Interview : Hidden Frontier Producer Rob Caves on the Future of Star Trek Fan Films

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TrekWeb talks to Rob Caves, producer of the post-Nemesis fan production series Star Trek The Helena Chronicles, Star Trek Odyssey and Star Trek Federation One and head of Hidden Frontier Productions, about his plans for this year, his new fan series, his non-Star Trek project and the future of Star Trek fan films.

1- Rob, what are Hidden Frontier Productions plans for the rest of 2009 ?


We've got a very busy 2009 planned! We just started filming Odyssey 202, "The Immortal Loom". Other big news is that we're wrapping filming on The Helena Chronicles series in August with two more episodes to release later this year. This will conclude season 2 of the show, and we'll catch up with the Helena characters again when we eventually conclude the story arc started in Odyssey.


We also just wrapped production on the first half of the Frontier Guard pilot. It is broken down into 7 10-15 minute webisodes for the initial release. Once released, the webisodes will be re-edited into a single "movie" for standalone viewing. Right now our goal is to get the project ready for a couple of upcoming competitions so internet release will likely be sometime after those deadlines in August.


The audio productions continue to zip along. Both Grissom and Henglaar MD will release their first audiosodes this summer, and Federation One should have another entry out as well.

2- What can you tell us about "The Immortal Loom", the next episode of Star Trek Odyssey ?


It's going to be a very big episode for the Stadi character (Julia Morizawa). Everything that has happened in Andromeda comes to a head for her in this episode. The episode guest stars Natalie Fryman in a new role for her. (She had previously appeared on The Helena Chronicles). This time around she dons blue Archein makeup to play an Archein scientist. This episode is also a big episode for Caecus who just became a regular on the show this season. And of course we'll catch up with all of the Odyssey cast including the Archein's we've come to know.

3- What is happening with the next episode of Helena Chronicles ?


We have some additional filming to complete for Helena in August. That means with music and final assembley we should see Helena 202, "Red Sky at Morn" in early September. Helena 203 will wrap in August as well and be release sometime later in the year.

4- Tell us about the new series Henglaar M.D. and Star Trek Grissom ?


A Henglaar show has been requested by viewers for a long time. We had briefly considered doing it as a filmed show, but the resources just weren't there. Eric Weaver put together a great first episode and he will be heading up this audio series. There are some references to House listeners will notice. And it'll be a lot of fun putting Henglaar in awkward situations he doesn't want to be in. Just about everything is recorded for the first episode, so once Eric has a better idea when it'll be ready for download, we'll announce it on our chat information page, which is a good place to see what is being released soon. (http://www.hiddenfrontier.com/chat.php) Henglaar MD should be ready in July.


Grissom is sounding terrific so far! Seán Paul Teeling and the Irish cast have done a great job (along with cast members from all over the world) at recording lines and getting them to Bodo Hartwig in Germany who is assembling the first two parts of the saga we all know the ending to. Grissom is our foray into the 23rd century. This is one of the first time periods of Star Trek I got into, so doing a show in the 2380's is going to be a lot of fun. Grissom has several crossovers in the first episode with other 23rd Century shows like the folks at Hathaway. And Muggle (the dog) has already been voted the favorite character on the show! Look for this one around the first week of August once Bodo completes the original score for it.

5- Please give us an update on you non-Star Trek project Frontier Guard (see photos).


Frontier Guard wrapped it's first set of filmings in June and right now it's a post-production rush to get the show ready for some contests in August. The show centers around Connor Blake, a boy abducted in the 1950's who is found frozen on a space ark hundreds of years later. He enrolls in the Frontier Guard version of Starfleet Academy and the race is on to figure out why he was the only one found alive. Where did the Ark come from? Why are various groups and people all trying to get their hands on him? What is his role in the fate of humanity? These are all questions that the show poses and will be answered over time. The show mixes humor and space action with character drama. Teasers are available on youtube and we will have a full preview to release *very* soon.


6- Are you happy with the production of Frontier Guard ?


We've really had a blast shooting so far! We've brought in some new talent and combined it with some favorites from other HFP shows as we create this totally new universe. It has been a lot of work creating a new sandbox. Every little detail has to be thought out. It's definitely not like a star trek fan film where the rules are already in place or you can just go and look something up at memory-alpha. We've put together new costumes, new props, and designed a whole fleet of ships based on spinning rings for faster-than-light propulsion.


It's very exciting and we are of course hoping that audiences will respond well to the show so that we can make more of it! We are hopeful that people with funding sources will take note and help take the project to the next level, or allow us to do that ourselves.

7- Will the events of the new Star Trek movie, like the destruction of the planet Romulus, affect the storylines of the Hidden Frontier universe ?


Not really, no. Most of the 24th century events in the new movie take place after our storyline wraps up. I think this worked out for the best, though there is a chance Federation One and Henglaar MD audiosodes will continue beyond the wrap-up of Odyssey and Helena in which case especially Federation One may address Romulus. When the time comes, that decision will probably fall on Andrew Foster, who will be heading up Federation One audio.

You can check Hidden Frontier Productions movies and fan productions series available for free download at their official site


http://trekweb.com/articles/2009/07/06/Interview-Hidden-Frontier-Producer-Rob-Caves-on-the-Future-of-Trek-Fan-Films.shtml