Technological level is step-ahead comparable to real Saigon 2020. People use IMMI™ that functions exactly as today’s smartphone, but its built in your skull. Multi-functional chip with internet access, hologram projection, scan & search tool, entertainment platform and memory storage. All you have to do is think.
Mostly rich and powerful people have the access to high-end tech, the rest of population still use old devices and services due to poverty and high criminal rates. Population of Saigon is 9 million people, only 100 of them have Flying Cars (ridiculously expensive anti-gravity tech).The rest still use modified cars, motorcycles, bicycles, boats. Most of the traffic is still on the ground, not in the sky. Besides that there is anti-gravity shuttle transportation service that works the same way bus-transits work, but you travel hundreds kilometers with bullet speed in several minutes by air (Saigon-Dalat in 15 minutes).Wireless electricity transfer was successfully developed by Nicola Tesla. Cities are dome-shield covered, electric power is generated by huge spherical stations floating in the sky. You don’t need to charge your smartphone, your laptop or even your motorcycle - it’s charging constantly.
Worlds of 3000
Reality and cyberspace. You can access cyberspace with smartphone, computer, TV, any other digital gadget. You can see it, you can hear it. What if you could be there? What if you could upload yourself to the Web and exist as code, bunch of ones and zeroes? Mu is the door between two realms. Black nothingness, absolute zero. You have to give up everything you have if you want to pass through. Theres no second chance and no way back. Mu is secured by the Witch - a Fire Wall, a code that protects cyberspace from those who put cyberspace into a risk. She sets a heavy challenge on the passer. You succeed - you become digitally immortal. You fail - you’re getting divided by zero, existing as a defragmentation file in virtual void.
SID
SID™(Self Isolation Device)-
a gadget that isolates the user from any kind of physical interaction. After activating SID, you are framed by a cubic sphere shield. No one can see you, no one can hear you, no one can touch you, so do you. It is pretty expensive, and you can use it only at special SID zones.
SID guarantees you 100% privacy (99% in fact). Inside SID you can watch movies, play games, travel around the globe, use drugs, pray and meditate, make love to someone who’s miles away from you. Alike iPhone you need to download a specific app. SID imitates reality, generating virtual space around you.
“A couple of years ago, I wrote about how Netflix should focus on short form content from independent filmmakers to create quality content for the platform. Netflix has already begun acquiring and distributing short form content with the like of “Explained” by Vox, “Love, Death & Robots”, and “Period, End of Sentence”. These short documentaries and short films give casual users content to sink their teeth in without the need to commit hours on end. Love, Death, & Robots is a great example of how Netflix can be successful when producing content that’s shorter than a regular 30 minute television program.” -Cowin Poon
Kung Fury is a 2015 English-language Swedish martial arts comedy featurette written and directed by David Sandberg. It pays homage to 1980s martial arts and police action films. The film was crowdfunded through Kickstarter from December 2013 to January 2014 with pledges reaching US$630,019, exceeding the original target goal of $200,000, but short of the feature film goal of $1 million. It was selected to screen in the Directors' Fortnight section at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival. As of 3 Feb 2021, the video has scored over 37 million views on YouTube.
