SHAHAB ZARGARI – DIRECTOR/EDITOR/AUTHOR
Growing up he was a major influence on my opinions towards the genre of science fiction. We figure if you’re going to create a sci-fi world, you might as well do something you know has a strong story behind it. There is even a wonderful “Twilight Zone-style” twist in the story of The Crystal Crypt that we know sci fi fans will love to experience.
Why short film?
This piece was originally a short story that was published in a 50’s magazine; only 30 pages long. There is no reason to add to it. As a matter of fact, adding to Dick’s masterful work would take away from the fast-paced nature of the tale. Our goal is to make a good film and not waste the viewers time with a bunch of fluff.
Why Kickstarter?
On our early stage discussions, producer Zues Zamani, whom I worked with on the most recent Luxor Las Vegas commercial, suggested it. As soon as he brought it up, we were all on board. You see, this project has a very internet-friendly, or internet- savvy, target audience. This audience will be familiar with Kickstarter, or Philip K Dick’s work, if not both, and would enjoy being a part of a project like this. Because, really, Kickstarter is a way to bring like-minded folks together that takes every single individual through the process of creation. What could be more fun than that? You’re not living vicariously through someone else’s art; you’re stoking its fire personally!
Another factor is that most film investors are more willing to put money toward full length features, and that’s only if there is a guaranteed large return on their investment. Short films showcase talent and tell a wonderful story quickly, but they are not a medium that sees a great return on investment. They are projects undertaken purely to create a piece of work that people will enjoy watching.
If you’re a fan of comics, movies and books about Twilight Zone, Star Trek, or anything in between then this story is one that you will be enamored with. And I know you would be proud to get behind it.
We’re still putting the puzzle pieces together at the time of this conversation, but we have already lined up some great talent, from the amazing actress Tara Platt (check out her FilmCourage.com article – CAN’T WORK WITH ‘EM …. CAN’T WORK WITHOUT ‘EM: CREATING PROJECTS TOGETHER WITHOUT DESTROYING YOUR RELATIONSHIP– here), to the up and coming LA-based actor Cyrus Zoghi, to the infamous Comic Con Cosplayer Jean Gomez.
Not only that, but we’ve also got some amazing ultra limited edition rewards put together as well, from actual one-of-a-kind props from the set, to extremely limited edition autographed Jean Gomez photo prints of her in her unique Crystal Crypt costume! There’s a lot more than that on offer, so please check the Kickstarter page for complete details.
Ok, but really, why Kickstarter?
The process is already under way, most of the sets, models and props are already built, and our shooting dates are already locked in. All we have left is 2 days of filming, animation completion and the post-processing and polishing of sound and visual effects. We understand that effects are merely a tool to tell this amazing, suspenseful story, but the tool must be seamless and beautiful, not cheesy and low grade.
So if we’re so far along, why do we need your support? We’re running this
Kickstarter campaign to get the word out about our project, as well as to gain aid in the post-processing budget to give The Crystal Crypt the best possible finish. This includes, among other things, the all-important sound design, compositing effects and color correction.
Just $25 gets you the completed film as soon as it’s finished, and a share of the project on your social media outlets to spread the word costs you nothing. We’d appreciate any kind of love and support, and look forward to delivering a fantastic adaptation of a great master’s work of art.
About director Shahab Zargari:
Shahab Zargari has published two photography books, one art anthology and a science fiction novel, blog posts, as well as creative copy for national and regional ad campaigns. Editing film and video for sketch comedy, music videos, national TV commercials and other film projects is his forte, but he has stepped into the role of Director for the first time on the upcoming short film, Philip K. Dick’s The Crystal Crypt. Check out the film’s company site at Thinkspeak.org.
About author Philip K. Dick:
Philip Kindred Dick was a prolific author who was first published in 1952. His first sale was the short story “Roog.” His first novel, “Solar Lottery,” appeared in 1955. Dick produced an astonishing amount of material during the 1950s and 1960s, writing and selling nearly a hundred short stories and some two dozen or so novels during this period, including “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” and “Time Out Of Joint,” ” His most well-known works are Blade Runner (1982) from his “Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep?” upon which the film was based, starring Harrison Ford. Shortly before the film premiered, however, he died of a heart attack at the age of 53. Since his death, several other films have been adapted from his works including Total Recall (1990) and several unpublished novels have been published posthumously.
Download the short story, The Crystal Crypt, for free from the Gutenberg Project here.
