Film Concept

Genre / category / viral catalys

Documentary / Career success story / Goal setting

What about statement (topic or logline)

An inspiring life’s journey of a Swiss scientist, who embarked on a quest to proof that there’s life beyond earth!

THE STORY

The documentary film portrays Swiss scientist Florian Kehl, a Life Detection Technologist in pursuit to find life in space. His boyhood dream to become an astronaut, combined with his curiosity about living elements outside our earth has gained him a position at one of the most prestigious Institutions NASA - the only one that can help him succeed. This film reveals his many challenges and the complexity of tools he has to develop to find even the smallest traces of life.

A world
A character (Who is…)
A problem

Relevancy

New Mars missions are being launched in 2020. China, the US, and the European Space Agency are sending vehicles to explore the red planet. They will be joined by a Russian lander and an Emirati orbiter.

Film style

Personal and authentic portrait, capturing the essence of the person. The film has a simple and clean visual style.

(Corina: Interwoven with his portrait and interviews are the matters and materials that Florian Kehl is working with. The tools in this film are part of the visual elements, showing the macro and micro universe that today’s technology can reach. The tools look alien, often not what expected, they are simple in style, complex in the way they fold to safe space. They really exemplify how far technology and engineering has reached this far. Maybe more details about modern technology and outer space)

Project Timeline

• April 2020: Interview in the public park area in front of The Griffith Observatory, Los Angeles

• Early May 2020: Filming at work in NASA’s Jet Propulsion Research Lab, Pasadena

• June/July 2020: Filming during NASA’s prototype field testing in Mono Lake, California

• Release date

Audience & Distribution

Intended Audience

n/a

Call to Action

What do you want the viewers to do right after watching the film.

Distribution and Marketing Strategy

Intended distribution life. Specify plans for festival, theatrical, screenings, and plans for securing broadcast and distribution.

Director’s vision

Technicals

4K, 180 shutter rule, f8<

Videography

Who/what is the villain? Capture the beauty.

Viewer’s emotional arc

From feeling curious to being encouraged to go after a passion or big goal.

Beats

• How did it all start (We get to know Florian)
  Florian tells how the images of the first successful Mars rover mission in 1997 started his passion for other planets, other worlds, other dimensions. Worlds that no one has ever seen or experienced before. It has sparked his relentless spirit for adventure, exploration and ingenuity. Fueled by one question: What is there to find?

• What were some of the challenges? (The journey)
  We learn more about his accomplishments and failures before being hired by NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech).

• Main part - His work as a researcher and scientist
  Florian shows how far the exploration of life outside the earth has progressed. What are some misconceptions the public has about detecting life in space? We get an insight into his work and will join him on a field test (Mono Lake). What is he currently working on? What are the professional challenges right now? Where from here (NASA), what is his next move?

• Epilog - Advice for others
  How did his journey so far changed him and his life? What advice does he have to overcome doubt and fear?
  Florian’s story encourages people to pursue a dream. Even if it seems so naive and unreachable in the beginning. He also shares his advice on how to achieve a big goal. For example to never give up. He believes that all adults had big dreams as children. But over time many stopped dreaming. Following a conventional career oftentimes seems so much easier. And safer.

Editing

Viewer’s emotional arc

From feeling curious to being encouraged to go after a passion or big goal.

Exposition

• Location and date

• Main characters

• Character goals

• What’s at stake

Techniques: Text (Title, cards, chapters), speech, VO, Action

language

Swiss German (with English subtitles)

Runtime

23 minutes

Deliverable

4K or Full HD (1920x1080px), 25fps

Bios of Key Creative Personnel

Fundraising

Fundraising Strategy

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Funding to Date

List of all sources and amounts raised to date. Distinguish between potential and secured amounts.

Grant Impact

Describe how any granted funds would be spent and how it will help to move forward the project.

Expenses

Comprehensive Expense Budget

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Trailer(s)

Current sample / rough cut

Describe the sample. What should viewers be looking for? What is present or absent in the sample, and how will it differ as a finished film.