Laser Tag is approaching 40 years old...
and Photon: The Ultimate Game on Planet Earth is the one that started it all. It's time to tell the story of Photon once and for all, including its creation, the impact it had and continues to have on entertainment, and the amazing friendships and rivalries that still exist long after the last Photon center closed.
- I'm Jason Helton, and ever since visiting the Baltimore Photon center for a birthday party in the 4th grade, I've been hooked on all things laser tag, but in particular, Photon: The Ultimate Game on Planet Earth. By day, I'm an analyst and filmmaker for Johns Hopkins Hospital Radiology, but my passion is filmmaking and telling stories, and I'm greatly looking forward to telling the story of Photon.
-
Let There Be Light: Photon and the Birth, Life, and Legacy of Laser Tag is a feature-length film currently in development, that will explore in-depth, the creation and lasting impact that Photon has had on laser tag and entertainment. From its birth in the imagination of George Carter III, to its meteoric rise and subsequent downfall, we will explore all aspect of the game, the relationships it has built over decades, and the many attempts to resurrect it.
- While we have invested thousands of dollars of our own personal money and countless hours of time, we need your help to ensure the story of Photon is told as memorable as possible. Your contributions will fund additional camera equipment, and most importantly, the travel necessary to visit all of the important places in Photon history. While we are already making preparations to visit Dallas, Texas, the home of Photon, as well as the International Laser Tag Museum in Louisville, Kentucky, additional funding will allow us to visit other important location like:
- Los Angeles to speak with Photon music composer Ken Caillat and Photon TV series actor and director David Stay.
- Broken Arrow, Oklahoma, home of the last attempted revival of Photon.
- New Orleans, the location of two replica Photon fields
- and visits to former Photon locations for interviews with players.
Goals
Our initial goal is to raise $12,000, which will go towards the following:
- A compact, portable cinema camera and set of lenses to allow for consistancy in all filming locations and easy portability.
- Basic travel expenses for the filming team to visit as many locations as possible.
- Rental of equipment necessary to the shoot that is too fragile or expensive to ship.
Of course, we have some great gifts available for those who donate to the production including:
- Alpha Warrior ($25 or More)
- A digital copy of the completed film
- A thank you in the closing credits of the film
- Beta Warrior ($50 or More)
- A digital copy of the completed film
- A physical copy of the completed film on Blu-Ray or DVD
- A thank you in the closing credits of the film
- Gamma Warrior ($100 or More)
- A digital and physical copy of the completed film
- The image of your Photon membership card in the closing credits of the film (provided by you)
- A thank you in the closing credits of the film, to include your Photon codename
- Mega Warrior ($2500 or More)
- Producer credit in the opening and closing credits of the film, including your Photon membership card
- All other rewards listed previously
- Obviously, if for some reason we are unable to raise the goal amount, we plan on attempting to complete the film regardless. At that point, funds would be used to pay for travel to the most important locations in Photon history first, followed by the minimum required equipment for successful completion of the film.
The Story of Photon Needs to be Told!
The technology and sheer imagination of Photon was like no other version of laser tag, and was decades ahead of its time. Nearly 40 years later, its story has never been completely told, but the inspiring tale of George Carter III's invention and its implementation would be an entertaining story for fans of the '80s, video games, and laser tag, as well as entrepreneurs, inventors, and anyone who has a dream.
While this will be my first feature-length film, I have been directing and producing short films for many years now successfully, and while a feature-length film presents new challenges, my team and I are up to the task and dedicated to bringing the story of Photon to your screens
Risks & Challenges
Of course, any production of this nature will have its challenges, but as a filmmaker who has had to produce short films with very little budget, my creativity and adaptability should go a long way towards ensuring the film gets completed. Additionally, my team consists of Executive Producer and Laser Tag journalist Laurie Jean Britton (tiviachickloveslasertag.com), who has spent years traveling and interviewing important members of the laser tag community. She brings an enormous amount of contacts and experience to the crew, and I am honored to be working with her.
Regardless of challenges, we feel confident that we can create a film that will honor the history of both the game and the people that made it, and I look forward to sharing our finished vision with you!
Can't Contribute? Sure you can!
By spreading the word about the film and the fundraising campaign, by reaching out to your old Photon friends, and especially, by reaching out to me and my team with your stories, pictures, video, or memorabillia. There's so many stories out there, and we'd like to hear yours!
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for considering funding our film and making the Light Shine just a little longer!
