SANTA FE — Vista Grande Films Inc. has completed principal photography on “Mr. Spaceship, An Adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s Novelette,” a feature-length science-fiction drama written and produced by Tim Pipher and filmed entirely in New Mexico.
Mr. Spaceship imagines a near future in which a brilliant, grief-stricken engineer — desperate to end an unwinnable war — fuses his dying mentor’s mind into a warship and accidentally creates the first conscious artificial intelligence. When the machine wakes up free, it does the one thing no one feared: instead of destroying its makers, it sets out to save them. The result is a character-driven thriller about grief, mercy, and second chances, made for the age of artificial intelligence.
The film was captured almost entirely in-camera, using virtual production and live compositing to realize its most ambitious environments — deep space, the lunar surface, and the interior of a living warship — on a single Albuquerque stage, a showcase of New Mexico’s leadership in the field.
The production employed New Mexico resident crew and an all–New Mexico on-screen cast, working alongside New Mexico vendors and local businesses throughout the summer.
“New Mexico has become one of the most exciting places in the world to make a film,” said Brooks Pipher of Vista Grande Films Inc. “Between the extraordinary local crews, the state’s deep commitment to the industry, and the world-class facilities right here in Albuquerque, we brought an ambitious science-fiction story to the screen without ever leaving home. We are enormously grateful to the New Mexico Film Office and to every New Mexican who helped us make this picture — and we cannot wait to share it with the world.”
“Mr. Spaceship” is directed by Levi Lobo, an Albuquerque-born actor, writer and producer and founder of ERA Cinema, who returned to his home state for the production.
Post-production is underway — and staying in New Mexico, set to employ New Mexico resident post crew at ABQ Castle Studios through the fall of 2026.
Year: 2026
Project Type: Feature Film
Status: Wrapped
Producer: Brooks Pipher, Tim Pipher
Director: Levi Lobo
