Starwalker TV Show Apparently No Longer a Reality

Posted
by
Doug Messier
on February 12, 2010, at 3:07 pm
in News
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Comments: 7 responses
7 Comments

Some conflicting news on the Starwalker reality series, an Australian effort to produce a television series that would send winners into space. Robert Brand, who had been working on the production, provided this update via Facebook on Friday:

All, I am now unemployed as Starwalker has cancelled! I am now looking for work so please advise. In fact I would be pleased to develop other space based shows and would like to hear from any Australian film maker interested in doing something.

The show’s blog had a more cheery – if somewhat vague – announcement the same day:

New look, new content and new amazing announcements, coming soon! Change… and not a moment too soon. :)

The project has been controversial since it was publicly announced last year. Three ISU alumni who said they created the show subsequently withdrew, saying that producer Jonathan Nolan refused to enter into a binding contract with them. Nolan continued with the show under the title of creator/executive producer.

Nolan is a former attorney who was disbarred by Australia’s Northern Territory in 2002 for embezzling funds from a trust fund that he controlled. He had made several low-budget films, one of which focused on 9-11 conspiracy theories. Nolan has produced several short videos in which he espouses theories about alien visitors, including one about a Black Sky satellite detected in polar orbit in the late 1950s.

Nolan and his business partner, Greg Smith, have claimed they have full financial backing for the $100 million reality show. However, they have refused to identify any sponsors or partners in the effort. No organizations have come forward claiming to be in partnership with Nolan and Smith.

One source of income for the show was text messages. Potential contestants could text in applications via their mobile phones for a fee. Applicants also could register via a website.

The production has been dogged by several other questionable claims. Organizers originally said the show was being co-produced by Red Vision UK, a special effects company in Britain. Red Vision subsequently said it had been approached about doing special effects for the program but was not co-producing it.

Producers also claimed the participation of famed physicist Stephen Hawking as a judge. That claim was later denied by Hawking’s assistant.

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  • http://echoesofapollo.com Robert Brand

    It is important to realise that the name “STARWALKER” might be owned by Mr Nolan and he may wish to start another project witht he name. Although I did contract work for Mr Nolan, I am not associated with the name or any of his projects. I wish him the best for the future and believe he may start another project using the STARWALKER name as his website suggests. The work I did was ethical and high quality and I expect that I will be approached by another group to take part in another space show that hopefully will make it past the start line and have better support from the space and film community.

    I welcome people to get to know the Echoes of Apollo project (space and science outreach) by join us at http://echoesofapollo.com or sign up for our free daily space news at http://echoesofapollo.com/space-news/

    Thanks to Parabolic Arc for staying on top of the issues.

  • Turbulent Priest

    Robert,
    Given the track history of some of the people involved, such as a disbarred lawyer who uses FTIA as a post-nominal when he is not entitled, a serial vexatious litigant, a couple of security guards and a former bankruptee, there are many speculating that the project might never have been meant to get off the ground.

    Jonathan Nolan himself has promised that the money is already paid in full and in escrow. And that he now has new backers from Dubai. I suppose that means he’s given the money back and got more money now. Being a Starwalker skeptic myself, the money issue has left me a little doubtful, especially when it is so easy to find reports of others having been “stung” for contract work for which they were not paid i.e. Sweet Cyanide.

    Did you receive full payment for your work, as per your contract with Mr Nolan?

    To us skeptics, that would at least indicate that the cash may exist, or that there is enough to at least produce the show.

    Can you also shed some light on the recent attempt at the run event, to which there was only a single contestant turn up?

    Thanks.

  • Turbulent Priest

    Okay,

    No response from Robert. Perhaps I can ask a couple of questions aimed at Jonathan.

    Why was Kiri Danielle Hunt banned?

    Why were the family members of Kiri Danielle Hunt banned?

    Were they given refunds?

    Were they provided with an explanation?

    Are you aware of the relevant discrimination acts that you have violated in at least three countries (the UK, the US and Australia, not to mention several members of the EU to boot!) by banning people for the mere fact that they are a relative of somebody that has fallen out of favor with you?

    You may have written a clause or two into the contract for these poor saps when they joined, but did you get them to waive their rights to protection under the Discrimination Act in whatever country that you are purporting to operate out of?

    Since there were approx 30 other people who were kicked out of that group as well, are any of them now in a position to take legal action against you on the grounds of discrimination?

    Will your partners in this venture be willing to help pay the legal costs for your actions, or will they, like many other businesses, point out that this was the act of an individual whose personal views do not represent their own, or the values of their “companies”?

  • Kiri Danielle Hunt

    I believe I was banned for posting a comment on the Starwalker Isafraud website. After being offered a senior role on the production team, I indicated that I would be happy to accept and was awaiting an acceptable employment contract. I was then added as an administrator on the Starwalker facebook forum without my permission. This brought me under intense scrutiny from those on the Starwalker Isafraud website and I received numerous messages and links directing me to the background of Nolan. I asked Nolan directly about the issues that concerned me and was assured that the PR would take care of all the negativity surrounding the project. When I discovered that the PR company Nolan had claimed would be handling the PR was in fact not, I chose to withdraw immediately and posted on both the Starwalker and Starwalker Isafraud websites to disassociate myself with the Starwalker project. I am thankful for the experiences however, both good and bad, as I have learned valuable lessons, both as a presenter and as a public figure under scrutiny. I have also made many cherished friendships with other presenters and contestants through the show, friendships which I will continue to enjoy long after Starwalker is forgotten.

  • Turbulent Priest

    Kiri,
    It sounds like you (and many others) got hosed. Jonathan was right about one thing. His “PR” did take care of all the negativity around the project. I hope that you have better luck with other endeavors :)

  • Mad Monkey

    Well it seems that Smith and Nolan have finally got their publicity. I am just glad it is as negative as this, and hope it exposes how fraudulent they are. The fact Smith labels himself a film producer is laughable at best, the most he can attest to is being a smug, arrogant, self righteous thief and con artist.
    and Nolan’s view of himself is so inflated a good year blimp would pale in comparison. The claims he makes on the Pisces all Media website that his films and such have changed and/or influenced popular culture are pure delusion, name ten people who have heard of his films (let alone seen them) who have not met/spoken or dealt with the man directly. From what it looks like they couldn’t handle the budget and production of cheap indie flicks, how the hell could anyone believe they could handle something of this magnitude?

  • Kiri Danielle Hunt

    I dont get hosed. I hose.