INTRO: D.J. Sylvis –
Hello, Moonbaseians! Deej here with a bit of a Season 4 update, and somewhere in the middle of my babbling we’ve got a little Michell/Wilder scene to share as well. So stick around for that more entertaining part!
So yes! We’re deep into work on Moonbase Theta, Out, Season 4. It’s going to be our final season of the show and it will be HUGE, moving into the future on both sides of the moon and back on Earth. We’re doing our best to tell every story, tie up every plot line; we’re adding some folks to our regular cast including a few completely new roles; I’m tapping my fingers to the bones writing scripts; we’re looking for some new help with audio production … there are lots and lots of wheels – space wheels – in motion to bring you the final act of this story we’ve been telling you for years. It’s huge and exciting and a little scary, and there’s so much work to make it all happen.
And so many incredibly talented people to make it all happen! From Cass and Tina, who you’ll hear soon, to every other actor, everyone behind the scenes, Trace Callahan has composed a new piece of music we’ll be using … so many amazing people coming to you this season, and we need to put together a stack of those sweet Canadian dollars to pay them all! That’s the first big step we’re taking into full production again, our Season 4 Crowdfunding Campaign, which is live now on Seed and Spark. We’re putting together funds from a number of sources – there’s a Patreon where folks support us monthly, we run ads through the Fable & Folly network, we occasionally sell a shirt or a mug that’s more for fun than income … but the biggest part of paying the bills will come through this one big crowdfunding push. All the entertainment and heartbreak and feelings jail and dorky jokes and inside references you’re going to experience for … a good while to come, the final season will take the better part of a year once it starts running … this is when we ask for your help to make it possible.
You can find the campaign on Seed and Spark dot com, slash fund, slash MTO Final – we’ll put that in the show notes as well, and it runs through the evening of March 1st. But before you check it all out, there’s still that little scene we promised! You can also find this in video form on the funding page, and believe me, that is WELL worth seeing. For now, take a listen:
[MTO Episode Starting static]
[Intense music starts]
ROGER
Broadcasting, this is Roger Bragado-Fischer, Communications, Moonbase Theta –
[RECORD SCRATCH]
MICHELL
Wilder, for the last time, I can’t send a message. Like, literally can’t.
WILDER
But Michell, they need my help!
MICHELL
Who needs your help?
[QUIRKY MUSIC STARTS]
WILDER
Monkeyman Productions, that’s who! D’you think they’re gonna get their last season funded without yours truly?
MICHELL
Last season of what?
WILDER
Moonbase Theta, Out! C’mon, keep up.
MICHELL
Moonbase… Wilder, we’re on Moonbase Theta.
WILDER
Exactly! These folks – Deej, and Cass, and I think Tina’s helpin’ em out now? And a buncha other talented folks behind the scenes – they’re workin’ real hard to wrap up this podcast they’ve been workin’ on for the past four years.
MICHELL
D’you mean pocketcast?
WILDER
(continuing) It’s this interestin’ Sci-Fi story about… well, us! The last Moonbase shuttin’ down, and it’s like we’re that dog in a burnin’ house all like “this is fine!” (laughs) but then we all start pullin’ together, but the Consortium’s like “you thought!” And –
MICHELL
Why are they telling our story?
WILDER
I mean, it’s pretty topical, ain’t it? Evil corporations? Folks left out in the cold, tryin’ to find a little hope? We need stories ’bout fightin’ the good fight, right? Helps us remember what’s worth really fightin’ for. And – and this is their last season, Michell! The finale shebang! The last hoo-rah!
MICHELL
So?
WILDER
So?! So I gotta know how it ends! Is Alex gonna make it? What’s that devilishly handsome Enclave Officer got up their sleeve? And I swear –
[QUIRKY MUSIC CUTS, REPLACED WITH OMINOUS HEARTBEAT]
WILDER
– if Deej kills this one character, I’m gonna –
[HEARTBEAT STOPS]
MICHELL
Look, Wilder, even if I could send a message, how are you gonna help them from up here?
[QUIRKY MUSIC RESUMES]
WILDER
Get with the times, Michell! They’re crowdfundin’! Right now! They got all these rewards with fun stuff like gettin’ your name in the credits, or claimin’ one of Dr. Just’s tardigrade buddies – I mean, they can’t have Bob, that is my tardigrade, they can’t have Bob – but they can have one of all the other tardigrades, or they can get the shiny, exclusive stickers. There might be magnets, too.
[ELIZA WHIRS]
WILDER
Hush, Eliza, you know I’ll keep ‘em clear of your… sensitive bits. Oh and how did I forget? Speakin’ of exclusive, there’s a special bonus showin’ how Alex and Roger met! I’ve heard it’s super cute. Can’t miss out on that.
MICHELL
(shudders) Well I don’t want any of that stuff.
WILDER
Well I do! But more important, I like supportin’ indie audio fiction. It’s more than helpin’ a cool story get told. It’s bein’ a part of somethin’. Like a community, y’know? You could do with some of that, you’d probably be WAY less grumpy.
MICHELL
(sigh) I wish I wasn’t a part of this conversation.
WILDER
All right, I tried reasonin’ with ya. Move over, poindexter.
[ELIZA YEETS MICHELL AWAY IN A FRIENDLY WAY]
MICHELL
(getting tossed away) HEY!
[COMPUTER TYPING]
WILDER
I’m goin’ to Seed and Spark dot com slash FUND slash MTOFINAL.
MICHELL
(in the background slightly) I won’t allow this! This is a security breach! This foutou… “pod” cast is out of order!
WILDER
Moonbase Theta, Out – Final season, here we go!
[QUIRKY MUSIC ENDS WITH A FLOURISH]
OUTRO: D.J. Sylvis –
I really could have cut my speech down quite a bit and just let them tell it. But I do like to write speeches for myself! I’m gonna get back into that part in a minute, but I want to thank you for listening, and for being a part of the community of MTO. We appreciate your support in every way you give it – being a fan of what we do, talking us up to your friends or on social media, supporting our sponsors and the other shows our folks create. The crowdfunding is a big thing, and if you can become a part of that, or help spread the word, it means the universe to us … but you’re already one of our Base personnel. We’re all looking forward to seeing where this ends up together. Even I don’t know all of it until I write the final script! Take care, be good to each other and tell great stories, and of course … keep watching the Moon!
