“Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.” So said Carl Sagan, a man whose work inspired us to challenge our community to create their own Elite Dangerous documentaries. Our community is made up of amazing video content creators specialising in the beloved sci-fi game, so we tasked them to channel their inner Sagan and make space documentaries and mockumentaries using in-game footage. Some have gone for long-form historical or scientific approaches, showing us around their favourite reaches of space. Others have gone for short-form roleplayed or machinima angles. All have blown us away. Now sit back, strap in, take your protein pills, and put your helmet on; the wonders of the cosmos await. 

The Complete Azimuth Saga

We’ll start by sharing our top-prize-winning Elite Dangerous documentary. Wotherspoon - who you may also know as Galnet News Digest - more than earned their $100 reward with this insightful, comprehensive, and professionally made exploration of the Azimuth Saga. It’s one of Elite’s most fascinating and beloved narrative arcs, featuring the enigmatic Salvation, mysterious biochemical companies, and a battle for the very survival of the species. Wotherspoon’s exceptional video contextualises the whole event by tracing the history all the way back to the first Thargoid War and exploring all the key events up to today’s raging battles against the ‘Stargoids’, like the Assault on Titan Thor. Here’s their intro:

“Sometimes the news isn't the best way to tell a story. Sometimes you need the benefit of hindsight to see the sweep of a narrative, and to understand causes and consequences. This is the complete story of the Azimuth Saga - a story that has affected us all.”

We were deeply impressed by Wotherspoon’s Elite Dangerous documentary (as well as several of the others) and suspect this crucial piece of Elite history has never been better told. And we weren’t the only ones; it’s racked up 10,000 views in the fortnight since it was published. Enjoy!

Wotherspoon would like to extend their thanks to Beetlejude, ToCoSo, Icunofoollikeone, and CanonnMedia, and so would we.

A Tour Through the Universe

Another Elite Dangerous documentary that made us grin from ear to ear is this masterpiece from TheHappyHans. In true Carl Sagan style, they muse philosophically about the wonders of the galaxy while showing its delights in all their galactic glory. It combines real science with Elite lore, making it both entertaining and educational. Moreover, it contains a couple of curveballs that you won’t see coming that really elevate it to another level. It’s only 12 minutes long, so don’t miss it. Here’s HappyHans’s introduction, followed by the video:

“Let’s go on a journey of discovery, seeing everything that makes up the galaxy, from asteroid belts over planets to black holes. Join me, as we discover what we can find in the black.”

We don’t think HappyHans’ video has acquired nearly the amount of views or likes it deserves, so head on over to their channel and smash that ‘like’ button into the upper atmosphere.

The Origin of the Thargoids

Block9 has decided to tackle “one of the greatest mysteries of the universe” for their Elite Dangerous documentary, which is no small undertaking - especially for one’s debut video. We were delighted to discover that our bounty inspired them to create their Elite Dangerous channel, which they are rapidly filling with excellent Elite content. Not least of which is this highly impressive documentary exploring the history of Thargoids, their advanced organic technology, and their ongoing threat to humanity. We can imagine it being shown to Commanders in a briefing room or military academy; it’s gripping and rousing from start to finish. Here’s their intro followed by the doc:

“Hey guys, I really put a lot of effort into this video, even though it's only ten minutes long. Today, with the motivation of Just About, I decided to create my YouTube channel to post content about Elite Dangerous. I hope someone likes the video and subscribes to the channel to motivate me to make more content. I'd love to read comments and suggestions for my videos too, and I want to thank Just About for this opportunity. In this video I talk about how to fight and find the Thargoids, some weapons needed for combat, and also some theories about their physical appearance, since it remains a great mystery.”

We think the thanks are ours to give. If you enjoyed this video as much as we did, be sure to head over to Block9’s new channel and help them grow!

What’s Coming Next in the Thargoid War?

So we’ve learned about the history of the ‘goids, but what about their future? RicardosGaming just missed out on our top-three prizes, but secured one of our runner-up rewards instead. The visuals are great, but we were particularly impressed with the video’s scripting, which includes such great lines as “Fear and desperation grip the superpowers and the Elite Dangerous galaxy as the Federation, Alliance, and Empire dance around like cats on a hot tin plate.” Here’s Ricardo:

“Explore the future of the Thargoid War in Elite Dangerous lore with CMDR Jameson. Learn about the Thargoid hive ships and what may come next in Elite Dangerous Odyssey. Thargoid Titans are dropping like flies and with 80% of their known war force decimated by humanity, what’s coming next in Elite Dangerous?”

An Exploration Documentary of the Reienadi System 

Another contender we strongly considered for one of the top rewards was Slamscape's doc. Rather than deal with the galaxy’s wars and humanity’s ancient enemies, Slamscape’s Elite Dangerous documentary acts as a love letter to the system that they call home. Here’s their intro:

“In the vast expanse of the galaxy, on the edge of human-occupied space and 247 lightyears from the Sol system, lies a hidden gem: the Reienadi system. Reienadi boasts a diverse celestial landscape, composed of 11 planets and 26 moons. It features gas giants, high-metal planets, rocky and icy moons, and abundant minerals and metals. This documentary explores all the system has to offer to interested Commanders.”

It’s a calming, gorgeous, and professionally executed video full of visual splendour. It’ll be clear to anyone who watches why Slamscape has so much affection for the system. 

Redemption: An Elite Dangerous Story

Now for something a little different. Admiral Gosht collaborated with Bishop Loon, KarenKreepio, Hive Radio, and Canonn Research (learn more about them in our compendium of Elite Dangerous guides and resources) to produce this enjoyably chaotic, satirical, roleplayed machinima documentary on the state of the galaxy. The acting is great, the editing and effects are action-packed, the scripting is hilarious, and it radiates major Flash Gordon energy. It’s a real blast (off). Here’s their description:

“In episode one, you’ll be introduced to some of our characters, notably: Bishop Loon, representing the cult of FARGOD, and KarenKreepio, representing Galaxy Prime. Adding to the fun are Canonn scientists LCU and Starbeaver, with a surprise appearance by Dr. Arcanonn, founder of Canonn Research. It should be noted that it has taken me many years of effort to get Doc Arcanonn to utter a single word! 

“It goes without saying that none of this could have been done without the support of my family here at home, or my squadron, The Hive, all of whom have done their part to get the final render done. Many thanks go to Bishop Loon for the outstanding performance and creative writing, and also to KarenKreepio for her time, headspace, and good humour. Thank you Starbeaver, LCU and Doc Arcanonn, who have been there from conception with lip-sync and audio every step of the way.

“As you’ll see from the story, the game is now afoot; and it is now only you the viewer who can advance the plot, so please tell us how much you loved it!”

It’s only the first episode in a collaborative new series, so be sure to get involved and check out their channel for subsequent episodes. 

Raxxla: Reality or Myth?

Ah, Raxxla, the mystery that’s gripped the galaxy for what feels like aeons. Whether you’re a tinfoil-hat wearing believer in this galactic Shangri La or a hard-nosed sceptic, you’ll still enjoy MQC's investigative documentary, which runs through the evolution of the mystery, its leading theories, and the evidence for and against them. 

Death of a Ditch Adder

“Look at this chap! He’s in a bit of a pickle!” You only need to hear the first words of DitchAdder's documentary to know the Matt Berry-esque tone that resonates throughout. It’s a cautionary tale covering their most “soul-crushing stream death”. It’s a riotous, max-energy, high-humour take on the documentary format, and we can’t help but love it. Rest in peace DitchAdder, your name lives on, if only because “you can’t change it without losing all your stuff”. One final note before we get to the video: we do hope no VR headsets were worn by the spinning pilot, otherwise that’s going to be a very dizzy Commander!

Madness of the Screaming Eagles

Jimmy0916 / Cmdr Donald Duck has gone for a more esoteric approach, producing an Elite Dangerous documentary about his squadron: the Screaming Eagles. If you’re yet to encounter their… ahem… galactic scourge, here’s a snippet from their Inara profile: 

“Following weeks of careful training and long periods of inexplicable Benny Hill montages, the Eagles were unleashed upon an unsuspecting galaxy. Since then, nearly a half dozen people have been forced to make minor course adjustments due to our aggressive ways.”

Having watched the video, we can’t think of a more fun group of pilots to scandalise the stars alongside. A particular highlight is the voice ‘acting’ in the Secrets and Oaths section. Here’s an intro courtesy of ‘infoSTARs - The Galaxy’s Truest News’ (we see what you did there, Jimmy):

“Just in time for the five-year anniversary of the Screaming Eagles’ takeover of Kurughnaye, investigative research platform infoSTARS takes a closer look at the events surrounding the gang’s transformation from mundane pirates to obscure business conglomerate with a presumably dark and dangerous agenda...😉 The truth is out there!”

We’re constantly impressed by the creativity of our community members, but these entries really went to infinity and beyond. Your encouragement will help push these Elite creators to keep creating, so be sure to send some love below. If you’re after more top-quality Elite Dangerous videos, check out this showcase of Elite Dangerous ASMR. Some text has been edited for brevity, clarity, or spelling, punctuation, and grammar. You can find the original wording here. Image credit: Frontier Developments and OxygenSupply, as seen in our planetary showcase of Elite Dangerous screenshots.