If you could implant an artifical memory in your mind...what would it be?

That's the emotional question at the heart of my new sci-fi short film script ALTER.
And I need YOUR help in bringing it to life...please read on!

About ALTER

ALTER is a short sci-fi film about Joseph, a loving husband, who is trying to implant one final, happy memory in his wife’s mind as she nears the end of her life. ALTER deals with memory, love, life, loss, joy and regret. It explores the space between our memory and our reality. If you like films like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Arrival, After Yang, Coherence, (tv shows like) Black Mirror, or anything written by Alex Garland, Ray Bradbury or Philip K Dick — you may find something here that’s interesting to you. The hope is that audiences will be left thinking: how might I use such technology in my own life? 

ALTER is a quiet, thought-provoking story that asks: if you could implant yourself with a memory, and believe with all your heart that it happened, what would it be? It explores questions like: what’s more important — the events in our lives? Or the way we remember them?

The Script for ALTER, by Pete Majarich, was recently selected on the long-list for the Australian Writer’s Guild John Hinde award for Excellence in Science Fiction writing. 

About The Creator

Pete Majarich is a designer, creative writer, and filmmaker from Sydney, Australia. His projects have been featured by Wired Magazine, Mashable, Shortlist, Adobe, Fast Company, VICE, Vimeo Staff Picks, and have even been posted on the official Oscars (The Academy of Motion Pictures®) Twitter feed. He is a member of both the Australian Writer’s Guild and the Australian Cinematographers Society. Throughout his career, Pete has worked as an Art Director, Copywriter, Film Director, Book Cover Designer, Technologist, Theatre Director, VFX Artist, Drone Pilot, and Author. He has a special place in his heart for emotional, narrative-driven sci-fi that explores extraordinary situations and technology and how it might affect the lives of ordinary people. 

In case you didn't know, Pete is also the creator of Small Worlds / Tiny Sci-Fi. In 2023 he created a short, sci-fi story every single day. If you're reading this you may already be familiar with these. If you're not, you should definitely check them out! 

Some below:

Above — A selection of Pete's Tiny Sci-Fi stories

What will ALTER look and feel like?

It is my intention that ALTER will be quiet, dark, introspective and thought-provoking. My favourite sci-fi stories are ones told with small stakes and restraint rather than relying on bluster and spectacle. Lo-fi sci-fi. Arthouse vibes. Naturalistic, organic frames inspired by chiaroscuro artworks and cinematic composition. These are stories with emotion and character at the heart, with a hint of sci-fi flourish. Films like UPSTREAM COLOR by Shane Carruth, MONSTERS by Gareth Edwards, APORIA by Jared Moshe, ANOTHER EARTH by Brit Marling, and THE ENDLESS by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorehead are just some of the inspirations for ALTER. We will work lean and use shadow and silhouette to reveal our plot in a slow burn approach. You can get an idea of the tones and vibes I will be going for below:
 

Above — Mood frames for ALTER

Additionally, sound and music will be an integral part of bringing ALTER to life. If you'd like to get a sense of the mood of the story, feel free to check out the official Spotify playlist. 

Above — Inspiration Spotify playlist for ALTER

Above — ALTER poster concept

What do we need ?

Your contribution (however big or small) will help us with the following:

Casting. Any good film is brought to life by the actors cast in it. We already have a great script. An immensely talented, diverse team of actors will help breathe life into it and make it into a reality that feels authentic, lived in and full of emotion. 

Post Production. ALTER is not a spectacle-driven sci-fi film, there are no laser battles in space or little green men. But it does revolve around a life-changing piece of technology (the device which can implant artificial memories). To help visualize this, we need time and talent to make it feel an immersive, believable part of the scene. This includes VFX, Coloring and Editing. 

Above — VFX test for the memory device in ALTER. 
Base plate courtesy Salomon Ligthelm.
 

Locations. We have beautiful, evocative settings on hand ready to help us build the world in which ALTER takes place. To access these spaces, we need your help in contributing to location fees.

Equipment. As an independent filmmaker, we have much of the equipment we need to shoot this. ALTER will be shot on the compact, exceptionally powerful Sony ZV-E1 camera and a built-out rig. But we will need additional lights, modifiers, and grip equipment to create the environments and settings we want.  

Crew. ALTER will be filmed with a small, tight-knit team of filmmakers that will work lean and taut. No fluff. Your money will go directly to bringing on board talented local filmmakers that are passionate about telling emotive stories. 

Above — Screenplay snippet from ALTER

What will be the impact of this Short Film being made?

With your help, ALTER will be a hand-crafted, beautiful piece of film that’s made with love and passion. The hope is that my wonderful, passionate online audience from platforms like Instagram and those who have followed my Small Worlds Tiny Sci-Fi series will pitch in and use the power of the people to make something that’s heartfelt, cinematic and stunning. 

Every single cent raised from this campaign will go onto the screen, to make the story more authentic, believable and beautiful. 

Above — Screenplay snippet from ALTER

What are the risks and obstacles?

I have made multiple short films before. All with their own inevitable challenges and obstacles. But this is all part of the process, which I truly love. I have been dreaming of this short film for months now, and in every waking hour outside of times with family and work, I am thinking of ways to bring it to life in the most authentic way possible. 

I also have a significant circle of mentors and filmmakers who have been consulting with me along every step of the way with advice and guidance on how to make this happen. I will be continuing to draw upon their knowledge to bring this to life and to help me overcome any obstacles I encounter during filming. 

That being said, I have done this sort of thing on a smaller scale before. In 2016, I successfully wrote, produced and directed a short film in just one weekend as part of the London Sci-Fi Film Festival’s 48 Hour Film Challenge. In 2017, I learnt how to use a tiny drone and bought a spacesuit off eBay so I could create THE VISITOR. In 2021, I shot INVASION with only an iPhone 8. I followed this up the next year with THE SCHWARZSCHILD RADIUS. Off the back of these films, I was invited by DOMESTIKA to fly to Spain and create a course in mobile filmmaking. In 2019 I was on the special effects team for ALIEN HARVEST, which was part of a 20th Century Fox anthology of short films celebrating Ridley Scott’s beloved ALIEN franchise. In my advertising career I have also made multiple, award-winning campaigns and been on set for countless Film Productions. 

A selection of accolades my writing/directing productions have won below:

WINNER / BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY — SMARTFONE FLICK FEST 2020

SHORT OF THE WEEK / FILM INK MAGAZINE 24 JULY 2020

FINALIST / NARRATIVE CATEGORY MOMENT INVITATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2020

FEATURED SHORT — FILM SHORTAGE

WINNER / BEST FILM (FICTION) — DUBLIN SMARTPHONE FILM FESTIVAL 2021

OFFICIAL SELECTION — MOMENT INVITATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2020

OFFICIAL SELECTION — SMARTFONE FLICK FEST 2020

OFFICIAL SELECTION — DUBLIN SMARTPHONE FILM FESTIVAL 2021

OFFICIAL SELECTION — KINGSTON INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2021

OFFICIAL SELECTION — FESTIVAL MOTION DESIGN (PARIS)

PEOPLE’S CHOICE WINNER — SHORT AND SWEET FESTIVAL

LONGLIST — AUSTRALIAN WRITER’S GUILD EXCELLENCE IN SCIENCE FICTION WRITING

You can see some of my sci-fi themed short films below:
 

How else can I help bring ALTER to life?

If you’d like to be behind something meaningful and heartfelt, and feel like you can help us bring ALTER to life, please contribute something — however small — today! 

If you can’t contribute, please feel free to share this campaign so that others may learn about it and get behind ALTER.

In any case, please send us good vibes so that the filmmaking Gods shine upon us! 

Thank you!

— Pete M

@petemajarich / @tinyscifi