MUSE Gold

2026

Now & Then

Entrant

New York University

Category

Student Submission - Student Video

Client's Name

Country / Region

United States

In an era where technology solves every inconvenience, are we losing the very friction that makes us human?
"Now & Then" is a speculative journey into a hyper-tech future where AI agents and VR have rendered physical interaction obsolete. The story navigates between two contrasting worlds: a "Future" of sterile, automated perfection, and a "Past" defined by the messy, labor-intensive warmth of human connection.
Visually, we grounded this duality using an 80mm focal length throughout the film. By compressing the space in both timelines, we force the audience to intimately feel the difference between the cold, blue stillness of an AI-guided life and the vibrant, handheld chaos of a lived-in memory.
Ultimately, this film is an invitation to reflect. As we race toward a world of absolute convenience, what happens to our humanity? If the next generation lives entirely in a seamless, auto-guided reality, will they still recognize the texture of life and the warmth of genuine contact? "Now & Then" challenges us to pause and reconsider the true cost of progress before we leave the past behind forever.

Credits

Creative Director & Editor
Hongxin Li
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