An interview with Susan Mey Lee Lim, Director, Producer & Lyricist, for Synthetic Me

Susan Mey Lee Lim, thank you for speaking to us today. We are happy to welcome you again, and congratulations on reaping the winner’s award for Best Musical Film at World Film Festival in Cannes. After reaping so many awards for Alan’s Song, you are back with a new theme and a new story: “An inanimate stuffed toy belonging to a teenage medical student (…) is acutely conscious that as time passes (…), while the teenager has blossomed into a young adult, almost a doctor. As it is exposed to the new science of synthetic DNA in its partner’s curriculum, it starts to crave the building blocks required to rejuvenate its form, with a dream, desire, a plea, ‘will someone please make a brand new me!’ ” Now, what happens when the human doctor starts ageing?

That is a fascinating question. But of course, while progress in gene therapy, stem cells and synthetic biology will lead to significant advances in repair and regeneration, a reversal of ageing or immortality seems in the realm of science fiction for the moment, due to the intrinsic complexity, and unpredictable nature of biological systems. So while the plush inanimate may achieve immortality, its human partner will ultimately succumb….

Can you explain to us novices the principle of synthetic DNA in simple terms?!

Synthetic or artificial DNA is created by scientists in laboratories, as opposed to natural DNA, the code of life, which exists in almost every living thing on earth. Just as artificial intelligence is not human intelligence, synthetic life created from synthetic DNA is not the same as biological life with an evolutionary history.

In our interview on June 28, 2022, we asked you if you believed that robots combined with inanimate companions could provide a solution to loneliness and distress during old age. This time, your line “Will someone make a brand new me” goes one step further! It probably resonates with those afraid of ageing, and that is 99% of us Westerners?! Do you think synthetic DNA can ultimately help humans find an antidote to ageing?

I do absolutely believe that artificially intelligent inanimate companions will be invaluable, as one of the solutions to loneliness, particularly in an ageing society. Synthetic DNA, through its numerous applications in the field of drug discovery, biofuels, vaccine development, expansion of gene therapy techniques, and many others, can definitely help in the delay of ageing, though for the moment, an antidote to ageing is an ambitious goal …

What are the 4 alphabets, and is the human alphabet superseded by the 4 alphabets?

The 4 Alphabets are A T G C, the building blocks for the code of life, which exists in almost all living species on earth. More recently, synthetic DNA molecules have been developed, such as S B P Z, which when combined with the code of life on earth, gives rise to an expanded genetic code ATGC SBPZ, dubbed Hachimoji DNA (means 8 letters in Japanese). These experiments, and others, are helping to imagine and hopefully one day, identify Alien forms of life as we explore beyond our planet earth.

5. Isn’t there a risk that AI and all artificial intelligence activity will endanger humanity because of the carbon footprint it generates and thus its environmental impact? What are your thoughts?

The risks of artificial intelligence are plenty and go far beyond its environmental impact. Hopefully, while humans are still, for the moment, in control, we may navigate and find approaches to live in harmony, alongside artificial intelligence and AI companions, which after all, is the theme of this animated short, the Fantasy of Companionship between human and inanimate!

5. Isn’t there a risk that AI and all artificial intelligence activity will endanger humanity because of the carbon footprint it generates and thus its environmental impact? What are your thoughts?

The risks of artificial intelligence are plenty and go far beyond its environmental impact. Hopefully, while humans are still, for the moment, in control, we may navigate and find approaches to live in harmony, alongside artificial intelligence and AI companions, which after all, is the theme of this animated short, the Fantasy of Companionship between human and inanimate!

6. In The Cadogan Hall in London, pianist Mark Bebbington and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra will soon perform an orchestral version of’ Synthetic DNA’. Also, the London Voices #LondonVoices will sing the code of life to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the discovery of DNA by Watson and Crick. The song’ Synthetic DNA’ is also featured in the album Lim Fantasy of Companionship for Piano and Orchestra. You mentioned this project in your previous interview with us! Alan’s Song was already a beautiful score. Is music just as important as the image in your works? And do you have a date for the performance?

The story of ALAN is told through music and animation, both equally powerful in communicating the storyline. We are so excited for the UK Premiere of the Lim Fantasy of Companionship for Piano and Orchestra, a 32-min piece, comprising 6 ACTs, which tells the journey of the inanimate ALAN. It will be performed by pianist Mark Bebbington and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and London Voices, along with the ALAN team of musicians (singer, guitarist, and bass player) at the Cadogan Hall, London on 5th July 2023. A highlight will be the celebration of the code of life A T G C, sung by the 36-member choir of London Voices, midway through the performance. Coincidentally, this coincides with the 70th anniversary of the Nobel winning discovery of DNA by Francis Crick and James Watson, certainly an excellent reason to celebrate!

7. In your latest interview, you said you were “also working on a feature film for the Fantasy of Companionship between Human and Inanimate”. Do you have any updates on this? Will there be a sequel or any other related projects?

Indeed we are working on a full-length feature film – the Fantasy of Companionship between Human and Inanimate. We hope to have this ready very soon, before the summer 2023, to submit to your film festival. We also look forward to featuring it alongside a live orchestra as a Cine Concert, soon after the UK premiere of the soundtrack, the Lim Fantasy of Companionship for Piano and Orchestra at the Cadogan Hall London, 5th July 2023. We have completed recording music for a new journey for ALAN, into space, The Cosmic Rhapsody. The animation is still in its early stages yet, we hope to have a release of the soundtrack later this year. So these are exciting times for ALAN!!! Thank you World Film Festival in Cannes for this interview !

©2024 Isabelle Rouault-Röhlich