Murder of Minus
2025 / 35 minutes
Directed by Will Chai and Artyom Gabtraupov
A young inventor wants the world to know his name. His creation begins to draw attention of its own.
TrailerThe story
Quinten Spencer builds Minus, an artificial intelligence capable of extraordinary work. He hopes its success will earn him recognition. As the technology develops, his pursuit of fame draws him into a dangerous public spotlight and a violent confrontation.
William Chai plays both Quinten and Minus. Artyom Gabtraupov plays Mark, with Ian Carswell as Owens and Eden Lucchetta as Julia. The story follows the people surrounding the invention and the consequences of Quinten’s decisions.
- Quinten / Minus
- William Chai
- Mark
- Artyom Gabtraupov
- Owens
- Ian Carswell
- Julia
- Eden Lucchetta
Ambition and responsibility
Will Chai
I was interested in the desire to be recognised for helping people. My perspective came partly from medicine, where prestige can become a reason to pursue the profession. Quinten wants to be remembered as a genius. His ambition gives us a way to examine the ethical cost of seeking recognition and the responsibilities which accompany it.
Artyom Gabtraupov
Artyom approached the film through questions about code, accountability, and the people affected by technology. His director’s statement connects startup culture with the presentation of status and investor appeal. Working together brought his perspective from Computer Science into conversation with mine from Health Sciences.
Three years making Minus
I began Murder of Minus in November 2021, while I was in high school. It started as a CAS project for the International Baccalaureate. My friend Artyom joined me, and we developed the screenplay and directed the film together. We finished postproduction in January 2025.
We filmed almost entirely around Kitchener and Waterloo, with a total budget of approximately $7,000. Friends joined the cast and crew, and our responsibilities often overlapped. Artyom and I worked as actors, writers, directors, producers, and cinematographers.
One scene required three characters while only two of us were on set. We shared the acting and camera work as we filmed it. The wider production involved producers, script supervisors, and friends who helped organise the shoot over its several years.
- Project begins
- November 2021
- Principal locations
- Kitchener / Waterloo
- Postproduction completed
- January 2025
Camera, edit, and sound
The influences
The Social Network was one of my references. The public stories of Elizabeth Holmes and Martin Shkreli also informed the film’s interest in ambition, fame, and the moral decisions surrounding success.
The image
We began shooting with a Sony a6500 and later used a Sony a7 III. Cinematography was shared by Artyom, Calum Heimbecker, Yengkong Lynhiavu, and me. I edited the film on my MacBook Pro using Final Cut Pro 11.
The score
Matthew Buchanan-MacDougall composed original music for the film. I later supplemented the soundtrack with music generated using AI. The original press kit describes both contributions, and the score credits name Matthew and me.
- Runtime
- 35 minutes
- Year
- 2025
- Language
- English
- Production
- Ontario, Canada
- Cameras
- Sony a6500 / Sony a7 III
- Edit
- Final Cut Pro 11
