Here is a short sci-fi drama for you to watch called Travel through the stars. Under cover of darkness, a teenage girl attempts to escape her tortured reality, determined to find her missing father with the help of her best friend and a mysterious device.
It is said that this film is both an independent film and a proof of the “poetry” of the mini-series concept.
This movie comes from the writers and producers Ryan Maas I’ve also included an interview with him, which you can read below.
This short is shared in partnership with FilmQuest Film Festival, where we hope to shine a light on some of the radical independent genre films and shorts filmmakers are creating.
What was the inspiration for your film? How did you come up with this idea?
I am a film and television composer who has created original scores for award-winning television series, feature films, documentaries, and more, and my work plays in movie theaters, television networks, and streaming services such as Hulu, Netflix, Disney+, and National Geographic.
I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of telling so many wonderful and engaging stories through music, but this time I really wanted to challenge myself to tell a personal story using the written word. I believe the best art is honest art.
Across the Stars is an honest look at many parts of my childhood that I found fascinating. I know what it’s like to be a prisoner in your own home, to feel lost and deeply alone at a young age, with no one to save you, and to be at the mercy of an abusive and highly problematic new father figure.
I hope Across the Stars is nuanced, beautiful, exciting, memorable, inspiring, and compelling for everyone who watches it. Perhaps we can all realize that we are far more intertwined, connected, and similar to each other than we immediately realize.
Tell us about yourself. What is your background? How long have you been a filmmaker?
I started skateboarding, playing/touring/writing/recording in punk rock and hardcore bands. I then went on to create film scores for award-winning television shows, shorts, features, documentaries and everything in between.
What inspires you to work in genre films and tell these kinds of stories?
The inheritance of stories is one of the most important characteristics of human beings. It connects us and allows us to understand and empathize with each other and to know ourselves deeper than ourselves. For me, cinema is the pinnacle of it all and the reason why I am so attracted and fascinated by it.
What was your favorite part of the filmmaking process on this project?
We spent a long time in pre-production on this film. That was the best part for me because we really came together as a team to try to find the best way to tell a very complex story in a 15-minute short. I find it extremely rewarding to work with so many talented, wonderful people and overcome a million obstacles to complete a film.
What are you most proud of about this film?
I’m most proud of the team we’ve assembled, from actors to public broadcasters. It’s very humbling to be a part of that.
What’s your favorite story or moment from the making of the film that you’d like to share?
After fighting, crawling and working hard for so long to get to our first day of principle photography, it was an incredible feeling to see the first images pop up on the screen in the video village as we shot our first scene. I’ll never forget it.
What was the most challenging moment or experience you had while making the film?
The completion of any movie is an absolute miracle. The entire process is riddled with landmines waiting to blow up your production before it even begins.
We had our fair share of challenging experiences, but probably the most notable was having to cancel an entire shoot because we were scheduled to shoot in Washington state, then regroup and shoot in upstate New York.
It was very challenging to start almost from scratch in a month or so, and I’m proud that we were able to pivot and achieve this.
If so, how did your film change or differ from the original concept during pre-production, production, and/or post-production? How does this impact the way you approach future projects?
The script changed the most. The first version of the story had a much darker ending and quite a few completely different flashback (side flash?) sequences.
I think all the changes better reflect a more honest look at our main character, Casey, dealing with adversity. It’s very helpful to get feedback on how different characters react to situations, especially if that character is very different from the author himself.
Who are your collaborators and actors in this film? How did you start working together?
Our director Ariel Danziger, our DP Waleed Sokkar, our co-EP Lisa Carr, our producer Alex Knapp And Max Gardner and our editor Paul La Calandra were all collaborators on the film, and we all interacted with each other in some form from the past.
Our leads, Mia Hudson (Casey) and Jake Wilsons (Max), were brought on board after an extensive casting process and we couldn’t be more excited to have them on board. They bring these characters to life in such a beautiful and heartfelt way.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received as a filmmaker?
The best advice I’ve ever received is that the best art is honest art. I would tell new filmmakers to be as brave and vulnerable as possible in your films. Be unflinchingly, brutally honest with your film. You’ll be surprised how far this will take you.
What are your plans for your career? What stories would you like to tell in the future?
I hope to continue developing my career as a film composer and producer. I hope we can make Across the Stars into a mini-series. There’s a lot more to this story that’s yet to be told, and a lot more about the characters that I’d love to have the chance to show.
What’s your next project?
I can’t talk about it yet, but keep an eye on my social media channels and I’ll be revealing the secrets soon. I’m super excited about it and can’t wait for everyone to see it over the next few months.
Where can we find more of your work? Do you have a website or YouTube/Vimeo channel? Social media handle?
You can see all my links at bio.site/RyanMarth, but I’m most active on Instagram @ryanmarthmusic
