I came up with the idea for The Artifact after watching the “South Park” episode which paid homage to the cult-classic, adult-animation film Heavy Metal. In the movie, a glowing green orb travels through seven stories bringing evil wherever it goes. I thought it was the perfect format for the first novel by nine writers who have such different writing styles. Instead of the mysterious green orb, we would have a mysterious alien artifact.
In addition to the Heavy Metal-anthology format, I wanted the stories to have a “Twilight Zone”/”Outer Limits” feel with ordinary people being pushed into extraordinary circumstances. This idea has been a cornerstone of the stories I’ve written and the films I’ve made. My short film, The Concoction, is a perfect example. With its hapless hero discovering a mysterious drink that makes him appear attractive, The Concoction could have easily been a story included in The Artifact.
The Concoction, part 1:
The Concoction, part 2:
Eugene Ramos
Artifact 