Searching for Skylab - Kickstarter (mod approved)

[dwight]

Hi everyone,

Searching for Skylab has entered high gear, and in order to make it over the finish line, we are looking at getting your help. It is the first feature-length documentary film about the US' first space station. Many of you love space history, and Skylab is a somewhat forgotten part of it. Your support will go to preserving Skylab's history in the way of this film The archival material (which looks like it was shot yesterday it is so clear) will cost us to be transferred. We also need to market the film as we are independent and need to get our voice heard.

https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/searchingforskylab/searching-for-skylab-americas-forgotten-triumph?ref=nav_search&result=project&term=skylab

Your support is greatly appreciated and will be put to good use!

Sincerely,
Dwight

[Northern Lurker]

Pledged. Thanks for the heads up.

Lurky

[LunarOrbit]

I've pledged as well. Good luck, Dwight! These are important stories that need to be told.

[Obviousman]

Done.

[dwight]

I am humbled by the generous support everyone has shown for this project. Thank you so much! We have some fantastic material for the film, and the 16mm footage sparkles! We have Paul Weitz's last ever interview on there, and that one nearly never happened. Same with Bruce McCandless (although it was not his last interview, but rather the last time he spoke of the AMRV). If you are in a position to head over to Spacefest in July, please do. I look forward to seeing you there!

[dwight]

I am very happy to report that Searching for Skylab has been completed as of 16 June, 2018. It could not have happened without the generous support of our Kickstarter patrons. The finished product looks amazing. I can without hesitation state that some footage has rarely been seen by the public before! I do not use such terms lightly, and we went to great lengths to get footage that is not simply a rehash of Skylab: The First 40 Days. It is scheduled to be screened at Spacefest in 2 weeks time (July 5, 2018).

[dwight]

An update for all the fine people here who supported the film: we are working on a general release in the first quarter of 2019. Those of you who pledged for the Kickstarter cmapaign should have received the survey information regarding your well-desevred rewards. The film has been modified following feedback after Spacefest, our special test screening in Zürich last November, and reviews by industry professionals. We have not forgotten about you. We are however a small team doing alot of work on our own without the luxury of blank-check sponsors.

We would like to thank you all for your patience and will ensure you get regular information.

Sincerely,
The SfS crew

[Obviousman]

Can't wait to see it!

[LunarOrbit]

Just finished watching "Searching for Skylab". Fantastic job, Dwight! Thank you for giving Skylab and the people involved some much deserved attention!

[ka9q]

Aw, it's only a pre-order. I have to wait two days...

[dwight]

Thanks LO. It was a mega job to take on but I'm glad I did it. The interviews with Paul Weitz and Bruce McCandless were the last ones they ever gave. I am humbled to have been able to share their story before it was too late.

[Obviousman]

Thanks LO. It was a mega job to take on but I'm glad I did it. The interviews with Paul Weitz and Bruce McCandless were the last ones they ever gave. I am humbled to have been able to share their story before it was too late.

Did you do the interviews? If so, how did you manage to remain professional and not go all 'fanboy' on them?

[dwight]

I certainly did do those interviews. I think the best thing is to describe what happened when I first arrived at Spacefest and saw all the astronauts right in front of me. I panicked and my wife took me around the corner for me to collect my thoughts. This was done by meditation and self motivation war-cries. We went back to the show and asked Paul Weitz if he would agree to be interviewed. He said "No!". rather than freak out I remained calm and said, "Well that is a pity because we spoke to Joe Kerwin yesterday (we did) and he siad you have some great stories to tell." He took a moment, asked if it was just a Q&A style interview, to which I replied it was, and I also added that I was in no way a conspiracy jerk. He then said, OK, I'll give you 5 minutes. I answered "5 is all I need", and so the next day we did the interview, and he didn't want to stop talking, he then also told us we had to interview his son, Mathew. Waiting to the right was Jack Lousma to be interviewed as well. At that point I just didn't have the time, nor chance to get all fanboy on them. With Bruce McCandless, I had spoken at great length with him, and had arranged his interview via email well in advance. He was thrilled that someone wanted to talk about his Skylab work rather than his STS-41B MMU spacewalk. A had no idea at the time that these would be the last filmed interviews they both would give.

[Obviousman]

It was great - well done! I learnt a lot of new things that I didn't know about the Skylab missions. And the downloaded MP4 was of great quality.

Someone remind me: why was / were the Skylab CSM(s?) painted white rather than reflective?

[ka9q]

Not sure, but I can say that low earth orbit is a more benign thermal environment than deep space or lunar orbit.