By Kimberly Wallace, HER MAgazine
In the shimmering metropolis of Atlantis, during its golden age, a daring young hero embarks on a quest to unveil the secrets of a mysterious celestial bond that could alter the fate of his world forever. Will he harness the power of The Circle Armor to thwart the shadows of an impending catastrophe, or will he stand powerless as his beloved city descends into chaos?
If that sounds like the trailer for a sci-fi fantasy movie, that’s because it is.
Local author and entrepreneur Verena Boodoosingh is using the latest advancements in AI technology to turn her sci-fi fantasy novel The Circle Armor into a movie where audiences can immerse themselves into a realm where magic and destiny collide, and discover a tale of hope that transcends time itself.
Boodoosingh and her team plan to host their pre-screening event on December 3 at MovieTowne, PoS where this ground-breaking project, which uses cutting-edge AI technology to redefine storytelling will be showcased.
“While many explore the concept of AI in film, we’re proud to announce that we have a tangible product that truly embodies that technology,” gushed Boodoosingh.
The Circle Armor feature film, Boodoosingh says, will bring to life the vivid world that she created in her novel and will position T&T as a burgeoning leader in tech-driven storytelling, creating an AI ecosystem for film not just in the Caribbean but beyond.
“So what we are doing is pioneering a path, making a feature length film using AI tools.”
Boodoosingh hopes to submit The Circle Armor to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival; a distributor is already lined up to bring it to international markets and streaming platforms.
To meet their submission deadline, Boodoosingh and her team are in the process of raising money to refine and finish the film. While AI is a tool that aids with the creative process, turning The Circle Armor into a movie involves world-building, character development, recording actors and mastering music.
As a child, movies were Boodoosingh’s refuge from the chaos around her.
“I vividly recall the thrill my sister and I experienced escaping into the galaxies of Star Wars and Star Trek, imagining ourselves as heroes like those I admired in Marvel and Batman, each saving the world in our own way,” she told Her Magazine.
Boodoosingh became a children’s author but out of all book genres, the world of science fiction and fantasy excites her the most. The writer and entrepreneur, who is a fan of Anne Rice novels is also heavily influenced by authors such as JRR Tolkien, CS Lewis and GRR Martin whose works were turned into blockbusters on the small and big screen. When Boodoosingh began writing The Circle Armor, her intention was for it to be turned into a screenplay, but because of her limited budget she adapted it into a sci-fi novel with 37 chapters.
When she shared her ambitious dreams to turn The Circle Armor into a movie, the reaction she received from family and friends was not what she expected.
“Their laughter felt like a brick wall,” she told Her Magazine.
However with the rapid advancements in AI-generated tools, she has been able to revisit her original goal of turning her novel into a movie, significantly reducing her production budget by half.
At the pre screening event on December 3, there will also be a behind-the-scenes documentary which will explore the collaborative effort that combined human creativity with technology.
“This journey is not just about artificial intelligence, it’s deeply personal, it’s about that little girl who longed to be heard.
“Thanks to AI’s accessibility, I now wield the power to bring my story to life and democratise storytelling on the big screen, allowing every child, regardless of their background, to chase their dreams.
“This venture is more than a film, it’s a transformative moment where creativity meets technology, enabling me to finally reveal my story to the world despite a limited budget. It’s time to break down barriers and change the status quo, allowing people like me to bring their vision to the big screen. No more gatekeeping.”
