Matthew and Brian Titshaw: Writer and Director, THE SPACE JOCKEY PURSUIT

Matthew and Brian Titshaw

THE SPACE JOCKEY PURSUIT grew out of the thesis short film we made while attending the Savannah College of Art & Design. After expanding the story, we asked a classmate to help us raise the finances. We also received some support from family, friends, and online fundraising campaigns.

From the beginning, we knew we wouldn’t have the budget that was typical of such an ambitious project, but we wanted to prove that we could be resourceful and creative with a small amount of money without compromising the integrity of the story. Since we were going to be working in such an unconventional way, it was important we have a certain type of spirit on set. This is why we wanted to collaborate with fellow students and friends who were also eager to make their first feature film. Our crew’s creative energy is what kept us going.

2Q: Cinequest is proud to host the World Premiere of THE SPACE JOCKEY PURSUIT. Explain to the audience how you feel about bringing this film before audiences for the first time, and what do you think their reaction will be to your film?

We are thrilled to be premiering our film at Cinequest. Since this is the first time an audience outside of our cast and crew will experience the film, we are excited to see how it will be received. But we feel that anyone looking for a fun film about an underdog pursuing a seemingly absurd dream will not be disappointed.

3Q: What was your best and/or worst experience while making THE SPACE JOCKEY PURSUIT?

Worst: Watching the first assembly cut of the film.

Best: Watching the final film with our family, friends, cast and crew on the big screen.

4Q: Festival audiences often have to make hard decisions about what to see, and the catalog descriptions sometimes run together. In your own words, why should people see your film?

Cinequest attendees have a tough choice. There are a lot of good movies in the festival this year. But we have a lot to offer. Sure, there are other road comedies out there. There are plenty of romantic, action-packed thrill-rides with futuristic cars. We’re not the first film to feature complex characters. Star-making performances are certainly nothing new and the same goes for lively soundtracks composed by virtuoso songwriters. And it seems there are a lot of movies about spacemen, and jockeys and the various pursuits that they often entail.

But it is not often that a film comes along that contains all of the above. It is even more rare when that film is made by a ragtag group of filmmakers with the imagination to create such a film for less money than it costs to feed the cast of Ocean’s Fourteen…Oh and horses! We have two of those. You know, for the kids.

5Q: The current market for independent films is fractured, to put it lightly, and existing distribution models grow more ineffective with each passing moment. What are your hopes or plans for distribution?

Our wish is to have it screen in a theatre environment, but we are not oppose to any distribution method, so long as people can see it.

We know the best case scenario: A theatrical release on fourth of July weekend alongside the latest Men in Black and Roger Ebert gives us his first ever 5-star review after he is miraculously healed back to his youthful, healthy state during the final credit roll.

And the worst case scenario: Touring the country, setting up special screenings, and selling DVD’s out of the back of a van. But we are prepared to do whatever it takes to find the audience.

View The Space Jockey Pursuit trailer!

Buy tickets to see it at Cinequest!