Metro Orion

Metro Orion is an independent film science fiction series produced by Parenthesis Pictures in association with TandEm Productions [ [http://www.facebook.com/pages/Metro-Orion/19302366370?ref=s TandEm Productions] ] . The show is intended for internet broadcast and exclusive DVD release. [Media Release at http://metro-orion.com] The series is currently under production at Shrine Studios, Wollongong Australia and the Bryant Ranch and the first episode of the series (a feature-length pilot film) is scheduled for release on 26 January 2009.

The show uses an unusual format - each season consisting of four feature length films with linking story arcs.

On June 1, 2008, Parenthesis Pictures announced its intention to release each episode in two versions - one for Web broadcast and another, lengthier cut on DVD. Rumours persist that the show will also be broadcast widely on television.

Story

"Metro Orion" involves a number of ongoing story lines which concern the central characters of "Athrun Kodan", "Ekims" and "Glynne Orky" and their crew aboard the deep-space vessel Metro Orion (the show's namesake). The show is set in the present day against the background of a war between Earth and an alien-race named the "Eridani" (the show's principle antagonists) which is being secretly fought by an organisation named the Star Navy that operates from the far side of the moon. In the story, the existence of the war, space travel and the Star Navy itself is a secret from the people of the Earth.

Heavily influenced by the works of John Milton and Dante Alighieri, the story is divided into twelve volumes, like the Aeneid of Virgil. Each volume contains 4 individual films. The work follows the epic tradition of starting "in medias res" (Latin for in the midst of things), the background story being told in later stages of the storyline. It is notable for its use of byronic heroes (an idealized but flawed central character) and numerous antagonists each with differing motivations. The storyline is both complex and epic in scale spanning several times and places (historical and contemporary). Other key influences on the story's epic arcs are the works of Geoffrey of Monmouth and significantly the work of Chrétien de Troyes.

The show is unusual for science fiction films and television dramas with its emphasis on space locations in the observable night sky (for example: the Eridani, the show's principle antagonists, are said to originate from the Eridanus constellation system. [ [http://metro-orion.blogspot.com/2007/10/background-information-eridani.html Blogger: Connexion en vue de la lecture ] ] According to show creators, "Metro Orion" first began to form as an idea after stories of the culling of children in Columbia and Brazil began to emerge in global media. [http://hrw.org/doc/?t=americas_pub&c=brazil#P546_95031 and http://hrw.org/doc/?t=americas_pub&c=colomb#P696_111075] The show ahd a long pre-script gestation, some ten years, before moving to a story outline in early 2007. The show's other principle story line concerns itself (in part) with philosophy on friendship put forward by Ralph Waldo Emerson that friendship is humankind's greatest creation. [ [http://metro-orion.blogspot.com/2007/09/character-profile-kodan.html Blogger: Connexion en vue de la lecture ] ] [See Patrick Sullivan, "Perspectives on Australian SciFi", Journal of Fan Fiction, Wollongong, Australia, 2007.]

Themes

"Metro Orion" explores several themes in its narrative, in particular the concepts of friendship and loyalty. Through the use of a multi-episode story arc and thematically recurrent characters and circumstances, the show also delves into existentialism, the value of human life, and the concept of grace under fire.

Cast

TandEm Pictures cast "Metro Orion" in June 2007, nine months before the scheduled started of principal photography. The casting was a two stage process with several actors asked to read for specific parts, others given a cold audition. Following the initial casting decision a period of intensive rehearsal and actor/character workshops were conducted between July 2007 and January 2008. The production's final casting decisions were made shortly before the start of Principal Photography in late February 2008.

Stars:Daniel Nittel as "Athrun Kodan"Kieran Hoyle as Ekims andEmma Darragh as Glynne Orky.

Co-Stars:The show's ensemble cast include Andrew Denmeade, Todd Fletcher, Chris Micallef, Andrew Perry and Robert Wilson.

The show features recurrent characters played by guest stars Darryl Bryant, Paul Hamilton, Emily Stratford, Patrick Sullivan and Graeme R. White.

The show's three stars all have worked with show creator and Executive Producer Kernaghan before. Daniel Nittel had worked with Kernaghan in starring roles on a number of Shakespeare productions and a modern experimental theatre pice, while emerging young talent Kieran Hoyle had worked with him on two previous productions (both musicals). Emma Darragh, also experience in musical theatre productions, is an accomplished stage performer and performing arts producer.

The ensemble was cast after a careful process of auditions and readings and are a mixture of people who have worked together before and some new talents.

Production

The production's pilot episode is currently in production with principal photography underway since late March 2008. The production is shooting at Shrine Studios and the Bryant Estate with location filming in the Illawarra and Southern Tablelands regions (south of Sydney, Australia).

Metro Orion utilises extensive location shooting including notable local landmarks such as Anita's Theatre, the Palm Court Hotel and a number of privately owned properties in the foothills of the Illawarra escarpment. The show also makes extensive use of live-action/matte painting compositing and practical sets built locally at Shrine Studios.

The show commenced pre-production in July 2007 after the conclusion of a three month writing period. The show is being shot digitally and in high definition using the Cannon XHA1.

Visual Effects for the production are provided by Old Fashioned Means and eschews CGI visual effects wherever (the preferred) miniature photography is available. "Metro Orion" is the first production of its kind to be shot in Wollongong.

The production draws its cast and crew from the Sydney, Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama and Nowra areas. The production allows members of the community to contribute as actors or crew and involves a large number of locally based performing artists - professional and semi-professional.

The show maintains a keen interest in the technical accuracy of the science component of its fiction and to that end works with three resident technical advisors as well as two medical advisors, an engineer, a computer programmer and a NASA Astrophysicist.

Background

Parenthesis Pictures was selected to produce the work and TandEm Productions bought on board early on during the writing process. Emma Darragh and Todd Fletcher - the co-directors of TandEm were invited by show creator Aaron Kernaghan to join the production team and the three began to work as a coordinated writing staff. After early story outlines and screenplay drafts had been completed, the show went into early pre-production and Darragh and Fletcher's company TandEm was chosen to undertake the casting process for the show.

Meanwhile, Parenthesis Pictures under Executive Producer Aaron Kernaghan began the process of enlarging its production team to include many established performing arts practitioners with a wide-base of experience in non-traditional fields. Paul Hamilton was brought on board as Associate Producer with primary responsibility for establishing the technical infrastructure needed to handle the show's high definition and online editing processes. Chris Micallef as Assistant Producer became responsible for production design and workshop operations and remains the Head of Workshop.

The show was joined in November by Patrick Sullivan who in addition to taking the guest role of "Falson" was signed on for the combined roles of Line Producer and First Assistant Director until June 2008 when he handed over that role to Graeme R White. Co-Assistant Producers are Mark Hoyle, Darryl Bryant and Maria Bryant with production design by Chris Micallef.

In an interview with The New Writer's Group, Kernaghan said that the production team of Metro Orion is the most enthusiastic and committed groups of people he has worked on - making this the most satisfying artistic project he has ever worked on. [See "Illawarra Review Guide", March 2008 Edition, p 24.]

The film score for the show will be performed by the South Coast Orchestra, based out of the Wollongong Conservatorium of Music (and for which Kernaghan is the Chief Conductor). Scoring sessions are scheduled for September 2008 at the Berry School of Arts.

References