posted 02-15-2018 12:11 PM               

Skylab was a crucial element in human space exploration, which happened to fall in the immediate shadow of the Apollo lunar missions. Hundreds of hours of video & audio recordings exist from it, yet it is unlikely that you've seen or heard much of it.

Searching for Skylab is an independently-produced documentary made for people like you, to let you see and hear the real stories behind Skylab for themselves, some of which have never been told before!

The film is packed with exclusive interviews, allowing you to understand why its story remains one of the greatest, albeit mostly forgotten, American triumphs of all time!

posted 02-19-2018 09:18 AM               

Joe Kerwin, Paul Weitz and family, Jack Lousma and family, Owen Garriott, Ed Gibson and family, Jerry Carr (via leased GNAT footage), Bruce McCandless, Vance Brand, and Dr. Kohoutek. The Pogue family are also assisting with personal collections to present Bill's story.

From ground engineers and support: Roy Logston, Bill Weaver, John Reaves.

From Honeysuckle Creek: Hamish Lindsay, John Saxon, Colin Cochran, Bernard Smith, Phil Maier, Cyril Fenwick and Glenn Nagle (Tidbinbilla Visitor Center Manager).

Space experts: David Hitt, Emily Carney, and Andrew Chaikin.

posted 03-07-2018 04:54 PM               

No further filming is required, but we need to still complete the post-production.

The colour grading and final edit are the crucial phase in the film-making process. We require the expertise of an experienced colour grader to ease the burden of getting the film ready for its July 2018 launch date at the Spacefest in Arizona.

Acquisition of the 16mm footage

We need to acquire archival NASA footage. We are working from watermarked screeners, but will need to pay the costs of getting the clean footage delivered to us for use in the film, once the rough cut is completed.

Marketing & Promoting of the Film

Being independent, we need a strong and robust marketing and promotion campaign to make sure our potential audience knows about the film and sees/purchases it. We already have a solid social media base, but good publicity will help people learn about Skylab .

posted 03-09-2018 04:45 PM               

'Searching for Skylab' film seeks to return first US space station to public view

Before the International Space Station and before the space shuttle, but after the last astronauts walked on the moon, nine Americans took the first steps to establishing a U.S. foothold in Earth orbit.

Skylab was the first U.S. space station, but today, beyond a few museum exhibits and the occasional reference to its eventful end, the orbital workshop is largely missing from public view. A new feature-length documentary, "Searching for Skylab," is aimed at correcting that oversight.

posted 04-06-2018 05:29 AM               

A huge thanks goes out to Robert Pearlman for supporting us by telling the world about our film and campaign. We couldn't have done it without you!

posted 04-10-2018 11:47 AM               

172 backers pledged £15,982 to help bring this project to life.

posted 02-04-2019 07:53 PM               

'Searching for Skylab' Premiere

You are cordially invited to join us for the "Searching for Skylab" premiere at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, the birthplace of Skylab.

This exclusive event is Friday, Feb. 8, 2019, at 5:30 p.m., on the 45th anniversary of the SL-4 splashdown.

After the screening, join us for a panel discussion featuring Skylab engineers and astronauts including Dr. Ed Gibson and Colonel Jack Lousma (USMC, Ret.). Skylab astronauts Jerry Carr and Owen Garriott will join the panel via Skype. Sue and Amy Sue Bean, wife and daughter of the late Al Bean will also be attending.

Other panelist includes Herb Baker (son of Alyene Baker, parasol seamstress), Jay Chladek (Author and Space Historian), Mark Gray (space historian, film director), David Hitt (space historian, author), John Reaves (engineer), Dwight Steven-Boniecki (film director), Willie (Bill) Weaver (engineer).

Immediately following the panel discussion, astronaut Ed Gibson will be signing autographs for a fee. A book signing featuring authors David Hitt and Dwight Steven-Boniecki (film director) will also take place.

Hors d'oeuvres are included in ticket price ($45 per person) and a cash bar will be available.

• 5:30 pm – 5:35 pm Science-fiction movie "Apogee of Fear" filmed in space by Richard Garriott. (TBC)
  
• 5:35 pm – 7:05 pm Searching for Skylab – The movie
  
• 7:05 pm – 7:30 pm Break
  
• 7:30 pm – 8:30 pm Skylab Panel
  
• 8:30 pm – 9:00 pm Autograph Session

posted 03-04-2019 05:18 AM               

There is only one feature-length film about Skylab: "Searching for Skylab." Why not come and see what all the buzz was about at Spacefest and Huntsville?

posted 03-05-2019 07:55 AM               

Dwight - You did a great job and put in a supreme effort. I loved it. WELL DONE!

I am especially grateful for your interest, time, and effort to bring Skylab "out of the closet" after these many years of lingering in the shadow of Apollo. The attitude of those times seemed to be "after the great adventures of the Apollo lunar landings, why are we returning to Earth orbit?" Space buffs and general public developed a huge contrast between Apollo and Skylab that became, as Bill Pogue put it, "NASA's best kept secret." For more recent generations, however, that contrast has begun to fade, resulting in greater interest and curiosity about Skylab.

"Searching for Skylab" fills that gap in a timely and effective fashion, as do your "NASA Mission Report" volumes in expansive and complete detail. My hat is off to you for bringing Skylab into its rightful place in the history of manned spaceflight!

posted 03-05-2019 04:51 PM            

The movie affords the Skylab program the recognition it so richly deserves: recognition that has until now been sadly lacking.

posted 03-07-2019 08:46 AM               

I quite enjoyed hearing some of the background stories behind Skylab. I particularly enjoyed seeing some of Bill Pogue's experiments.

posted 03-07-2019 09:32 AM               

Additionally this view also shows an anomalous plume, which matches the report findings of the S-II skirting problems. As the shot is long range, detail is lost, but so far everyone who has seen the footage says the can see something happening at the MS location.

posted 10-27-2020 05:01 PM               

It is fitting that an often overlooked part of NASA's outstanding history has found prestige and fame in a part of the world that was forbidden from celebrating it when it was happening in the cold war days.

A special thank you to the judges and especially 4 time award winning cinematographer Razvan Ilie who stated, "I was particularly very touched by the whole theme and it really sent me into another world." By announcing this award, they have opened up the legacy of Skylab to a whole new audience.

posted 12-05-2020 03:12 PM               

In keeping with tradion use the "Winner" code to get you $8 discount of you haven't already seen the film over at Vimeo.

posted 01-14-2021 04:37 AM               

But it is not just me, our team has worked hard to serve space enthusiasts around the world for many years.

posted 01-22-2021 04:10 PM               

It is unfortunate that simply by falling in the immediate shadow of the hugely successful Apollo Lunar Landings, Skylab gets over looked. There was amazing science preformed on the orbital workshop, in addition to the crucial rescue and repairs which allowed the undertaking to occur in the first place. The fact that the 40 year old data collected on that space station is still used today in preparing events on the ISS is a testament to the pioneering stature that Skylab continues to exert in space exploration today. Why shouldn’t that story be told?

Get Excited!

TASM is excited to bring such an incredible film to our Bertelsmeyer Planetarium. Starting Friday, January 22nd, this documentary will be played during our normal operating hours — see our Planetarium page for more details!

We are up against some amazing competition, and call upon you all to show the world that space is a topic in film that is worth getting excited about!