Building the Low Orbit space ship by hand

When we started planning LO, the script called for one location that had to carry the whole film: the inside of a stolen ship drifting between the stars. Renting a sci-fi set was never in the budget, so we did what indie filmmakers do best. We built it ourselves.

Starting from scratch

The build began with a stack of sketches, a tape measure and a lot of late-night conversations about how big a cockpit really needs to be. The crew framed the walls from lumber, ran wiring for practical lights, and designed the panels to pull away so the camera could get in close.

Every panel, by hand

Nothing on this ship came out of a box. Control panels were cut, primed and painted one at a time, then dressed with knobs, switches and salvaged electronics so they'd feel lived-in. Weekend build days at the studio in Baltimore became a ritual: coffee, power tools, and a running debate about what an AI's starship should look like.

Why it matters

Building the set by hand gave us total control over how LO looks and feels. The lights can sit inside the walls, the actors can touch every surface, and every corner can be shaped around the story. It's the kind of detail that's hard to fake on a shoestring budget, and it's one of the things we're proudest of.

We'll keep sharing behind-the-scenes photos from the build as we go. Follow along on Instagram, and stay tuned for more from the LO set.