In Search of Tomorrow: Crowdfunded ’80s Sci-Fi Documentary to Examine Star Wars, Star Trek, and More

The filmmakers behind the horror documentary In Search of Darkness are back. This time they want to make the definitive ’80s sci-fi documentary. David Weiner has lined more than 40 actors, directors, writers, SFX experts, and composers for In Search of Tomorrow, a four-hour documentary examining the decade that changed sci-fi cinema forever. The documentary will examine films including Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, Blade Runner, The Terminator, and Star Trek II, III, IV, and V. Backers of the Kickstarter campaign will also gain access to an exclusive online community anchored by a private Discord server. The campaign has already well-exceeded its initial goal of roughly $40,000, garnering over $200,000 in funding with 12 days left. Here’s the synopsis released via the Kickstarter campaign:

“In Search of Tomorrow will take viewers on a year-by-year deep dive into the many awe-inspiring worlds of ’80s Sci-Fi movies, breaking down the most iconic and eccentric films you know and love (and many you may have forgotten or missed), and examining the science, technology, and artistry behind the fiction.

The completed feature will be more than four hours long and feature insights and anecdotes from an extensive collection of experts and iconic talent, including filmmakers, actors, special-effects and visual effects masters, tech advisors, authors, influencers, and visionaries. Not only will they tell their own stories, but they will share opinions about their own favorite Sci-Fi movies.

Through our interviews with ’80s Sci-Fi masters and subject-matter experts we want to explore a wide range of issues, including:

• Heroes and Heroines: Hear from the actors, writers, directors, and producers who brought Sci-Fi icons such as Rick Deckard, Ellen Ripley, and the Terminator to your movie screen.
• SFX Breakdowns: Learn how your favorite robot, creature, and spaceship effects were created. We’ll be interviewing the artists who designed and operated the models, puppets, and animatronics that brought some of your favorite creatures and characters to life.
• Production Design & Worldbuilding: Learn about the creation of the costumes, weapons, and post-apocalyptic landscapes that set the scene for our favorite stories.
• Socio/Political Context: How ’80s Sci-Fi reflected the socio-political context in which it was made: Tech advances, Reaganomics, Live AID, big business, and the AIDS crisis.
• Genre Mixing: Exploring how other genres – fantasy, action, horror, and comedy – are very much intertwined with the Sci-Fi genre. Where does one begin and the other end?
• Legacy: Discuss the importance of ’80s Sci-Fi genre in a modern-day context. Why is ’80s Sci-Fi still so relevant today? “

What do you think of the project? Will you be backing it? Let us know in the comments.