Phase 6 Film Trailer Release

I want to give you an update on my original sci-fi short film, Phase 6. Please go back and listen to the episode entitled, It’s Not Too Late, to catch up on the journey. Well, the trailer is out now. And let me tell you. It’s been crazy to think what an artistic battle it has been to release this film.

Phase 6 sci-fi shortfilm promotional image

I definitely put to work the feedback I got from Ayz and Sarah. If you remember, my dilemma was I was pretty much burned out on making the film and didn’t want to put it out from a marketing standpoint because it just seemed too overwhelming. Their feedback included getting feedback, taking a break, finding the inspiration that originally got me inspired, and being OK if the project completely failed. They had some other key advice too, so go back and listen to that for more.

After some soul searching, rest from the project, and reigniting my excitement about why I created it in the first place, I was able to finish the film and decide on a realistic way to release it.

That did not include spending a pretty penny entering every film competition I could to collect awards. And it did not include just posting it online hoping people would watch it. I wanted to have the cast and crew promote it to their friends the way they wanted, throw a release party or two, and close this wonderful chapter of my life I started when I actually had time before kids.

So how did I release the trailer?

I released it as an entry in a future-vision film competition by Red Bull and futur.io whose purpose is to find whose desirable future vision is the most compelling through science fiction film. Because, as they put it, most sci-fis are dystopian and dark, but their future thinking can be scary accurate.

Invitation to vote in the the Red Bull Futur/io film contest

They wanted to bring together filmmakers to share their visions and have a competition. They have an amazing panel of judges, they will fly the winner to Lisbon, Portugal, to meet the Red Bull Film team and the futur/io team, talk about what the future could look like, and actually shoot that vision. And it just sounded like the perfect way to release Phase 6.

However, my short film is a dystopian-future sci-fi film! The editor in me jumped to work to find all the positive elements to make into the entry for Red Bull. And it could only be one minute!

Bigger than editing it to change the message, was the realization that all those years spent marinating on the half done film actually gave me a much deeper, world-changing idea. What if the technology in the film was real? What if it was wielded responsibly and did not fall into evil hands?

What if the science fiction was reality? I had my moonshot idea! Peter Diamandis would be proud! And to think, I actually get to speak further on these ideas with actual futurists if I win this contest.

Alright, so how do you watch it?

Red Bull Futur/io website screenshot of Jeff Dolan's contest entry film

Finally, I want to thank you, my artist family, for getting me and this project this far. All the cast and crew, they were so wonderful to work with. I am so excited to get this film out there and to highlight their talent. From the vFX, to the acting, to the producing, great job all around. Let’s send this thing all the way around the world together!

Thank you so much for reading. And going on this journey with me to release my first narrative short film.