TIMEBANK THE GAME - THE RECORD OF AN EXPERIMENT, 40min., Hong Kong
Directed by Amy Cheung
One hundred life forms received a distressing signal from the vanished civilization of Pharmakon, learning that Earth is on the verge of self-destruction. Time Lord has devised a way to destabilize time, propelled Earth beings to enter an alternate reality through "THE GAME" – a mysterious portal that reduces them to a single-cell form.

In these alternate domains, players must embody VERBs in both virtual and physical realities, making critical choices to "evolve" against unpredictable environmental crises. Their goal is to forge "time coins" with a LION to rewrite Earth's destiny, decoding fragmented data from Pharmakon as hints.

Unfortunately, Pharmakon itself had been constructed entirely by artificial intelligence, with AI actors transmitting its narratives before its extinction using advanced algorithms. This raises questions about the origins of the warning and the validity of the challenge faced by the players.

Can the life forms from Earth succeed in their mission? The fate of our planet and the greater cosmic order hangs in the balance as they discover the secret ingredients to weld themselves into a blockchain of kindness.

Director Statement
A social + environmental experiment utilising behavioural motivation mechanism

Today, the material life of an average person in the developed world exceeds that of pre-industrial aristocracy. Unprecedented industrial and technological advancements over the last century have propelled global economic success for some, especially the wealthiest 1%, driven by a capitalist logic of reality. However, this robust development has led to numerous negative consequences: grinding poverty, food insecurity, resource wars, habitat destruction, energy crises, extreme weather, loss of terrestrial water ecosystems, and species extinction. Are we going to sit idly by, or are we prepared to do something about it?

TimeBank THE GAME is a unique six-week interactive experience that blends virtual and real-world elements. Potential players must create a "TimeBank" account and complete a 7-day carbon diet. The most dedicated "Carbon Warriors" will be invited to a transformation ceremony and granted access to THE GAME whereby each player starts as a non-human cell, with their survival depending on their ability to wisely use "time currency" to overcome disasters. Players earn time currency by participating in real-world environmental restoration activities organized by environmental groups. This currency can then be used in the game to aid their cell in completing tasks.

Players race against time to pass weekly levels (four in total), engaging in activities such as food rescue, DIY solar energy lampshades, cleaning beaches, repurposing fallen trees into wooden furniture, and learning about biodiversity. Their efforts in the real world directly influence their success in the virtual world. Throughout the game, players will meet in various game scenarios, learn from each other, and collaboratively execute environmental restoration actions. TimeBank THE GAME aims to connect its 100 players into a blockchain to protect the Earth.

After all missions, the top five players earning the most time currency will be invited to collaborate with others at the "TimeBank Headquarters" to summarize experiences, build consensus, and develop new games. The final three winners will be awarded $10,000 each to start their own environmental projects.

Empowered by verbs and actions, players cultivate a sense of autonomy through games, performance art, environmental restoration, and weekly game salons, engaging them in knowledge exchange on the most pressing topics of our time—climate change. This social experiment aims to enhance our players' sense of well-being and control over their environment while introducing them to others equally committed and capable of environmental restoration. By adding a fictional planet, "Pharmakon" into the documentary of TimeBank THE GAME, this film tries to illustrate what will happen if we continue to do nothing and let a self-destructive mode of autopilot take us to our destiny.

Watch the Audience Feedback Video:
https://www.wildsound.ca/videos/audience-feedback-timebank