FILM SYNOPSIS
When space enthusiast Jett stumbles upon a sentient, flying object, his comfortable life is shattered by the object's urgent, secret mission. Determined to discover its purpose, Jett embarks on an unexpected odyssey. But his quest takes a dizzying, catastrophic turn after he meets a powerful, mysterious entity who sends Jett hurtling far beyond the limits of his known universe.
DIRECTOR'S STATEMENT
For as long as I can remember, I have been captivated by the silence of the stars, rooted not in sightings, but in the certainty of the Fermi Paradox: the universe is simply too vast for us to be alone.
My pilgrimage through UFO lore—from the legends of Roswell to the impossible physics of the USS Nimitz—revealed not clear answers, but beautiful contradictions. The shapes of the crafts change, yet their behavior remains hauntingly consistent most of the time...
Caught in a perpetual dance between believers and skeptics.
Ultimately, I realized this obsession was never really about aliens; it was about us. Starship is a love letter to the search itself. It is for the dreamers who lie awake in the blue glow of a screen, chasing internet rabbit holes at 3:00 AM. This film honors that restless curiosity, suggesting that the courage of the question matters more than the answer. The relentless journey toward knowledge is precisely what makes us human.
"I did not want Starship to simply mirror the literal reality of classic cinema; I wanted it to inhabit its ghost. My goal was to capture the texture of dreams and the warm, imperfect graininess of memory—to evoke how those films felt in the dark, rather than just how they looked."
- Shaun Chatrath
Danyel Areff
(Jett's Dad)
“Playing Jett’s father was an exploration of the quiet strength it takes to keep a family moving forward when the world feels like it’s standing still. He is a man who thinks his life is defined by the mundane - burnt potatoes, moving boxes, and missed opportunities. But beneath that exhaustion is a fierce, unwavering love for his son, Jett. Starship is beautifully deceptive; it invites you in with the promise of sci-fi spectacle, but it stays with you because of the grounded, human connection between family. In the end, my character learns that even when the dreams you thought you wanted fade away, it’s the dreams you never knew you had that truly give life its meaning."
Allison Elzind
(Kizzy)
“Playing Kizzy was such an exciting experience. Her sassy attitude, sharp humor, and adventurous spirit felt deeply connected to aspects of myself. While Kizzy is bold and unapologetically fierce, she also has a soft side, especially for her friends, and she’s always there when they need her most. Though tough on the outside, as the movie progresses, Kizzy learns to open up, learning how to embrace vulnerability and trust in her friendships.”
Zohair Sabir
(Maaz)
“Playing Maaz showcase’s the value of friendship in a world where people are constantly struggling to achieve their success, while making mistakes and growing stronger along the way. Maaz does not think often about his future, which is why he struggles to understand what he wants in life. He is a good friend and will support others; taking on obstacles no matter the degree, helping those in need. Starship delivers an amazing depiction of not only knowledge beyond our understanding, but also the struggles of life which become easier with the help of those around you such as friends and family, allowing you to never give up. Maaz realizes that even though he does not know his future there is so much more he can still learn in order to grow, and eventually he’ll figure it out.”
Fariss Ryan
(Composer)
Fariss Ryan is a multidisciplinary music artist, composer, and creative collaborator whose work spans film, live performance, and recorded music. Prior to the release of Starship, Fariss contributed music and creative work to the award-winning short film Complexity, created alongside poet Brandon Leake and director Cleve Brown III. He also worked on Brandon Leake’s: A Family Affair, the first-ever spoken-word poetry special aired on the CW Network.
In 2021, Fariss premiered original music for Insomnia, a one-man spoken-word play written and performed by America’s Got Talent Season 15 winner Brandon Leake. The production was presented at the Nevada Museum of Art and blended poetry, performance art, and narrative storytelling, with Fariss’s compositions underscoring the depth of the work.
His work bridges spoken word, orchestral composition, gospel, and soul, emphasizing collaboration, cultural legacy, and immersive live performance.
The Starship soundtrack was composed with a desire to evoke the timeless orchestral storytelling of classic cinema. Drawing inspiration from the emotional warmth and wonder of John Williams’ work on E.T. and Home Alone, the score leans into melody-driven themes that feel intimate, hopeful, and expansive.
Additional influence came from the sense of awe and discovery found in Super 8, Jurassic Park, Field of Dreams, Inception and Up—scores that balance childlike wonder with deep emotional weight. The music was designed to feel familiar yet enduring, grounded in nostalgia while remaining emotionally present.
Ultimately, the goal of the Starship soundtrack is to create a timeless, immersive soundscape that allows audiences to fully lose themselves in the world of the story and the inner emotional lives of its characters.
Daniel Mathre
(Composer)
Daniel Mathre is a multi-instrumentalist composer, producer, and recording artist creating cinematic scores for film and visual media based in Astoria, Oregon.
His work exists in the quiet space between sound and story—serving emotion through restraint, texture, and melody rather than excess.
Influenced by the emotional scale of Interstellar, the timeless storytelling of John Williams, and the modern minimalism of The Newton Brothers, his music is designed to breathe with the picture and deepen narrative impact.
CREATIVE FOCUS
Cinematic • Orchestral • Ambient • Textural • Hybrid
Available for film, television, documentaries, and artist-driven projects seeking music that serves story first.
