These Guys Are Removing the “C” from CGI

Derek Van Gorder and Otto Stockmeier are two filmmakers from Hudson, New York whose goal is to release C (299, 792 kilometers per second), a “visually stunning, compelling sci-fi short film about interstellar colonization, meticulously shot with retro filmmaking techniques.” As you can see from the deliciously nostalgic trailer above, they plan on telling their story without the aid of such commonplace filmmaking tools as greenscreen and CGI. It’s an ambitious goal that visually brings to mind throwback sci-fi favorites like Logan’s Run and the original Battlestar Galactica. As for the story itself, Van Gorder and Stockmeier discuss it thusly:

This film is the story of an idealistic flight officer who hijacks her spaceship during an interplanetary cold war, and attempts to escape our solar system in search of other habitable worlds. However, when a small group of soldiers led by Second Lieutenant Kai provide unexpected resistance, Malleck’s master plan is threatened. A compelling sci-fi action/drama about one woman’s vision for the next logical step in human development: the leap from interplanetary to interstellar colonization.
C proposes a space-age manifest destiny in the shadow of extinction. In an era where science and technology are too often vilified, we believe that science-fiction should inspire us to surpass our limits and use the tools available to us to create a better future for our descendants.

In order to finance their vision, the pair started a Kickstarter campaign earlier this year and have so far raised 95% of their $18, 628 goal. Creating a compelling, low-budget sci-fi film is a task in and of itself. But making one without the assistance of contemporary moviemaking techniques is downright admirable. With any luck we will all have the chance to see C very soon. Thanks to ExecutorElassus for the tip.