After delving deep into the history of aviation, I became particularly interested in technologies that catapulted one era of aviation to the next. The Me262 was the first operational jet fighter. It was introduced into the war by the Germans in 1942, but did not become a truly lethal weapon until 1944 when it was unleashed on the swarms of allied bombers that were bombing targets in Axis-controlled Europe nearly every night and day.
For me, it was easy to imagine the terror these men must have felt as they headed into the chaos of a major air battle. Yes, they were brave and patriotic, but these were mostly ordinary men under extraordinary circumstances.
This film is currently in production and we have already acquired a large amount of aerial photography. As a filmmaker, it is an honor for me to tell this story, and I hope you will feel the same.
"STORMBIRDS" already has a distribution deal and will head out to the U.S. and worldwide markets as soon as it is completed. The world premiere of this feature film is currently scheduled for Saturday, January 5th, at the fabulous Imperial Theatre in downtown Augusta, Georgia. It is being filmed in 4K for an extraordinary visual experience.
Funding for actual production, meaning studio space, camera-sound-lighting equipment, catering and aircraft, has already been secured. What we are running this campaign for is the acquisition of wardrobe for a range of officers, pilots and crew on both sides of the fight, and sets. Sets include full-size construction of cockpits representing the B-17, P-51, P-47, BF-109 and of course the Me262, plus a variety of period locations that will make this film a lasting experience. We are estimating the funding needed for wardrobe and sets to be a total of $10,000, but contribution levels start as low as $25 (take a look at our wide variety of perks). Even if we don't reach our goal of $10,000, everything that we do raise from this campaign will go to wardrobe and sets.
The Track Record
I know it's difficult to work with people you've never heard of, even if they are doing something you find interesting. At this point you have to go beyond what we are talking about doing in the future and look back to what we have done in the past.
The writer / director of STORMBIRDS is Christopher Forbes, listed on imdb.com as Christopher Forbes (I). Christopher Forbes has directed 25 feature films in the last 14 years. Most of these are historical films and most have achieved world-wide distribution. There is no question that STORMBIRDS will be seen all over the world -- we already have the contract. This represents a huge opportunity for people trying to break into the business, especially if you are an actor.
Working With Technology
The first draft of the full STORMBIRDS screenplay was finished several years ago. It wasn't until last year that I discovered that advances in electric engines and the market pressure to make the new RC airplanes look exactly like the real thing has opened the door to finally getting this film made. I knew from years ago that there were RC aircraft clubs all over the country, and after doing some searching I found one that wanted to work with me in getting the STORMBIRDS story told.
Working with this flying club has given me a renewed respect in regards to what it takes to make these large-scale miniatures look AND FLY like the real deal. In some ways it can be just as challenging to pilot an RC as it is to pilot a full-size aircraft.
The last piece of the puzzle is quality drone work. I have enlisted several very talented drone pilots who are getting shots with the RC aircraft that are truly stunning. So the way that we are assembling the aerial footage for STORMBIRDS is meticulous story boarding, working with large-scale RC miniatures (by large-scale I mean five to eight-foot wingspans), and ground-based cameras combined with superb drone camerawork. The extent of computer-generated imagery is green screen work that marries the aircraft with appropriate cloud scapes.
There had never been a motion picture quite like STORMBIRDS. Any participation would be appreciated, and if you can't participate, please spread the word and share the campaign link.