Adult Swim Smalls is inviting viewers to step into the weird world of its latest animated short, Hot Future, now live on the Adult Swim YouTube channel. With textural CG animation crafted in real time, the film takes viewers into the future where humans must try it all in order to survive.
The official description reads: One thousand years into the future, where dance is violent and everything is hot. Johnny can’t find his girlfriend. When the beat drops, no one is safe.
Hot Future is the latest project from Mike Anderson and Ryan Dickie whose past collaborations include Good Morning, Pickles!, the SXSW selected short film Night Stalker and the multi-award winning music video for Yeasayer’s I Am Chemistry. The filmmakers used cutting edge technology (real-time 3D animation tools such as Unreal Engine alongside motion and performance capture) to create the short’s distinctive aesthetic.
“It’s like Step Up meets Mad Max in Bollywood,” explain Anderson and Dickie. “The beat drops and heads explode. Inspired by Fury Road, Fist of the North Star and S. S. Rajamouli in equal measure, we want to give audiences an unforgettable experience full of unique characters and unexpected twists.”
The 10-minute short is written, directed and produced by Anderson and Dickie. It stars Matt Barats, Blair Socci, Johnny Pemberton, Crystal Chau and Demorge Brown. Dance choreography and performance by Lauren Elly. Associate producers Brianna Sedor and Zac Swartout. Produced by Alex Plapinger.
Adult Swim Smalls commissions original short-form content by emerging animators and comedic voices from around the world. Since launching in 2018, the program has released over 300 shorts globally. You can find Adult Swim Smalls shorts on Adult Swim’s digital and linear platforms and streaming on HBO Max.