The importance of human creativity is more relevant now than it ever has been. With tools that subvert the creative process becoming widely accessible to the average person, creativity itself is under siege. It's tempting to feel uninspired, both culturally and individually. We are constantly faced with the question: why create at all?

With this in mind, we (co-producers Liam Siegler and Sam Gonzalez) are setting out to make a short film. Our story follows a young artist, Marcus, who faces these questions about art and the creative process when his girlfriend asks him to make her a painting. Like many artists, Marcus feels pressure from all sides. He struggles with his own ambition as a creative and is tempted to despair.

The title for our film, ‘Poiesis’, comes from an ancient Greek word that means “the act of creation or making”. This word was chosen intentionally. In a world where the very act of creating is threatened by things like artificial intelligence, consumerism, and cynicism, we want to tell a story that invites our audience to reconsider what makes creativity good. What should make us want to create? Why should we reject the myriad of temptations to compromise and despair - things that ultimately undermine and discourage creating?

Poiesis explores the implications of identity, ambition, technology, and love, and how they relate to the creative endeavor.