The Roswell Report
New York City, New York | Film Short
History, Sci-Fi
The birth of an American myth: You’ve heard the story but not the truth.
The Roswell Report
New York City, New York | Film Short
History, Sci-Fi
1 Campaigns | New York, United States
Green Light
This campaign raised $8,807 for production. Follow the filmmaker to receive future updates on this project.
72 supporters | followers
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The birth of an American myth: You’ve heard the story but not the truth.
About The Project
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
During “the UFO wave of 1947”, grad student Charles Moore realizes the weather balloon he is designing for the Army Air Forces is spying on Soviet nuclear testing. Under the guidance of Dr Athelstan Spilhaus, their engineering falls into moral gray areas, and their failure and coverup cause the Roswell UFO Incident.
A historical drama based on declassified events, we hope to show a complex professor-student relationship that secretly shaped the world as we know it. In fifteen pages, The Roswell Report explores the untold story behind one of American history’s most infamous coverups.
This narrative is one of countless stories that are unknown to the public but have shaped our lives behind top-secret classifications. I want to immerse you in 1947, and although the scale and scope are grand, at the end of the day it is simply about two characters making a tough choice.
From Futurama to Indiana Jones, I had heard of “The Roswell Incident” for years. What started as a Wikipedia rabbit-hole transformed into months of research when I learned my university was the cause. In sifting through declassified files, I found a compelling and untold story that I knew I had to explore for my Advanced Senior Thesis at NYU Film.
This is not Science-Fiction, it features Sci-Fi elements but is a Historical Thriller.
I’ve never made an unambitious film and crave the challenge this script has given me. I even competed on the biggest game show of all time to fund my passion for this idea.
A mix between historical dramas like Oppenheimer and Chernobyl with investigative thrillers like Michael Clayton and The Insider, our film will blend narrative medium with archive footage to show the facts of this true story below our dramatization. I want audiences to leave not just learning about the past but thinking about our present and future.
In the age of AI, lies and misinformation greatly impact our already divided country. Our film’s commentary on how media narratives shape public fears could not be more relevant in 2024. 1947's fear of communism and ideological wars are still rampant 80 years later. The Roswell Report showcases how fear of "aliens" manifests panic and conspiracy theories in a confused public. Congress's recent UAP hearings are fighting for "Disclosure", the full exposure of America's UFO past, a conversation that starts with Roswell.
- Truth - How do we perceive truth and how can media influence the narrative? Is it better to hide the truth for the sake of security?
- Scientific Morality vs Military Objectives - Can the two co-exist? What do our youth sacrifice during global crisis?
- Mythology - American UFO Lore spawning as a direct result of public paranoia during the Red Scare.
My grandfather, Max Umles, was a mechanic in the Army Air Forces and a creative inspiration for me and my family. This film is dedicated to him and all great minds who make the tough sacrifices that the world never sees.
We are aiming to raise $8,000 to finish production costs. This includes camera and lighting rentals, craft services and meals, visual effects, flights for our desert shoot, and period-piece costume and production design.
This summer I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete on Beast Games, the biggest competition show of all time from the biggest YouTuber in the world.
To make this script I knew I’d have to take a leap of faith. I made lifelong friends and won half of our budget. With the funding from Beast Games, NYU allotment, private donors, and grants, we are so close to reaching our goal and need YOUR help to get over the line.
You can watch me on Beast Games
Episode 0 on MrBeast’s YouTube and Episode 1 on Amazon Prime Video.
(The Roswell Report is unaffiliated with MrBeast, Beast Games, and Amazon Prime. I am using my prize winnings on this project out of my own accord.)
Share this Seed&Spark with your family, friends, and loved ones. You can follow our Instagram, @roswellreport for more production updates. We’re grateful for any help and could not be more excited.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Weather Balloon Prop
Costs $300
Launching an authentic weather balloon will sell the climax scene of the film! Help us do it practically.
Locations
Costs $1,000
From labs in old schools to NYC Streets, help support the Permit and Location fees.
Art Department
Costs $1,000
Feeling like we’re in 1947 is so essential to selling the story, and help us achieve all the set decoration and prop needs.
Wardrobe
Costs $1,200
From labcoats to Army Air Forces uniforms, it’s incredibly important for us to source period-accurate costumes and create some custom pieces
Cast
Costs $2,000
Supporting good talent is incredibly important to us, and we would like to pay SAG minimum as well as accommodate travel and lodging for our
VFX
Costs $2,500
Our CGI budget needs resources to create realistic balloon simulations and 3D models of period New York. Help us bring the vision to life.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Matthew Levine
Writer & Director
Matthew Levine is a filmmaker from Agoura Hills, CA in his final year at NYU Tisch. What started as YouTube skits with his friends when he was five years old blossomed into his passion for filmmaking and he has not stopped since. Inspired by Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan, he hopes to make exciting, intriguing, and emotional films and cannot wait to show you Roswell. He has previous experience working at Thunder Road Films, STX Entertainment, and on CW’s FBoy Island. In his free time, you can find him at AMC or rock climbing! You can watch him compete to fund this project on Beast Games on YouTube and Amazon Prime.
Tess Rechtweg
Producer
Tess Rechtweg is a fourth-year Film and TV student at NYU Tisch, concentrating in producing with a minor in Business Studies. Her love of filmmaking came from Tess and her dad watching classic movies together as a kid, and she hasn’t stopped watching since. As well as being the president of NYU’s Student Producers Association, Tess has been involved in the production of over 30 films. Tess is an alumnus of the prestigious Television Academy Foundation Internship Program. She has previously interned with Likely Story and Shondaland. Tess is inspired by the works of Jonathan Demme, Greta Gerwig, Rob Reiner, and Wes Anderson. She hails from Long Island, NY.
Ryan Rosenthal
Producer
Ryan Rosenthal is a senior at NYU Tisch, studying Film and Television. Having worked as an independent producer for peers, he is always considering how to best match a story's messaging with its target audience, alongside how best to match a story’s ends with the filmmaker’s means. Ryan is thrilled to produce Roswell, as this historical story is full of exciting twists and turns.
Taze Wilson
Creative Producer
Taze Wilson is a multi-talented creative with a background in writing, acting, and interdisciplinary art. A graduate of New York University’s Gallatin School with a minor in TV and Film Production from the Tisch School of the Arts, he has worked on over 30 student films, gaining extensive hands-on experience across different production roles. Currently, they are also producing another NYU Tisch Thesis film, Freestlye directed by Jordan Britt.
Edyn Lim
Associate Producer
Edyn Lim is a first-year Film and TV student at NYU Tisch, concentrating in writing and producing. Her passion for filmmaking stems from constantly writing stories in journals and diaries as a kid and turning them into little video skits. She’s involved in clubs such as NYU’s Student Producers Association and Stern Tisch Entertainment Business Association. She’s inspired by the works of Damien Chazelle and Greta Gerwig. She comes from Orange County, California.
Dre Monteros
Director of Photography
Dre is a cinematographer from Mexico City who hopes to combine the technical and creative aspects of film to create something really special. He has experience working with a range of budgets from student thesis’s to professional projects, and works at NYU’s new Martin Scorcese Center for Virtual Production. On top of filming NYU’s Advanced TV Pilot Ti Blan, Dre looks forward to working with Matthew and using their partnership with Arri and Panavision to create a unique visual experience to an untold story.
Wyatt Beall
Production Designer
Wyatt Beall is a multi-hyphenate artist from Los Angeles, currently in his senior year at NYU Tisch in the Collaborative Arts Program. He has a broad range of skills: construction, painting, drawing, creativity endless. Past production design work includes credits on Maz Bouzidi’s feature film Concessions, Samantha Brook’s web series High Functioning, and Olivia Corso and Luca Sisino’s feature What’s the Use of Worrying. This past summer he worked at Depict33, a premier fabrication house specializing in sets, rentals and events. He’s pretty chill.
Current Team
Incentives
- The Story
- Wishlist
- Updates
- The Team
- Community
Mission Statement
The Story
During “the UFO wave of 1947”, grad student Charles Moore realizes the weather balloon he is designing for the Army Air Forces is spying on Soviet nuclear testing. Under the guidance of Dr Athelstan Spilhaus, their engineering falls into moral gray areas, and their failure and coverup cause the Roswell UFO Incident.
A historical drama based on declassified events, we hope to show a complex professor-student relationship that secretly shaped the world as we know it. In fifteen pages, The Roswell Report explores the untold story behind one of American history’s most infamous coverups.
This narrative is one of countless stories that are unknown to the public but have shaped our lives behind top-secret classifications. I want to immerse you in 1947, and although the scale and scope are grand, at the end of the day it is simply about two characters making a tough choice.
From Futurama to Indiana Jones, I had heard of “The Roswell Incident” for years. What started as a Wikipedia rabbit-hole transformed into months of research when I learned my university was the cause. In sifting through declassified files, I found a compelling and untold story that I knew I had to explore for my Advanced Senior Thesis at NYU Film.
This is not Science-Fiction, it features Sci-Fi elements but is a Historical Thriller.
I’ve never made an unambitious film and crave the challenge this script has given me. I even competed on the biggest game show of all time to fund my passion for this idea.
A mix between historical dramas like Oppenheimer and Chernobyl with investigative thrillers like Michael Clayton and The Insider, our film will blend narrative medium with archive footage to show the facts of this true story below our dramatization. I want audiences to leave not just learning about the past but thinking about our present and future.
In the age of AI, lies and misinformation greatly impact our already divided country. Our film’s commentary on how media narratives shape public fears could not be more relevant in 2024. 1947's fear of communism and ideological wars are still rampant 80 years later. The Roswell Report showcases how fear of "aliens" manifests panic and conspiracy theories in a confused public. Congress's recent UAP hearings are fighting for "Disclosure", the full exposure of America's UFO past, a conversation that starts with Roswell.
- Truth - How do we perceive truth and how can media influence the narrative? Is it better to hide the truth for the sake of security?
- Scientific Morality vs Military Objectives - Can the two co-exist? What do our youth sacrifice during global crisis?
- Mythology - American UFO Lore spawning as a direct result of public paranoia during the Red Scare.
My grandfather, Max Umles, was a mechanic in the Army Air Forces and a creative inspiration for me and my family. This film is dedicated to him and all great minds who make the tough sacrifices that the world never sees.
We are aiming to raise $8,000 to finish production costs. This includes camera and lighting rentals, craft services and meals, visual effects, flights for our desert shoot, and period-piece costume and production design.
This summer I had the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to compete on Beast Games, the biggest competition show of all time from the biggest YouTuber in the world.
To make this script I knew I’d have to take a leap of faith. I made lifelong friends and won half of our budget. With the funding from Beast Games, NYU allotment, private donors, and grants, we are so close to reaching our goal and need YOUR help to get over the line.
You can watch me on Beast Games
Episode 0 on MrBeast’s YouTube and Episode 1 on Amazon Prime Video.
(The Roswell Report is unaffiliated with MrBeast, Beast Games, and Amazon Prime. I am using my prize winnings on this project out of my own accord.)
Share this Seed&Spark with your family, friends, and loved ones. You can follow our Instagram, @roswellreport for more production updates. We’re grateful for any help and could not be more excited.
Wishlist
Use the WishList to Pledge cash and Loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an Incentive directly.
Weather Balloon Prop
Costs $300
Launching an authentic weather balloon will sell the climax scene of the film! Help us do it practically.
Locations
Costs $1,000
From labs in old schools to NYC Streets, help support the Permit and Location fees.
Art Department
Costs $1,000
Feeling like we’re in 1947 is so essential to selling the story, and help us achieve all the set decoration and prop needs.
Wardrobe
Costs $1,200
From labcoats to Army Air Forces uniforms, it’s incredibly important for us to source period-accurate costumes and create some custom pieces
Cast
Costs $2,000
Supporting good talent is incredibly important to us, and we would like to pay SAG minimum as well as accommodate travel and lodging for our
VFX
Costs $2,500
Our CGI budget needs resources to create realistic balloon simulations and 3D models of period New York. Help us bring the vision to life.
Cash Pledge
Costs $0
Direct link:
Share this update!
About This Team
Matthew Levine
Writer & Director
Matthew Levine is a filmmaker from Agoura Hills, CA in his final year at NYU Tisch. What started as YouTube skits with his friends when he was five years old blossomed into his passion for filmmaking and he has not stopped since. Inspired by Steven Spielberg and Christopher Nolan, he hopes to make exciting, intriguing, and emotional films and cannot wait to show you Roswell. He has previous experience working at Thunder Road Films, STX Entertainment, and on CW’s FBoy Island. In his free time, you can find him at AMC or rock climbing! You can watch him compete to fund this project on Beast Games on YouTube and Amazon Prime.
Tess Rechtweg
Producer
Tess Rechtweg is a fourth-year Film and TV student at NYU Tisch, concentrating in producing with a minor in Business Studies. Her love of filmmaking came from Tess and her dad watching classic movies together as a kid, and she hasn’t stopped watching since. As well as being the president of NYU’s Student Producers Association, Tess has been involved in the production of over 30 films. Tess is an alumnus of the prestigious Television Academy Foundation Internship Program. She has previously interned with Likely Story and Shondaland. Tess is inspired by the works of Jonathan Demme, Greta Gerwig, Rob Reiner, and Wes Anderson. She hails from Long Island, NY.
Ryan Rosenthal
Producer
Ryan Rosenthal is a senior at NYU Tisch, studying Film and Television. Having worked as an independent producer for peers, he is always considering how to best match a story's messaging with its target audience, alongside how best to match a story’s ends with the filmmaker’s means. Ryan is thrilled to produce Roswell, as this historical story is full of exciting twists and turns.
Taze Wilson
Creative Producer
Taze Wilson is a multi-talented creative with a background in writing, acting, and interdisciplinary art. A graduate of New York University’s Gallatin School with a minor in TV and Film Production from the Tisch School of the Arts, he has worked on over 30 student films, gaining extensive hands-on experience across different production roles. Currently, they are also producing another NYU Tisch Thesis film, Freestlye directed by Jordan Britt.
Edyn Lim
Associate Producer
Edyn Lim is a first-year Film and TV student at NYU Tisch, concentrating in writing and producing. Her passion for filmmaking stems from constantly writing stories in journals and diaries as a kid and turning them into little video skits. She’s involved in clubs such as NYU’s Student Producers Association and Stern Tisch Entertainment Business Association. She’s inspired by the works of Damien Chazelle and Greta Gerwig. She comes from Orange County, California.
Dre Monteros
Director of Photography
Dre is a cinematographer from Mexico City who hopes to combine the technical and creative aspects of film to create something really special. He has experience working with a range of budgets from student thesis’s to professional projects, and works at NYU’s new Martin Scorcese Center for Virtual Production. On top of filming NYU’s Advanced TV Pilot Ti Blan, Dre looks forward to working with Matthew and using their partnership with Arri and Panavision to create a unique visual experience to an untold story.
Wyatt Beall
Production Designer
Wyatt Beall is a multi-hyphenate artist from Los Angeles, currently in his senior year at NYU Tisch in the Collaborative Arts Program. He has a broad range of skills: construction, painting, drawing, creativity endless. Past production design work includes credits on Maz Bouzidi’s feature film Concessions, Samantha Brook’s web series High Functioning, and Olivia Corso and Luca Sisino’s feature What’s the Use of Worrying. This past summer he worked at Depict33, a premier fabrication house specializing in sets, rentals and events. He’s pretty chill.