The short film "General Parenting Test" has a total length of 30 minutes and its production took nearly two years. Set in a fictional world, it depicts a scenario where having a child requires passing an exam. Through a "three-stage" exam with artificial intelligence heavily involved, it tests whether prospective parents can solve various challenges they may encounter in raising children. Succeeding participants earns them the government's "qualified" designation, entitling them to more benefits and subsidies.
The story revolves around two wealthy middle-aged couples and a pair of young spouses from the working class attempting to pass the test through deceit and manipulation, only to end up in failure. Using dark humor and stylized audiovisual elements, the narrative adopts a soft sci-fi fantasy reveals that entrenched class divide perpetuated though the examination system is seemed to be the only resolution. The immersive technical assessment simulated by artificial intelligence illustrates a future where AI deeply infiltrates human life, even capable of unveiling people’s secrets. Through the journeys of the four protagonists enduring the assessments, the overarching theme emerges: "Only by accepting all the cruel and unbearable possibilities can one hope to have a brighter future."
The creation discourse is divided into five chapters. The first chapter, Introduction, including the motivation and purpose of shooting this film. The second chapter delves into relevant literature and reference works. The third chapter introduces the creative methods and content. The fourth chapter shows the procedure of pre-production, filming, and post-production stages. The fifth chapter comprises screening records, feedbacks, and reflections. The complete script, actual expenses and the cast and crew list are provided at the end. The transformation of delineated creative context into a creative discourse, can hopefully be guiding further exploration of future creative directions. Additionally, the practical experience is hoped to share as a reference for future creators.