This one practically came up with itself, especially when the picture below was thrown in:
So, then - and this is mined from an article over at Reuters - the basis is simple: scientists think that one of the big ways to solve our impending energy catastrophe is by harvesting "space solar power," which is, of course, solar power harvested in space. Pretty neat idea, and it sounds pretty feasible, too. All we'd need are a few dozen couple-kilometer-wide satellites (see the picture again) to collect this energy, convert it into electricity then shoot it back to Earth, "by a large microwave-transmitting antenna or by lasers, then fed into a power grid."
See what I mean about coming up with itself? You expect me to read an article on a plan to put dozens of these things into geosynchronous orbit, collecting sunlight and shooting it down to Earth via lasers and not immediately begin conceiving a disaster film? C'mon...
In Solar Destruction, Brewster Pennington (David Charvet) is the lead scientist for a private energy corporation's Space Solar Power program, attempting to beat the government into space with working satellites so they can reap the contract profits. When Pennington discovers that their haste has lead to a small but real chance the electricity conversion could go dangerously awry and transform the sunlight into a giant death ray, he immediately brings it to the project director, Russell Marsh (Jack Scalia). Marsh, an old-school corporate henchman with allegiances to only himself and the almighty dollar, says they don't have time to start over, they launch now or never, and thus dismisses Pennington's claim. When Pennington threatens to take it higher up the food chain, Marsh removes him from the project and bans him from the facility.
Sure enough, once there are a good dozen satellites up in space just soaking in that limitless sunlight, that small but real chance happens and all 12 start shooting down death rays, first right into the power grids of the top 12 American metropolitan areas, knocking out the power of approximately 101,000,000 homes, then the rays just sort of drag across the landscape, burning black swaths across the country and destroying everything and everyone in their path, including, coincidentally enough, the control facility. Marsh has fled but hundreds of others are killed at the facility, and any chance of controlling the satellites is destroyed.
In the wake of this, Pennington is called in by Marsh and those very higher-ups he threatened to go to, now seeking his help. But with the control facility gone, the satellites are acting autonomously. Furthermore, with the power infrastructure fried, all weapons guidance systems are down, meaning they can't shoot these puppies out of the sky, either. And as if all this wasn't enough, the lovely and brilliant Trajectory Cartographer (huh? what?) they've brought in to try and predict the rays' paths (Olivia D'Abo) is 95% certain four of the rays are going to converge over Yellowstone National Park, triggering the supervolcano there in a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG way, the sorta way that just completely cracks the planet like an egg, all fire and lava and ash and smoke, a real Hell on Earth.
So then they gotta figure a way to stop it. And here I'll say no more, because should it ever get turned into a flick, I wouldn't want to spoil it. Also, because I haven't really thought it out. But it's gonna involve a homemade laser, or some kind of hand-rigged remote control, or a bunch of really big mirrors, or maybe even all three.
Point is, Solar Destruction - or possibly Solar Annihilation, which I think might have more heft - would be a pretty kick-ass flick. I'm gonna add it to my list of potential pitches and turn it into a treatment; I've written 15 other treatments since 2 Headed Shark Attack (all for myself, of course) and there are some real gems in there; I think this could be among the higher-end. If anyone knows Charvet's people, let him know I got his next starring vehicle right here.
So, then - and this is mined from an article over at Reuters - the basis is simple: scientists think that one of the big ways to solve our impending energy catastrophe is by harvesting "space solar power," which is, of course, solar power harvested in space. Pretty neat idea, and it sounds pretty feasible, too. All we'd need are a few dozen couple-kilometer-wide satellites (see the picture again) to collect this energy, convert it into electricity then shoot it back to Earth, "by a large microwave-transmitting antenna or by lasers, then fed into a power grid."
See what I mean about coming up with itself? You expect me to read an article on a plan to put dozens of these things into geosynchronous orbit, collecting sunlight and shooting it down to Earth via lasers and not immediately begin conceiving a disaster film? C'mon...
In the wake of this, Pennington is called in by Marsh and those very higher-ups he threatened to go to, now seeking his help. But with the control facility gone, the satellites are acting autonomously. Furthermore, with the power infrastructure fried, all weapons guidance systems are down, meaning they can't shoot these puppies out of the sky, either. And as if all this wasn't enough, the lovely and brilliant Trajectory Cartographer (huh? what?) they've brought in to try and predict the rays' paths (Olivia D'Abo) is 95% certain four of the rays are going to converge over Yellowstone National Park, triggering the supervolcano there in a BIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIG way, the sorta way that just completely cracks the planet like an egg, all fire and lava and ash and smoke, a real Hell on Earth.
Point is, Solar Destruction - or possibly Solar Annihilation, which I think might have more heft - would be a pretty kick-ass flick. I'm gonna add it to my list of potential pitches and turn it into a treatment; I've written 15 other treatments since 2 Headed Shark Attack (all for myself, of course) and there are some real gems in there; I think this could be among the higher-end. If anyone knows Charvet's people, let him know I got his next starring vehicle right here.
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