Exclusive : Jack Trevino and Michael Struck on Starship Farragut The Animated Episodes Fan Series Episode "The Needs of the Many"

TrekWeb talks to writer Jack Trevino (Star Trek Dee´Space Nine, Star Trek Of Gods and Men) and producer and manager of the NEO f/x Michael Struck on the Starship Farragut The Animated Episodes fan series episode they co-wrote titled "The Needs of the Many", released online this week.

1- Jack and Michael, tell us about vthe genesis of the story of the new animated Farragut episode "The Needs of the Many" ?

JT - While working on Star Trek Of Gods and Men, I met Michael Struck. He asked me if I would be interested in helping him write a script for a secret project he was about to start. He showed me a few animation cells and I was blown away by his attention to detail. He had a story that he wanted to adapt to fit the Starship Farragut characters. We worked on a first draft and after submitting it, he told me it was geared more for the guest stars, rather than for the regulars. And you know, he was exactly right. I apologized and worked harder to get them involved as well as give them each their special moments. He was very pleased with the way the script turned out. I'm very proud of all the actors in this episode. It's clear to see they put all they had into their performances.

2- How the episode fits in the Star Trek canon ?

MS-Unlike some of the early writers of TOS/TAS, we have 40 years of 'Future History' to pull from. We were very careful to make sure we stayed within canon. This includes the use of Cestus III, the Gorn, etc. It is interesting that Thelin's character is of Aenar and Andorian descent....a species that didn't exist in TOS, but was introduced in Enterprise.

JT- We extrapolated on certain events, making sure there was excitement in the story, while making sure we did not change anything that was to come. I used the Star Trek Encyclopedia and other Trek sources like Star Trek. Com, Trek Movie Report, Trek Today. Sci Fy Pulse and of course, Trek Web, to verify specifc Trek events.

3- Tell us about the characters voiced by Star Trek actors Tspecific and Chase Masterson.

MS-Tim Russ' character, Doctor Tumar, was originally supposed to be a Vulcan female. However, with my VFX work in Of Gods and Men, I was speaking to Tim Russ one day and he mentioned his VO work. It then clicked....Since this is set in TOS times, the character could have been a cousin or uncle of Tuvok of Voyager, and who better to play that role than Tim Russ...After some scrambling, we arranged for Tim to record his cameo, which turned out VERY good.

JT - How cool was it when I heard michael told me Tim Russ wanted to add his talent to the project? It was way cool!

As for Chase, she appears in both episodes as well, but in The Needs of the Many she is the main guest star, Carmen Vega Renata...the great-great grandmother of Farragut's chief engineer. Jack felt that there were not a lot of positive Hispanic role models in Trek, so we made a few references to her heritage in the episode. Chase recognized this during the recording of her lines and gave Carmen a very subtle accent. Not enough to draw attention to, but a very respectful accent that went along with her darker skin color. The fans have embraced this and have commented very positively to her role.

JT - Yes, I spoke to Chase about this and she was happy to accommodate my request to make Carmen Hispanic. I wanted Carmen to be just a normal hard working mother who, by doing her job, becomes an unlikely hero. There are so many unsung heroes out there that do heroic things all the time, like fire fighters, police officers, soldiers, doctors and nurses. All without thinking of themselves - just doing their jobs to save others. I wanted everyone to know that there are many, many Hispanics that are hard working Americans, doing these types of jobs.

4- I understand that "Needs of the Many" includes a cameo from Lou Scheimer, the co-founder of Filmation and producer of the original Star Trek The Animated Series.

MS-Yes...Actually both episodes (Power Source and The Needs of the Many) include a voice snippet from the 80 year old Scheimer. The cameo in The Needs of the Many is the Romulan Commander we see toward the end of Act III. For those that are paying attention, this is the same character that Scheimer voiced (uncredited) in the TAS episode, The Practical Joker.

JT - When Michael told me he had spoken to Lou, I was dumbfounded. How could we have gotten so lucky. I hope to meet Lou in the near future. It appears Lou has come full circle with his voice work as a Romulan. Which leads me into what I wanted to say. As a writer, I too have come full circle in regards to writing for Star Trek. I have been extremely lucky to have written material for all its incarnations, as well as for actors from all the different series (professional and fan). It is an honor to be able to say you have written for all of these talented artists.

5- Beyond Farragut, what are your future projects ?

JT - Currently, I am working with Sky Conway and Ethan Calk on several projects. A pilot script for a proposed Sci-Fi series called, "Free Space." It tells the story of Humans evolving to the next stage and all the politcial complications associated with those genetic changes, basically creating a universe where Humans are now the "Aliens" in space.

A Sci-Fi horror movie called, "Planet Hell," which reveals the darkest sides of people and how they can be the deadliest of all creatures. And switching gears to Westerns with a tale based on the real life of Kid Curry called, "Hell's Revenge." Kid Curry was one of the meanest cowboys to ride with Butch Cassisdy, the only man that Kid truly respected. Of course, we are putting a twist on the classic Western genre, hoping to make it attractive to younger audiences.

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