Captain Valedor

"Captain Valedor" is a 2006 American short film produced in and around New York. Taking place in the 1950s, it draws elements from both Douglas Sirk-era melodrama as well as Flash Gordon-like action serials.

ynopsis

In early 1950s suburbia, a young boy reimagines a climactic family conflict as a rip-roaring black-and-white outer space serial. What begins as an escapist fantasy, however, begins to unravel as the lines that seemingly existed between the good guys and the bad begin to blur, and neither fantasy nor reality will ever be the same.

Production

Production of the "Yard" sequences, shot in 35mm, was completed in December 2004 in Old Westbury, Long Island. The 16mm special effects intensive black-and-white "Space" sequences were filmed the following April in a retrofitted NYU classroom.

A low-budget short, the film was produced while the filmmakers attended New York University's Tisch School of the Arts.

Post-Production and Music

The fairly extensive special effects animations required for the "space" sequences were completed by Steven Turnwall using World War II-era craft as inspiration for the look of the models. Backgrounds were replaced via greenscreen, and then turned to black and white.

The award-winning score, written and composed by Gavin Keese, was recorded by local musicians on an NYU stage. Many of the participants played multiple instruments which were then doubled up in order to simulate the sound of a far larger orchestra.

creenings / Awards

*First Run Film Festival - April 11th, 2006
*Annapolis Film Festival - November 11th, 2006
*Park City Film Music Festival - January 20th, 2007 - Received "Gold Medal for Excellence"
*George Lindsey/UNA Film Festival - March 1st, 2007
*Columbia University National Undergrad Film Festival - March 31st, 2007 - Finalist, Winner "Best Soundtrack"

On May 7th, 2007, the film was made available online at its official site.

Cast

*Kate Laross as "Laura/Lotha"
*Ken Arnold as "Rick/Rickenvelt"
*David Ferrall as "Phil/Photon"
*Todd Reichart as "Captain Valedor"
*Dariusz Uczkowski as "Freddie"

External links

* [http://www.captainvaledor.com/ Official website] (including trailer)
*
* [http://www.annapolisfilmfestival.com/captainvaledor.html Valedor at the Annapolis Film Festival]