te·los
noun (ˈteläs): an ultimate object or aim; end, purpose

Danika's just been accepted as an Astronaut Candidate for the space station program. She's also a drone pilot and loves tinkering with her homemade drone. She's eager to join her mentor, Amy Caplan, who's currently living on the space station. 

But when she develops rheumatoid arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, she's disqualified from space flight.

Danika gets an offer to work on the Telos Mission—a NASA program to send a probe to Saturn's moon, Titan—and she's not thrilled. At first. But the geeky designer in her soon takes over. She joins the mission and begins to fall in love with her work. Her mentor Amy reminds her that her passion all along has been to discover new frontiers, not to fly in circles around the Earth. Thus Danika designs a probe that goes farther than she ever could have in a space ship.

The images will carry the film—no sappy dialogue, no melodrama.

This film was inspired by the beautiful images of outer space I saw while browsing NASA's archive. The awesome part is that we'll actually get to use these videos from NASA in the film! I want to create visual harmony between the shots of outer space and the shots on Earth, to show how connected Danika is to space. 

I believe space connects everyone, not just science nerds. Every human being, when they see images of space and pause to take it in, can't help experiencing awe. Inevitably it becomes a bit existential: we're all connected by the realization of our smallness and search for meaning. This film is about a woman who finds purpose for herself, even after losing her dream. While writing the script, I realized I must have been influenced by watching my brother's journey: he got rheumatoid arthritis at age 21, and despite setback after setback, he's never stopped creating meaning for himself. 

This film is for him, and for all those searching for their telos.

Note on how we are responding to COVID-19

We shot the film in August 2020 with a small crew and rigorous safety measures that complied with the CDC, and we are grateful to report that no one contracted COVID-19. 

CAST

Candice D'Meza: Danika Candice is theater/film actor and has been called one of the “Seven Young Houston Theater Actors To Watch” in the Houston Press. She was last seen on Houston stages at The Alley Theater. She is also the winner of the 2018 Best Utility Player from the Houston Press Theater Awards. To learn more about her, visit www.candicedmeza.com.

Devika K: Amy Caplan Originally an engineer designing offshore platforms, Devika obtained a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School and became a Tech Lawyer while writing and acting in plays. She has performed in numerous films, and she's taking the role of a NASA project manager in Telos.

Elisabet Davis: Dr. Nguyen Elisabet is an American model, actress, designer, and Texas Film Commission certified production assistant based in Houston, TX. Elisabet began modeling in 2017, appearing in a fashion show featured on Houston Life TV’s These Boots Were Made to Rodeo (KPRC Houston Channel 2, NBC’s local affiliate) segment. She has appeared in various commercials, industrials, & branding campaigns for organizations and corporations, and will make her film debut in Telos, as Dr. Nguyen.  

BUDGET

Here's the breakdown of where the funding will come from and where it will go. 

These charts represent our best calculations of which specific budgetary needs the funds be meeting.

STORYBOARD SNAPSHOTS

While Amy lives in the space station, she and Danika keep in touch by sending each other videos they take: Danika sends Amy her drone shots, and Amy sends Danika her space station shots.

Later in the film:

Danika is a drone pilot. Her drone, which she built herself, becomes a motif for the probe she will later design and underscores her passion for exploring the places humans cannot go.

As she recovers from the news of her diagnosis, she rebuilds herself by giving herself a task to focus on: repairing her drone. As she finds herself again, her renewed interest in her drone becomes a new interest in the Telos Mission.

We've been working hard to get this film ready to shoot over the last year and a half. We hope you'll be a part of its creation.