Awkward pauses rule in the first trailer for Computer Chess, which takes a funny, low-key look at nerd culture circa 1980 at a hotel where programmers have gathered for a man-versus-machine chess tournament.

To pull off the archival footage look, director Andrew Bujalski filmed his faux documentary in black and white on a vintage Sony AVC-3260 video camera. The Austin-based filmmaker, whom Wired recently interviewed at the Sundance Film Festival, staged the action in the hyper-naturalistic style of his previous “mumblecore” movies Mutual Appreciation and Beeswax.

The clip, embedded above, captures the intellectually intense, socially clumsy demeanor that might be expected from a room full of artificial-intelligence wizards. In one stiff attempt at small talk, a guy asks a young woman “You like sports?” She answers “No.” He says, “I didn’t think so.” Score!

Computer Chess debuted at Sundance last month and will screen at SXSW in March.