the press kit

SKY LINE
The Space Elevator Documentary
SKY LINE
In 1979, Arthur C. Clarke wrote
a novel about an elevator to
space. This is the story of the
people who intend to build it.
GOING UP! FILMS PRESENTS
SKY LINE
DIRECTED BY
MIGUEL DRAKE-McLAUGHLIN & JONNY LEAHAN
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
ROBERT WOOD
RUNNING TIME 74 MINS
SYNOPSIS
Driven by man’s inherent need to explore, a group of scientists and entrepreneurs endeavor to build an elevator to space. What happens
when egos and passions collide in a quest to complete the impossible?
Dr. Bradley Edwards has a plan to build an elevator to outer space. All he needs to do is design the largest structure ever built, and invent a
material strong enough to make it work. Sky Line follows Dr. Edwards and his collaborators through their years working with NASA, raising
equity, and creating companies and institutions to make this dream of science fiction a reality.
The concept of an elevator to space is not new. In the world of Arthur C. Clarke, Robert Heinlien, and other sci-fi giants, it is a natural progression. What most people don’t know is that men and women around the world are working hard to build it right this moment.
Some want to solve the energy crisis, some want easier access to raw materials in the solar system, and some just want to travel to space
and gaze upon their home planet. For all of them though, the elevator is more than just a science fiction plot, it is a way of life.
Jerome Pearson is considered the inventor of the space elevator. Bradley Edwards designed the elevator and has rock star status in the community - but his pride culminates in clashes with all his close collaborators. Michael Laine and Ben Shelef are community organizers of sorts,
creating a framework for space elevator achievement and becoming the gatekeepers to the nascent space elevator community. We follow
these characters and several more as they compete for NASA prizes, private funding, and acceptance in the scientific community.
We also speak to leading experts about what easily accessible space travel means for humanity - from a scientific, philosophical, and religious
point of view.
DIRECTOR’S STATEMENT
SKY LINE is not just a story about trying to build the largest thing ever, it’s a story about our impulse to push limits and chase dreams, even
when the results might not be seen until long after we’re gone. What drives a person to devote his life to pursuits that may take generations
to achieve?
We set out to answer that question when we first went to Seattle to begin filming the folks involved in the Space Elevator Conference. We
didn’t have much of a plan, but we knew everyone had a story – and we found the people that became the backbone of this film. For several
years, we would revisit these eccentric and brilliant characters, until we had cobbled together a film called SKY LINE.
The story of SKY LINE is half science and half dream, much like “Fountains of Paradise”, the Arthur C. Clarke novel that was so inspirational
to our characters. We hope you enjoy watching the film as much as we enjoyed making it!
MIGUEL DRAKE-McLAUGHLIN, DIRECTOR
JONNY LEAHAN, DIRECTOR
MIGUEL DRAKE-McLAUGHLIN
DIRECTOR | PRODUCER
Miguel is a movie lover who has been lucky enough to shoot feature
films and to direct shorts for causes that inspire him. Miguel was the
cinematographer for five feature films, and his work behind the camera
has appeared on PBS programs Art21 and Sesame Street. Miguel has also
directed short films with Greenpeace and other groups.
JONNY LEAHAN
PRODUCER | CO-DIRECTOR
Jonny has worked as a content creator across a variety of media for
over 20 years. Serving as an Executive Producer on films like "Sex
Drugs Guns", producing/directing dozens of digital projects, and
having been a regular film columnist for indieWIRE -- he has developed
a unique approach to storytelling that he hopes comes through in his
latest work.
BIOS
ROBERT WOOD
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
Robert got his start in filmmaking as an Assistant Director on the
award winning feature film Sex Drugs Guns. As a Story Producer for GMD
Studios, Robert produced documentary series for major brands such as
the Ford, Qualcomm and News Corp. Robert has also produced a music
video with filmmaker Jonathan Caouette for the April/March song The
Tic and The Toc. Recently, Robert directed a web series for the Texas
Education Agency that focused on promoting secondary education to
underserved students. Currently, Robert is continuing to help brands
tell their story at JPL Creative.
CHRIS GUIDO
EDITOR | PRODUCER
A Brooklyn-based editor, Chris has worked in video postproduction for
over fifteen years, the last seven in his own company, Skydo
Postproduction, Inc. He has helped craft documentaries for national
PBS and independent producers, edited short-form pieces for dozens of
networks and companies, cut hundreds of hours of broadcast television
from Cartoon Network to Investigation Discovery, and most recently
began editing a series of short independent films featuring a blend of
live action and puppetry.
PRESS
“A NEW SPACE ELEVATOR DOCUMENTARY NEEDS YOUR HELP!”
“IN THE WORKS: SKY LINE”
“HELP FUND [A FILM ABOUT] A MOON SHOT : SKY LINE”
“SKY LINE : THE SPACE ELEVATOR DOCUMENTARY”
PROJECT OF THE WEEK WINNER: ‘SKY LINE’
“THE QUEST TO BUILD AN ELEVATOR TO SPACE”
SKY LINE
DIRECTED BY
MIGUEL DRAKE-McLAUGHLIN & JONNY LEAHAN
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
ROBERT WOOD
PRODUCED BY
MIGUEL DRAKE-McLAUGHLIN
JONNY LEAHAN
CHRIS GUIDO
MICHAEL CAMERON
EDITED BY
CHRIS GUIDO
CINEMATOGRAPHY BY
ADRIAN SELKOWITZ
MARSHALL ROSE
MIGUEL DRAKE-MCLAUGHLIN
MATTHEW SEMEL
ANIMATION BY
DAVID AHUJA
ORIGINAL MUSIC
BRIAN HARNEY
GUSTAV BALLER
HEIKO JULIAN
JACOB 2-2
JESSE GELAZNIK
THE MUSE MAKER
SHAWN KOONIN
ZIEMBA
COLORIST / ONLINE
TOM KNIGHT
SOUND DESIGN /RE-RECORDING MIXER
DOMINIC BARTOLINI
STILL PHOTOGRAPHY
ANELA BENCE-SELKOWITZ
PRODUCTION TRAILER
ROBERT GREENE
ADDITIONAL ANIMATION
ALAN CHAN
SCIENCE CONSULTANTS
KEVIN ARTHOFER
JOŠKO KIRIGIN
TRANSLATOR
ARTHUR “SAM” MURAKAMI
EDITORIAL CONSULTANTS
MARY MANHARDT
BARRY POLTERMANN
ROBERT GREENE
EDITOR ASSISTANT
TIGHE KELLNER
MARK SMITH
TRAILER
JILLIAN SCHLESINGER
THEATRICAL WEBSITE DESIGN
CALEB COSSICK
LEGAL SERVICES
JONATHAN TOBIN
ODED BURGER
DISTRIBUTION CONSULTANT
MICHAEL MELAMEDOFF
PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS
ZACK STIMELL
RACHEL BOZICH
KATHRYN O’DONOVAN
EDREA DAVIS
ARCHIVAL RESEARCH
ZACK STIMELL
MUSIC
“EVIL TRIES TO KILL THE BABY”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: GUSTAV BALLER
“LEARNING TO SEE”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: THE MUSE MAKER
“THE LIGHT THAT LINGERS PT. 1”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: SHAWN KOONIN
“SOFT SMOOTH FUR”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: HEIKO JULIEN
“700 MILLION MILES”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: WOLF IN A SPACESUIT
PERFORMED BY: BRIAN HARNEY
“FULL COLOR VISIONAL”
PERFORMED BY: WOLF IN A SPACESUIT
COMPOSED BY: BRIAN HARNEY
“PSA DE DREAMY”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: GUSTAV BALLER
“VERSE SYNTH”
PERFORMED BY: WOLF IN A SPACESUIT
COMPOSED BY: BRIAN HARNEY
“CAMERA DEATH”
PERFORMED BY: AAH
COMPOSED BY: BRIAN HARNEY
“COMMUNICORE”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: JACOB 2-2
“BISHOP”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: JESSE GELAZNIK
“GLOWING HORIZONS”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: SHAWN KOONIN
“THE HONEY GLOWS”
PERFORMED BY: WOLF IN A SPACESUIT
COMPOSED BY: BRIAN HARNEY
“SKY OCEANS”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: SHAWN KOONIN
“WAKE THE SHADOW (SPACE ELEVATOR MIX)”
PERFORMED BY: WOLF IN A SPACESUIT
COMPOSED BY: BRIAN HARNEY
“FRESHMEN”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: SHAWN KOONIN
“TRANSWORLD HOLIDAY”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: JESSE GELAZNIK
“SKETCH 3”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: GUSTAV BALLER
“COLLECTIVE MEMORY”
PERFORMED BY: WOLF IN A SPACESUIT
COMPOSED BY: BRIAN HARNEY
“THE FARTHEST REACH”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: SHAWN KOONIN
“MOLDENKE”
PERFORMED BY: WOLF IN A SPACESUIT
COMPOSED BY: BRIAN HARNEY
“ASPHYXIATION”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: JACOB 2-2
“I M O K”
PERFORMED BY: WOLF IN A SPACESUIT
COMPOSED BY: BRIAN HARNEY
“DAISY CHAIN”
PERFORMED BY: ZIEMBA
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: RENE KLAZDYK
“DISTRACTED REALITY”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: SHAWN KOONIN
“AMBER HAND”
PERFORMED BY: WOLF IN A SPACESUIT
COMPOSED BY: BRIAN HARNEY
“PHANTOM SEE”
PERFORMED BY: ZIEMBA
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: RENE KLAZDYK
“DOWN THE HYDROLATOR”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: JACOB 2-2
“BABY DUCKBILL”
COMPOSED AND PRODUCED BY: JACOB 2-2
ART AND ARCHIVAL
THE FOUNTAINS OF PARADISE
EXCERPTS READ BY THE AUTHOR
ARTHUR C. CLARKE
CAEDMON RECORDS, 1979
ISSAC ASIMOV
EXCERPTS FROM
SMALL STEPS... GIANT STRIDES
NASA, 1973
FILM FOOTAGE FROM
THE APOLLO AND MERCURY MISSIONS
NASA
SPACEWARD TRAILER
ALAN CHAN
“THE KNOWLEDGE EXPLOSION”
BBC HORIZON
SEASON 1, EPISODE 6, 1960
WAY STATIONS IN SPACE
UNITED WORLD FILMS, 1960
A TRIP TO THE MOON
LE VOYAGE DANS LE LUNE
DIR. GEORGES MELIES, 1902
“LOS ALAMOS FIRE”
KRQE, 2000
“PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH”
EXCERT FROM
GOLDEN ANNIVERSARY OF NASA 2008
ELEVATOR ASCENDING EIFFEL TOWER
THOMAS EDISON
EDISON FILMS, 1900
“THE SPACE PATROL CODE BELT”
SPACE PATROL, TOWER PRODUCTIONS, 1951
“TO THE COSMOS BY ELECTRIC TRAIN”
PRAVDA, 1960
“THE ORBITAL TOWER”
ACTA ASTRONAUTICA VOL 2 pp 785-799
PERGAMON PRESS 1975
“NEXT FLOOR... SPACE!”
FUTURE LIFE, 1979
“FALL OF MOONDUST”
ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY DAVID HARDY
“SPACE ELEVATOR”
ORIGINAL ARTWORK BY RICHARD BIZLEY
SPACE ELEVATOR RENDERINGS
BY FRANK CHASE
CNT IMAGES
BRYAN LAUBSHCHER, ODYSSEUS TECHNOLOGY
THANKS
A GIRL WHO
HAS ALWAYS LOVED
SCIENCE FICTION
BEN JASZCZAK
CHARLES L. PERKINS, @SPACEENTHUSIAST
BENJAMIN AHR HARRISON
CHOP SHOP
ABE BECKER
BENJAMIN ARCHER
CHRIS COOKSON
ADRIAN SELKOWITZ
BLAISE GASSEND
CHRIS HEGEDUS
AGENT MT & GBK
_BOB HEROLD
CHRIS TUSCIUK
AIME ALLISON
BOB HIRSCHFELD
CLAIRE XIE
AKIRA TUSCHIDA
BONNIE BLUE EDWARDS
CLARK FRANKEL
ALAN BROWN
BOONE OSHEL
CRYSTAL CLARITY
ALAN DECKER
BRAD & JUDY HECKMAN
DA PENNEBAKER
ALANA MEDIAVILLA
BRANDIN WATSON
DAN ZELIKMAN
ALWYN J LEYLAND
BRENDAN DUNN
DANIEL BROTHERS
AMY BROWNE
BRENDAN O'REILLY
DANIEL GILLIES
AMYBETH INVERNESS
BRIAN CLARK
DANIEL PARKHURST & SELINA YEE
ANDERS ÅHLÉN, SPACE GOURMET
BRIAN DELL
DANIEL POTOCKI
ANDREW KORTINA
BRIAN HARNEY
DANIEL R. ZIEGLER
ANNE HUBBELL
BRYAN & VICTORIA ERWIN
DANIJEL RAHIJA
ANNIE BURGSTEDE
BURKE BURNETT
DARREN HIMEBROOK
ANONYMOUS
CALEB SMITH
DAVID A. HARDY, ASTROART.ORG
AVRAM LUDWIG
CALI MASTNY & MATT MACKALL
DAVID AHUJA
BARBARA A BENTZ
CARLOS ENTRENA @KOLN
DAVID HORN, ISEC BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BARRY POLTERMANN
CARLOS VALDEZ-LORA
DAVID LINDEN
BART MUELLER
CAROLE & NORMAN SEMEL
DAVID N BUGGS
BASIL TSIOKOS
CHAD FAUST
DOMINIK DEOBALD
THANKS
DOMINIK WUJASTYK
GIGI JACKSON
JEAN-PHILIPPE TURCOTTE
DR. REV. MARK F. SANDERS
GILL NORMAN
JEFF EDSELL
ED GRAY
GORDIE M
JEFF HITCHCOCK
ED HENRY
HAL RHOADS
JEFF SLOSTAD
ELIZABETH PULOS!
HANAH & ELIZABETH NEVEAU
JEFFREY CUTLER
ELLE KENNEDY CADIEUX
HANS DE WOLF
JENNIFER BROGLE
EMMA KOSTURA
HANS RINDERKNECHT
JENNIFER NEFF
ENTHUSIAST
HENRY GESSAU
JEREMY DRAKE
ERIC BUCHMAN
HERBERT EDER
JEREMY KAPLAN
ERIC SELKOWITZ
HILARY MCHONE
JESSICA STOLLER
ERIN BEAL
IVAN BECKEY
JILLIAN SCHLESINGER
EUGENE HERNANDEZ
IVAN KIRIGIN
JOE & JOAN GUIDO
EVONNE WOOD
JACK HERMILLER
JOHN HOYOS
EYE ON ORBIT
JACKIE KASHIAN
JOHN LYONS MURPHY
FARIHAH ZAMAN
JACOB HAIR
JON SAMSON
FRANK A. SMITH
JAMES BELFER
JONATHAN CAOUETTE
FRANK HARPER
JAMES SHEARMAN
JONATHAN SALEM BASKIN
FRANK MORAN
JAMES WEEKS (AKA CHIPTOXIC)
JONATHAN TOBIN
FRAZER PENNEBAKER
JAN LIBBY
JOSH ZEMAN
FREDDIE WILKINSON
JAN SELBY
JOSHUA SOVELL
FRIEDRICH G. HÖNIG
JANE KELLY KOSEK
JULIA SMITH
GEOFF KUFFNER
JAVIER GONZALES
JUSTIN D. COVEY
GEOFFREY LONGMAN
JEAN MURLEY
JYE "YUKI HYOU" KARL-PERRY
THANKS
KC SPACE PIRATES
MARK SMIT
MITJA LUSTREK
KEITH HENSON
MARSHALL ROSE
MR. HECTOR GEOFFREY DOKOPOULOS HAMILTON
KELLY NAWROCKE
MARTHA SHANE
NATHAN RECTOR
KEVIN KELLY
MARTIN LADES, PhD
NEIL WILSON
KING BROWNE
MAT KAPLAN
NICK REGALBUTO
KRISTINE MICHELSEN-CORREA
MATT VIEYRA
NIKO DRAKE-MCLAUGHLIN
KYLE OKLOWICZ
MATTHEW SEMEL
NILES HECKMAN
LANA WILSON
MATTHEW YEAGER
NILS-ANDERS NØTTSETER
LASSE HYNNINEN
MERETE MUELLER
NORMAN ACKERMAN
LAURA A BURNS
MICHAEL ANGELO RUSSO
ODED BURGER & SARAH GREENBERG
LAWRIE BROWN
MICHAEL C. CARROLL
OLE-MORTEN DUESUND
LEE SEMEL
MICHAEL DOWDEN
OSCAR BARTOS
LEILA DARABI
MICHAEL FISCHBEIN
OWEN RICHARD KINDIG
LIZ COOK
MICHAEL LAINE,
PABLO ANTONIO NARVAEZ
LORI B
LIFTPORT GROUP
PADRAIC DOOREY
LUCAS LOMBA
MICHAEL MELAMEDOFF
PAIMAN KALAYEH
MADELYN BURGESS
MICHAEL R. JONES
PATTI ANNE LEAHAN
MARCIE BAEZA-SAUER
MICHAEL SCHAEFFER
PAUL RIPLEY
MARGIE & MIKE LEAHAN
MICHELLE NELSON
PAUL SCHROEER HANNEMANN
MARILYN AGRELO
MIKE FARINO
PENELOPE FALK
MARIN GAZZANIGA
MIKE HAMPTON
PENNY LANE
MARINA ANTUNES
MIKE REDMAN
PETER CAPOZZI
MARK J. THOMAS
MIKE RIOS
PHIL BOLENBAUGH
THANKS
PIBBOY
SAMUEL MCKENZIE
THOMAS IWANCIO
RACHEL BEAUCHAMP
SAMUEL STEPHENS
TIEG ZAHARIA
RACHEL TIEMANN
SANDEE SCHAEFFER
TOM NOONAN
REBECCA BELUK
SARA LEAVITT
TOM NUGENT
RICARDO GIL
SATADRU PRAMANIK
TORE SIMONSEN
RICK & SHARON SLETTEHAUGH
SHAWN KOONIN
TORSTEN KETELSEN
ROMAIN PICHON-SINTES
SMASHINGSUNS
TREVOR HARTSELL
ROMAN GODZICH
STANTON CRUSE
TRULS BJØRVIK
ROMY VREELAND & SAM TEIGEN
STEPHEN WINTER
WAYNE POZZI
ROSS TROWER
STEPHEN YORK
ZAC CRANE
RUFUS LUSK
TALIA LUGACY
ZACHARY M. DRAKE
SAM WALSH
THAT ONE GUY WITH THAT ONE NAME
ZACK SCHLESINGER & JENNY KELLER
THE ROSS BROTHERS
SPECIAL THANKS
RACHEL BEAUCHAMP
BILL DRAKE
THE LEAHAN FAMILY
ANNE McLAUGHLIN
MATT ROAN
TED SEMON, THE SPACE ELEVATOR BLOG
JILLIAN SCHLESINGER
BOB and EVONNE WOOD
LACY WOOD
IN MEMORY
BRIAN CLARK
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