| Maelstrom II |
| An Independent HD Digital Short Science Fiction Production, based on the short story by Arthur C. Clarke. |
| Synopsis |
| Maelstrom II is about Human courage and resourcefulness in the unforgiving environment of space. |
| Project Background |
| NASA scientists and
engineers, and entrepreneurs from the private space and nanotech
industries, have volunteered as technical consultants on this project. The goal is to produce a science fiction film short that is as technically accurate as possible. |
| Drama and Space Education |
| Maelstrom II
combines the
drama of a compelling short science fiction story and technical
accuracy. Once completed, the target audience is the high school, college, and University student. Maelstrom II is intended as both inspiration and a teaching tool in the colonisation of space. |
| Artist Impressions |
 Deep Space Emergency Rescue Suit Illustration & design by Alex Jaeger |
| It is the year 2074... Mankind is realising the dream of colonising space. Hydroponics engineer, Cliff Leyland, is stationed at a water ice mine at the south pole of the Earth's Moon. |
 |
| Cliff wants to visit his family on Earth. To save money, he hitches a ride on a freight capsule. |
 |
| The freight
capsules have
no rocket power of their own. They are catapulted to L1 via an
electromagnetic rail. It appears to be a routine launch...until one of the nuclear reactors powering the rail fails... |
| CG Model Turn Tables |
 Freight Capsule Model by Jon Varner. Build in Maya 7. |
| Digital
Boards |
| Maelstrom
II Blogs |
| Credits |
|
||
 A Video Message from Arthur C. Clarke |
||
| Dr. Clarke, inventor of the telecommunications satellite, author of countless science papers, science fiction novels & short stories. Best-known as the co-author of 2001: A Space Odyssey | ||
| Film Score | ||
| Dr. Clarke specifically requested Toccata and Fugue in D Minor, by J.S. Bach. We recorded a live performance of this piece, performed by Pipe Organist Stephen Boniface at the St. Joseph's Cathedral - San Jose, California |
| Production Strategy | ||
| Visual Effects Artist, Jeroen Lapre', is producing and directing Maelstrom II, using start-of-the-art computer-generated digital film production techniques. | ||
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| Actor Chuck Marra as Cliff Leyland floating out of the acceleration couch in a match-a-mation test. | ||
| Contact Production | ||
| Maelstrom
II
short movie screenplay & HD Digital Short Copyright © by
Jeroen Lapre' 2003-2007. Maelstrom II Copyright © by Arthur C. Clarke 1963, 2000, The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke. |