Length of film: 1 hour, 4 min., 26 sec.
Technique: 2D (hand drawn)
Genre: Sci-Fi Fantasy Adventure
Year of production: 2015
Year of release: 2016
The Film
Title: Nova Seed
Title in Japanese: ノヴァ シィード
Synopsis
In an age of men and beasts, centuries of war have left much of the world toxic, sick and uninhabitable. Mutants and half-men wander the globe. Civilization has crumbled and the survival of the human race is uncertain.
In an attempt to seize control of the planet, the evil Mad Doctor Mindskull lays plans to acquire the Nova Seed and harness the earth’s very life essence to turn himself into the ultimate weapon.
With nowhere left to turn, a fading humanity places it’s last hopes of defeating Doctor Mindskull in a genetically modified NAC (Neo-Animal Combatant).
Key Credits
Created & Directed by: Nick DiLiberto
Written by: Nick DiLiberto, Joe DiLiberto
Executive Producers: Wesley Lui, Ricardo Curtis, Nick DiLiberto
Producer: Nick DiLiberto
Associate Producers: John DiLiberto, Adele DiLiberto
The Characters
N.A.C. (Neo-Animal Combatant): The film’s protagonist. Half-human half-lion. Bred to be a living weapon trained in all military tactics.
Doctor Mindskull: The film’s antagonist. A scientist with knowledge beyond the realms of reality. Capable of creating anything imaginable and what was even thought impossible. With ambitions to rule the world he has created the Ultimate Weapon, the Nova Seed.
The Nova Seed: Created by Dr. Mindskull, she is the pure essence of the physical world, with the power to create as well as destroy.
Director's Notes
I want to create films that don’t follow in the footsteps of others. Each film is its own beast with its unique footprint. I believe that with Nova Seed I have taken my first step. It took four years and a lot of hard work to create, but I loved what I was doing and making feature films has always been my dream.
There were many sacrifices along the way, but not always the kind you’d expect. I would forget to eat or break, so I had to set an alarm to remind me. I drew so many hours a day that I started to wear band-aids to protect my hand from the pencil. I eventually worked my way up to a glove, then two. Although my hands are healed, I still need to wear them today. I voiced Mad Doctor Mindskull while suffering from bronchitis and pneumonia because my voice sounded so sinister, so I knew I had an opportunity to record something unforgettable.
The sacrifices were possible because of the support I had from my family, especially my wife and brother, who were both integral to the process. My brother helped me to develop the story, and my wife was the first to believe in me, providing her support every step of the way.
Even the smaller members of my family helped out. I had an incredible moment of motivation and perspective with my niece. When I showed her a work-in progress version of the film, and she asked, “Uncle Nick, you drew all this?”. When I confirmed, she asked “how did you draw that so big!”. She believed in the magic I was creating, and that reminds me to believe too.
— Nick DiLiberto
