Below is a screenplay for a 15-minute animated short film, "On the Run," developed by the Apocalypse Studio. The screenplay tells the story of a young woman's initiation and includes all The Origins as major and minor characters.
The Origins are all animated works. We used stills here so as not to distract the reader, but to see the animations, click any artwork. Red dots indicate collected artworks; the others are available to collect.
We are actively seeking partners with whom we can produce this film. Please write or DM on X if interested!
EXT. FLOWER HILL - BEFORE SUNSET
NIC (23) pushes an e-bike with a flat front tire up Flower Hill. On either side of the hill are fields of flowers. At the top is a street light and on the other side of the street, trees. As she gets to the top, she sees CARBON COP on his electric motorcycle in a speed trap. As Nic crests the hill heaving, he rides his bike over to her.
CARBON COP
(distorted voice, dismounting)
Stop.
Nic, breathing hard and barely listening, stumbles forward.
CARBON COP
(hand on nightstick)
Citizen! Stop!
Stopping, Nic turns to look at him. She's panting from the climb and annoyed.
NIC
What? Was I speeding?
CARBON COP
Emissions license. (to shoulder radio) Routine scan, threat level: (looking at her dead pan) zero.
Carbon Cop leers at her as she hands him her license. He takes it, passes it under his scanner, then points his scanner at her face. In its reflected lens, Nic's eyes change to those of MEAN GIRL. When he lowers the scanner, Nic sees Carbon Cop's damaged soul.
She blinks hard and stumbles back.
CARBON COP
Hey! What are you on? It's illegal to operate an e-bike under the influence.
NIC
Nothing. Jesus. Just... (bites her tongue)
CARBON COP
Your license limits you to one hundred eighty parts per million CO2 emissions. Know what I scanned you at?
NIC
Three hundred million billion fucks not given.
CARBON COP
Two-seventy-three. That's over fifty percent of your allotted emission rate.
NIC
E-bikes are heavy.
CARBON COP
Gonna have to write you a ticket.
NIC
For WHAT? Breathing?!
CARBON COP
(smirks)
Here's your fine for the emissions...
As Carbon Cop hands Nic a ticket, flashes of MEAN GIRL appear around her. She steals a glance at his nightstick, but instead of fighting, she closes her eyes.
CARBON COP (still)
ORIGIN OF RESISTANCE
Edition of 128
released with ClickCreate, Sep 2023
Click image to open full res GIF
CUT TO:
INT. SCHOOL CLASSROOM
C+ KID sits in a desk as an angry teacher shouts at the class. Everyone looks terrified, including a much younger Nic, but C+ Kid smiles slightly, unperturbed, and lightning flashes within him.
CUT TO:
EXT. FLOWER HILL - BEFORE SUNSET
Nic takes a deep breath, then opens her eyes and looks directly and calmly at Carbon Cop. C+ Kid's lightning flashes within her.
CARBON COP
(cheerfully)
See you at The Station.
NIC
(looking at the ticket)
This is a ten dollar fine. Can't I just pay this here?
CARBON COP
Not that one. You gotta pay that downtown. And better get that bike fixed. In twenty-four hours that fine turns into a warrant. Enjoy your day.
Carbon Cop returns to his speed trap. Nic pulls her bike to the side of the road, then looks into the distance at the distant city. She sees an old couple walking along the hillside below her. She resumes pushing her bike across the street and up the tree-lined avenue.
C+ KID (still)
ORIGIN OF STRENGTH
1/1
Collection Mr703
Click image to open full res GIF
FADE TO:
EXT. YELLOW HOUSE
Nic pushes her bike to the steps of an enormous yellow house. An old-fashioned light bulb illuminates the porch and warm light pours from the windows. There is upbeat music and joyful laughter.
Nic leans her bike on the porch. LIGHT INSIDE leans against the wall.
LIGHT INSIDE
Yo Nic, how's things? Keepin' the light on?
NIC
Yo good to see ya man!
The two bump fists and Nic moves inside.
LIGHT INSIDE (still)
ORIGIN OF HOPE
1/1
available
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INT. YELLOW HOUSE
Inside is a low key house party. There are beer cans and burger wrappers and conversations happening in low voices. Sitting on the floor, leaning against a wall is EXTRA SOUR. He's out of his mind drunk, his head is hanging limp. Something crashes and he lifts his head, his eyes barely open. As he lifts his head, Nic sees a vision of his soul in EXTRA SOUR. He's down bad in doom cycles. She shakes off the impression and moves into the kitchen.
EXTRA SOUR (still)
ORIGIN OF DOOM
1/1
Collection DjjD
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As Nic digs around in the fridge, ARRR approaches from behind.
ARRR
Nico!
She turns, he hands her a beer.
NIC
Finally!
She opens it and takes a sip.
ARRR
How's it going?
She takes another sip. Breathes. Arrr's image becomes his seen self, red and gold and kind. The image fades and Nic lifts the bottle to her lips. She holds it there until it's empty.
Nic shows Arrr the ticket.
NIC
Carbon fine.
ARRR
What happened?
NIC
Busted on the hill; gotta go to The Station. You got another beer?
ARRRR (still)
ORIGIN OF FORTUNE
1/1
Collection ROBNESS
Click image to open full res GIF
Arrr hands her another bottle. As he does, SOMETHING AGAINST YOU comes in from the backyard through an open doorway.
SAY
Yo girl, what's up!
Nic looks up. The air around SAY fragments and distorts as SAY looks directly at her. For a flash, SAY turns into her seen self.
NIC
(sighs)
Hey babe! Carbon cop got me.
SAY
What? How?
NIC
(opening beer)
Flat tire, pushing up the Hill.
SAY
Shit honey I'm sorry.
SAY gets Nic a third beer and exits toward the back porch. The air shifts and distorts from her inebriation.
SOMETHING AGAINST YOU (still)
ORIGIN OF COURAGE
1/1
Collection Artifaction
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EXT. YELLOW HOUSE BACKYARD
Nic joins Arrr outside, where SPARKY is tending the fire. As she finishes her beer, she stumbles slightly and laughs. She reaches in Arrr's bag and grabs herself another.
NIC
I think we might be running low.
ARRR
Nah there's plenty!
Nic stumbles again. She watches people mill about, watches the light dance and the colors change. They might be visions, but they're so vague now that it barely makes a difference.
ARRR
So... talk to me. What's up?
NIC
(tears up, defeated)
Fuck, man... I gotta do something with my life. I mean... I don't know what to do, Arrr. I mean not it's not you, not anyone. It's just... I need to do something, you know?
As they talk, SAY is in the background talking closely with a man Nic doesn't know, who nods his head yes.
ARRR
You wanna write — right?
Nic looks at ARRR hopefully and CALAVERA appears. She can't quite tell how Calavera is connected with Arrr. She snaps back.
NIC
Yeah. Yeah. But...
CALAVERA (still)
ORIGIN OF RITUAL
1/1
Collection Spidah
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Nic looks up and over the fire barrel, seeing the unknown man. He feels her looking at him and looks back with friendly eyes. She blinks and a vision, both daunting and enthralling, comes to her. She shrinks back.
NIC
(startled)
Who's that!
Arrr looks over, sees SAY and the man (PATHFINDER), and gestures to them. They join Nic and Arrr.
ARRR
What's up! We're just talking about Nic's poetry.
PATHFINDER
You write?
NIC
(nervous)
Please tell me there's another beer. Sometimes.
ARRR
She writes and they're incredible. Melancholic, vivid. Visions of soul and spirit.
Nic takes her backpack off and removes a thick journal.
NIC
(pretending to read)
There once was a girl from Nantucket. She carried her words in a bucket. A man came with gold, said how many sold? None, I answered, so fuck it.
Everyone chuckles.
ARRR
Nah c'mon.
PATHFINDER
You just made that up.
NIC
I know. I'm really talented.
PATHFINDER
(looking at the book, then her)
C'mon.
Nic gives in and thumbs through her journal in the firelight. Path listens attentively.
NIC
(reading)
There will be a great mind shattering / king / demons everywhere / thieves who steal conscience / and only they who still feel the moist soil of the heart will speak or think.
Taken into her vision, the listeners stare into the fire. Pathfinder stares at her intently.
PATHFINDER
I think you see more than you're letting on.
Nic snaps her book closed and stashes it away. She lifts the beer to her lips and drains the bottle as she stares into the flames.
FADE TO BLACK.
PATHFINDER (still)
ORIGIN OF SELF-KNOWLEDGE
1/1
Collection Hexum
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EXT. FLOWER FIELD ON FIRE
Nic opens her eyes in an expansive field of flowers with mountains in the distance. Everything is on fire but undamaged. Looking up, she sees FIRE SAINT, a gigantic man walking through the field, who stops, looks at her, smiles, and moves on.
She blinks. The fire is gone and so is the man. BODY OF LIGHT is walking up the road on Flower Hill, just where Nic walked. Like her, he walks across the street and into the trees. Nic sees herself come around the corner at the bottom of the hill, looking back in time.
Nic watches herself walk up the hill (sans Carbon Cop this time), and suddenly, she is looking at THE ONE walking toward her through the grass, who then stands before her. In The One's terrifying eyes are gently turning golden skulls that trace tiny circles of white light. Nic is drawn in as the circles become glowing white arcs of planets and stars in their orbits, and finally, the patterns that form the flowers.
FIRE SAINT (still)
ORIGIN OF WARMTH
1/1
Collection Art Pleb
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CUT TO:
INT. TREEHOUSE - MORNING
Nic opens her eyes. She's lying on a couch. Directly in her line of sight is a beaten copper ball on a circular table. Looking around the room, she sees books lining floor-to-ceiling shelves along one wall. On another is a painting of a giant walking in a meadow of flowers. Morning light streams through a window as Nic crosses the room to a desk on which are many drawings and papers, and starts to look at them when Pathfinder comes up the stairs quietly.
PATHFINDER
Hey, good morning!
NIC
Oh! Sorry! I was just... Um... Hi. Um... where are we, and how did I get here?
PATHFINDER
This is the Treehouse and you crashed on that couch.
NIC
Is... Is Arrr here? And SAY?
PATHFINDER
Yeah, they're downstairs making breakfast. Heard you needed this.
Path pulls a neatly coiled tube from his jacket and hands it to Nic. As she takes it, she sees his starry, staring soul once more. It's just as imposing, but this time it threatens her less.
NIC
Huh, wow — cool, thanks! I'll pay ya back!
PATHFINDER
Don't worry about it. Tools are downstairs.
Path slides down a pole as Nic becomes aware of chatter and music below. She follows him, giving the room one last glance.
CUT TO:
EXT. TREE HOUSE, GROUND LEVEL
Kneeling down, Nic works on her tire. Arrr and SAY approach. SAY hands her a burrito and a mason jar of juice with ice.
SAY
Freshly made. How ya feelin'?
NIC
Ohhhh thanks babe!
Nic finishes the tire, wolfing down the burrito.
ARRR
Yoooo! What's the hurry?
NIC
Cop said I have to pay tonight – at the Station. All the way to the city for ten bucks!
(swallows)
What's going on here? Looks like people are getting ready.
ARRR
We're hiking Black Mountain.
NIC
Everyone?
ARRR
Yep.
NIC
Sounds fun...
ARRR
It is. Come along next time.
NIC
(to ARRR and SAY)
I will. Promise.
As Path unplugs the bike and coils the cable, Nic finishes the meal, downs the juice, hugs Arrr and SAY.
SAY
Be careful. Be smart.
NIC
(to PATHFINDER)
I'll try. Hey, thanks for... everything. See ya.
PATHFINDER
(waving)
Have a good night!
She turns awkwardly, mounts her bike, and signals goodbye to everyone. The bike makes a whirring sound as she rides away.
FADE TO:
EXT. FLOWER HILL TRAIN STATION - AFTERNOON
Nic arrives on her bike, jumping off as she pulls in and locks it to a stand. A blinking light says, “CENTRAL STATION: 3 min.” As she waits, the sound of humming insects catches her attention. As she spies a grasshopper munching the tall grass, WHISPERS invades her mind, its sound like a full grown human insect.
NO TEMPLE
Seeker?
Shaken from her stupor, Nic startles and looks up to see No Temple sitting on the platform. Her first glimpse of him is his soul essence, but a moment later, he's a man with a long beard dressed in yellow.
He stands up and puts a heavy-looking backpack on.
NO TEMPLE
Seeker! The Mysteries are no longer in the temple, but at the train station.
Nic hears the train coming and smiles weakly at him before walking up the platform to embark.
NO TEMPLE
(calling after her)
It's a long walk, Seeker!
No Temple walks away playing a harmonica. Nic, bewildered, watches him go.
NO TEMPLE (still)
ORIGIN OF TRANSFORMATION
1/1
Collection Jules
Click image to open full res GIF
CUT TO:
INT. FLOWER HILL TRAIN STATION
Just beside her, an advertisement displays RISER. The train arrives a moment later. She steps on, finding a seat in a series of uncomfortable benches. As the train rolls away, she stares out the window. RISER is visible on all the advertising boards as the train leaves the station.
RISER (still)
ORIGIN OF ETERNITY
1/1
collection MoDA
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INT. BUG TRAIN
The world rolls past, changing from trees to pastures dotted with small farmhouses and ruins of old farms with grass growing through rusted cars. Tired apartment buildings and disintegrating sidewalks dominate the landscape before the train dips below ground.
The sound of insects returns, getting louder as more people board at outlying stations. As they sit, they put on VR glasses and zone out. Nic begins to see insect parts: claws instead of hands, a mandible instead of a jaw, and wings folded behind coats. She has a vision of a factory where eggs become larvae become human insects. BUG LORD appears to her inner vision and she is dumbstruck.
BUG LORD (still)
ORIGIN OF MISERY
1/1
available
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At that moment, MERCURY enters the railcar from the gangway & the railcar goes dark. He appears to be on fire or falling apart, but radiating intensity. No one but Nic notices him.
As he walks down the aisle, Mercury stops and stares at Nic, raising his right hand in greeting and recognition. He pauses briefly, and without looking at anyone else, continues walking down the railcar and through the next gangway.
MERCURY (still)
ORIGIN OF ABILITY
1/1
collection Crypt0bubble
Click image to open full res GIF
INT. DARK MAGIC CITY (THE DMC) STATION
Nic climbs the stairs out of the station, jostled by hurrying people. She walks past an outdoor fighting ring, where a crowd surrounds two men trade bloody punches. The tent sign displays a bear and a monkey fighting underneath the word "BE ANIMALS." These sorts of crass, theatrically violent shows are common in the DMC.
As she walks, THE BEAST writhes on a digital billboard across the plaza. "THE STATION" is written in large neon letters on the building she approaches. She has been here before — a hybrid of government functions, entertainment, and mafia activities.
THE BEAST
from: The Meeings Collection
1/1
Collection McLarf86
FADE TO:
INT. THE STATION
Nic joins a short queue outside. Bouncers stand near the door as a line attendant checks people in.
LINE ATTENDANT
Pleasure or penalty?
NIC
I have to pay a fine.
LINE ATTENDANT
For what?
NIC
Carbon ticket.
LINE ATTENDANT
Bar.
As Nic enters the building, Carbon Cop spots her.
CARBON COP
Ho! Look who it is. Only a couple of hours to spare. I was hoping to track you down.
Nic tries to push past him but he stands her in way, pulls out his scanner, and looks down at its screen.
CARBON COP
Nicoooooooole, known as Nic or Nico to friends, threat level zero and a new alias, Fucks Not Given.
Nic tries to push past him again but he stands in her way.
CARBON COP
Hey wait a sec; I'm sorry. It's just a quota, OK? Nothing personal. Drinks on me.
He takes her arm in a friendly manner and presses an inky skull stamp onto her wrist, then steps aside and beckons her inside. Double doors with MASK DESTRUCTION on them slide open, revealing a black lit night club.
She goes in and finds an empty place at the bar next to FLUFFY, who's recounting his future troubles to an invisible listener.
MASK DESTRUCTION (still)
ORIGIN OF IDENTITY
Click image to open full res GIF
upcoming edition, release date TBD
BARTENDER
(shouting)
What'll you have?
NIC
(shouting back)
Shiner! Bottle!
The Bartender looks at her briefly, then glances at the screen.
BARTENDER
Ten bucks for the fine; drinks are on the house!
Nic pays the fine and, taking the beer, winces slightly as The Bartender briefly becomes BURNED.
NIC
Cheers.
The Bartender smiles and points her toward the next room.
BURNED (still)
ORIGIN OF ANGER
1/1
available
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CUT TO:
INT. DANCE FLOOR
Down a few steps, KNUCKLEDOWN DJs at a large console in a mostly dark black lit room. Nic slides easily onto the dance floor, figuring she might as well party a bit. A sea of bodies, flashing lights, blacklit details, and music wash over her; she slips into a trance.
KNUCKLEDOWN (still)
ORIGIN OF DISCIPLINE
edition of 42
Click image to open full res GIF
After a few moments, the visions begin: illuminated snakes sliver along the wall; people’s faces distort; and as a man presses against her, DARK CANDY flashes into her soul.
DARK CANDY (still)
ORIGIN OF DESIRE
1/1
Collection Max Karlan
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She suddenly becomes aware that something isn’t right. She pushes the man off of her, seeing the skull stamp first on his and then on others’ arms. She stares at her own and realizes it’s pulsing, etching itself into her, invading her pores and drugging her mind. She staggers forward and SHIVERS fills her vision.
SHIVERS (still)
ORIGIN OF FEAR
1/1
available
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She finally pushes through the crowd as PANDEMONIUM appears. Soul ashes hover in the strobe light; red Xes dance within him. Here is the epicenter, she realizes. She is trapped — hypnotized in his gaze, which looks only into the void.
PANDEMONIUM (still)
ORIGIN OF DESTRUCTION
1/1
collection Comfy Devil
Click image to open full res GIF
And as she comes under his spell, VIPE shows itself as the servant of the enemy. She shouts, lurches, and stumbles into a nearby bathroom. She throws open the door and locks it behind her.
VIPE (still)
ORIGIN OF POISON
1/1
Collection Art Pleb
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INT. BATHROOM
The bathroom is also black lit — a sink, a toilet, a mirror. Pale and sweaty Nic throws the water on & madly scrubs at her arm with soap. BLACK HOLE stares at her from out of the mirror, and she shouts again, swiping at the image.
BLACK HOLE (still)
ORIGIN OF DYSFUNCTION
1/1
available
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MEAN GIRL smolders in its place, at which point Nic vomits into the sink, smacking her forehead on the faucet. Bleeding, crying, head in sink and rinsing her mouth, she becomes peripherally aware of flowers above her, blowing in the mirror.
MEAN GIRL (still)
ORIGIN OF PAIN
1/1
Collection Ultrapara
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Looking again into the mirror she sees THE SOURCE gently looking back at her. The atmosphere has become calm; the music fades into the background; there is only the sound of Quietland.
The camera pans from The Source to Nic, who is now both herself and The Source, i.e. her higher self. She is in two worlds at once: the bathroom and another world, revealing itself as a gently blowing field of flowers. The music is quiet or hardly audible.
INT. DANCE FLOOR
Nic walks in two worlds — the dance floor and bar on one plane and the flower field in the other. As she walks, the music and dancing continue as before, but in the distance. She sees it all, but is unaffected and inwardly still.
PANDEMONIUM jerks his head and looks straight at her, suddenly aware of her new awakened state. She stares back at him, then calmly turns and walks away, toward the exit.
INT. BAR
As she walks, Nic sees the same things she did before, but her vision is clear and controlled. The Bartender is both herself and BURNED. A gentle aura around FLUFFY has a subtle, calming presence on others. Looking toward the exit, she sees a warm light reflected on the outside walls.
THE SOURCE (still)
ORIGIN OF TRUE SELF
1/1
collection Omz
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EXT. THE STATION - NIGHT
SHINEFACE greets her and smiles. He radiates light rhythmically, and as waves of pulsing light pass through Nic, she begins to pulse light in a similar way. He welcomes her into the further expanse of the field.
SHINEFACE (still)
ORIGIN OF FREEDOM
1/1
Collection Rose Summers
Click image to open full res GIF
Her own pulsing is erratic; she does not yet have it under control, and as a result, her sight in the other world flickers. Her vision flickers between walking in a dark city in one moment, and in a field of flowers the next. Amidst the confusion and chaotic vision, Nic touches her face and feels that The Source is still in her.
Unwavering, she walks deeper into fields dotted with trees in one world; along roads and under bridges in the other. The flickering intensifies: she wants to walk wholly in the other world, but the familiar world continually invades. The lightning from SORCERER appears along city walls; windows and shadows flash electric blue. In the other world, the flowers fill her vision. SPRINGTIME and HERB GATHERER welcome her across the threshold, but she does not wholly leave the dark magic city behind as it continuously flickers within her field of vision.
Even so, Nic turns her attention to the stars, planets, and their orbital paths as she walks. She sees through the earth to the stars and planets below the horizon. The ecliptic is an intersecting helix of leaf shapes, and she sees plants growing. Even as insects chatter and protest, nature's boundless wisdom is revealed to her mind and heart.
FADE TO BLACK.
SPRINGTIME (still)
ORIGIN OF YOUTH
1/1
collection Chromospace
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HERB GATHERER (still)
ORIGIN OF HEALING
1/1
Collection Max Karlan
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FADE IN:
EXT. FLOWER HILL - MORNING
Nic finds herself at the top of Flower Hill. Out of the distance walk an elderly couple, arm in arm. As they draw near, Nic sees them in her higher vision. Their peaceful, calm souls greet her.
THE ONE
(laughing gently)
Well my dear, at last we meet.
NIC
But... who ARE we?
THE ONE
That day approaches! Until then, there is much to do.
THE ONE (still)
ORIGIN OF LIFE
1/1
Collection Rhynotic
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GOLD MAGE looks on encouragingly and silently.
NIC
Is it true? Is there a Vertical War? When is the Rupture?
THE ONE
It is; there is! The Rupture is now and ongoing. But...
Nicole looks down, tearing up, confused and concerned. Electric blue briefly flashes through her hoodie.
THE ONE
But not yet!
GOLD MAGE (still)
ORIGIN OF MASTERY
1/1
Collection Michaely
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Nic looks up, The Source still in her.
THE ONE
Nicole! The time has come to turn your wounds into gifts, and your gifts into capacities. You must learn to look and see and understand. The Rupture is here. There are those who go before us...
BODY OF LIGHT appears on screen / in Nic's soul.
BODY OF LIGHT (still)
ORIGIN OF SPIRIT
1/1
Collection Andre Messina
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THE ONE
...and those who bind with fear!
SORCERER fills Nic's inner vision, and she recoils in horror.
SORCERER (still)
ORIGIN OF EVIL
1/1
collection Scrilla
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As we zoom into her eyes, we see the Yellow House reflected in her gaze, the sun rising in the distance over the hills, and in the light of the new day a golden skull is turning in the black depths of her left pupil. As the camera zooms out, we see SEEKER.
END
SEEKER (still)
ORIGIN OF SIGHT
1/1
Collection NorCal
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Every story begins with a spark of conflict. CARBON COP was the first INFLUX piece released, so our story begins here.
In the near future, CARBON COPS will be deployed across the population. Nic's encounter with one introduces us to the "fertile dystopia" in which she lives. The machinery of state and corporate oppression exhibits constant violence but also innumerable cracks and failures. CARBON COPS are low level extensions of that crumbling but ever vigilant state-mafia-bureaucracy, a messy and incoherent blend of state functions and extortion.
CARBON COP was released Sept 2023 with ClickCreate's "Disobedients" collection, curated by Patrick Amadon, and sold 128 editions.