Brighton Filmmaker Nigel Chaloner to release debut feature "Automatic"

Automatic is a story about the insidious dangers of automation, AI and the systems that many of us trust without question. Set in the fictional company Cedarbridge, the film portrays a workforce hunched over screens, performing the same repetitive tasks on autopilot until thoughts and feelings are drained away. Some characters embrace the changes with blind optimism whilst others desperately warn against it. The result is a chilling reminder of how technology can both empower and imprison us.

At the heart of the film is Konrad, a young man torn between his safe but soulless job and his dream of following in his grandmother’s footsteps as an artist. His partner, Myra, urges him to break free:

“If you want change, you're going to have to change.”

But in a society paralysed by fear and inertia, change only comes when things reach breaking point.

The characters in Automatic reflect struggles that will feel familiar to many - caring for loved ones with dementia, navigating fractured family relationships, and wondering if it’s possible to chase your dreams in a world that increasingly values efficiency over humanity.

Featuring a talented cast of established and rising actors, Automatic carries a stark warning: the dystopia is not in the future – it’s already here.

Chaloner, long-established in Brighton’s creative scene, says: “This film isn’t science fiction. It’s about the world we live in today. We’re all part of the system - and we’re terrified of living without it.”

With its sharp social commentary and disquieting familiarity, Automatic echoes the unsettling, Orwellian spirit of Black Mirror, but takes the idea further in a feature film that feels scarily real. It is both a reflection of our lives and a wake-up call, forcing audiences to confront uncomfortable truths about the world we’re building - and the lives we risk losing along the way.