AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
Seattle, Washington | Film Feature
Sci-Fi, Action
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL is a Sci-Fi Action Comedy film about a Seattle air traffic controller named Roger who must learn how to communicate with a damaged UFO to guide it in safely. Join us in building Seattle's film industry by making a film and an educational experience for high schoolers!
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL
Seattle, Washington | Film Feature
Sci-Fi, Action
0 Campaigns | Washington, United States
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL is a Sci-Fi Action Comedy film about a Seattle air traffic controller named Roger who must learn how to communicate with a damaged UFO to guide it in safely. Join us in building Seattle's film industry by making a film and an educational experience for high schoolers!
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
✈️Introducing AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL✈️
Hey my name is Blake Rizzo! Welcome to our crowdfunding page for our film: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL! The seatbelt sign is off! Feel free to roam around the cabin and learn more about our project!
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL is a Science Fiction Comedy film about a Seattle Air Traffic Controller named Roger that must learn how to communicate with a UFO in order to guide it in safely. We are also inviting local public high schools to our set for a day of filmmaking across the production schedule! This film has become my obsession and I've been developing this film for the past 7 years. Check out the first four minutes of the film below to get a sense of what the film's about!
📽️Watch the Proof of Concept (First 4 Minutes)📽️
Want to see it with a live crowd? Click this link to check out our live test screening!
In making the proof of concept alone we accomplished so much! Here are some of the technical accomplishments we achieved in making this!
- We built a test version of the Air Traffic Control tower set for filming!
- With VFX, I personally 3D modeled the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and air traffic control tower! We made sure that the environment matches the actual landscape and mountain ranges of Washington! Each building in every shot of that movie is exactly where a real building in Washington would be!
- Designed the puppets and the UFO!
- Animated lots of airplanes!
- Kris James created an original soundtrack!
- So much more! I could talk all day!
- NO AI WAS USED. EVERY SHOT WAS HAND DESIGNED WITH PAIN STAKING LOVE!
All of these assets demonstrate the type of film you are supporting and prove that we are absolutely going to crush it in clearing this plane for takeoff! But we can't do it without your support!
🛫About The Film🛫
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL is a film about learning through failure. In order to guide a damaged UFO piloted by Muppet Aliens, an Air Traffic Controller named Roger must learn how to communicate with the UFO in order to guide it in safely. Despite being a seasoned air traffic controller, Roger is shaken to his core as he and his new trainee, Wen Jie, must work together to decode the language of the alien UFO through trial and error.
What follows is a Mission Impossible-meets-linguistics-meets-The Muppets-esque film. A story that is full of action, humor, and suspense. It's a heartfelt tale about characters who must learn to embrace that they don't need to know absolutely everything before confronting the problems of the unknown. The only way to grow is by learning from the mistakes made along the way!
Meet Roger:
Roger is Washington's top air traffic controller. He trains all the new controllers fresh from the Academy. He's spent a long career of guiding planes but he's never taken a vacation. He longs to travel to other countries but not until he perfects the language. The first place he wants to travel to is China. He's been learning Chinese but he doesn't want to speak it to anyone else until he feels ready.
Meet Wen Jie:
Wen Jie is Sea-Tac Airport's newest air traffic controller. Fresh from the Academy she is preparing to guide in her first real plane! The Academy only had her doing simulations. Despite graduating from the Academy with flying colors, she's worried about making a mistake in guiding her first plane. She's well-aware that being an air traffic controller is one of the highest stake jobs in the world. She doesn't want to guide in a plane until she feels ready.
Everyone has something to learn, and both experienced and inexperienced air traffic controllers alike will have to help each other if they are to successfully guide in the damaged UFO for landing.
📓EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM🏫
I've always believed that filmmaking is capable of building communities. I taught as a Career Technical Education Teacher at Kentwood High School from 2022-2024. I invented and taught course material in 3D Modelling, Television Broadcasting, and Video Production. So one of my primary goals in making Air Traffic Control was merging what I did as a High School Teacher and what I want to do as a filmmaker!
I found that the best way for me to do that was through integrating field trips into the production of AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. We are going to be inviting different High Schools on Tuesdays across the production of the film to embark on an educational experience around filmmaking!
Equity:
Field trips are the best way for us to provide a focused and equitable way for High School Students to partake in our production. It's an industry lore that Steven Spielberg snuck onto the Universal lot to hang out with editors to see how films are made. Our field trip is going to invite an entire high school class! We are going to be focusing on CTE students from Kent School District High Schools. I have already coordinated two different field trips from Kentwood High School to Harbor Island Studios. Harbor Island Studios is King County's publicly owned Sound Stage.
Check out their website and you may recognize a familiar face!
High School student involvement through field trips is most equitable because CTE/The Kent School District will cover transportation. If we did this on weekends or as a summer camp, parents would have to be responsible for their own transportation. A summer camp would also drastically increase the cost/logistics.
What does a field trip look like?
Once students arrive at Harbor Island Studios, we will start with a walk-through tour of Harbor Island Studios led by Kate Becker and myself. We will end at the Air Traffic Control Tower set where we will introduce the project! We will then break into groups. Each group of students will be paired with a member of our Air Traffic Control Crew.
- Director
- DP
- Actor
- Sound Recordist
- Hair and Makeup
- Grip Electric
We will then do a quick introduction and a production activity, and then rotate stations so that students will get a chance to observe and learn what different production roles do on set. Students will also get a chance to play with gear! We will rotate stations until it's time for lunch. After lunch, we will work together as a team and film a sequence of shots from Air Traffic Control, bringing in students to fill in the roles to demonstrate their learning! We will do this until they have to leave and get back to the school.
📆SCHEDULE📆
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Here's an idea of an estimated schedule! Filming on weekends and field trips on Tuesday! We plan on bringing out Kentwood High School to visit our set.
💸BUDGET💸
Our crowdfunding goal is $80,000.
Here's a top sheet breakdown of how the budget will be used.
Total Above The Line (Story and Rights, Producers, Directors, Actors): $11,290
Total Production (Extra Talent, Production Staff, Camera, Wardrobe, Hair Makeup, Set Dressing, Props, Art Department, Set Construction, Sound Recording, Set Lighting, Locations Rental): $37,584
Total Post Production: $18,000
Other Costs (Insurance, Publicity, Crafty,): $14,100
Grand Total: $80,974
Stretch Goals
There's more?! Absolutely! Any dollar past our goal helps us elevate the production to new heights! Even at $80,000 we are having to slim our production down to make it possible! If we could hit $90,000 or more we could properly support the entire production to it's fullest!
Thank you so much for checking out our page. This has been a project I've been developing for the past 7 years and any support goes a long way.
Also check us out on Substack for newsletter updates!
See you on the runway!
-
Blake Rizzo
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Support Camera Team
Costs $10,000
This perk supports the camera crew! If we don't have a camera crew, how we making a movie?!
Support Cast + Extras
Costs $15,000
Stories need characters! Support our cast by claiming this wishlist item!
Support The Flight Crew
Costs $20,000
Production Staff, Hair and Makeup, Lighting and Sound! Support our crew costs by claiming this wish list item!
Support VFX
Costs $15,000
Bring the world of the film to life with digital visual effects! This wishlist item supports post production visual effects of the film!
Support Crafty!
Costs $5,000
Buy the crew meals for the duration of production!
Support Team Set Building (BUILD THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER)
Costs $14,500
Let's build an Air Traffic Control Tower! Supporting this Wishlist item supports Art Department, Props, and Set Construction!
Support Buying Props!
Costs $500
The world of Air Traffic Control will be brought to life with props!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Blake Rizzo
PRODUCER/WRITER/DIRECTOR/VFX ARTIST/MENTOR
Blake Rizzo is Writer, Director, VFX Supervisor with a background in High School Education. He uses 3D Computer Graphics and Visual Effects to expand the limitations of storytelling. He was recently a VFX On-Set Supervisor for the TV Series The Promised Land. He has also worked as an Artist on the feature film The Shift starring Neal McDonough and Sean Astin. He has additionally done work with partnered clientele such as Nike, CBS, TNT, Maxon/Red Giant, Corridor Digital and had his work featured on The New Yorker. He has founded a college filmmaking community called LUX: Film Production Club. They hold quarterly screenings and have produced over 200+ films with over 1000 club members over 8 years.
Kristine Ponten
PRODUCER/MENTOR
Kristine Ponten is a writer, director, and producer with a background in Special Education. She was recently chosen as one of five mentees for Washington Filmworks’ inaugural “Above the Line Mentorship Program", where she is developing her first feature. Previous experience includes being one of two apprentices for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" during an Emmy-nominated season, and producing for the viral YouTube channel, Dad, how do I?, which has amassed over five million subscribers since its inception in 2020. She has previously written and directed two short films: "Roomies," "Boundaries," and "Mascot." She is passionate about telling grounded stories that navigate the awkward and awe-filled endeavor of being known.
Xavier James
Hailing from a family of artists, actors, and filmmakers, Xavier James has worn dozens of hats throughout his career in the art and entertainment world, most recently as a Cinematic Animator and Performance Capture Artist at Bungie. When he is not running his Animation and Story Solution company, Stealth Motion, he is either working on graphic novels as a writer/artist, acting in local films, holding story workshops, or helping young professionals achieve their art, story, and animation dreams through mentorship and coaching. Previously, Xavier taught Animated Film Production at the University of Washington, where he worked on festival premiering 3D Animated Short films such as "Dancer By The Sea" and "The Tyrant". In this time Xavier also made his directing debut with an animated short film called "Dazzle!".
TK Johnson
TK. Johnson is a Cinematographer and Colorist driven by story above all else. With over a decade behind the camera, he’s brought over thirty productions to life through light, color, and movement. Whether crafting the intimacy of a close-up or the sweep of a wide frame, T.K. focuses on building worlds that feel lived-in and emotionally true.
His work spans narrative films, music videos, and visual storytelling of every kind, always rooted in collaboration and the pursuit of truth. Over the years, his visuals have earned multiple awards, including two NATAS NW Emmy Awards and Best Cinematography at the 2025 Seattle 48 Hour Film Project.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
✈️Introducing AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL✈️
Hey my name is Blake Rizzo! Welcome to our crowdfunding page for our film: AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL! The seatbelt sign is off! Feel free to roam around the cabin and learn more about our project!
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL is a Science Fiction Comedy film about a Seattle Air Traffic Controller named Roger that must learn how to communicate with a UFO in order to guide it in safely. We are also inviting local public high schools to our set for a day of filmmaking across the production schedule! This film has become my obsession and I've been developing this film for the past 7 years. Check out the first four minutes of the film below to get a sense of what the film's about!
📽️Watch the Proof of Concept (First 4 Minutes)📽️
Want to see it with a live crowd? Click this link to check out our live test screening!
In making the proof of concept alone we accomplished so much! Here are some of the technical accomplishments we achieved in making this!
- We built a test version of the Air Traffic Control tower set for filming!
- With VFX, I personally 3D modeled the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport and air traffic control tower! We made sure that the environment matches the actual landscape and mountain ranges of Washington! Each building in every shot of that movie is exactly where a real building in Washington would be!
- Designed the puppets and the UFO!
- Animated lots of airplanes!
- Kris James created an original soundtrack!
- So much more! I could talk all day!
- NO AI WAS USED. EVERY SHOT WAS HAND DESIGNED WITH PAIN STAKING LOVE!
All of these assets demonstrate the type of film you are supporting and prove that we are absolutely going to crush it in clearing this plane for takeoff! But we can't do it without your support!
🛫About The Film🛫
AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL is a film about learning through failure. In order to guide a damaged UFO piloted by Muppet Aliens, an Air Traffic Controller named Roger must learn how to communicate with the UFO in order to guide it in safely. Despite being a seasoned air traffic controller, Roger is shaken to his core as he and his new trainee, Wen Jie, must work together to decode the language of the alien UFO through trial and error.
What follows is a Mission Impossible-meets-linguistics-meets-The Muppets-esque film. A story that is full of action, humor, and suspense. It's a heartfelt tale about characters who must learn to embrace that they don't need to know absolutely everything before confronting the problems of the unknown. The only way to grow is by learning from the mistakes made along the way!
Meet Roger:
Roger is Washington's top air traffic controller. He trains all the new controllers fresh from the Academy. He's spent a long career of guiding planes but he's never taken a vacation. He longs to travel to other countries but not until he perfects the language. The first place he wants to travel to is China. He's been learning Chinese but he doesn't want to speak it to anyone else until he feels ready.
Meet Wen Jie:
Wen Jie is Sea-Tac Airport's newest air traffic controller. Fresh from the Academy she is preparing to guide in her first real plane! The Academy only had her doing simulations. Despite graduating from the Academy with flying colors, she's worried about making a mistake in guiding her first plane. She's well-aware that being an air traffic controller is one of the highest stake jobs in the world. She doesn't want to guide in a plane until she feels ready.
Everyone has something to learn, and both experienced and inexperienced air traffic controllers alike will have to help each other if they are to successfully guide in the damaged UFO for landing.
📓EDUCATIONAL CURRICULUM🏫
I've always believed that filmmaking is capable of building communities. I taught as a Career Technical Education Teacher at Kentwood High School from 2022-2024. I invented and taught course material in 3D Modelling, Television Broadcasting, and Video Production. So one of my primary goals in making Air Traffic Control was merging what I did as a High School Teacher and what I want to do as a filmmaker!
I found that the best way for me to do that was through integrating field trips into the production of AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL. We are going to be inviting different High Schools on Tuesdays across the production of the film to embark on an educational experience around filmmaking!
Equity:
Field trips are the best way for us to provide a focused and equitable way for High School Students to partake in our production. It's an industry lore that Steven Spielberg snuck onto the Universal lot to hang out with editors to see how films are made. Our field trip is going to invite an entire high school class! We are going to be focusing on CTE students from Kent School District High Schools. I have already coordinated two different field trips from Kentwood High School to Harbor Island Studios. Harbor Island Studios is King County's publicly owned Sound Stage.
Check out their website and you may recognize a familiar face!
High School student involvement through field trips is most equitable because CTE/The Kent School District will cover transportation. If we did this on weekends or as a summer camp, parents would have to be responsible for their own transportation. A summer camp would also drastically increase the cost/logistics.
What does a field trip look like?
Once students arrive at Harbor Island Studios, we will start with a walk-through tour of Harbor Island Studios led by Kate Becker and myself. We will end at the Air Traffic Control Tower set where we will introduce the project! We will then break into groups. Each group of students will be paired with a member of our Air Traffic Control Crew.
- Director
- DP
- Actor
- Sound Recordist
- Hair and Makeup
- Grip Electric
We will then do a quick introduction and a production activity, and then rotate stations so that students will get a chance to observe and learn what different production roles do on set. Students will also get a chance to play with gear! We will rotate stations until it's time for lunch. After lunch, we will work together as a team and film a sequence of shots from Air Traffic Control, bringing in students to fill in the roles to demonstrate their learning! We will do this until they have to leave and get back to the school.
📆SCHEDULE📆
Here's an idea of an estimated schedule! Filming on weekends and field trips on Tuesday! We plan on bringing out Kentwood High School to visit our set.
💸BUDGET💸
Our crowdfunding goal is $80,000.
Here's a top sheet breakdown of how the budget will be used.
Total Above The Line (Story and Rights, Producers, Directors, Actors): $11,290
Total Production (Extra Talent, Production Staff, Camera, Wardrobe, Hair Makeup, Set Dressing, Props, Art Department, Set Construction, Sound Recording, Set Lighting, Locations Rental): $37,584
Total Post Production: $18,000
Other Costs (Insurance, Publicity, Crafty,): $14,100
Grand Total: $80,974
Stretch Goals
There's more?! Absolutely! Any dollar past our goal helps us elevate the production to new heights! Even at $80,000 we are having to slim our production down to make it possible! If we could hit $90,000 or more we could properly support the entire production to it's fullest!
Thank you so much for checking out our page. This has been a project I've been developing for the past 7 years and any support goes a long way.
Also check us out on Substack for newsletter updates!
See you on the runway!
-
Blake Rizzo
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Support Camera Team
Costs $10,000
This perk supports the camera crew! If we don't have a camera crew, how we making a movie?!
Support Cast + Extras
Costs $15,000
Stories need characters! Support our cast by claiming this wishlist item!
Support The Flight Crew
Costs $20,000
Production Staff, Hair and Makeup, Lighting and Sound! Support our crew costs by claiming this wish list item!
Support VFX
Costs $15,000
Bring the world of the film to life with digital visual effects! This wishlist item supports post production visual effects of the film!
Support Crafty!
Costs $5,000
Buy the crew meals for the duration of production!
Support Team Set Building (BUILD THE AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL TOWER)
Costs $14,500
Let's build an Air Traffic Control Tower! Supporting this Wishlist item supports Art Department, Props, and Set Construction!
Support Buying Props!
Costs $500
The world of Air Traffic Control will be brought to life with props!
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Blake Rizzo
PRODUCER/WRITER/DIRECTOR/VFX ARTIST/MENTOR
Blake Rizzo is Writer, Director, VFX Supervisor with a background in High School Education. He uses 3D Computer Graphics and Visual Effects to expand the limitations of storytelling. He was recently a VFX On-Set Supervisor for the TV Series The Promised Land. He has also worked as an Artist on the feature film The Shift starring Neal McDonough and Sean Astin. He has additionally done work with partnered clientele such as Nike, CBS, TNT, Maxon/Red Giant, Corridor Digital and had his work featured on The New Yorker. He has founded a college filmmaking community called LUX: Film Production Club. They hold quarterly screenings and have produced over 200+ films with over 1000 club members over 8 years.
Kristine Ponten
PRODUCER/MENTOR
Kristine Ponten is a writer, director, and producer with a background in Special Education. She was recently chosen as one of five mentees for Washington Filmworks’ inaugural “Above the Line Mentorship Program", where she is developing her first feature. Previous experience includes being one of two apprentices for "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" during an Emmy-nominated season, and producing for the viral YouTube channel, Dad, how do I?, which has amassed over five million subscribers since its inception in 2020. She has previously written and directed two short films: "Roomies," "Boundaries," and "Mascot." She is passionate about telling grounded stories that navigate the awkward and awe-filled endeavor of being known.
Xavier James
Hailing from a family of artists, actors, and filmmakers, Xavier James has worn dozens of hats throughout his career in the art and entertainment world, most recently as a Cinematic Animator and Performance Capture Artist at Bungie. When he is not running his Animation and Story Solution company, Stealth Motion, he is either working on graphic novels as a writer/artist, acting in local films, holding story workshops, or helping young professionals achieve their art, story, and animation dreams through mentorship and coaching. Previously, Xavier taught Animated Film Production at the University of Washington, where he worked on festival premiering 3D Animated Short films such as "Dancer By The Sea" and "The Tyrant". In this time Xavier also made his directing debut with an animated short film called "Dazzle!".
TK Johnson
TK. Johnson is a Cinematographer and Colorist driven by story above all else. With over a decade behind the camera, he’s brought over thirty productions to life through light, color, and movement. Whether crafting the intimacy of a close-up or the sweep of a wide frame, T.K. focuses on building worlds that feel lived-in and emotionally true.
His work spans narrative films, music videos, and visual storytelling of every kind, always rooted in collaboration and the pursuit of truth. Over the years, his visuals have earned multiple awards, including two NATAS NW Emmy Awards and Best Cinematography at the 2025 Seattle 48 Hour Film Project.