Written, directed, and animated by Josh Ryba (Rybox), Hack the Soil reflects a deeply personal and deliberate approach to integrating AI into the animation process. Every design, drawing, and script originates with Rybox himself, with AI used selectively to support and extend his creative vision. The technology lightens the workload without compromising authorship, preserving the integrity of the work and ensuring that every frame remains unmistakably his.
An ambitious anthology set nearly two centuries in the future, Hack the Soil unfolds across five immersive, art-driven narratives. Each chapter is told through the perspective of a distinct narrator — from Binec-326, an AI that believes itself to be the next messiah, to Ephriom, a young descendant of Earth’s forgotten lineage, and Tarnac, the guardian of a newly evolved species on a reborn world. Together, these voices trace the evolution of civilization, identity, and the fragile bond between humanity and the planet it once called home.