FMP Initial Rationale

Final Major Project - Rationale

For this third year final major project we plan to create a short visual effects film/movie trailer to promote an idea for a feature film we wish to develop. Aiming to follow in the footsteps of Neil Blomkamp's work 'Alive in Joburg' which was recently developed into the feature film 'District 9' with the help of Peter Jackson, which was released in early Autumn 2009. It seems that with the recent releases of such photo-realistic visual effects filled Sci-Fi thrillers as District 9, Terminator Salvation and James Cameron's; Avatar, a massive market has developed for this genre which has recently entered a new era thanks to the increased capabilities of computer-generated visual effects.

After researching into the world of conspiracy theories for a critical studies assignment last year, there was one particular theory that stood out from the rest. It tells of a civilization that existed over eight thousand years ago until the Babylonian/Assyrian period in what is now modern day Iraq. Most commonly known as the earliest detailed record of civilization on Earth, The Sumerian's give detailed accounts of Genesis from which many modern religions share distinct similarities. As this is can be a touchy area and as I do not intend to insight religious hatred through this short production, I have decided to stay clear of this area of subject matter. Instead I will be writing about the side of the Sumerian belief system which seems to be straight out of a Sci-Fi Hollywood Blockbuster.

The Sumerian's believed in Gods, this is not unusual for any early civilization, however the level of detail depicted in the 12,000 clay tablets they left behind is simply extraordinary. They tell of Gods of the Sky, 'The Anunnaki,' an advanced race of beings from the tenth planet in our solar system, they colonized Earth 432,000 years ago with the interest of obtaining large quantities of minerals, particularly gold. Around 250,000 years ago the miners rebelled against the conditions they were working in, so the chief scientist and medical officer of the Anunnaki were appointed to create a slave race of beings to replace these workers. After little success in splicing animal and homo erectus genes, the Anunnaki made a hybrid by crossing the DNA of the Anunnaki and early human like creatures. The new hybrid race grew in vast numbers, the Anunnaki City became over-crowded so many of the slave race began to be expelled from the city, eventually inhabiting the entire world. Around 8,000 years ago the Anunnaki decided that the humans had earned their independence, before they left the Anunnaki installed a hierarchy to insure the extraction of gold would continue whilst they were gone, with the promise that one-day they would return to claim the remaining gold.

Obviously trying to write and produce screenplay for the above idea would be practically impossible when taking into account; budget, resources and time. One route that is most likely to be followed, focuses on the return of the 10th Planet (Nibiru, Planet X) and the Anunnaki. Using fake News Reports, Interviews, MI6 meetings coupled with computer-generated visual effects of the 10th planet and its spaceships containing the inhabitants return to Earth. Possibly with a new storyline developed around the cover up of this story along with mans greed, which leads people to refuse giving the gold to the Anunnaki. Despite the Anunnaki explaining that the gold is payment for the gift of life, the gold is still withheld, leading to all out war between humans and the Anunnaki.
We intend to employ the skills of various students within different specialisms from the college to insure the success of clear communication of ideas for this short film/feature film trailer.