Todd (LeJohn, President Skullgore on NPRmageddon) has a job interview that starts with a handwritten sign that says, “Take a seat, we’ll be right back,” and continues with an AI, Athena 2.0 (Dawna Lee Heising), conducting the interview. She’s a human resources interface designed to make him more comfortable and to maximize his interview experience. 

That means a series of tarot cards that help her to evaluate his mental fitness for employment. We don’t even know what the job is, while Athena 42.0 knows so much about Todd.

Directed by Craig Railsback, who co-wrote it with Dr. Heather Joseph-Witham, this is about how the work for Todd will help him find purpose. He yells back that he’s not an algorithm that needs to be optimized. His answer? Pick three cards.

Instead of learning about the job, Todd is confronted by the pain of his life, the things that he’s lived through, flashbacks that are so intense that they bring him to tears. “The tower burns because its foundation is false,” states the AI.

“The cards are not answers. They are mirrors,” she says, before asking for another card to be revealed. He must learn if he can be redeemed, as long as he dares to reach it. At the end, Todd says, “I know what I want now,” before unplugging the room. 

The Job has great lighting that really makes such a small space work for this quick film. The original score and AI special effects are composed by Dr. Renah Wolzinger, and they both contribute to the story, making this a swift and efficient short that both looks and feels good. Even the credits are unique in this, I love how they were animated!