Human exploration is at the core of man’s DNA: said Mark Krenzien

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Toronto, Oct 12 (Canadian-Media): During the questions and answer sessions before and after the screening of the film 'Journey to Space' and Canadian-Media exclusive interview on Oct 3 at the Ontario Science Centre with Mark Krenzien , the director/writer/producer of the film highlighted a few of the noteworthy events and challenges he faced in making the film. 

As an introduction Krenzien said that 'Journey To Space' is a new Giant Screen Film that both celebrates the history of the Space Shuttle and International Space Station programs, and foretells the future of what the next chapter of space exploration will be. The film is a timely review of how NASA has been transitioning from the end of the Space Shuttle Era to a much more ambitious future that will forever change how we live and operate in space as a species.

Mark Krenzien/Facebook

1. When did you begin compiling the film and how long did it take? 

A. I started compiling the film in 2014 and the entire process took  nearly two years. 

The editing of the film was time-consuming. The film was first aired in 2016. 

In the giant film screen all the images have to be captured well. Some images in this film have not come out well because they were taken with small cameras. To capture images in giant screen films special cameras have to be used which can hold large amount of information.


Q2. When did you start your career?

I started my film and television career more than thirty-five years back. Beginning as an Emmy-winning film editor, and then as a cinematographer. I have written, produced, and directed documentaries for ABC, HBO, Showtime, and Discovery as well as written screenplays for Universal, Paramount, and Showtime 

More recently, I wrote, produced, and/or directed  12 large-format IMAX films including Humpback Whales, Journey to the South Pacific, Adventures in Wild California, The Mystery of the Nile, The Alps, Grand Canyon Adventure, and Arabia all for MacGillivray Freeeman Films.

Q3. What inspired you to make this film?

A. Primarily to inspire a new generation of young people to dream of new horizons in space and learn about the accomplishments of the Space Shuttle Program. 

The audience will be excited to learn about America’s future in space, and be much more knowledgeable about how those plans are being executed.

Most movies I made dealt with environment, wild life, and saving the nearly extinct animal species and now got interested in hard science. Also we are nearer to space now than before. 

​I had a chance to work for Boeing before in International Rescue operations and they suggested that I should do this story and offered to fund this film.  Apollo also joined Boeing in funding this film.

Q4. What was your goal in making 'Journey To Space'?

A. In 'Journey To Space', we strive to make the young and adult viewers understand how the experience gained from the Shuttle/ISS in their planning and actual hardware will lead to next phase of human exploration beyond low-Earth orbit. 

Preparations for the Mars mission are well underway, and we want the public to know that human space exploration program didn’t die with the end of the Shuttle program.  

We are nearer to the space now than we were ever before.

Our goal is to make Mars safe.

Q5. What are your thoughts about this film? Colonising Mars versus frequent trips?
 
Some private companies encourage colonisation but NASA is very clear that when they send the astronauts they would come back. This makes it more complicated because NASA is in favour of frequent trips rather than colonisation.

But as one ocean explorer Christopher Columbus started his voyage he did not know if he would come back or not. The same is the case of the astronauts.

NASA, on the other hand, does not allow astronauts to start their trip until and unless they are fully equipped with knowledge and training. Inquisitiveness is also necessary.

But the future goal is to colonize Mars by the end of  2030s.

So both Colonization of Mars as well as frequent trips would be occurring in the future.

Q6. What is the first mission to mars looks like?

Through visually stunning imagery, and in collaboration with leading space experts, the film showcases the exciting plans currently under way and the challenges NASA and the space industry must overcome to carry out  future missions, such as landing astronauts on Mars and capturing asteroids.

​More important than the film are excellent animations done by Canadian film company in Quebec.

This film also projects the continuation in designing of the space suit for the next generation
 
Equally important is the use of effective equipment  to make sure the space shuttle does not get damaged as we come and go up.

Then there is the addition of Canadian Giant arm to Space shuttle to enhance  both its efficacy and success. This addition of Canadian Giant arm to Space shuttle is so precise that it can militarise some of its controls to perform micrographic surgeries.
 
This film also projects what is going on today. All the three astronauts: Serena Aunon, Mark Ferguson and one more are still alive and active.

Q7. How did we make this film?

 IMAX is a proud Canadian as it was invented in Canada and is a good medium and immediately they realized that shooting space mission was a good thing.

To make this giant screen film. OMNIMAX, we had to use special cameras, different from regular feature cameras, as these special cameras can hold a lot of information.

Also for giant screen films we had to take into consideration three aspects: Historical, present, and the future aspects.
 
We had to show how historical past films did.  For this reason the first half of Journey To Space is a profile on the Space Shuttle Program and its 135 missions, enabling the audience to understand how we live and operate in space and as well as the future missions covered in the film. This part was done with the help of NASA. 

As part of the Space Shuttle section of the movie, we gave a strong overview of the Shuttle’s last major project – the launch and assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). We also gave a fitting tribute to the Shuttle Program 135 Shuttle missions describing many of the big steps taken by the shuttle and the lessons learned.
 
The celebrities in this film included the men and women of the U.S. Space program – past and current, astronauts and on-the-ground NASA experts, plus an extensive advisory committee of space experts.
 
Second part is devoted what is going on today like launching of Shuttle and how it assembled the International Space Station (ISS).
 
ISS is a joint collaboration of 15 nations and operating 24/7 to provide a home and a science lab in space.
 
This part of the film projects about how the three astronauts had to learn to build and conduct science in space building a foundation for the future astronauts. It shows the three astronauts getting ready to go the space station, launching of the space shuttle.

NASA allowed me to use some of their equipment and material. I had to be trained because NASA is very clear that when the astronauts are taken up they have to be brought back.
 
Continuation in designing of the space suit for the next generation is portrayed in this section.
 
In the final part of animated film, emphasis is laid on realistic scenario of how astronauts will actually get to Mars, and how they would survive in space.
 
The final part of the film projects great animations of how the astronauts live and survive in space.

Q8. What was your favourite thing while making this film?
 
A. Life long learning and Learning never stops. 
​Human exploration is at the core of man’s DNA, said  Mark

Q9. Did you have to learn a lot?
 
A. Yes I had to learn a lot. When I approached NASA to allow me to use some of their equipment and material, NASA said that for that I had to go back to school with all my crew and cameramen where we were given private lessons.

 NASA is very clear that when the astronauts are taken up they have to be brought back.

I had to take several trips to Mars to get enough experience to land safely on Mars and then land safely on earth because NASA is very clear that when the astronauts are taken up they have to be brought back.
  
Researchers expect the six-month and and one year tours on the ISS will yield beneficial knowledge on the medical, psychological and biomedical challenges explorers may face as they venture to an asteroid, Mars and beyond.

I had to learn to drive space shuttle. The Canada arm of the space shuttle, another giant arm added was added to the space shuttle.
 
I needed to get experience in walking through the module of space shuttle.

Space in space module is very limited, If two persons are sitting inside they cannot move an inch. They had to be static.

The great inflammable habitat which was a science lab for the astronauts to conduct experiments in space was huge.
 
I had to be trained about three different elements: Orion,  Olympus and SLS (Space Launch System), that would enable us to go farther into space than ever before. 

Q10. what challenges did you have to face while making of this film?
 
We had to learn hard to take simple shots of Heusten Space centre with camera.
 
I needed to get experience in walking through the module of space shuttle which was very difficult.

This was due to the fact that Space in space module is very limited.

If two persons or more persons are sitting inside they cannot move an inch. They had to be static.

Q11. What messages do you give in this film?

A. My simple message in this film is that previous and past relationships matter a lot.

​Another message is that the first  human nations to Mars would be set up by late 2030s.

The last but the most relevant message is that learning never stops.

Q1. During an exclusive Canadian-Media interview with Mark Krenzien, he was asked his reason for switching over -- from Environmental, Wild life, and preservation of species -- to the subject of Space?

The present need for the children and youth of this generation as well as next generation to learn the progress being made in the space sciences with one of the recent launch of a space shuttle to Mars.

We are much closer to Mars now as compared to the past and hence this project is most suitable to the present times.

But my next three projects are based on preserving more cities and making them livable and savable. The subject of mountain exploration would also be taken up by me.

Q2. Of all the films produced by you so far do you consider this is as your best film?
If so, why?

A2. Yes I consider this film as my best film because it is both inspirational and based on facts. This is because the first half of Journey To Space is a profile on the Space Shuttle Program and its 135 missions which paves the way for understanding of the youth of this generation as well as next generation to learn how we live and operate in space. As part of the Space Shuttle section of the movie, we give a strong overview of the Shuttle’s last major project – the launch and assembly of the ISS.

The imagery used in film feeds the imagination of the young as well as the adult viewers.

Another reason for considering this film as my best film so far is because I had to go to school with all my crew members and cameramen to get full training before I could project the scenes in which the space shuttle is launched to the space station.

This gave me an opportunity for life-long learning.

Q3. Who are some of the NASA experts you collaborated with on this film? 

A: NASA experts: Stuart McClung, Orion re-entry specialist; Lindsey Aitchinsen, Spacesuit Engineer; Serena Aunon, astronaut; Ellen Ochoa, Director of Johnson Space Center. Other principal film advisors include: JPL, Roger Launius, head curator at The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and Dennis Jenkins, consultant, author and curator.

Q4: Does the film pay homage to NASA’s past accomplishments?

A: Yes. The first half of Journey To Space is a profile on the Space Shuttle Program and its 135 missions, enables the understanding how we live and operate in space and as well as the future missions covered in the film.

As part of the Space Shuttle section of the movie, we give a strong overview of the Shuttle’s last major project – the launch and assembly of the International Space Station.


Q5: What are some of the new pieces of hardware introduced in this movie?

A: Three different elements  to enable us to go farther into space than ever before are featured in Journey To Space.

They include: Orion, NASA’s first spacecraft designed to carry humans on long duration (years vs. days) to carry out deep-space exploration missions beyond low-Earth orbit and return them safely back home; Olympus, an early concept of an inflatable transit habitat that measures approximately 50-feet in diameter to provide astronauts the work area and living space necessary for long-duration missions; SLS (Space Launch System), the giant rocket -- that generates over nine million pounds of thrust equivalent to the weight of 22 elephants --  providing the huge lift  necessary to carry Orion and Olympus as well as  Mars landers and and vehicles into deep space and get astronauts to the surface of Mars and return them safely to Earth. 

(Reporting by Asha Bajaj)