First and foremost, this documentary short proves that age is a non-issue when it comes to brilliance, creativity, philanthropy, and entrepreneurialism. It has been said so many times . . . “Dream it and you can be it.” Well, Taylor Richardson proved that with the award-winning documentary Astronaut Starbright (dir. Lana Turner, prod. Tamara Taylor). 15-year-old Taylor Richardson has traveled all over the world with her STEM program, which is a curriculum based on the idea of educating students in four specific disciplines — science, technology, engineering, and mathematics — in an interdisciplinary and applied approach. Taylor has brought this program to 3 countries, 20 cities, 2 continents, and 500 social media posts. I’ll admit, I’m impressed! Taylor is also a role model for the real kids-inspired campaign for Lottie Dolls for Astro Adventures Suit that is inspiring girls to dream “STEM” big. An Artemis Women In Action Film Festival 2019 Official Selection.
Synopsis: Taylor Richardson, aka Astronaut Starbright, is a young girl of color who aspires to be an astronaut and advocates for girls of color interested in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) by bringing as much black girl representation as possible. This film is directed by Lana Taylor and produced by Tamara Taylor.
Interviewed by Kaylene Peoples
Responses by Lana Taylor and Taylor Richardson
Tell me a little about your documentary and what inspired you to make Astronaut Starbright?
Lana: Astronaut Starbright is a film about a young girl of color (Taylor Richardson) who decided to be a representation figure for young girls of color interested in STEM. I really support what Taylor is doing and believe that representation for any type of people is important.
Taylor: When the idea came to my attention, I was flattered. My advocacy has been such a passion project, it was great knowing that someone my own age saw enough value and intrigue in my STEM journey that she deemed it worthy of capturing.
How long did it take to complete the film? What was it shot on? Tell me about the filmmaking process.
Lana: It took me about six months. It’s the longest time I have worked on a film. The b-roll that I shot was on a Cannon T3i. Because it’s a documentary, there was no script. It was more of a plan that could go a different route. So I was definitely not used to that kind of preproduction.
Taylor: Lucky for me Lana had done all the hard work. I just got to be me and tell my story. It was definitely new having a camera around so much, but I also think that helped show the authentic story of the work I’ve been doing.
Let’s talk about the cast and crew. Tell me about who was involved and particularly your key players.
Lana: It was an independent film. I did the shooting, directing, and editing. My family helped me with recording audio and managing. My dad Eric Taylor was a boom operator, my mom Tamara Taylor helped manage, and my sister Halle Taylor was Production Assistant. Taylor Richardson and her mom were the cast.
Taylor: The crew was small, but they were powerful. My mom, Toni Richardson, hates to be in front of the camera but the way she spoke about my experience at space camp showed what really sparked my interested in fair and diverse representation that was key to how Lana framed my story.
What was your experience on Astronaut Starbright? What drew you to this film?
Lana: It was definitely a learning experience. This was my first documentary and, not gonna to lie, a lot of things did go wrong. But like Quintin Tarantino said, “The process of making a film, is your film school.” I learned a lot of things through that experience that will stick in my mind forever.
Taylor: It was eye opening. I learned so much about what goes into creating a film. There’s a lot of hard work (and laughs on set) that the viewer will never get to see.
What were some of the most memorable moments on set?
Lana: The interviews were fun, Taylor and her mom are funny people. But also, there was a shoot that went wrong during a screening and I will remember that situation because I learned from it.
As a filmmaker, tell me about your background.
Lana: I’m a student filmmaker, but before I started to study film in high school I would make these small little films with my neighbors. Along with filmmaking, I have had an interest in playwriting and directing plays/musicals. I also had an interest in sewing and fashion design for a while there too.
What would you say is unique about this film? Were there any challenging moments during production?
Lana: Yes, there were challenging moments during production. The film took way longer to make than expected, which does happen. But also, Taylor’s a busy girl and there’s a lot of stuff she’s done that I wanted to put in the film. It was difficult for me to fit everything in there while still sticking to the story and the main idea of the film.
What were some of the highlights of filming Astronaut Starbright?
Lana: Shooting the interviews was fun. Also, we got to shoot some really great footage at the Museum of Science and History (the “MOSH”) in Jacksonville, Florida, that turned out great!!
Taylor: Getting to work with a rising star in filmmaking was amazing. Lana is very talented, and it was great to be the subject of her documentary. She provide me a platform to spread the message that representation in STEM is not only important, but essential to solving old problems and exploring new ones. Because of her vision this message has reached new audiences that may have not previously been familiar with my story.
(For whoever wants to chime in) What were some of the obstacles? On your next project what might you do differently and what might you do the same?
Lana: My biggest obstacles with the film were keeping it short (because Taylor has done so much) and editing. I had trouble finding the direction I wanted the film to go, so I had to move parts around a little bit and play with different structuring to find the right one… and that was long and difficult.
Taylor: Although I’m only 15, my schedule is not normal so the shooting schedule wasn’t easy to solidify.
Lana: On my next project I will definitely take more time in preproduction for planning. I think that will help me as a filmmaker.
What advice could you give to a first-time director/producer/composer/etc..?
Lana: As a student filmmaker I would like to say that you’re going to make many bad films before you make a good one! The filmmaking experience is your film school.
Final last words.
Lana: I hope to build from here and create a collection of films I’m proud of. I’m constantly working on films. I have a narrative coming soon called Reputation. It’s about a young boy known for being the best basketball player at grade school who loses to the new girl and feels his life is over. I hope to have a large collection of films I’m proud of and to be the best filmmaker I can be at the time who works hard and accomplishes goals.
Taylor: The best teacher is doing! I didn’t know how to advocate before I set a goal, asked for help, and worked to reach it. I want other young people to know that dreaming is great but doing is even better! Ad Astra!
Screening & Tickets for Astronaut Starbright is Sun. April 28, 2019, 10:20am BEATING THE ODDS – DOC SHORTS BLOCK http://www.artemisfilmfestival.com/tickets-showclix/
