Launching a poignant journey into space

Christian Debney explains how he wrote, directed, animated and edited his deeply meaningful short film Starship

- Christian Debney

This last couple of years I’ve witnessed enormous passion for space exploration. I made Starship to be a part of that, and to give something back.

This short film has been a deeply personal journey for me. As a director, I’ve been tasked with the responsibility of telling a story, while as an animator, I’ve brought that story to life visually. However, as a father, my ultimate goal has been to leave behind something meaningful for my daughter. In the story, the astronaut represents my daughter, while I’m the father behind the camera. Though I may not be physically present in the years to come, it’s my hope that my spirit will continue to watch over her, and the camera symbolises that eternal presence.

My aim was to craft a powerful, silent film using the software I’m most comfortable with: 3ds Max and V-Ray. At Stage 23, the VFX company I co-founded, we have ambitious plans to produce more films under our own banner, and as well as the tried and tested methods, we’re incorporating cutting-edge tech like AI, motion capture, and real-time rendering.

I’m incredibly satisfied with the final film. Although it was a deeply personal journey, I’ve been pleasantly surprised by the overwhelming number of people who have expressed how moved they were by it. As a creator, it’s always the goal to evoke an emotional response in the audience, and I’m delighted to see the emotion I aimed to convey resonated with so many viewers. With thousands of positive comments, I’m confident I’ve accomplished my goal.