Murder of Minus – A thriller.

Synopsis

Murder of Minus (2025) is a thriller that strips away the veneer of altruism to expose the corrupting nature of ambition. The film follows Quinten Spencer, a young genius who creates Minus, an AI capable of solving humanity’s deepest challenges. Yet beneath Quinten’s public aspirations of helping humanity lurks a desperate hunger for recognition. As we witness the slow unravelling of his moral compass and the inevitable death of his creation, the film transforms from a story about artificial intelligence into a mirror reflecting our own ambitions back at us.

Trailer

Murder of Minus – A thriller.

Murder of Minus – A thriller.

The Ethics of Ambition

Murder of Minus (2025) draws takes inspiration from the real-world stories of figures like Elizabeth Holmes, who chased fame and the promise of revolutionary innovation but ultimately lost sight of genuine impact. The film interrogates how the allure of being seen as a world-changing genius can corrupt even the most promising visions. Quinten claims to want to help humanity. Yet, beneath this facade lies a craving for recognition, a desire to be remembered as the architect of progress rather than a true benefactor of society.

The film critiques a culture, whether in startups or medicine that often glorifies disruption and prestige at any cost, prioritizing headlines, investor appeal, or status over ethical responsibility.

Cast and Crew

Creating Murder of Minus was a massive undertaking, and I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who contributed their talent, time, and passion. This film represents the dedication and hard work of a fantastic team that came together to tell a story about ambition, ethics, and the price of innovation… (click to expand).

William Chai
As the Writer, Director, Executive Producer, Cinematographer, Lead Actor (Quinten and Minus), Camera Operator, and Editor, I poured my heart into shaping every aspect of this film. From conceptualizing the story to guiding the film through production and post, it was a journey that demanded everything I had to give.

Artyom Gabtraupov
Artyom was pivotal to the making of Murder of Minus. As Co-Writer, Co-Director, Executive Producer, Cinematographer, First Assistant Director, Camera Operator, and Lead Actor (Mark), he brought unparalleled creativity and technical expertise to the project. While the story began as my vision, it was Artyom’s collaboration and dedication that transformed the idea into a reality. This film would not exist without his immense contributions, from writing and visual storytelling to directing critical scenes.

Keon Park
Keon’s roles as a Producer, Script Supervisor, and Supporting Cast Member (Officer “Kevin”), were crucial to the smooth execution of the project. His behind-the-scenes organization and on-set presence were vital to our success.

Matthew Buchanan-MacDougall
Matthew contributed as a Producer, Composer, Script Supervisor, and Set Extra (Graffiti Man). His score created depth and atmosphere to the film.

Calum Heimbecker
Calum’s involvement as a Producer, Camera Operator, and Production Designer ensured that our film’s visuals and logistical aspects aligned perfectly.

Yengkong Lynhiavu
Yengkong served as a Producer and Camera Operator. His contributions helped to shape the direction of the film when we hit roadblocks during the pre-production and production stages.

Jeremy Atafo, Andrea Ng, Walter Wang, Zarra Rahemtulla, Evan Ingle
These Associate Producers played key roles in supporting the production, each contributing to our collective vision. Evan worked as our Prop Master for select scenes.

Supporting Cast:
Ian Carswell as Owens
Eden Lucchetta as Julia
Brian Hendry as Award Presenter
Stanislau Hollingsworth-Pratasousky as Officer 2

Script Supervisors:
Maya Schiedel, Miret Morgan, Bogda David, Walter Wang, Kasvi Kaushik, Jory Breen, Alison Hunter Stewart, and David Newman.

Our entire team brought immense dedication to Murder of Minus, and I’m endlessly thankful for their hard work and passion. This project was a true testament to the power of collaboration.

Production Stills

A Personal Reflection

To me and many other aspiring healthcare professionals, this film serves as a cautionary tale. All too often, people pursue careers as doctors not out of a genuine desire to help those in need but because of the prestige and status associated with the title. This savior complex, the obsession with being seen, is a dangerous path that can lead to moral compromise.

Quinten embodies this danger. He wishes to be remembered as a genius who transforms the world, but his heart isn’t in the right place. His ambition overshadows the ethical cost of his actions, illustrating the consequences of seeking greatness for the wrong reasons.

As servants to the public, we must question our motivations. True greatness lies in compassionate service and not titles. For whom and for what are we working so hard?

Release Information

Murder of Minus was submitted to film festivals in early 2025, and planned for distribution across the interwebs by 2026. If you have any questions, please contact me at me@willchai.com.

Awards & Recognition

We are honored to have Murder of Minus recognized as the in the following film festivals. This marks an exciting milestone for the film, and we look forward to sharing more festival selections and accolades as they come in.

Cine Paris Film Festival (Jan. 2025)
“Best Student Film” Award Winner

Austin Lift-Off Film Festival (2025)
“Short Live Action Narrative” Official Selection

Alternative Film Festival (Spring 2025)
“Best Actor” Award Winner (William Chai)

“Best Student Film” Nominee

Couch Film Festival (Spring 2025)
“Best Mystery/Suspense/Thriller” Award Winner

Q&A

1. What was the budget for Murder of Minus?

Counting the equipment, the total budget came to around $7,000. We managed to create a considerably high-quality film on a relatively “small” budget.

2. How long did you work on this project?

Over 3 years! We started in high school in November of 2021, with post-production wrapping on January 1st, 2025.

3. Where was Murder of Minus filmed?

The film was almost entirely shot in Kitchener/Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.

4. What inspired the story and themes of the film?

The inspiration came from a combination of personal experiences and the movie The Social Network by David Fincher, as well as real-life stories of ambitious figures and notorious scams, such as those of Elizabeth Holmes and Martin Shkreli. The film explores the ethical dilemmas and the dangerous allure of fame and recognition, highlighting how ambition can spiral into moral compromise.

5. What technology or equipment did you use?

We purchased the Sony a6500, and later sold to buy the Sony a7iii. These cameras provided the high-quality visuals we needed to bring the story to life, even on a tight budget. Everything was edited on my personal laptop (M1 Pro MacBook Pro) with Final Cut Pro 11.

6. Were there any major challenges during production?

One of the biggest challenges was coordinating schedules with our crew. Hilariously, one three-person scene was shot with only two people on set, making it incredibly difficult to manage acting, directing, and technical responsibilities simultaneously. The entire team had to be extremely adaptable and efficient.

7. How did you go about casting the lead and supporting roles?

Since I didn’t have access to casting agencies, especially as this project started in high school, I had to cast many of my close friends. I also took on the two main lead roles myself.

8. Who composed the film’s soundtrack, and what inspired the musical style?

Matthew Buchanan-MacDougall composed the soundtrack, and he did a fantastic job. Given the film’s themes of AI, we also incorporated AI-generated music. This decision aligned with the film’s message and made production more feasible, as it allowed us to enhance the atmosphere without needing a full orchestra. This did not replace the need for a human composer.