Lights, Camera, Liftoff: Storytelling about Space
Love films? Enthusiastic about space storytelling?
Space-a-thon 2025 is a meeting of minds, bringing together filmmakers, engineers, designers, and space pioneers to explore how storytelling and technology shape the future of space exploration. Your work has already influenced how audiences visualize space, and this panel will be an opportunity to engage directly with space engineers and innovators, defining what’s next in real-world space travel.
Hollywood and aerospace have influenced each other for decades, but where does imagination stop and reality begin? Movies like The Martian, Interstellar, and Avatar have shaped how we think about space—but they’ve also sparked real engineering breakthroughs. Now, the conversation is two-way.
How does rocket design influence Hollywood’s vision of space?
What do next-gen space engineers want to see in films?
How can visual storytelling shape public excitement for space exploration?
This panel brings together some of the most prominent minds in cinema and space to talk about what’s next.
Featured Panelists
- Ben Procter – A high-caliber production designer (Avatar: The Way of Water, Tron: Legacy) who blends cinematic world-building with real aerospace concepts, bridging the gap between imagination and engineering.
- Richard Brehm – Writer and producer of creative content for many of today's biggest movies, including Avatar: The Way of Water, Furious 7, and many more. His work shapes narratives that influence and inspire scientific innovation.
- Caitlin Feltner – Rocket engineer at Blue Origin, developing next-generation propulsion systems that push the boundaries of real space travel.
- Sheila Xu – Aspiring astronaut, scientist, disability advocate, and first deaf Asian female pilot in history. Her career spans scientific research, policy, business, and a strong commitment to accessibility, ensuring space exploration is inclusive for all.
- Astronaut/Scientist (TBD) – A space industry expert providing firsthand insights into the realities of space travel.
It’s a collision of ideas where Hollywood visionaries and space industry pioneers come together to challenge assumptions, inspire new perspectives, and shape the way we imagine and build the future of space.
If you see space, technology, or storytelling differently, this is where you belong.
Key Discussion Topics
The Power of Film & Media in Space Exploration.
Expanding Access: Who Gets to Tell Space Stories?
Beyond the Screen: The Future of Space Storytelling.
- From Script to Space: The Influence of Film on Astronautical Endeavors
- Imagining the Final Frontier: The Symbiosis of Film and Space Science
📍 When: April 26th
📍 Where: [Event Location @Harvard Campus TBD]
What to Expect
- From Concept Art to Rocket Design – How do filmmakers and engineers collaborate, and what can they learn from each other?
- Fiction vs. Reality – The fine line between cinematic spectacle and scientific accuracy in space storytelling.
- The Future of Space Travel – How is real space exploration evolving, and how does Hollywood influence public perception of the final frontier?
- Bridging Two Worlds – What can Hollywood learn from next-gen space designers, and how do film visuals inspire real aerospace innovation?
Hollywood Creators & Aerospace Innovators: JOIN the Panel DISCUSSION
Richard Brehm
Ben Procter
Caitlin Feltner
Sheila Xu
TBD
WOMEN IN POWER: AERO+Space EDITION
WOMEN IN POWER (TBD MORE DETAILS)
Breaking Barriers. Leading the Future.
Join us for Women in Power: Aerospace Edition, a panel spotlighting the trailblazing women shaping the future of space, technology, and innovation.
Moderated by Lyvia Chapman of Marketing Coordinator at Harvard Innovation Lab,
This discussion brings together leading women in space exploration, aerospace engineering, and emerging space technologies join conversations with women in Film and Media.
Featured Panelists
- Lyvia Chapman –Lyvia is a marketer with a background in psychology and filmmaking, and I have a passion for connecting people through creative storytelling. I prioritize developing impactful content that drives meaningful growth.
- Priya Abiram – Aspiring Astronaut, Congressiona Award Gold Medalist, AIAA Diversity Scholar,Mechanical- Aerospace Engineering @ Cornell University.
- Anna Voelkar - Executive Director of AstroAccess and SciAccess, Inc. Forbes 30 under 30. STEM accessibility specialist working in human spaceflight.
- Cynthia Cindy (TBD)
Key Discussion Topics
📍 When: April 26/27th
📍 Where: [Event Location @Harvard Campus TBD]
AERO + SPACE : Meet the Panel
Lyvia Chapman
Priya Abiram
Anna Voelkar
TBD