Written By: Ken HulseySource: Kenneth Barker
Today I was contacted by an indie film maker in the UK named Kenneth Barker about his film project "On The Shoulders Of Giants". The film, as Barker explained to me, is an homage to the classic sc fi films of the 1950's, namely Forbidden Planet. Like American film maker Christopher Mihm, Barker's love for the "golden age" of space films has taken him on a wonderful journey to distant world's filled with a big robot, laser guns, UFO shaped space craft and, though we don't see her in the trailer, undoubtedly a heroine to rival Anne Francis herself.
Here is the scoop:
In the 23rd century mankind had finally travelled beyond the confines of Earth's solar system and made contact with intelligent extraterrestrials. New forms of atomic propulsion has finally made space exploration to distant worlds possible.
During starship Andromeda’s maiden voyage its Einstein-Rosen (ER) drive is successfully tested. A vessel equipped with an ER drive is capable of crossing the galaxy in days by travelling through self-generated wormholes. The ER drive was designed by the child science genius N'tron Zepethar.
Fifteen years earlier the starship Leviathan (with Zepethar aboard and propelled by his first version of an ER drive) disappeared on its maiden voyage. As the only other vessel equipped with an operational ER drive the Andromeda is reassigned to the Leviathan's rescue mission.
The Andromeda’s crew locate the crashed Leviathan on Theta-25L, a desolate planet 45,000 light years from Earth. Whilst attempting to contact the Leviathan, the Andromeda's captain is killed. This untimely tragedy imposes the captaincy on Commander Jane Altaire.
After fifteen years on Theta-25L, Zepethar is the sole survivor of the Leviathan's crew.
When Commander Altaire begins searching for answers to the Leviathan’s demise it soon becomes apparent both Zepethar and Theta-25L harbour terrifying secrets...
"On The Shoulders Of Giants" is in post-production over at Water On The Rock studios in the UK for a Fall 2011 release.
