Moonshot is a new sci-fi short film written and directed by Matthew Lucas, author of Sasquatch: The Musical and other heartbreaking, ruminative works of modern fiction. Channelling the neon environments and larger-than-life characters of sci-fi films of yesteryear, Moonshot is set in the near future as it might have been imagined in the 1980s, the nostalgic setting reminding us that as much as we try to project how things will turn out, we are often hilariously wrong. The film also looks at one theoretical future development in travel: non-rocket space launch, models for which have been developed by NASA and other independent agencies.

Moonshot tells the story of Nova, a homeless 80's relic whose violent life on the streets has hardened her into a lethal physical asset. But survival is a full-time job and she's had enough of it. When she meets Alan, an engineer working for a lunar launch company, the two hatch a risky plan to get her off to the Moon before her cutthroat past can catch up with her.

In order to reach the widest audience possible and connect with a diverse network of artists and professionals, the production is supported by the Museum of Science Fiction in Washington, D.C. The mission of the Museum is to create a center of gravity where art and science are powered by imagination. Science fiction is the story of humanity: who we were, who we are, and who we dream to be.

I started working on this project over a year ago. It began as an adaptation of my feature script, Stargazer, winner of Outstanding Feature Screenplay at the 2015 American Visions Awards. It has since become a work almost entirely separate from that larger story, a tighter and more concise adventure built for a modern but nostalgic audience. 

I watched dozens of science fiction short films during my research and decided that too many of them relied solely on flashy visuals for their success, relegating the story to a distant secondary concern. With Moonshot, I wanted to do the opposite: start with strong characters, and an impactful and engaging story, then pepper in some wicked cool shit to better serve the world of the film. 

What I'm creating, along with an incredibly talented team of artists and performers, is a simple, human story about the nature of risk. It's an idea to which we should all be able to connect, and with no shortage of cybernetic arms, magnetic flying Oldsmobiles, and those Talkboy tape recorders from Home Alone 2... we should have some damn good fun along the way.

Even though I'm calling in a lot of favors on this one, we need some resources to make it happen. The budget for this project is actually larger than the goal of this campaign. How does that work? Glad you asked.

We thought a good way to empower you as a contributor to this project was to make your money count as much as possible. That's why we've sought financing from a small group of private contributors who have individually made pledges to match a certain percentage of this Indiegogo campaign. Basically this means that for every dollar you donate, the production is receiving two dollars. Good for everyone!

You want to see your money on screen, and so do we. I've enlisted the services of the best professionals I know in their respective fields. Sometimes this means leaving my local network and employing actors and other artists from across the country. Some of these artists I can work with remotely, and others need to come to DC for production. Travel, accommodations, and food will be the only expenses of this production that you won't see unfolding in retro-futuristic glory before your eyes. Every other dime will be spent paying the people that make this kind of thing possible.

The project has already received many in-kind donations which will significantly lower the cost of production, making it possible for us to shoot with state-of-the art camera and optical technology, and design the film the way we see it in our heads. We'll shoot on Sony's PMW-F55 4K motion picture camera with a full array of their CineAlta prime lenses, giving us incredible versatility with respect to color and dynamic range. It's important to the visual approach of this film to be able to shoot on a digital camera with a global shutter, and our tests with the F55 have been more than convincing.

Okay that's fancy, but what do you get in return? We want you to feel good about making this movie possible, and reward you as much as we can. Inevitably, campaigns like this need to spend a portion of the contributions they receive on fulfillment of perks. This one is no exception, but you'll find less tchotchke on this list of perks because we figure you'd rather see an awesome movie than throw away another keychain. 

Many of the perks are digital, or opportunities to participate in the production and the release of the film. We want you to be as involved and engaged with the success of this film as we are! 

Check out the list of perks to the right and let us know if you really want something that you're not seeing there.

Are you an artist or filmmaker? Get in touch! There are several production jobs still available, and we're working hard to develop a cross-media campaign for the release of the film. We can always use design and promotion-minded people. If you have special skills and are interested in getting involved, email us!

If you're a fan of the project but aren't able to make a financial contribution, you can still be a huge help by spreading the word on social media or just by shouting it from every rooftop. We're on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also use Indiegogo's share tools on this page to blast everyone you've ever met with this great new film they should support!