The team behind the steampunk television series Aether Dancer intends to “change the direction of science fiction,” according to videographer and series creator, Stephen Lambert of Jade Lens Productions, by telling the story of a redrawn, but rebuilding North America after the near annihilation of humanity. The story of the Aether Dancer begins at the second dawn of the industrial age, three hundred years after a meteorite shower takes place. While professionals from doctors to scientists work to advance society, their post-apocalyptic world offers vastly different materials and resources than were available to their Victorian-era counterparts.  For example, the meteorites bring new chemical elements to Earth, enabling scientists to develop the technology supporting airships in this point of industrial history “Where Aether Dancer distinguishes itself is the setting and the subgenre,” Lambert says. He notes that in this story “steampunk isn't just a reality, it's our reality. The ensemble cast provides for a way to tell many different stories and to fully explore what humanity has become.”

 

As a courier and transport airship, the Aether Dancer gives the viewer the chance to discover what becomes of the world through the eyes of its crew of misfits. While traveling across redrawn borders, the crew encounters a whole number of oddities ranging from commodity based communities such as a medical research state, to the North American equivalent of the Ancient Egyptian ruins. “The ship is merely a jumping point for the bigger stories,” says Lambert, as the show also seeks to explore themes such as medical morals, codes of honor, and slavery among many others.

 

The concept for the series started over two years ago as collaborative effort between Lambert and Erica Roberts. “We both liked the idea of a post-apocalyptic world where steampunk living was a reality,” says Lambert. “We started telling each other stories about the worlds and the characters we envisioned, and it went from there (…) [There] has definitely been help along the way from mentors and friends. “  Lambert, whose previous experience includes the filming and production of several music videos, banks Aether Dancer’s potential success on “a big imagination” and the unlimited creativity of his talented cast and crew.  So far Lambert and his crew’s efforts brought Claudia Christian (Babylon 5, Atlantis: The Lost Empire) on board to play Kathryn MacIntyre, Captain of the Aether Dancer, as well as Amanda Joy Lim (Trapped in Terra) as the clockwork creation, Pandora. Also through networking and the support of friends and crewmembers, the series has a detailed “Series Bible”, a three-year plan for the main plot arc, and a quick proof-of-concept video (created by members of 416film.com) that can be watched on their fundraising page. Other contributors to the project include Rock Love Jewelry for props, and steampunk maker Damien McNamara for conceptual artwork.

 

Currently Lambert and his crew need funds equaling $50,000 in order to film the pilot episode ofAether Dancer. The team intends $30,000 towards covering the costs of cast, crew, and equipment while the remaining $20,000 will cover pre- and post-production factors such as costuming, CGI, and sound work. If they do not reach their goal by Friday, August 19, 2011, all the money donated will instead fund a proof of concept short to present to possible investors.

 

If you wish to donate to the project, click here to visit to Aether Dancer’s fundraising page.

You can also follow Aether Dancer on Twitter and Facebook, or on its Official Website  for more information and updates on the project.

 

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