Screening Surveillance, which is a project funded by OPC Canada, is unveiling the short science fiction films. All three films would revolve around the issues surrounding surveillance as well as the implications and misuse of data in the 21st century.
The short films tackle independent everyday issues that affect a lot of people around the world. You might even be subject to them as well, but unaware. Therefore these would prove to be a big help to create awareness of the social and technological issues regarding surveillance.
The short films have been produced by Sava Saheli Singh, at Queen’s University in Kingston. One of the short films was actually written by her husband Tim Maughn.
“Frames” is about how perception affects the outcomes gathered by sensors and other surveilling technologies. It shows a girl being tracked and followed around the city through cameras and facial recognition software as she goes about her day, but she is being perceived in ways that may or may not be accurate.
The next film is “Blaxites” which creates awareness about issues created due to the interconnected nature of all our accounts and technologies. It follows the story of a woman who shares a post on one of her social media accounts. Due to that, she gets denied access to important medication. Due to the interconnection of data systems, her information is available to everyone.
“A model employee” is the third film that emphasizes how we can gain the trust of the system while retaining ownership of our private information. The film follows a young restaurant employee, who is also pursuing a career as a DJ. She has to wear a tracker to keep her job, but things get messy when her private life mixes with her professional one due to the tracking of her movements. She gets restricted because of the system even though she is free physically.
The three films are an eye-opener for many of us. We are still unaware of how we are monitored all the time and how it affects us.
