ABOUT US
Planetary Collective, helmed by Guy Reid and Christoph Ferstad, uses perspective-shifting narratives and breathtaking visuals to create films , immersive experiences and art installations that prompt audiences to reconsider their place in our universe and our relationship with our planet.
Planetary Collective introduced Frank White’s concept of ‘The Overview Effect’ to the world through their short film ‘Overview’ (2012), which garnered over 8 million unique views online. ‘Planetary’ (2015) is a feature length documentary film premiered at SXSW, exhibited at over thirty festivals worldwide and distributed by Vimeo as an original production. ‘Orbital’ (2024), which takes viewers on a journey from the big bang into Low Earth Orbit, is a first of its kind immersive film commissioned by COSM and their ultra high resolution 24K LED CX Display.
Planetary Collective co-founded the organization ‘Constellation’, a coalition of diverse astronauts, which works to communicate the messages of understanding our interdependence, international cooperation and long term thinking through film and in person events.
UPCOMING PROJECTS
A NEW REALITY [FILM]
Human Civilization is at a crossroads, looking to the future. Many of us are entranced by Dystopia. We need to be able to see a positive future in order to work our way towards it: To see the possibility of a civilization that recognizes its true nature as embedded within our shared planet — a Planetary Civilization.
A New Reality embarks on a journey to identify the foundations of a Planetary Civilization. It begins with the Apollo space program and the first moments we saw the Earth from space, and unearths groundbreaking discoveries by the scientific genius Jonas Salk who discovered the vaccine for Polio.
We travel across the world to see the work of planetary scientists who have identified the physical operating boundaries of our planet. These pivotal concepts are explored through the lens of sociology and design - giving the audience a clear view of the foundations of a Planetary Civilization.
BLUE MARBLE [TELEVISION]
Embark on an epic journey with 'Blue Marble,' an 8-part TV series that delves into the intimate and often transformative stories of 15 international astronauts, including Jose Hernandez, Ron Garan, Nicole Stott, and Anousheh Ansari. It's a close-up look at their life journeys, the hurdles they overcame to travel out of our planet's comfortable embrace, and the profound impact of their experiences once in space.
'Blue Marble' goes beyond the spacesuit to reveal these astronauts' triumphs and challenges. From a child of migrant farmworkers, a young woman escaping the Iranian Revolution, to Top Gun pilots and engineers, each story explores resilience and determination — and the discovery of the mystery and beauty of space.
PAST WORK
ORBITAL (2024) [IMMERSIVE]
Voyage beyond the planet and experience our home through the eyes of Astronauts. Orbital is an epic animated journey from the Big Bang to the flourishing of Life on Earth, to Low Earth Orbit. A new film by Guy Reid and Planetary Collective, Orbital transports you through an abstract landscape of light, inspired by bioluminescent earthly beings and atmospheric aurorae. Guided by the astronauts of Constellation Coalition, men and women who have looked back and experienced the awe of our place in the universe, you will feel your own "Overview Effect" as you meditate on our planet in Shared Reality.
CONSTELLATION (2016 -) [ORGANIZATION]
Constellation is an Asronaut led nonprofit organization - our mission: to inspire positive social and ecological action. Constellation unifies the voices of people who have seen our planet from space to help foster greater unity in our problem-solving processes here on Earth. Constellation seeks to generate social momentum, spark thoughtful conversation, and drive meaningful change by offering a unique and unifying perspective on the challenges we face on Earth. Constellation was originally incubated by Planetary Collective.
CONSTELLATION (2016-2020) [PHASE I]
From 2016 to 2020, Constellation built partnerships with National Geographic Society, NASA & Kennedy Space Center, The Association of Space Explorers, the United Nations, and the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum. Through these partnerships, Constellation created a series of immersive lectures, performed by a group of diverse astronauts.
During Phase I, Constellation recorded interviews with 35 international astronauts, creating the Constellation Astronaut Archive. It was the first of its kind, an archive of the human and emotional reaction to spaceflight.
PLANETARY (2015) [FILM]
The planet is in crisis. The issue is deeper than we might think. The fundamental problem lies in the way we see the world. PLANETARY, a new feature documentary film from Planetary Collective, presents a stunning visual portrait of our Earth, taking us on a journey across continents with intimate interviews with astronauts, scientists, environmentalists and philosophers.
OVERVIEW (2012) [FILM]
Seen over 8 million times to date, Overview is an award winning and widely celebrated short film that reveals the incredible and sometimes surprising experience astronauts have when they see our earth from space – a perspective-altering experience often described as the Overview Effect.
