Another excellent sci-fi short film shot primarily in Vancouver.
Written and directed by Adam Marisett and produced by Paul Gabriel Napora for Triton Films Inc.
In the vast sea of sci-fi short films, few projects manage to capture the imagination as effectively as
AMP, a Canadian short film from 2013 directed by Adam Marisett.
Featured as a staff pick on Short of the Week, the film stands out not only for its well-integrated
visual effects, but above all for its ability to build a believable narrative world,
despite maintaining the concise format of a teaser or calling card for a potential TV series.
A simple story with a human core
Set in a futuristic dystopia, AMP follows the story of Quinn,
a former soldier trying to leave behind a war initiated by his father against the powerful
Coreley Corporation.
Alongside the massive robot Amp, designed as both a companion and a weapon,
Quinn scrapes by in a city controlled by the megacorporation,
taking on odd jobs to earn enough money to keep the robot operational.
When a childhood friend returns seeking his help in the fight against Coreley,
the two are drawn back into a conflict they believed was long over.
While the premise itself is not revolutionary, it works because it places
character relationships at the center rather than pure action:
it is the bond between Quinn and Amp — and the moral choice Quinn is forced to face —
that sustains the film’s emotional and narrative tension.
VFX and production: a guerrilla-style passion project
With a solid background in visual effects —
having worked on major productions such as District 9 and Iron Man —
Adam Marisett brings his technical expertise into the short,
creating a robot that never feels like a simple prop,
but instead reads as a fully realized character with presence and personality.
The production of AMP is a strong example of guerrilla filmmaking:
shot in just two days on a limited budget,
the project focused primarily on carefully planned interior scenes,
while exterior shots were captured in a more instinctive, spontaneous way.
Post-production took over 18 months of evening and weekend work,
refining the visual effects to achieve a level of quality
that is particularly impressive for an independent production.
The end credits feature several well-known names from the animation and VFX industry,
with experience on films such as District 9 and other major cinematic productions.
Credits
- Written & Directed: Adam Marisett
- Produced by: Gabriel Paul Napora / Triton Films Inc.
- Cinematographer & Co-Producer: Cliff Hokanson
- Co-Producer: Lux
- Music: Sean Beeson, Pontus Rufelt
- Starring: Matthew MacCaul, Elysia Rotaru
