2025-07-01 20:29:58 by Cool Hunting

MEMORY releases Your Final Meditation, a film by Corey Hughes that explores how an AI-powered mental health game taps into human emotions, blurring the line between self and screen Courtesy of Your Final MeditationYour Final Meditation, directed, written and edited by Baltimore-based filmmaker Corey Hughes, explores the juxtaposition of real life emotions and memories with the sometimes disorienting world of adaptive AI. It stars Jodiiie (portrayed by actor and musician Hanna Olivegren), a tie-dye-wearing, nature-loving creative with a desire to treat her anxiety—and ultimately perform a new original song for her “close friends”—with the help of Transcend, a machine-learning AI assistant and VR game that builds a customized meditative experience. “The film explores how we relate to technology, especially cameras and screens, through the lens of the body,” says Hughes. “It looks at self-help culture, health apps, and emerging technologies as ways to “heal” or optimize ourselves. This quest is both sincere and absurd.” Courtesy of Your Final MeditationWhat starts out as a digital version of what you’d typically expect at a guided meditation class—think singing bowls, peaceful nature soundscapes and a box breath exercise—turns into a high-paced, sometimes anxiety-inducing journey through 12 visually distinct game levels that inch our protagonist closer to transcendence, whatever that actually means for her. What does it mean when our most intimate, even spiritual, experiences are mediated by technologies owned and controlled by systems we barely understand?Corey Hughes“I was interested in how tools like meditation apps and fitness trackers, meant to help us self-actualize, re-shape our sense of self,” says Hughes, who was inspired to create the film after managing his own anxiety and panic attacks with guided meditations online. “What does it mean when our most intimate, even spiritual, experiences are mediated by technologies owned and controlled by systems we barely understand? What happens when our spiritual selves become sites for optimization?” Hughes’ narrative approach uses a range of visual techniques like 3D animation, a fascinating macro view of insects hard at work—shot in his backyard during a Brood cicada molting season—and AI-generated content to tell Jodiiie’s story. “Some sections are shot with a crew in a more cinematic narrative way, others are filmed inside of virtual gaming engines, and a few levels are just me running around the woods with a head mounted 360 GoPro,” says Hughes. “Each method communicates something different” as Jodiiie progresses through each level while encountering a few technical difficulties in the real world. Even the most innovative VR headset is bound to need a recharge eventually. Courtesy of Your Final MeditationWith a buzzy ride on the film festival circuit, including screenings at Rockaway Film Festival and New/Next Film Festival in Baltimore, where filming also took place, Hughes and the independent, artist-focused motion picture company MEMORY chose to forego the traditional release route. Instead, the team released the film via Metalabel, a first for the platform that’s known for helping artists collaborate and share their work, all while maintaining creative and financial control.  “We partnered with Metalabel for the release because we wanted it to match the spirit of the project. The film wasn’t made in a traditional way so it didn’t make sense to do a traditional film release,” says Hughes. “What I like about the platform is the ability to customize the release in a way that feels intentional and a little bit more formal than just blasting something into the void on social media. I’m always interested in making work that exists between the art and film worlds, and looking through Metalabel’s catalogue, it felt like a natural home for this project.” Courtesy of Corey HughesIn addition to the film’s availability on Metalabel, there’s also other assets to further dive into Your Final Meditation. “I knew I wanted to do something different than just releasing the film on a Blu-ray,” says Hughes, “and I like the idea of building the world outside of the film with custom objects connected to the project.” The YFM Magic Rock, a limited-edition design collab with Lorre Mill, is inspired by a key object in the film and plays eight unique MP3 cartridges that feature songs and sounds from the film. “The film has such an eclectic soundtrack featuring many of my favorite Baltimore musicians, and so it made sense to highlight the music in the physical release.” The analog feel of the Magic Rock offers a notable contrast to Jodiiie’s virtual world and it’s not compatible with streaming services or smartphones. “I think that physicality of media is something we miss with infinite libraries of streaming music.” Meanwhile, the 60-page digital zine, part of the YFM Digital Bundle, includes early scripts, inspiration photos, guided meditations and more for an immersive metaphysical experience.  Courtesy of Your Final MeditationWhether you’re AI-obsessed or staunchly anti-, Your Final Meditation might evoke an unexpected range of human emotions during its 52-minute runtime. We felt hope, sadness, excitement and even fear as we followed along on the AI-guided journey that straddles the natural, digital and hybrid worlds. How far must one go to seek inner peace when technology impacts just about every second of our daily lives? As the soft-voiced narrator reminds Jodiiie (and the viewer, at large) during her gameplay, “Each day we wander, looking for something new. Manifest your reality.” Your Final Meditation is available now on Metalabel.