Shooting scenes in space in front of a green screen may soon become a thing of the past.
Space Entertainment Enterprise (S.E.E), the company co-producing Tom Cruise’s upcoming space movie with Doug Liman, has revealed plans to to launch a TV and film studio, alongside a streaming content studio and sports arena, in space, with the aim of launching in late 2024.
Named SEE-1, the micro-gravity film, TV, sport and entertainment production and broadcast module — a world first — would be fitted to the Axiom Station, a commercial space station being built by Axiom Space that would attach to the current International Space Station before orbiting on its own.
Plans for the module include hosting film, TV, music and sports events, as well as artists, producers and creatives who want to produce content in the low-orbit micro-gravity environment, while also enabling the development, production, recording, broadcasting and livestreaming of content. S.E.E. also intends to produce its own content and events in the module as well as making it available to third-parties.
S.E.E is co-founded by Elena and Dmitry Lesnevsky, who are co-producing Cruise’s first ever Hollywood motion picture filmed in outer space. S.E.E.’s partners, consultants and advisors include former HBO, Endemol and Viacom execs, alongside NYC-based investment bank GH Partners. The company is currently in discussions with investors and commercial partners on the project with a further fundraising round planned shortly.
“SEE-1 is an incredible opportunity for humanity to move into a different realm and start an exciting new chapter in space,” said Dmitry and Elena Lesnevsky. “It will provide a unique, and accessible home for boundless entertainment possibilities in a venue packed with innovative infrastructure which will unleash a new world of creativity. With worldwide leader Axiom Space building this cutting-edge, revolutionary facility, SEE-1 will provide not only the first, but also the supreme quality space structure enabling the expansion of the two trillion-dollar global entertainment industry into low-Earth orbit.”
SEE-1 is scheduled to become operational in December 2024, early in Axiom Station’s on-orbit assembly. When the station’s initial configuration is completed and it is ready to separate from the ISS in 2028, the studio module is set to comprise one-fifth of its total volume.
“From Jules Verne to Star Trek, science fiction entertainment has inspired millions of people around the world to dream about what the future might bring,” said Richard Johnston, COO, S.E.E. “Creating a next generation entertainment venue in space opens countless doors to create incredible new content and make these dreams a reality.”