We are an ordinary married couple in Pueblo, Colorado trying to create something extraordinary in the hope of showing people that movie making is possible for anyone! Our Captain and his crew are relatable, vulnerable characters who you will want to follow as they venture into the void.
We are an ordinary married couple in Pueblo, Colorado trying to create something extraordinary in the hope of showing people that movie making is possible for anyone! Our Captain and his crew are relatable, vulnerable characters who you will want to follow as they venture into the void.
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Story
Mission Statement
The crew of the Chimera is made up of men of all, ages, ethnicities, and backgrounds; it is the story of their growth and change as they navigate the trials that come with service on an isolated, military spacecraft. Some episodes will also depict military vessels with only female officers and crew.About The Project
The Story
His family on the brink of ruin, Lt. Commander Marcus DeVol takes command of the destroyer/escort starship Chimera in a last attempt to restore his status by running down pirates and blacklisted vessels for prize money. It's a "safe" job by military standards, but a change of orders just before cast-off will send Marcus and his crew far from home and into very real danger.
Marcus has few illusions about his purchased commission. An academic, he is untested as a leader, and his curious mix of officers and crew regard him with a wary eye. Like Chimera herself, they've been pieced together based more on Marcus' tight budget than their experience and reliability. Many of them are foreigners with pasts who have joined the service for a clean slate. Some are more competent than others; few of them have seen real combat.
In the course of their mission, they will encounter both friend and foe, and venture into uncharted territories whose occupants each come with their own strange agendas. Marcus and his crew will soon be tested by combat, by uncertainty, and by fear, as every leg of their journey and every encounter brings a new set of unknowns and challenges. Into The Void is a journey deep into the blackness of hostile space, where nothing is certain.
The Show
Into The Void is, first and foremost, a story of characters, of military men far from home and cut off from family and loved ones -- imagine a submarine movie, set in space. We've even made a deliberate effort to strip down the tech and avoid the usual gimmicks. No aliens, no laser guns, no holographic interfaces, no fusion reactors... and NO SHIELDS -- these guys are going to have to rely on heavy armor, countermeasures, and strategy to survive. Chimera is not a wealthy vessel; her crew is making do with both limited provisions and materials during their perilous mission. There will be action, but it will always be in service of the story.
Why Fund Us?
"Machinations Entertainment" is a husband and wife team. While we've been able to create the assets and infrastructure to produce the show, we need to be able to pay our actors, crew, and artists for their contributions to the project.
Impact and Ambition
Every episode of INTO THE VOID will be at least 20 - 30 minutes long, with the pilot clocking in at at least 60. This gives us the space to tell complete stories within episodes, rather than relying on ten or more 3-minute installments to form a whole. These sound like grand ambitions, but the strides of digital technology are making shows like this more and more possible every year. The entire show will be shot on green screen and composited into virtual sets, a technique long since common to feature films and becoming steadily more so on television. We've already built the 11 sets needed for the pilot episode, as well as all the ship exteriors. We've storyboarded the entire episode from start to finish using digital dummies on the completed sets; everything from lighting to lens lengths to camera placement/movement to physical onset measurements has been figured out. I just have to shoot according to the plan, drop the footage in, and tighten up the edit.
We've searched all over and found nothing like what we're trying to do. With this show, there's a chance to make a real splash on the internet with an absorbing, broad-scope, low-budget show aimed at intelligent, thinking adults, yet entertaining for just about anyone.
Whether you choose to donate or not, we hope you'll subscribe to our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram feeds, as well as our Youtube channel. Visit our website at www.ventureintothevoid.com. If INTO THE VOID sounds like something you'd like to see, you can support our project by helping us get the word out:
Share links to our project with others you know who might be interested.
Follow us, share our posts, and invite others to follow us on social media:
TWITTER: @seriesintoFACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/ventureintothevoid
INSTAGRAM: @intothevoidseries
Thanks for taking the time to read our pitch, and we hope you'll consider helping us get this ambitious project off the ground!
Incentives
$10
Midshipman
- A downloadable copy of the completed episode in standard definition.
- A link to stream the premiere of the episode LIVE from the premiere party one week before online release
- social media shoutout for you or your organization
- Personalized thank you video from one of the cast or filmmakers.
- Your name in the end credits as a contributer.
$20
Ensign
- All previous incentives
- Link to download a full, ad-free copy of the episode in HD
- Exclusive digital art book
- PDF of the shooting script
- Printable PDF of the show poster
$60
Navigator
- All previous incentives
- Choose to name a star system, planet, country, space station, or even other vessels whose names will appear on various displays during the episode! Subject to approval (for appropriateness).
Claimed: 5 of 60
$100
Communications Officer
- All previous incentives (excluding Navigator)
- 30 minute video call with the cast or crew member of your choice, on the platform of your choice
- Physical copy of the screenplay signed by cast and crew members
$200
Home Front
- All previous incentives (excluding Navigator)
- Submit a photo of yourself to be included among the personal photos taped up in the Chimera's crew quarters
Claimed: 3 of 10
$200
Active Duty
- All previous incentives (excluding Navigator and Home Front)
- Receive a short line of dialogue to record which will be audible in the pilot episode
Claimed: 2 of 10
$500
The Wardroom
- All previous rewards (excluding Navigator, Home Front, and Active Duty),
- your name will appear prominently in the credits as an ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
- BONUS: also includes a visit to the set and invitation to the premiere party
- Requires own transportation to Pueblo, CO.
Claimed: 5 of 10
$3,000
The Admiralty
- All previous incentives (excluding Navigator, Home Front, Active Duty, and The Wardroom)
- Your name will appear prominently in the credits as an EXECUTIVE PRODUCER!
- BONUS: includes a visit to the set, invitation to the premiere party, & a private dinner with the filmmakers!
- Requires own transportation to Pueblo, CO.
Claimed: 0 of 3
- A downloadable copy of the completed episode in standard definition.
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Wishlist
Use the WishList to pledge cash and loan items - or - Make a pledge by selecting an incentive directly.
$10
Midshipman
- A downloadable copy of the completed episode in standard definition.
- A link to stream the premiere of the episode LIVE from the premiere party one week before online release
- social media shoutout for you or your organization
- Personalized thank you video from one of the cast or filmmakers.
- Your name in the end credits as a contributer.
$20
Ensign
- All previous incentives
- Link to download a full, ad-free copy of the episode in HD
- Exclusive digital art book
- PDF of the shooting script
- Printable PDF of the show poster
$60
Navigator
- All previous incentives
- Choose to name a star system, planet, country, space station, or even other vessels whose names will appear on various displays during the episode! Subject to approval (for appropriateness).
Claimed: 5 of 60
$100
Communications Officer
- All previous incentives (excluding Navigator)
- 30 minute video call with the cast or crew member of your choice, on the platform of your choice
- Physical copy of the screenplay signed by cast and crew members
$200
Home Front
- All previous incentives (excluding Navigator)
- Submit a photo of yourself to be included among the personal photos taped up in the Chimera's crew quarters
Claimed: 3 of 10
$200
Active Duty
- All previous incentives (excluding Navigator and Home Front)
- Receive a short line of dialogue to record which will be audible in the pilot episode
Claimed: 2 of 10
$500
The Wardroom
- All previous rewards (excluding Navigator, Home Front, and Active Duty),
- your name will appear prominently in the credits as an ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
- BONUS: also includes a visit to the set and invitation to the premiere party
- Requires own transportation to Pueblo, CO.
Claimed: 5 of 10
$3,000
The Admiralty
- All previous incentives (excluding Navigator, Home Front, Active Duty, and The Wardroom)
- Your name will appear prominently in the credits as an EXECUTIVE PRODUCER!
- BONUS: includes a visit to the set, invitation to the premiere party, & a private dinner with the filmmakers!
- Requires own transportation to Pueblo, CO.
Claimed: 0 of 3
- A downloadable copy of the completed episode in standard definition.
- Updates
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Current Team
About This Team
My name's Michael Gates, and I've wanted to make movies since I was a kid. By my teens, I had already taken up computer graphics and had begun making short videos, which eventually evolved into two feature length live action/CGI animated films. But those were just practice: home movies, really. I've come a long way since then, making a curious career that has allowed me to build a set of skills that put me in a position to create something truly unique. I've been a reporter for a local newspaper, videographer for a ski resort, independent video editor & videographer, and CGI/VFX artist.
My wife, Laura, has an entirely different background. A teacher by trade educated in Chemistry, today, she's raising our two boys, and volunteering in a whole host of causes. We've wanted to produce film projects together pretty much since we met; we've been developing Into The Void on the side for almost 5 years, and the time has now come to make it happen!
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