Original Animation Series
“In the near future, running out of room and resources on Earth, humankind launches a united effort to find new homes among the stars. An elite group of 12 explorers are selected for a lifelong quest to map the known Universe and pave the way for humanity’s last chance to leap into a new age. They are Starsailors.” S.O.P.H.I.A.
Starsailor is a comedic sci-fi/adventure television series geared toward kids aged 6 to 85 that seeks to break the mold of what is expected from children’s entertainment. We see this as an event series, cinematic in scope, enthralling, and bingeable with animation quality rivaling the largest studio feature films.
As such, Starsailor is conceptualized as a 30-40 minutes long program, with each season running 8 to 10 episodes. So far, we’ve laid the groundwork for 4 seasons of storylines that fit within an overall narrative, while preserving the opportunity to expand into further seasons. The series will be topical, highbrow, and accessible, often drawing inspiration from the latest science in ways that are both educational and entertaining. We plan to leverage our core team’s decades of combined visual effects experience to break barriers of what is commonly seen in 3D animation on TV while still fitting into a small screen sized budget.
By creating a show that’s visually and thematically rich with a canvas literally the size of the Universe, we hope to draw in the widest possible audience - one that transcends age, gender, and borders. We seek to build a world filled with such charming characters, gripping stories, and imagination-sparking locales that people want to be immersed in Starsailor to the point we can spin-off into other projects and products.
Concept Media
Creator's Statement
Hello!
My name is Dan Millen, and I’m the creator of Starsailor. I would like to say a few words to emphasize my passion and personal vision for this project. As a visual artist myself, I find it easier to tell stories and express my thoughts through images instead of words; in this case though, I feel compelled to leave you with a statement that cuts to the heart of why Starsailor is worth your consideration.
Starsailor is my labor of love, and I have consciously worked to push it beyond the boundaries and expectations of a standard animated series. Starsailor checks off many expected boxes of an epic science fiction adventure, but it is important to note that the characters drive this series and not the plot. That said, I want the series to feel familiar and accessible to viewers of any age by building satisfying, sprawling season arcs designed around largely self-contained individual episodes, which emphasize the relationships between characters. While the cast of the show all have big, distinct personalities, I imbue a realistic subtlety and grounded sense of humor in the characters because I believe that is the key to what endears us to our all-time favorite characters.
Those characters need to inhabit unforgettable worlds in order to hold the attention and imagination of the audience. I shamelessly admit to drawing on my strongest influences like Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, and Miyazaki for the depth and immersiveness of their stories. That is what I want for Starsailor - to bring audiences a rich landscape; a tapestry that weaves history, mythology, nature, philosophy, and the simplicity of ordinary life in a way that will blow people’s minds and become a defining part of their childhoods.
I believe wholeheartedly that Starsailor fills an overlooked void in the industry for exactly this reason. There is not enough programming of substance, but this story will draw people in, then ask them to look at our own world and our own lives differently. We will point our younger audience toward science, education, and character-building while pointing our older audience toward deeper themes like justice, conservationism, family and spirituality. Kids will love Starsailor for the charming characters, stunning visuals, and epic adventure. At the same time, parents and anyone else lucky enough to stumble upon our creation will undoubtedly admire our characters’ complexity and the suspenseful, emotional, intelligent, timely, and satisfying story at Starsailor’s core.
With that, I thank you for your time and look forward to hearing your thoughts on this beloved project.
Sincerely,
Daniel Nogueira Millen
To learn more about Starsailor, how you can help, and to gain full access to the complete material, including story, pilot script, and our Pitch Doc please email me at dan.nmillen@gmail.com.
Godspeed Sailors!