Crowdfunded movie asks “What happens when facial recognition becomes sentient?”

If the thought of Facebook facial recognition and internet surveillance sends a chill down your spine, then maybe you’re the ideal audience for a new ultra-low budget sci-fi movie.

“Nightmare Code” is an independent sci-fi thriller about a behaviour recognition technology start-up whose software begins modifying human behavior with horrifying results.

Check out the teaser trailer, or watch this more detailed video explaining the concept of the movie:

Nightmare Code Campaign Video

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If you want to help the movie raise some cash for marketing, and to get it submitted to film festivals, you can lend them a hand via their Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign.

Imaginatively, the folks behind the feature film are offering supporters the chance to appear in the movie, wherever they are in the world:

For donors who choose the perk of being in the movie, no acting required! Simply:

Turn on your computer camera (or tablet or mobile phone).
Work as you normally would for about 10 seconds…
…then FREEZE staring at the screen for approximately another 10 seconds.
Stop recording and email the video to an address we’ll provide.

That’s all – then you’re in Nightmare Code for all time!

Learn more on the film’s Indiegogo page.


Graham Cluley is an award-winning keynote speaker who has given presentations around the world about cybersecurity, hackers, and online privacy. A veteran of the computer security industry since the early 1990s, he wrote the first ever version of Dr Solomon's Anti-Virus Toolkit for Windows, makes regular media appearances, and is the co-host of the popular "Smashing Security" podcast. Follow him on Twitter, Mastodon, Threads, Bluesky, or drop him an email.

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