Portland, Maine composer Richard DeCosta has created an actual space opera, with singing aliens and a heroic saga of aliens escaping from slavery. And he needs your help to make it a reality. (Especially if you're a grantwriter.)
DeCosta posted an ad on Maine Craigslist seeking a grantwriter for his opera:
Portland, Maine-based composer seeks assistance from someone with proven grantwriting experience to obtain funding for an innovative 3d animated space opera. By "space opera" we mean just that, an opera in space; singing aliens and all.
The opera itself is well underway, with a detailed synopsis, libretto, musical and video samples and as much detailed information as a grantwriter needs. Grant money is needed to A. finish the composition in a timely-manner, B. Hire the 3D artists and animators needed to create the film version, C. Buy the computer equipment for (B), and D. to promote the finished opera to movie theaters, opera companies, DVD distributors, etc.
You can listen to a lot of the opera already over at Turing Shop, and it's pretty catchy stuff, especially "Battling the Durux." Here's the plot synopsis for K'ai, Death of Dreams:
K'ai is a young Uadaman (alien), and though sick and frail physically, has a mind, sharp and clear, has mastery over his dreams, and is in contact with an alien presence through them. He is, however, not special. He is not chosen. K'ai is quite simply the first to discover the truth about the origins of his race: The fact that they were created many thousands of years ago, for the purpose of slavery, and the first to put together the thousands of years old puzzle of how to escape their current spiritual capture. As slaves, K'ai's ancestors were treated cruelly by their masters, the Garx, who were viewed as gods.
Although initially the Uadaman made the lives of the Garx easier and richer, the slaves eventually became unruly and ultimately revolted. The Garx was decided that they were more trouble than help, and they were abandoned on the harsh, unforgiving planet on which they were created. Prutoztur, a guardian "god", and brother to their creator, Zroetur, was charged with keeping them from physical and spiritual escape, from the truth of their heritage, and more importantly, from discovering the true nature of their spiritual existence.
K'ai, many thousands of years later, becomes possessed with the idea of freeing his race from their spiritual bondage, and in exacting revenge on their creators and captors. K'ai is joined by several like-minded scientists, philosophers and mercenaries who roam the planet in a hijacked ship, in search of answers, and ultimately, escape. In his quest for freedom, K'ai ultimately learns that the only way his race can be truly free is to prevent reincarnation and birth altogether, and thus ends up becoming the catalyst for a cult of mass murderers seeking to ultimately kill every living creature on the planet, thus ensuring that no soul will ever again be captured.
So if you know a grantwriter who wants to help K'ai in his struggle for freedom, definitely pass this along.