Starlight: Chronicles of the Empire

My buddy Nils was trying to think of what to call his sci-fi setting. I suggested the name “Starlight” because it’s generic and recognizable. He ended up going with "Somnium" as it is Latin for "the dream". We agree it's pretty awesome....and he tells me "Starlight" was the name of an RPG back in the day, so he wasn't sure if copyright was still valid. Anyway, I came up with this as an intro cinematic.

[Title] Be Careful What You Wish For

A mother tucking a little girl into bed. On the bedside table is a picture of her father in military dress.

"Mommy, will daddy be home soon?"

"Maybe if you wish really hard, he will be sweetie" [mom exits]

The little girl rolls over and looks out the window as the first star winks through a passing cloud.

She begins reciting "Starlight, star bright, first start I see tonight..." [close up on her eye with a star reflected in it] the eye morphs from that of an innocent child to the haunted eye of a soldier "I wish I may, I wish I might, have the wish I wish tonight" [her voice fades as a male voice comes up] As it pulls out again, it's a soldier. He looks down from the star to a tattered photo of his daughter.

[Sounds of battle and explosions nearby]

He tucks the photo away and dons his helmet.

[commander yelling] "Ten seconds!"

Heartbeat, huffing inside the helmet. He checks his clip, pulls the slide on his rifle.

commander: 3...2...1...Go. Go! GO! They rush out into battle.

(battle scene here) ends with him hunkered behind some kind of ruins for cover. A grenade lands in from of him. He watches the red light blinking on it, looks up to the star, closes his eyes as the grenade explodes. A wash of bright light fades to black.  

Intro scene ends with his wife and daughter crying as his coffin, draped with the flag of the Empire, is loaded into the back of a hearse. Wish granted. Daddy’s home to stay.

Camera pans up to an overheard shot as the coffin is lowered into the grave. Fade to black except for the insignia. Then the red and gold letters come up “Starlight: Chronicles of the Empire”