Return to the Verse

Firefly fans saddle up for a new adventure!

By Worldof Higlet

Ever since Firefly, Joss Whedon’s series for Fox that was cut short by the network in, fans of the show have been battling for more of the ‘Verse. The excellent DVD sales persuaded Universal to fund and release the feature film Serenity which was a hit with fans and brought more supporters into the fold.

These supporters, who call themselves Browncoats in deference to the brown dusters worn by those fighting on the side of the Independents, have continued to show their support for Firefly and Serenity with a range of activities, many of which raise money for charity. Notably there has been an annual ‘Can’t Stop The Serenity’ worldwide event which, since 2006, has raised over $250, 000 for the Equality Now charity.

Despite rumours and wishful thinking there is no news at the moment of any follow-up by Joss Whedon other that two Serenity comic series released from Dark Horse. So when I heard about a new fan film set in the Firefly ‘Verse it was music to my ears. At last -  a new fix!

Here is the premise (from the website):

“BROWNCOATS: REDEMPTION takes place three months after the events on Miranda and we find Captain Laura Matthews and the crew of Redemption unintentionally thrown into a situation that some view as the potential catalyst for the second unified rise of the Independents against the Alliance, since Unification Day. The Alliance is looking for a scape goat for Miranda while those unhappy with the Alliance are looking for a rallying cry to take action. Through all this, a secret about Laura is exposed that shakes the very core of the crew, threatening to break it up, challenge the trust that she’s earned with the Browncoats, and undo all the efforts she has put into place to keep a sense of peace in her life since the first Unification War.”

This film is the brainchild of Michael C. Dougherty and Steven Fisher, who have a mission: to see a new work set in the ‘Verse, and to raise money for charity. Once the production costs have been met 100% of the profits will go to charity (a full list is here) . These are very admirable goals.

The script has been written, the main cast has been selected and filming is imminent. The plans and sketches for the star – Redemption – have been produced by Production Designer Alex Bradley and look incredible. Even though Michael is in the process of setting up filming he took the time to answer some questions about the project. At the end there is some information about how you could take part in this exciting production.

PRG: When did you first become a Browncoat?
MD: September 20, 2002 I watched all 10 episodes on FOX.

PRG: How did you feel about the series and the treatment it received by the network?
MD: I loved, and still do, the series. I think that the network wasn’t sure what they had on their hands. As a fan, I was really frustrated with the constant movement, but it grabbed me so quickly that I would have followed it to any hour they gave it.

PRG: How did Browncoats: Redemption develop? Where did the idea come from?
MD: The idea to do a fan film came from my business partner Steven Fisher. He got a treatment that didn’t quite fit the Firefly/Serenity ‘verse and I asked to take a crack at it. I thought about what story I’d want to see, that continued the ‘verse after the film, and came to something that at its core was truly about what it means to be a Browncoat. Several people, not related, coming together as a family around a common purpose. From there, with Steve’s help and the suggestions of other Firefly fans, the story became a concrete. Then, while we were planning on what to do with it, we arrived at making it an avenue for the non-profits endorsed or created by Joss Whedon and the cast of Firefly.

PRG: Did the story or the main characters develop first? How have you gone about the process of developing the story into a script?
MD: It started from one character. Our captain, Laura. What kind of people would she gather around her? What kind of people would be her opposites? Why would she do what she does? In the beginning of the story she is far from where Mal is when Firefly started.

PRG: Have any of the cast or crew made a film before? Has it been a steep learning curve?
MD: We’re fortunate that a majority of our cast has work has ranged from a few major films/tv to local independent films to stage. The biggest learning curve, for me, is learning how to communicate individually with each person to get the moment needed for the scene.

PRG: What has been the biggest challenge?
MD: Budget…lol. It’s a challenge and the source of the most creativity. Everything we’re doing is 100% out of our pockets OR donated. We’ve been really fortunate that we’ve had a lot of what we need donated to help us produce the best quality product so the charities can gain the most donations.

PRG: Have you seen “Done the Impossible”? Have you been in touch with the producers at all and did they have any hints or help for you?
MD: I have seen Done the Impossible. Here’s a bit of a surprise, but Brian Wiser, one of the producers of Done the Impossible, is taking on the role of a Browncoat Leader in the film. His advice and help has given the opportunity for some really unique surprises and support for the film.

Also, one of the Browncoats, Kerry “Lux Lucre” Pearson, who passed away (he is mentioned in the bonus section of the DVD) makes an appearance as a character in the film.

PRG: All the proceeds from the film (once costs have been covered) are going to be split between several charities. How did you decide on the charities and what has their response been?
MD: Well, we had to look no further than our own Big Damn Heroes. With events like Can’t Stop the Serenity, Browncoats have constantly supported the charities supported/created by the cast. We took that philosophy and extended it to each of the charities we were aware the cast supported.

PRG: Have you had any clear sign that the film will be allowed to be released? There could be issues from Fox and/or Universal, so do you know when this will be resolved?
MD: We’ve reached out to FOX and Universal and made them aware of what we’re doing. That, along with letting Joss Whedon know, was one of our big milestones before we got anyone else involved. The resounding response we’ve gotten is that since we aren’t using their property in the film, we have a new crew and new ship, and that we are not gaining a profit in any way from the film that we are in the clear. We’ll be touching base with them again once the film is completed, because we understand things can change. The only thing we’re looking to have covered with a donation for the DVD is the cost to produce the DVD. Everything else, and I stress everything, that comes from a donation to receive a DVD goes to the charities. No one is looking to get rich off of this…just do some good.

PRG: You have tried to reach out to the actors from the original series to see if they support the idea – have you had any word back from them?
MD: We have. We reached out to Joss first and, through his assistant Natalie, we received his blessing. We’ve had the opportunity to tell Alan Tudyk, Jewel Staite, and Adam Baldwin about the project and they were all genuinely supportive about the project. We hope to work with them on a few things once the filming is done in June and we have a rough cut done.

PRG: You are in the middle of filming at the moment, so what’s the next step after this?
MD: Sleep? After this is really a lot of post-production work. We have a few marketing strategies in line, but we don’t want to let the cat out of the bag on those just yet. One of my main focuses is that we aren’t over promising/hyping things and then not being able to deliver on those. We Browncoats have a lot of hope and love invested into the ‘verse and the last thing we want to do is abuse that trust.

PRG: Do you have artists and special effects people on board?
MD: We do. Alex Bradley is our Production Designer. He’s done an amazing job of taking some scribbles, notes and sketches from Steve and I to create the ship and the environment. Also, Michael Struck at NEO f/x is working with us to create some really great CGI work. You can view some of the sketches of the ship Alex did on our website and we’re hoping to show some of the CGI work as soon as we can.

PRG: Who is making the costumes, sets and props?
MD: Wow. There’s a lot of people involved in this. Lee, our props guy, has done some amazing work with what he’s been able to find. Sabrina, our Set Costumer is working on giving each location their own touch and staying very true to the style of the ‘verse. My wife Kelly, who graduated from Fashion Institute of Technology in New York, is working on costuming with the help of some extremely talented people.

PRG: What is your ultimate goal for the film? Will you be airing it at any festivals?

MD: The ultimate goal is for this to be a great fundraising tool for the Browncoats to use at conventions and the like. I’d really love it if we could get it shown at some festivals. That would be, in my opinion, one of the biggest praises for the hard work by the cast and crew. I’d love to see the final DVD in the hands of every Browncoat once it’s done, because that would mean we met our goal for getting a large amount of money for charities. At the moment, I’m laser focused on getting the best shots we could between now and June when we finish filming. I feel like if I take my focus off that goal that I’d be doing the film, the people who’ve volunteered their time/services, and the Browncoats a great disservice.

Excited? There’s still time for you to be involved in the film. A few more extras are required for filming near Washington, D.C. on April 25th 2009. If you are interested  you can email the casting director at heatherf@browncoatsmovie.com. Please use the subject line of “Redemption Extra: MMP.” And indicate you availability and include a digital photo of yourself. We’ll be keeping track of how the production is developing, and you can also find out more on the Browncoats: Redemption website.

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WorldofHiglet is the online persona of writer Mary R. Higgins, a born-again geek reclaiming her heritage bit by bit. A youth filled with sci-fi, horror and adventure fare (TV, films, computer games and books) was crushed by years of office grind. Buffy brought her back into the fold after years of denial. Discovering Firefly sealed the deal. Now she geeks fulltime on her blog ‘the last geek bus home’ and her first novel ‘Turning left at Albuquerque” is currently looking for a home in publishing-land.

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