Are you a student or indie filmmaker? Looking for something to shoot? Look no further: let’s talk about the Sci-Fi Dollar Baby Program. Similar to Stephen King’s Dollar Baby program, I want to give back to other indie and aspiring artists who want to shoot a scifi project instead of, say, horror. This is part of my author success platform, in which I plan to share back just as others have shared with me.
Here’s How It Works
- Pick out a story from ‘Short Stories’ below
- Fill out the Inkican Dollar Baby – Request Rights Form
- We work out the details
- You’re in business – go make a movie!
I’m keeping this short and sweet for now, but I can’t wait to work with other artists and creative people. Let’s go make something cool!
Short Stories
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Conspiraco – Imagine working in the Conspiracy Department, where your job is to create and propagate conspiracy theories to keep people from rebelling against a government that actually works quite well and makes all of its citizens happy. How do you balance the line between freedom and control, reality and fantasy? I usually don’t write dystopian fiction, but couldn’t resist penning a dark, comedic take on what you do when things are going too well. |
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Necktie Party – Just as their small Southern town began to experience a re-birth on a new way of industry related to neurocybernetic technology, a terrorist attack destroys their city and someone is going to pay. Now, two old men must talk a mob of angry, frightened people out of murder at a broken down motel in post-collapse America. |
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Call of the Void “I picked up his trail at the edge of a crater. Over my shoulder, three moons dangled in the reddish-purple sky. Faint starlight outlined the junky little craft I use for rescue trips. My spacecraft has no frills, no creature comforts: just two seats and basic life support. With luck, that’s all I’ll need to save this kid’s life. The control surfaces on this spacesuit sucked. I could feel worn plastic and clunky attenuators when I put it on. The third-class air filtration smelled like farts and dirty sweat socks. If I had time, I’d trade with the locals to buy better gear, but I don’t. We’re on the clock. The kid’s been here for weeks. If I don’t get him out in the next few hours, he’s not coming back at all.” Ryan is a kid with a past. In order to find his future, he has to help someone else find theirs. What will he find out there on an uncharted moon: ruin, remorse, or … redemption? He better find out fast, because time is running out. |
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The Conquered Three space explorers arrive on a new planet to find the hungry, desperate faces of a conquered civilization. These people are human, intelligent and aware of space travel. Why are they dressed in rags? Why isn’t anyone allowed to own a tool, or medicine? What happened to their cities and culture? The chilling answer comes from the six-meter alien with smoke-colored armor and polished fangs, and he does not come in peace. |
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The Rocket In the last few hours before life on earth ends, a young dad has a chance meeting with his estranged father. Will this be a moment of reconciliation, or recrimination? How can you communicate with someone who refuses to listen? Mike Crane takes one last shot to save his father’s life before he boards THE ROCKET. |
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Foreverest Winning a $600 Million lottery is a dream come true, right? In a world of nanotechnology, lethal consequences, and ruthless operatives, one soon-to-be widowed winner is about to get a lesson in the art of removing problems by low friends in high places. |
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The Battle of Victoria Crater Martin grows up on the harsh, haunting landscape of Mars dodging bullets, freezing temperatures and hired guns. How can a raw, hard-bitten group of colonists hope to survive against a menacing Earthbound corporation? What will happen if they give up and go home? Readers say: “This short tale brings us to the gritty reality of the fight for a terraformed Mars.” |
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Paparazzi Therapist Ever heard Hollywood say “if one pop star falls, another takes its place?” Well in the future they can do it for real, and it means the next version of Justin Bieber and BTS better play nice. |
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Planet Ugh The aliens have arrived, and Earth makes first contact. Do they think we’re ready to meet the rest of the universe? Our representative makes his case, but the conversation isn’t going well … |
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Body Issues – Ava is your typical high-school Freshman. She’s got friends, family, and oh yes, access to the hottest body modification science on the planet. DNA strand engineering, nanoreceptor reflex boosters and cloned bone cells. How are you supposed to ‘just be yourself’ when a clinic can make you into a supermodel overnight? |
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The Superhero Shrink Dr. Christopher has a very difficult, unique job. He’s a psychiatrist who works with superheroes. Some legendary warriors come with baggage and his job is to help ‘keep ’em flying.’ Half-serious, half-dark comedy, ‘The Superhero Shrink’ is “‘The Avengers’ Meets ‘Ordinary People,’” an honest look at the people behind the masks. |
Some Important Rules
- Dollar Babies are intended to be seen by the public at film festivals and school presentations. Uploading to Youtube, Vimeo and other video-sharing sites available by permission
- This form is for requesting rights for Dollar Babies only. All other inquiries sent through this form will be discarded. No unlisted stories are available.
- You can’t have more than one Dollar Baby Contract at a time. If you submit more than one request, all subsequent requests are ignored.
- It is a common misconception that the filmmakers of the Dollar Babies have optioned or obtained the legal rights to the original stories. But I retain all rights and simply grant permission to the filmmaker to make a non-commercial adaptation.
- Some filmmakers may mistakenly believe that my explicit permission to make and showcase the adapted filmwork automatically qualifies the film for a possessory credit (e.g. “Jackson Allen’s Conspiraco” as opposed to just “Conspiraco”). But this is a specified legal usage of the author’s name, and I does not grant permission for Dollar Baby filmmakers to use my name in this manner. I allow possessory titles to be used only on projects in which I have direct and considerable involvement.