Intextigator 3 The Line of the Four Film Spotlight

Today’s film spotlight focuses on the short film Intextigator 3 The Line of the Four directed by John Babu.

What is the title of your film and what inspired said title?

The title of the film is The InTEXTigator 3: The Line of the Four. This is part 3 of the InTEXTigator series, named such as it resembles ‘investigator’ while also highlighting that these investigations are carried out through texts. Each of the sub-titles of the film are plays on Sherlock Holmes novels, from which the series borrows heavily. The InTEXTigator is a 5 part series, and after the pilot film (part 1), the rest of the films mimic the titles of each of the 4 Sherlock Holmes book titles, in their order. The line of the four also implies the 4 people that are being questioned in relation to the case in this film.

Tell us a little bit about the story and origins of your film.

The InTEXTigator series is about Sherlock, an AI developed by the Toronto Police Service, solving various cases through its unique approach. Although the premise may seem very tech savvy on the outside, my focus is on exploring the pros and cons of such technology by comparing how machines are different from humans. The InTEXTigator 3 sees both Sherlock and a human cop simultaneously investigating a missing painting. Perceiving and finding meaning in art is thought to be one of the traits that distinguishes us from machines, and thus we juxtapose these approaches in the setting of an art gallery. The film was inspired by many events including art thefts and the growth in automation in various fields.

Any films or filmmakers that inspired this film?

I am a huge fan of Christopher Nolan’s work. I really like how he combines the commercial with deep, philosophical themes bridging science with great art. For this particular film (and the InTEXTigator series in general), I was also inspired by Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, some of James Cameron’s early sci-films and the Wachowskis’ first Matrix film.

What is the goal of the film for you?

My vision for the series is to explore the advantages and disadvantages of relying on machines too much. By contrasting Sherlock’s approach with people, it thus indirectly looks into what it means to be a human. However, these themes are clothed in a mystery genre where Sherlock investigates a separate case in each film, for people to be provided an easy access to its core themes. Although people are free to dig into however deep they feel like with these films, if at least a few people start thinking more into the benefits and risks of the overreliance on machines in general, I would consider the film and series a success.

What has the journey been like getting the film into production?

This has been my most ambitious film in terms of the number of people working behind it, and the film’s scope. The on and off pandemic restrictions in Ontario also forced us to wait, and sometimes find innovative solutions to tackle the problems that were thrust upon us. I am a completely self-taught filmmaker, whose education is entirely in the sciences, and thus I am constantly learning every step of the way. This void in my educational background is sometimes helpful, as I very often jump head on into the water first, and then learn to swim as I am drowning, so to speak. Since I am so focused on the tasks at hand, I only realize how difficult something really was, until after I finish them. It is very inspiring to see a group of people trust
my vision and work hard to bring it to fruition for over a year, and this has helped me immensely to keep going.

One thing you learned from this project?

Having a clear vision was very important as it helped me come up with solutions for the various problems that came up during the film. It was also important to identify my strengths and weaknesses, and get people to cover up the gaps in my own knowledge.

How can folks find you and your film online?

All my films are posted on the Paradiso Cinemas YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/TheJohnBabu8/), which I run. If you liked the InTEXTigator series in general, you can also follow us on its official Instagram handle (https://www.instagram.com/theintextigator).

Any last pieces of advice for fellow filmmakers?

It is important to trust one’s own instinct. As a filmmaker, we receive inputs and suggestions from many corners at various stages of making the film. Having a firm vision and a good filter to process out what is helping your initial vision is crucial. However, it is also important to loosen up. Failing after trying is certainly better than not trying at all.

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