CREDITS PAGE   |   THE MAKING OF... (coming soon)
The first time anybody ever saw the words

on the BIG SCREEN was at
Illinois Institute Of Technology in 1967

It was a semester project for a course titled "Science In Contemporary Culture"
in which the reading list was a bunch of sci-fi novels. Rather than write a term paper,
a couple of my buddies and I decided we'd make a movie and show it to the class.
It was shot on 8mm film, edited the old-fashioned way by cutting it up and pasting
the pieces together with film cement. As 8mm film had no audio capability, at the
showing we supplemented it by playing 33rpm albums and narrating the story.
On the right is one of the LPs we played. Seraphim Records SLP8026 (Mono)
I'm sure I still have the Also Sprach Zarathustra album around here somewhere.
Probably in the basement in my album bins...
Dvorak Album
8mm film -> AVCHD video conversion done by Retired Film Guys in 2020. Finally in 2023, inspired by working on
Ted Ancona's "Demise And Punishment", I got around to editing it using Adobe Premiere CS6.
I left the original film pretty much the way it was, but did some color correction and then added audio.
Some voices I recorded, and for the rest used AI text-to-speech with Talkia software.
I've now completed Version 2, replacing all plastic model scenes with CGI*.
*Computer Generated Imagery 3D models from TurboSquid, animated with Newtek Lightwave 3D 11.6
This film pays homage to the following, and I extend my thanks to them for the inspiration:
Gene Roddenberry, Edmond Hamilton, 'Ardra' (Marta DuBois) from STNG S4E13 episode "Devil's Due",
Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, creators of "Back To The Future", Léon Theremin, "Hannie Caulder",
"Forbidden Planet" ('United Planets Starcruiser C-57D' & Krell SFX), Patricia Neal and Michael Rennie,
Mel Brooks' "Spaceballs", Ted Ancona's "Demise And Punishment".
"Easter eggs" for all of these are abundant throughout.

This is a true story

Battle For The Stars

Running time 19:37 - 10/2/23

1967 8mm film - space scenes filmed using plastic models.

Running time 19:37 - 11/3/23

Version 2 - 2023 all plastic model scenes replaced with CGI

Or watch it a "chapter" at a time - see below...

Part 0

Intro 2023, Opening Credits 1967 (3:57)

Complete
Introductory space scene in credits filmed using a plastic model

Introductory space scene in credits replaced with CGI

Part I

United Planets Starcruiser C-57D On Exploratory Mission (3:30)

Complete
1967 8mm film - space scenes filmed using plastic models.
Version 2 - 2023 all plastic model scenes replaced with CGI

Part II

Post Crash - DalJoon, Dr. Silver, Dr. VanPelt (2:33)

Complete

Part III

Repairing and Upgrading Starcruiser C-57D (3:58)

Complete

Part IV

The Final Battle + End Credits (5:34)

Complete
1967 8mm film - space scenes filmed using plastic models.

Version 2 - 2023 all plastic model scenes replaced with CGI, dialogue to match

2023 End Credits

Complete

Made by Transgalaxy Productions