| The Singularity | |
| Director: | Doug Wolens |
| Producer: | Doug Wolens |
| Writers: | --> |
| Narrators: | --> |
| Production Companies: | --> |
| Distributors: | --> |
| Runtime: | 76 minutes |
| Country: | United States |
| Language: | English |
The Singularity is a 2012 documentary film about the technological singularity, produced and directed by Doug Wolens. The film has been called "a large-scale achievement in its documentation of futurist and counter-futurist ideas”.
Doug Wolens organized his interviews with the commentators (see list below) by this set of topics, related to the singularity. During each topic or subtopic several commentators provide their viewpoints, some with suggestions on how to get there, others with a skeptical opinion about when it will happen.
In order of their appearance in the film:
American composer Christopher (“Chrizzy”) Lancaster scored the original soundtrack for the film. The soundtrack was created by the processing of acoustic cello sound through real-time samplers, audio effects and filtering recording his cello and feedback.
The Singularity had limited theatrical release beginning with the 1400 seat Castro Theatre in San Francisco in September 2013, along with screening at the Brattle Theatre in Cambridge MA, the Smith Rafael Film Center in Marin California, and The Santa Fe Center for Contemporary Arts. The film has also had screenings at Yale University, University of Edinburgh, Arizona State University, NASA, BIL, and others. These screenings featured post-screening discussion with expert panels, and/or question and answer sessions with director Doug Wolens.
Doug Wolens has pursued an alternative self-distribution strategy for The Singularity, working directly with theatres, museums, educational institutions, as well as with the national and local press, to promote the screenings and iTunes December, 2012 digital release.
Stephen Cass of the IEEE Spectrum called it "a lively introduction" that does not cover new ground.[1] Geoff Pevere of The Globe and Mail wrote that the film, an "intense, idea-packed account" of the concept, casts McKibben as the most compelling speaker, as his arguments come across the most human, appealing not only to reason but also feeling.[2] Alex Knapp of Forbes wrote that it is "well done and provides a good overview", though he said he would have liked to have seen more criticism of the basic tenet of exponential technological growth.[3] The interviewees themselves also attracted commentary; Case asked why there were no non-white subjects,[1] and Pevere described them as "neo-hippie, unkempt longhairs".[2]