The journey so far...
Hey there! Name's Max, a filmmaker from Austria that is seeking to make a science-fiction movie with the look of a 60s science-fiction TV show.
I'm a massive fan of 'Star Trek' and have written a tale in the vein of this rich and beloved universe. Full of moral quandaries, deep character relationships and conundrums that put our characters at odds with each other.
The movie is currently in pre-production with my cast/crew mostly (some parts are still to be filled) on board. The whole movie is supposed to shoot in summer of '23 in a rented studio location over the course of three weeks (each week representing one block).
We'll get more into the details of production as you follow this wall of text but before we get there here's a short plot summary to get your mouths a little wet for the project:
"In a distant galaxy war is an ever present reality. Be it wars between planets or entire systems, the brute crusade of growing empires has created the need for a neutral institution. This has been found in the Galactic Union, a conglomerate of peaceful systems that seek to mediate between warring parties, research into long extinct cultures and explore the vast unknown darkness of space.
The starship Renaissance, an archeological vessel, is part of said Union. With the distinct mission to explore ancient cultures and preserve knowledge for eons to come. Intent on not being drawn into any conflict anymore Captain George Kasdan purposefully toes the line to keep his crew from harm.
However as the ship gets a rescue signal from a stranded ship his passive nature is challenged and conflict seems on the horizon.
Can the Captain maintain neutrality in a universe that gradually turns more black and white?"
What We Need & What You Get
So, where will your money go?
A lot of us are doing it for the fun and love of the craft but it would be wrong of me to have my friends and loved ones work on a feature and pay them zilch. So we've all agreed to a 50€ daily fee for their work. I don't want to have these talented and wonderful people work for free to fulfill my whacky ideas. So the cast & crew makes a large chunk of our budget.
I'm obviously investing my own money into this as well to cover costs!
A massive part of the budget is also going to go into props and costumes, it's a science fiction film after all and acquiring/renting these props will cost us a fair penny.
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The Crew & Cast
A lot of us are doing it for the fun and love of the craft but it would be wrong of me to have my friends and loved ones work on a feature and pay them zilch. So we've all agreed to a 50€ daily fee for their work. I don't want to have these talented and wonderful people work for free to fulfill my whacky ideas. So the cast & crew makes a large chunk of our budget.
- I'm obviously investing my own money into this as well to cover costs!
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The Location
As it stands now we can rent out the location for cheap or even free but that might change given circumstances. For now I'm accounting for renting costs with an eye closed, if the best-case scenario kicks in we'll allocate the spare money to props and crew.
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The Props & Costumes
A massive part of the budget is also going to go into props and costumes, it's a science fiction film after all and aquiring/renting these props will cost us a fair penny.
There's the obvious part of printing and paying for the costumes, paying for physical props.
We'll try to save money where we can but this might be the most expensive part of filmmaking.
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Asset Licenses
The movie is produced on the cheap, so the soundtrack, 3D models, backgrounds and whatever can be sourced elsewhere will be licensed and not custom made (maybe if we get to make a bigger budget sequel). We do have to pay for those however, so that's an important part to complete the whole.
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Rewards
Crowdfunding comes with several goodies for backers, we need to cover the production of these goodies as well (DVDs, prints).
The Impact
At this point I'm asked to write about the impact our movie will have and quite frankly there's only one impact that matters to me: fun.
I want you, the backers and viewers to have fun and have a good time while watching.
That's all that matters to me.
You're obviously helping me create a science-fiction movie I've been dreaming of making for a long time.
Risks & Challenges
As with every crowdfunding project there are risks and challenges, so we'll be upfront about them:
- the #1 risk, of course, is the always omnipresent chance of biting off more than we can chew. We've completed multiple movies and shows before but there's always a realistic chance that the whole project may fall apart. It's a reality of filmmaking and, while everyone is dedicated, important to never forget.
- the movie is ultra low-budget, so there's a good chance you won't like what you get. We obviously want you to love it but we all know taste is subjective and we may not achieve a product fitting your standards. Rest assured: we'll give it our darndest though.
- The schedule may move, given the rather minimalistic budget there's a good chance certain locations (the studio location in particular) as well as several members of the team won't be available all the time. From experience production can (and probably will) fall behind.
Other Ways You Can Help
Make some noise! Let your friends, family and mortal enemies know of this project. The more eyes the better! Maybe we'll reach our goal!