First World

In the years bereft of any truly stand-out epics, we are forced to look harder and harder for the smaller gems-in-the-rough. First World is just such a gem. Somewhere between Close Encounters and Stargate, First World doesn't overwhelm you, it sort of sneaks up on you. I screened it first at ApolloCon 2007 (and we'll be showing it again this year), and enjoyed it very much, as did our audience. It's not an action-packed laser-fest, it's a thought-provoking what-if in an alternate universe. If you're looking for oozing aliens and screaming space battles, this is not what you want. If, on the other hand, you want to think about "what's out there" (and just how close "out there" might really be" catch a screening of First World.

I have viewed this film a few times and (as an actor and film school graduate), I think this project, considering the subject matter,and the use of special effects on a very small budget is pretty good. There are some moments in it that are actually better than some of the multi-million dollar blockbusters out there. The acting is believable, the cinematography has some excellent moments and the music is perfect. Great editing keeps the story moving and doesn't confuse the viewer (which can happen in a short film that needs to get out a lot of information). The Producer/Director seems to have caught the intent of the story in a short film and I am sure that with the feature length version they will have an exciting final product.

This project was screened at ConQuesT 38 in Kansas City, and it received by far the most positive response of all the indie work at the convention. It's innovative, and has a fantastic premise and completely believable mythology. The effects were outstanding, given the limitations of being independent. This is the kind of work that deserves attention and further development. It's my understanding that a feature length film is being planned, but it's my opinion that a series would be much more effective. There is a lot of story to tell here, and I'm not sure it could be told in a couple hours. Just my opinion. Search this out, find it, and watch it. Odds are, you'll dig it.

Regardless of whether or not you are a science fiction enthusiast, First World,takes you in a whole other direction in that genre and makes the viewer think of "what if's" instead of "what should be's." For this first time film maker, his vision and "thinking out of the box" attitude, really made this short movie enjoyable. Regardless of length and budget, "First World," is a breath of fresh air, especially when most movies these days reveal the beginning, middle and end, all in their trailer. This has the potential for multiple sequels, all leaving the viewer asking what might happen next. The mix of political and science fiction was a good blend of imagination and fortitude, seldom seen in first attempts at a film. Good work.

This short film really would make a terrific full-length movie. The plot idea is brilliant and original and would make a darn fine film.

On the eve of a Chinese moon landing, something is amiss--something out of this world. As the film slowly unfolds, you see that some of the people around us are not humans at all, but are from some unknown outside source--some distant planet perhaps. Why these outsiders are all now planning something big isn't exactly known nor are these plans. What is certain is that life on the planet will never be the same again and the film does a great job of creating tension and a sense of dread in the audience.

The film gets kudos for an exceptional story, wonderful pacing and decent CGI shots. It's obvious that this independent film was made on a shoestring budget though they generally did a good job--with one notable exception. A few times, there were a few scenes that should have been re-shot. I am not talking about expensive or difficult scenes, but little ones where the actors stumbled over their lines. You can't blame the actors, as every actor flubs a line. But it's the director's job to re-shoot scenes--especially the one on the beach early in the film. It's obvious that the actors are having trouble with their lines and this somehow made it into the film. This sort of mistake won't help in securing financing for bigger pictures and wonder if they might still want to redo this one particular scene. Especially because otherwise, it's a brilliantly imaginative film--one I desperately want to see on a bigger scale and budget. It has the potential to be something big--something profound.

Good luck with the film and I really look forward to seeing more from these people. On a tiny budget, they did wonders. Imagine what they could do with more money and time.