Sci Fi Western Short ‘Aurora’ Launch Kickstarter Campaign

I love when films aren’t afraid to cross genre lines. That’s why I was so intrigued when I first heard of the horror short Aurora, a film that involves the Wild West, Nazis, time travel and cryptids! What’s not to love? Check out some info on the project below.

Aurora is a short film written and directed by debut filmmaker Thomas Negovan and Aaron Shaps. The film stars Jack Campbell and Robert Boulter.

Synopsis:

Nazis vs cowboys and a cryptid in the Wild West. Conspiracy theory, science fiction, time-travel monster movie with spectacular artists…

About? ?the? ?movie: Aurora is a black and white 30 minute ?lm that tells the story of the ?rst UFO crash recorded? ?in? ?American? ?history. It is widely believed that ?Roswell, New Mexico, is the site of the ?rst UFO crash in US history – but that distinction actually goes to a ?small town in Texas?. According to a historical account reported in the local newspaper, early in the morning on ?April 17, 1897?, the residents of ?Aurora (located just outside of Fort Worth) were awakened by a loud explosion as an inexplicable airship crashed to Earth – six years before the ?rst ?ight of the Wright Bros, and 40 years before the town even had electricity. A body was found at the site and buried in an unmarked grave in the town cemetery. The wreckage was thrown into a deep well, and a legend? ?was? ?born. But? ?what? ?if? ?the? ?story? ?was? ??more? ?fantastic? ?than? ?anyone? ?imagined?

Aurora is a love letter to ?The Twilight Zone and? Universal Monsters? and artfully combines actual historical events with ?Nazi UFO conspiracy theories?,? time travel?, and ?extra-dimensional cryptids into a tidy and curious package, delivering science fantasy? ?into? ?the? ?19th? ?century? ?Wild? West.

The costumes and creatures of Aurora were developed by some of the most celebrated artists of our day, including a Nazi time traveler designed by World Fantasy Award winning painter ?Brom? and creature design and practical e?ects construction? ?by? ?Face? ?O?? ?(SyFy)? ?winners?? ?Rayce? ?Bird?? ?and?? ?J.? ?Anthony? ?Kosar?.

For nearly twenty years, Century Guild founder ?Thomas Negovan has curated exhibitions and created ?ne books on art and art history, inspiring subjects like Clive Barker ?and ?David Mack ?to o?er unbridled praise for his presentation of their work. Negovan has now started his ?rst ?lm, created in tandem with his brilliant community,? ?and? ?is? ?using? ?the? ??Kickstarter?? ?platform? ?to? ?bring? ?it? ?to? ?life.

The ?lm features ?Genesis P-Orridge (legendary music icon and originator of the industrial music genre) as the voice of the creature. The soundtrack – available on limited edition vinyl as part of the Kickstarter campaign – was orchestrated by Troy Sterling Nies (composer for the soundtracks to the H. P. Lovecraft Society’s ?Call of Cthulhu ?and The Whisperer in Darkness?) with master thereminist ?Armen Ra and drummer? ??Brian? ?Viglione?? ?(Dresden? ?Dolls,? ?NIN).

Praise? ?for? ?Aurora

“I was excited to hear that Thomas Negovan has entered the world of movie-making – he’s a man of ?extraordinarily great taste?. Aurora features? great art direction and a ?unique vision ?– it’s as if ?Jodorowsky had directed an episode of? ?The? ?Twilight? ?Zone?.” -?Richard Metzger?,? ?founder? ?of? ?DangerousMinds.net

“Aurora is the hitherto undiscovered ?lovechild of H.G.Wells and Louis L’amour? — this ‘Weird Western’ is much more than a genre mash-up; it’s ?a trip back to the original charnel house of creation out of which all our genres were born?. Thomas? ?Negovan? ?has? ?gone? ?from? ?curator? ?to? ?creator? ?and? ?the? ?results? ?are? ?a? ?pure? ?joy.” -? Adam? ?Simon,? ?creator? ?of? ?WGN’s? ??Salem

“Aurora? ?is? ??genuinely? ?fascinating?? ?and? ??eerily? ?gorgeous?.”
-? Gerard? ?Way,? ?writer? ?and? ?musician for My Chemical Romance

“I? ?am? ?very? ?much? ?looking? ?forward? ?to? ?seeing? ?a? ?proper? ?projection? ?of? ?Thomas? ?Negovan’s ?rst-ever? ??nished? ?short? ??lm,? ?Aurora.? ?Already? ?in? ?what? ?he? ?has? ?generously? ?shown? ?me, I? ?see? ?Thomas’s? ??commitment? ?to? ?a? ?re?ned? ?and? ?focused? ?aesthetic?.” – ?E.? ?Elias ?Merhige?,? ?director? ?of? ??Shadow? ?of? ?the? ?Vampire?? ?and? ??Begotten

“Aurora? ?is? ??a? ?mysterious? ??lm? ?grimoire?.? ?Thomas? ?Negovan? ?is? ?a? ?very? ?special? ?being and? ?goes? ?that? ?gifted? ?stretch? ?further? ?every? ?time.” -?Genesis ?P-Orridge?,? ?magick? ?icon? ?and? ?godperson? ?of? ?industrial? ?music

“?Very? ?clever? ?storytelling?,? ?and? ??thoughtful? ?cinematography?.? ?If? ?you? ?are? ?a? ?fan? ?of? ?the classic? ??Universal? ?Monsters?? ?or? ??The? ?Twilight? ?Zone? ??you? ?absolutely? ?have? ?to? ?see Aurora.” -?Kevin J.? ?O’Connor?,? ?star? ?of? ??The? ?Mummy?,? ??11.22.63?,? ??There? ?Will? ?Be? ?Blood?,? ?and? ??Lord? ?of Illusions

“Aurora? ?is? ?the? ?kind? ?of? ??beautifully? ?strange?? ?and? ??truly? ?unique?? ?genre-crossing? ??lm that? ?only? ??comes? ?along? ?once? ?in? ?a? ?decade?.” -?Stephanie ?Leonidas?,? ?star? ?of? ?SyFy’s? ??De?ance?? ?and? ?Neil? ?Gaiman? ?&? ?Dave? ?McKean’s Mirrormask

The Kickstarter packages include movie/soundtrack sets, limited edition ?glow-in-the-dark vinyl featuring a letterpress logo by ?Kevin Cantrell, ?Kickstarter-exclusive t-shirts, ?facsimile 19th? ?century? ?tintypes?,? ?and? ?limited? ?edition? ??posters?? ?by? ?notable? ?artists.

Aurora sounds like it is going to be an absolute blast. if you are interested in helping with funding Aurora, you can check out the Kickstarter here.