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.

http://trekweb.com/stories.php?aid=4bed620b47ab5

Latest Issue of Star Trek Magazine Features Look at the Star Trek Movies

Each of Star Trek's 11 cinematic odysseys comes under the spotlight this month, as we present a one-stop guide to the voyages of the U.S.S. Enterprise on the big screen, from Admiral Kirk's encounter with V'Ger over 30 years ago to last year's blockbuster battle between his alternate self and the time-displaced Romulan Nero. With contemporary reviews, analysis and an illustrated cast list, you'll soon be able to tell your Khans from your Shinzons.

Guest star David Warner recalls working on the Star Trek: The Next Generation story "Chain of Command."

It was in Stratford that David Warner first met Patrick Stewart, whom he later starred alongside in The Next Generation's "Chain of Command, Parts I and II".

"When I was doing Hamlet in 1965, Patrick was just starting in Shakespeare," he remembers. "I was playing Hamlet and he played the Player King. I was on stage with him all the time when he did his speeches, and I was absolutely mesmerized. I just couldn't take my eyes off him. Over the years, I followed his career, and so it was a great thrill to see from a distance him doing Star Trek, and take off with that, and then of course being asked to do two of the episodes."

However, Warner's role as the despicable Cardassian interrogator Gul Madred only became his at the last minute. "I took over from somebody who fell out, at two or three days' notice," he reveals. "I couldn't learn the lines, because science fiction is like another language to me, so they very kindly wrote up a lot of the dialogue for me, so I had to read it on boards! I wasn't thinking at all about ‘acting' it. I was more concerned about getting the lines out!"

The scenes between Picard and Madred make for uncomfortable but intense viewing. "It's great to do," he enthuses. "To play scenes with an old mate, it's wonderful. I'm not against doing ensemble pieces, but within the context of a thinking person's action series, to have a two-hander like that - it works!

"But as I say, I was really more concerned about the lines being there! From what I gather, nobody has any idea that I was reading them."

Of his three Star Trek roles, Warner considers Madred his favorite. "Even though it was an episode of a TV drama, I felt my input with Patrick in The Next Generation was far more than in any of the big-budget films," he says. "It was a really important character, whereas in the films you seem to get swamped. When there are two of you playing a scene, it's far more fulfilling than when you're sitting on the deck of the Enterprise for a reaction shot.

Our regular Dispelling the Myths column this time looks at the Romulans and the Klingons - who are really "The Honorable Ones"?

There is a belief in Star Trek fandom that when the franchise returned to the screens for adventures in the 24th Century, it didn't just add to the existing mythos, but inverted some of it. Specifically, there is a belief that, in-between the original Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation, the attributes, codes and morals of the two big alien empires were deviously switched.

Allegedly the Romulans were once proud warriors with an admirable code of honor, while the Klingons were base thugs who scorned such concepts. Then along came TNG, and suddenly the Klingons are always portraying themselves as being ultra-honorable, while the Romulans are cast as sneaky and dishonorable thugs.

Even the very first book writing about the creation of the show, Gene Roddenberry and Stephen E. Whitfield's The Making of Star Trek, tells us that to the Klingons ‘honor is a despicable trait.' It looks pretty conclusive, on a casual first glance: proud, honorable Romulans and sneaky rule-breaking Klingons in the original series, switched for thuggish Romulan warmongers and proud Klingons thereafter.

In truth, we didn't really see enough of either race in the original series to sufficiently set in stone anything that could then be considered switched later. The Romulans only appear twice in the original series - three times if you count stock footage of a ship in "The Deadly Years" - compared to around 60 appearances in the later shows. Likewise the Klingons only appear in person in seven episodes of the original series, with over 100 appearances following in the later shows, and it is these later shows which focus on their honor.

It is easy to see how the perception came about. The main problem with interpreting these traits is that word ‘honor.' To most of the people reading this, and most of the people who made the various Star Trek series, ‘honor' means chivalric honor specifically. No doubt the Klingons would indeed find chivalric honor a complete waste of time, but chivalry is only one particular society's type of honor, not a synonym for honor overall...

Read the full stories in issue 26 of The Official Star Trek Magazine ­on newsstands May 11^th, 2010.

http://trekweb.com/articles/2010/05/14/Latest-Issue-of-Star-Trek-Magazine-Features-Look-at-the-Star-Trek-Movies.shtml

Geek Peek: Cover Art For ‘Star Trek’-Zombie Book ‘Night of the Living Trekkies’

Back in March, Quirk Books announced that they’d be releasing the zombie-Star Trek mash-up Night of the Living Trekkies on September 1, 2010, but at the time, the final artwork for the book wasn’t available [see Trek Meets Zombies In Quirk’s Upcoming ‘Night of the Living Trekkies’].

Now, Quirk has released the final artwork. Check out the cover art here at right (click for larger, full view).

This new scifi/zombie tale, which was written by Kevin David Anderson and Sam Stall, is “Galaxy Quest and Dawn of the Dead as hordes of undead attempt to feast upon the attendees of a Star Trek convention, but a group of Trekkies fight them off using what they learned from old Star Trek episodes.

Our Trek uniform-wearing cover model, a zombie with a sports sack, is wearing a pin that says “No Kill I” and holding the detached arm of his victim who obviously will not live long and prosper. Also, it looks like these ill-fated Trekkies are attending an event called Wrath of CON.

Night of the Living Trekkies is available now for pre-order right now.

This sci-fi/zombie/comedy/adventure follows a group of rag-tag Trekkies getting together for the fifth annual GulfCon (billed as the “largest Starfleet Convention in the western Gulf Coast region”).

Our heroes are dressed in homemade uniforms and armed with prop phasers-but soon find themselves defending their hotel and convention center against hordes of flesh-eating undead. Suddenly, all of their useless knowledge about particle physics and old Star Trek episodes has genuine real-world applications! And while hotel employees and regular civilians are dying left and right, our Trekkies summon strength and courage by emulating their favorite starship-voyaging characters.

Packed with hundreds of gags referencing Star Trek, Star Wars, comic books, and fan conventions, Night of the Living Trekkies reads like the strange lovechild of Galaxy Quest and Dawn of the Dead. Journey to the final frontier of zombie science-fiction satire!

KEVIN DAVID ANDERSON and SAM STALL are lifelong Trekkies. Mr. Anderson lives in California and Mr. Stall lives in Indianapolis.

http://geeksofdoom.com/2010/05/14/geek-peek-cover-art-for-star-trek-zombie-book-night-of-the-living-trekkies/

Q&A: Trek Nation Director Scott Colthorp on Star Trek, Optimism and Dissed Fans

Documentary Trek Nation, Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry and Scott Colthorp’s philosophical peek into the sci-fi franchise’s enduring cultural appeal, has yet to touch down in theaters. But from its desire to be the anti-Trekkies to its all-star interviewees like George Lucas, J.J. Abrams and Patrick Stewart, the movie is approaching warp factor geek.

Gene's son Rod Roddenberry and director Scott Colthorp gauge the state of Trek Nation later this year. First stop? A distributor.
Image courtesy Roddenberry Productions

In an e-mail interview with Wired.com, Trek Nation director and executive producer Scott Colthorp (pictured above right, with Roddenberry) discusses Gene Roddenberry, J.J. Abrams, terrorism, humanism, Trekkie nerds and more. Set fandom phasers on suspension of cynicism.

Wired.com: So how long have you been a Trekkie?

Scott Colthorp: From what I understand, there are numerous ways for one to have an awakening, from meditation, to near-death experiences and perhaps psychedelic drugs. But for me, it was Star Trek.

Wired.com: I saw that coming.

Colthorp: It was at a gathering of my college roommates every evening to watch reruns of the original series that I found my first satori. My roommates and I ran the gamut of diversity: An Army brat, a fraternity brother, an art student and myself, a struggling philosophy student.

It was the Gene Roddenberry-penned script, “The Menagerie,” which was reformatted from the original pilot, “The Cage,” that grabbed my attention. I suppose my initiation to many philosophical concepts was birthed from multiple viewings of that episode. Of course, it was only during the making of this documentary I have been able to articulate what I discovered intuitively from watching this show as a pimple-faced college student many eons ago.

Wired.com: What do you think of J.J. Abrams’ reboot?

Colthorp: I think J.J. Abrams’ re-envisioning of Star Trek was long overdue. The franchise needed some fresh talent and J.J. brought an action-packed film of the highest order, although it lacked many of Gene’s humanistic themes. But I think it takes an ambitious, action-oriented, and philosophically minded artist to speak deeply about the human condition without boring today’s youthful audience. That’s a tall order.

Wired.com: What did you learn most from those involved with or inspired by Trek during your filming?

Colthorp: That Star Trek was produced as a vehicle to express the worldview and philosophy of one man, Gene Roddenberry. As a result, many of the writers of The Next Generation, the sequel to the original series created 20 years later, spoke at length about the unusual constraints the show’s creator placed on their writing. I suspect there have been very few television shows that have the creator’s value system so entangled in the scripts.

Wired.com: So what are your thoughts on the original series’ persistent optimism?

Colthorp: A great question that is thematically explored in our film. Roddenberry was unabashedly humanistic as we know from his membership in the American Humanist Association. His humanistic optimism was boldly present in the original series, a show which was birthed in the political and social upheaval of the ’60s. It makes sense that Star Trek would emerge from the milieu of this era. It reached through the screen and promised millions of viewers a future where the fear and prejudice they were seeing in the headlines would no longer rule the day. And he did it in an intelligent and entertaining manner. I think the fans will be thanking him well into the 21st century.

Wired.com: How do you think that optimism plays in our terrorized 21st century?

Colthorp: Gene Roddenberry was concerned about terrorism in the late ’80s when he created The Next Generation. He talked about it in many interviews. He and other writers explored the subject in various episodes through the years. Even with the rise of postmodernism and its moral relativity, Gene kept his optimism about humankind’s potential. But, many of the writers weren’t so keen with his grand narrative.

In fact, one of the show’s top writers felt that Gene may have taken his optimism too far, perhaps even becoming dogmatic about his position. Our documentary puts Gene’s optimistic orthodoxy under scrutiny, and poses the question: Could Gene have made his Star Trek in today’s time? In fact, many of our interviewees commented that Star Trek began to lose much of its optimistic tone after Gene’s passing in 1991.

Wired.com: Abrams’ reboot is violent and rough, compared to the series. Is that optimism and violence bound up in our new century, as it was in the ’60s, which was an exceedingly violent era?

Colthorp: I believe youth-oriented demographics and moral relativity have more to do with the violent nature and dystopic message of films today than most other factors combined. But there are many of us who would like to see the film and TV industry work harder to present a more positive view of the future, irrespective of the times. Millennials from all over the Western world are being drawn to collaboration in place of competition, to service over profit, and to compassion over selfish conquest.

Granted, this optimistic view of cultural maturation is not well accepted among postmodern cynics and the scientific-materialist crowds, but is gaining interest in many circles. Developmental psychology, evolutionary biology, and Integral Theory are all pointing to a future where humankind may, indeed, shed its prejudices for a more inclusive future. We will see.

Wired.com: So where does your film sit in comparison to 1997 documentary Trekkies, which focused on Star Trek’s biggest fans?

Colthorp: Ten years ago, Rod Roddenberry and I set out to create a film that was, in many ways, an antithesis to Trekkies. We agreed that our documentary would not focus on the overzealous, costumed fans. We wanted to go beneath the surface of fandom and explore the roots of the show’s popularity and endurance from the perspective of a son, Rod, who lost his father when he was 17. What we discovered was an ex-cop with a philosophical bent, and the courage to share his ideals in the form of a television show.

Wired.com: It’s hard out there for a hard-core Trekkie these days.

Colthorp: The zealotry and nerdiness of Star Trek fans were forever immortalized by William Shatner’s “Get a life!” in that late-’80s Saturday Night Live episode. So I wasn’t surprised to find high cognitive intelligence when I first began interviewing fans in the late ’90s. But I was a little surprised to find such a diverse crowd of emotionally developed people as well. Of course, any popular cultural phenomenon, from sports to politics, has no shortage of fanatics. But Star Trek fans are very kind and thoughtful people who have, in my opinion, been misrepresented by the media.

Read More http://www.wired.com/underwire/2010/05/trek-nation-scott-colthorp/#ixzz0oG1rDkB0

15 things you didn’t know about star trek if you aren’t a trekkie

After yesterday’s iPod revolution post, it comes to no surprise that there are quite a few of these infographics from Online Schools that are really interesting. This one has everything to do with the original Star Trek series.

One great fact, that almost all trekkies already know, is that if you were a crew member of the Enterprise and you were wearing a red shirt, chances are that you’d die in the current episode.

Also, Zachary Quinto, also known as Sylar on Heroes and Spock in the 2009 reboot of Star Trek, had to glue his fingers together to perform the Vulcan salute, which Leonard Nimoy invented.

http://technabob.com/blog/2010/05/11/15-things-you-didnt-know-about-star-trek/

Summer Movie on the Lawn Series Kicks off With 'Star Trek

The Great Park Movie on the Lawn series brings a great space adventure to the great outdoors.

IRVINE, Calif., May 12 /PRNewswire/ -- Watch the U.S.S. Enterprise fly through the galaxy as you sit under the stars at the Great Park Movie on the Lawn this Saturday. The Great Park Movie on the Lawn summer series starts this May 15th at 8:00 p.m. with the Academy Award winning 2009 hit Star Trek (PG-13).

A giant outdoor screen will show the incredible story of a young crew's maiden voyage onboard the U.S.S. Enterprise. On a journey filled with action, comedy and cosmic peril, the new recruits must find a way to stop an evil being whose mission of vengeance threatens all of mankind.

"Movie on the Lawn is growing in popularity," said Mike Ellzey, Orange County Great Park Corporation CEO. "It's the perfect opportunity to watch great movies in a unique setting."

Admission and parking are free, and visitors should bring blankets or beach chairs to sit on the lawn. Warm clothing is recommended, and visitors are welcome to bring picnics and movie snacks.

Also this weekend, the starry activities begin on Friday night with a free Star Gazing class at 7:45 p.m. on May 14. Saturday morning, the Great Park in Motion series continues with a Real Fitness Bootcamp, Tai Chi and Yoga classes in the morning.

For more information, please visit www.ocgp.org.

SOURCE Orange County Great Park

http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/summer-movie-on-the-lawn-series-kicks-off-with-star-trek-93592374.html

Star Trek TNG DS9 PADD Replica

Forget the iPad, and the other tablets that are being launched this year what you need is a replica of the original tablet that was used in Star Trek, the TNG DS9 PADD Replica.

Although we suspect the TNG DS9 PADD Replica won’t give Apple much competition as it doesn’t actually work, so you wont be able to surf the web on it or send emails.

The TNG DS9 PADD Replica is a replica of the original PADD that appeared in the first series of Star TreK: The Next generation, and it is designed to look exactly like the original.

If you want one, the Star Trek TNG DS9 PADD Replica is available ro pre-order for $119.99 from Entertainment Earth.

http://www.geeky-gadgets.com/star-trek-tng-ds9-padd-replica-12-05-2010/