Orbit is about a young man named Pat Listowel who is destined to journey our solar system on a mission to save humanity from the Curators of Earth. The purpose of his journey is to find the five Fusion Crystals scattered among the solar system before the Curators use their ever growing military might to eliminate the human monarchy on Mars. Along the way he makes many friends and allies including a few that follow him on his quest. He must face and occasionally get the best of the mighty Curator military, the great Kingdom of Mars, Space Pirates of all sorts, and a sleek and dangerous set of super operatives of the Curator regime known as the Covis.
THE ORBIT SERIES
This is an illustration of Pat Listowel by Brendon Schumacker.
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I, Tom Scanlan, created a 13 minute Orbit short which described much of the Orbit universe. The movie took 2 months to create. I did the editing and creation of visual effects while many others assisted in funding, acting, and other production assistant roles.
I hope to create more visually stunning Orbit films in the near future with the help of friends and family who were so kind to lend a hand in the first film.
For those new to Orbit who wish to learn more, the movie is an excellent starting point.
The Orbit Movie
The Orbit Book
Orbit was originally created to be a series of books, but I quickly realized I wanted it to be much more. The full book has been written but not published. You may either read the first chapter online in the link provided or download the full book as a pdf. However, since the completion of the 110,000 word novel there have been many changes to the storyline. It is still enjoyable, but not up to date.
Apla and the Orbital War
Apla is a hybrid of organic and technological creation, but that is unbeknownst to the humans of the 24th century. It is a reddish orange oily substance found in caverns below the Martian surface. Apla is the greatest power source that exists in the Orbit universe. When Apla is injected into the human bloodstream it follows one of two paths. Either the human host does not mix well with the Apla (in which case they get sick and sometimes radiation poisoning), or the host's body can naturally handle the Apla entering the bloodstream (a very rare occurrence).
In the case that the Apla does remain in the bloodstream, it will soon become like another organ of the body. The body will produce Apla cells naturally. The Apla cells absorb light energy and radiation from all around the body and quickly turn it into energy that the human host can use any way he can. This "illumination" ability quickly became popular and massive trading between the terraformed colony Mars and Earth began.
For years the two planets traded rich resources. The orbits of the planets and outer colonies of the solar system allowed for the most optimal period of trade to occur over the month when Earth and Mars were closest to each other in Orbit.
The Curator regime on Earth eventually was convinced that they were getting the short end of the deal on trade and decided to attack Mars with the hopes of conquering the planet. Both sides quickly came to the conclusion that they only way to sustain a strong war would be to attack during the proximity month. Both the Armies of Earth and Mars saved up their military might to ruthlessly attack during the month that once signified peace and prosperity. The war continued for years. But recently the Curators have gained an upper hand. Superior fighters and masters of war, the Covis, have brought down much of the Martian military. When the Orbit story begins with Pat Listowel, Mars is weakened and at a point where defeat is imminent.
All three of these are stills from the Orbit movie. Showing, in order, Apla mining, Apla's analyzation with blood, and the juxtaposition of the warring planets.
Factions
The Curators
The Meritocratic Republic of Earth is the clear powerhouse in the solar system. They are close to wiping out the Martian Kingdom. Their military might comes from their numbers and slight technological advantage. The government is set up with 20 governors leading sections of Earth with a supreme ruler, the imperator, in command of all. They have a strong system of finding natural leaders and natural fighters in the educational systems. The best of the best are given seats of power among the natural aristocracy after years of contributing to the established military might. The rest are left to fend for themselves. Outcasts and unsuccessful contributors to the society are left out of the great civilization of immense cities and superior technological innovation.
The Kingdom of Mars
It was once a terraformed colony of Earth but split away after the corporate interests of the planet realized there was no need to adhere to Earth's rules. The United Martian Kingdom is led by King Winterfield. It's entire political structure is based off of his word and with his family next in line. The size of their military has been sliced away since the beginning of the war. The planet simply can't get enough resources and manpower to sustain the war it could long ago. As for the success of its system of government, the planet is covered with one city states where a large portion of land is reaped for resources by a much smaller city in the center (though it is very technologically built up). Most citizens fall below the social class required to live inside the cities because of their heritage, those on the outskirts of town live with far less impressive technology and thrive on the unused resources of the major cities.
The Pirates
The Pirates, the Vikings, the Raiders, or the Bandits... Whatever you want to call this faction, their interests are mostly similar. They all commit some form of immoral attacks upon anyone outside of their gangs to steal resources as their own. Some of them are ruthless and crooked, others simply are out for their own kind of justice. These non unified groups can be found all around the solar system's asteroid field. It is very difficult to get to outskirt colonies near Saturn and Jupiter without crossing at least a handful of pirate groups. A gang of pirates will often swoop in with a small group of ships and attack and steal a shipping frigate near one of the two main factions, Mars and Earth. Both the Kingdom and the Curators have had this thorn in their side for a long time and have a zero tolerance policy for any piracy.
The Established Trading Colonies and Miners
The ETC is a series of massive artificial colonies that orbit between the orbits of Mars and Earth. These giant ring colonies are controlled by businessmen of all sorts neutral to the war. They have managed to keep this neutrality by supplying each side with a fair and pricey amount of resources of all kinds. Anything needed for the war can be mined, refined, manufactured, and distributed by these orbiting depots. Naturally, as they are extremely vital to each side of the war, they have been unharmed and trading is always available.
The Miners are of all parts of all factions but most work and live at the ETC's. They go to the asteroid field and uncolonized moons of Saturn and Jupiter to mine precious elements so they may be traded at the ETC. They usually work in groups and at the side of much machinery and robots.
Characters
Pat Listowel-The Main Character
Pat is poor Irish farmer with a weak accent. The loss of his grandfather left him alone on his farm far from any major city. He is docile in nature and succumbs to fear easily. He has a wild imagination and is very determined to find his full potential and help people. His love of science and nature sometimes throws him off the course of his goals and although he has an open mind, he can be stubborn with his beliefs. His tall and thin makes him look frail, but as the series moves on we quickly realize there is much more power inside him than we realize, or he realizes.
This is an image of Pat Listowel on Mars just outside of Grand City.
Richard Stevens
Richard is one of the first people Pat meets after he reaches a trading colony. Richard is kind, polite, and can be quite goofy. His work is tough but rewarding. He assists in manufacturing and robotics maintenance at the colony and has lived there all his life. His extroverted personality and high energy is opposite to Pat. However, his qualities come in handy as he knows many of the networks on the colony and assists Pat in finding the right people. He is very thick and strong physically, but is a bit of a kid on the inside. His dream is to someday become a Pirate.
Frank Roberts
Frank is introduced to Pat through Richard while he is on the colony. Frank works for the famed Lenti Racing Corporation on the colony. He is one of the lead engineers of the racing giant. Frank's special Apla ability makes him a "Forger" which gives him the ability to manipulate certain objects to engineer amazing feats. He is incredibly smart and knows what makes an engine run. He is always optimistic about what can be done and knows how to prioritize.
Bryar Patricious
Bryar is the first person Pat meets when he leaves his farm. She is a Covi soldier in the Curator military. Her family has great nobility from hard work in the meritocratic society. This line of high status has forced her to become a member of the Curator Military's elite fighting force. She is addicted to competition. She is very power hungry. Her loyalty to meritocratic themes is very high and she shows her pride in being a Covi.
Marie Margulin
Marie is the daughter of a Martian Nobleman. Her status kept her away from other children when she was young. In her childhood she quickly grew to love the mix of art and technology. At a young age she was discovered to have special Apla powers that made her an "Architect". She is friendly but often afraid of meeting new friends. Her success will come through the confidence she must gain. Her adventure will begin early in the series when Pat Listowel and his friends reach Mars.
This is an image of Bryar by Brendon Schumacker.
Covi
A Covi is an elite Curator super soldier. Covis are trained from a very young age in styles of fighting and intellect in warfare. They all have Apla powers and can conjure up great energy. Only the best of the best make it through the many tough years to become a Covi. They will often work in groups and almost always wear heavy armor.
Solus
Solus is the supreme ruler of the Curator regime. Where he came from and how he took power is somewhat of a mystery in the beginning of the series. It is known that he is ruthless and uncaring about anyone but his own needs. He is not typically found playing politics and acting the part of a politician but rather commanding armies and remaining in his flagship The Aries. Not many have seen Solus using his superior powers of Apla. Solus is said by some to be the strongest Apla user ever.
The two illustrations above are Covis created by Brendon Schumacker.
This image above was a CG creation by Tom Scanlan.
King Winterfield
King Winterfield is the King of Mars. He runs his kingdom with showmanship and pushes his citizens for continued loyalty and hard work. Though he has the final say on military action, the King rarely would be on the battlefield. He values his stubbornness and makes decisions before seeing proper advice from his subjects. He will be one of the first people Pat must try and track.
All three of these illustrations are creations of Brendon Schumacker.
The Doc
Doc is a mysterious character who doesn't meet with Pat until a ways in to the first story arc. No one except a few top Martian officials knows he exists. Doc's role is simple. He is the head of a secret organization. He is the keeper of the Monk. Pat will encounter a mission where his primary goal is to find Doc and learn his secrets.
This image was made with CG by Tom Scanlan.
Places and Powers
The Atheneum
The Atheneum is The Doc's home. It is a place of great knowledge of lost history and civilizations. His secret society and his followers stay here and learn about the past and practice science. It is the only place in the solar system where a language other than English is used. They speak in Latin.
Grand City
Grand City is one of the greatest major cities on Mars. It was the trading capital of the world when the two worlds were not hostile toward each other. Because of this, it has super massive skyscrapers engulfing the skyline. It sits pleasantly at the Martian equator where the temperature gets as high as 26 degrees Celsius on the terraformed planet. Because of it's geographic location, many people from all over the kingdom make their way to the city to find their own way in its many opportunities. The King often stays there in his home. It is regarded as the unofficial capital of Mars.
The illustration to the right was created by Brendon Schumacker.
The illustration below was created by Brendon Schumacker.
The Frozen Forests of Mars
On Mars on the upper parts of the northern hemisphere, the agriculture has adapted to living in freezing temperatures. Frozen forests cover the northern landscape. During the winter they freeze over and the trees hibernate only to come alive and grow again when the frost settles and summer brings temperatures above freezing. The cold winter storms give the trees a heavenly blue look and ice wraps the organisms in place.
The CG image below was created by Tom Scanlan.
The Asteroid Field
The Asteroid Field in our solar system between Mars and Jupiter is a well known phenomenon. In Orbit, it is used by pirates as a home to escape the rule of Mars and the Curators. It is often used as a black market trading outpost of stolen goods. Ships traveling from the inner orbits to the outer orbits have a hard time crossing this area because of the many dangers. Between the risk of hitting an asteroid in the trip or running into space pirates, crossing this venue is an impressive feat.
The CG image to the left was created by Tom Scanlan.
There are many powers that can be discovered using Apla. Typically, any one person who can use Apla safely will go down a single path in their abilities. Meaning that of the six general powers that comes with Apla use, over a lifetime, most people can only master one field. Typically, anyone who has the ability to use Apla with these powers is referred to as an Illuminator.
Malicious Powers:
Destroyers: This type of person uses their Apla power to create violent beams of energy to fight their enemies. The greater experience and natural talent, the more these Illuminators can dish out. While Destroyers are the most common of the Apla masters and they can be found anywhere, the most obvious people at the top of this class are Covis.
Absorbers: These Illuminators are very rare. They have the ability to absorb and cancel out energy of machines or other Illuminators. Because this type is so rare only diving into the series more will reveal their abilities.
SS (Super Schemers): The SS is an agency within the Curators full of Super Schemers as they are called. The Curators monopolized on the only people in the solar system with this ability. The Illuminators of the SS are mad scientists who have the ability to create innovations in virus technology and advanced weaponry using their Apla powers to bring their mind to the machinery.
Marvelous Powers:
Shielders: Shielders are a somewhat common Illuminator type. Typically they are found in the Martian army. They have the ability to create energy shields to defend themselves from attackers. The strength and size of the shield depends on the talent and experience of the Illuminator. Pat Listowel is a Shielder.
Forgers: Forgers are common, but finding a good forger is rare. Using Apla, Forgers can bring their dreams and ideas of machinery into reality. Using an ability of condensing photons they can manipulate inanimate objects to repair or create machinery of all kinds. They are true engineers and masters of physical creation.
Architects: Architects can create any kind of technology in the software realm. Just by physically touching a proper interface, they can sync their mind to a computer and track, create, and even manipulate information and programs.
Pat Listowel's Mission
Pat's Mission involves all of the main characters and is the entire driving point of the series. He does not know what his mission is until late in the first story arc.
After reaching Mars and speaking with The Doc, he realizes he must help find the five Fusion Crystals hidden around the solar system to help end a war that has been going on for far too long.
Once he finds the crystals, they will grant him an unimaginable power to stop the Curator ruler, Solus.
His mission will introduce him to all sorts of people and all new places. His adventure will be full of excitement and challenges that change all the characters and help them learn. On his way he will face many adversaries. The only way he will be able to win is with teamwork and knowledge. Science and friendship are the greatest strengths that he knows.
This is the symbol of a secret entity the Doc runs. The Protectors of Written History hold all of the secrets of the past and hope to one day open the secrets to a humanity that will listen to them, but first the war must end.
This other image is of an imprisoned Fusion Crystal. Some of the crystals are in someone's possession, others are scattered. Both images are CG creations by Tom Scanlan.
The Mission of the Series
Orbit has been in the making since March 2012. I originally wanted it to just be a book. However I quickly realized that this was something that could be expanded. With my natural fascination with film and cartoons I created the Orbit movie after the book had been written.
Along the way I found Brendon Schumacker and together we have been doing great work making this Orbit universe come to life.
Our goal is to eventually get the series to become a cartoon on a known network. The story is aimed for kids 10-14. It has some violence, but nothing that wouldn't be considered fantasy fighting. Because the story deals with important themes like the problems of war, systems of government, living in space, scientific achievement, relationships, and much more, it has the potential to attract people of diverse age groups and create a strong fan base.
Every episode will be crafted to follow the addictive and memorable storyline while also fulfilling an engaging subplot that delivers a valuable life lesson or interesting scientific theory (or one of science fiction). Each episode will have a beginning, a middle, and an end with far and few between to leave the viewer hanging with a "to be continued" line. I have found that the most cherished cartoons and stories weren't ones that expected me to come back watching each week simply because of an unanswered cliffhanger and I intend to apply the same to Orbit.
The series is considered to be an Action-Drama. While there are plenty of comic relief moments, Orbit will challenge the viewer to think, feel, and imagine. The story is intended to be three seasons of roughly 20 episodes and done. Just like each episode, each season has a beginning, a middle, and an end. And of course the whole show follows the same process.
While I would love for this to be picked up right now and made into a cartoon, I know I must be patient and continue to develop the story with other projects such as short movies, scripts, and art.
Orbit has all the potential in the world, but we need support. We need an audience. We need a producer to make this real.
"Every mission needs some heart,
Every mission needs some unity,
Don't rely on luck alone,
But instead look for opportunity."
-Pat Listowel
A simple Orbit.
Those affiliated with Covi Studios will find the following documents important. These guides offer solid timelines for when the Orbit game will be created.
Covi Studios
Creations by Tom Scanlan
These graphics are creations I made going back to 2011.
This video was made for the NIU pro day. I created the background.
This shot is part of a larger video that was shown to the NIU Football team just before they played Toledo.
This video is an imaginative future of satellite Voyager's journey.
This shot is part of a larger video shown to the NIU Football team just before they played Central Michigan
An attempted recreation of the 3D NIU logo on the video screen at the games.
The 2014 Mount Carmel Football team needed an opening trailer for their game.
The 2013 Mount Carmel Football team went to the State Championship. I was there to help.
A short clip of a Star Wars battle.