Fan Trek: Starship Exeter new episode

[rjandron]

Starship Exeter , a fan-film group dedicated to creating episodes set in TOS-era Star Trek, has released the teaser to their latest episode: The Tressaurian Intersection.

They have definitely raised the bar for Star Trek fan films in the look and professionalism of their show.

[gmd3d]

I have the first and thought it was extremely good I will get the new one when available

[martok2112]

Incredible. I had had a couple of correspondences with Jim at the time of the Savage Empire release, and he had mentioned that they would be able to use the actual Enterprise set at Paramount. I really envy that guy and his crew.

Eagerly awaiting next installments.

Respectfully,
Martok2112

[spcglider]

Well, as it turned out, they had to make their own bridge from top to bottom. As well as building up a half-dozen other sets too.

I've been working on a Starfleet Shuttlecraft interior miniature for an effects shot that coems at the end of Tressaurian Intersection. I also built miniatures of most of the Engineering section of the USS Congo for the second act.

Oh, and did I mention that I built the aliens' weapons and several other props (including a very suspect Tholian gravitational device) for the film?

-Gorodn

[gmd3d]

It a great example of what fans can do...

[spcglider]

Absolutely! Its kind-of interesting though that it's taken, what, 40 years for cheap, commercially available technology to become accessible enough to copy a show from the 1960's? I mean down to the replication of cheesy effects. Copying film techniques with video and digital makes it much more acheivable to fans.

Don't get me wrong... there've been some pretty amazing fan efforts over the years, but I think that Exeter (my own personal involvement aside) is the closest anyone's come to hitting the look and the feel of a TOS Trek episode. Sure, here are some pieces that don't fit, but overall I'm really impressed by the efforts that everyone has put in and the results that have come up because of them.

-Gordon

[peter noble]

I've watched the teaser and the opening credits and act one, and I must say, it's very, very good. Some of the acting's a bit ropey in places but there's 100 per cent enthusiasm there.

The best thing about it is that they've set it on another ship, so you're not constantly reminded of Kirk and Spock etc.

If someone does a BSG fan film then they should follow this dramatic model.

[spcglider]

Well, there's a different group doing a set of episodes that ARE starring kirk, etc. But they're hard for me to watch as it's really not easy to replicate those characters wihtout the original actors. I think they're trusting the fandom to be much more forgiving than they are. Its difficult to not keep reminding myself how much I'd like to see Shatner and the rest doing it instead.

There are just certain things you have to deal with...like the fact that 40 years have passed since the original show. There were many other starships out there in the era of Kirk. Why can't some of THEIR stories be told?

It will be very difficult to drag BSG into fan film life. We aren't talking 40 years, but 27 at least. And the whole plot revolves around the fact that Galactica is the ONLY battlestar in existence. Yes, yes... you can count Pegasus too. But to suddenly throw in yet another battlestar is really pushing the reality of the universe. If one more survived then how about ALL of the others? Okay, we saw the Atlantia bite the big one... given. And I know the Cylons are pretty incompetent, but sheesh!

I would think, however, that one could make a good case for different Colonial fighting ships surviving the Scimtar massacre... I mean , not EVERY Colonial military ship would have been present at the armistice. And we've had plenty of loose talk about the Colonial fleet not just being made up of battlestars. Once again, its not so much WHAT they SHOWED us but WHAT they DIDN'T SHOW us that could be successfully exploited for film fodder.

Just my hobby-horse talking now.

-Gordon

[rjandron]

Originally Posted by spcglider

It will be very difficult to drag BSG into fan film life. We aren't talking 40 years, but 27 at least. And the whole plot revolves around the fact that Galactica is the ONLY battlestar in existence. Yes, yes... you can count Pegasus too. But to suddenly throw in yet another battlestar is really pushing the reality of the universe. If one more survived then how about ALL of the others? Okay, we saw the Atlantia bite the big one... given. And I know the Cylons are pretty incompetent, but sheesh!

I would think, however, that one could make a good case for different Colonial fighting ships surviving the Scimtar massacre... I mean , not EVERY Colonial military ship would have been present at the armistice. And we've had plenty of loose talk about the Colonial fleet not just being made up of battlestars. Once again, its not so much WHAT they SHOWED us but WHAT they DIDN'T SHOW us that could be successfully exploited for film fodder.

-Gordon

Gordon, Peter, I don't mean to drag this too far off topic, but there is a wealth of storytelling ideas available to BSG fan film makers--and not all of them dealing with the Exodus storyline. I touched on a number of these story ideas in this topic at battlestarfanfilm.org.

I would have copied and pasted it here, but it is a rather long post. To sum up, the storytelling potential includes events ranging from the Fall of Kobol 7,000 yahren ago to the Galactica finding Earth, and beyond. All that is required to make these happen is a group of fan film makers who have an interest in telling these stories, and fans who want to see these stories told.

What the people at Starship Exeter have done is to show fans what is possible in the realm of fan filmmaking. As you say, they have made it look like an episode of a classic Star Trek series.

BTW Gordon, I had a chance to see some behind the scenes shots of Exeter, and they incldued some of your work--I have to say, your skills are outstanding! I can't wait to see the last parts of this episode.

[peter noble]

Originally Posted by spcglider

And the whole plot revolves around the fact that Galactica is the ONLY battlestar in existence. Yes, yes... you can count Pegasus too. But to suddenly throw in yet another battlestar is really pushing the reality of the universe. If one more survived then how about ALL of the others? Okay, we saw the Atlantia bite the big one... given. And I know the Cylons are pretty incompetent, but sheesh!

You're right, but I've devised a story where a reporter (a rival to Serina) goes to the Colonial shipyards on the eve of the peace treaty to get the reactions of the warriors who would be serving on a replacement for the thought-lost Pegasus to get their reaction. The battlestar, although not fully completed makes a run for it as the Cylons close in and go on a quest to find the Galactica.

It's amazing what a little imagination can do, isn't it?

Best,

Peter

[ernie90125]

The work these guys have put into this ST:TOS really does mean they have created something equal to the 'real thing'

When fans create works with such care and passion, really amazing things can be achieved. I include you too in these compliments Gordon. I'm watching the episode as I type this. There is nothing to say that Battlestar Galactica fans can't acheive something amazing like this.

Perhaps a crossover could even be proposed ? The Crew of one vessel find what's left of an unknown vessel. They investigate and try and find the story of the ship, when they are attacked and must retreat. Never fully knowing the story of the unknown ship.

That can either be the ST crew finding a BSG ship....or a BSG crew finding a ST vessel. With the loan of the other's set pieces and co-operation this could be reasonably practical ?

Just a thought/suggestion.....

[spcglider]

Originally Posted by peter noble

You're right, but I've devised a story where a reporter (a rival to Serina) goes to the Colonial shipyards on the eve of the peace treaty to get the reactions of the warriors who would be serving on a replacement for the thought-lost Pegasus to get their reaction. The battlestar, although not fully completed makes a run for it as the Cylons close in and go on a quest to find the Galactica.

It's amazing what a little imagination can do, isn't it?

Best,

Peter

You've successfully found another "back door" scenario. Very good! Llike I said, its the stuff they DIDN'T show us that'll provide the most fertile ground for this sort of thing.

-Gordon

[spcglider]

Originally Posted by ernie90125

The work these guys have put into this ST:TOS really does mean they have created something equal to the 'real thing'

When fans create works with such care and passion, really amazing things can be achieved. I include you too in these compliments Gordon. I'm watching the episode as I type this. There is nothing to say that Battlestar Galactica fans can't acheive something amazing like this.

Perhaps a crossover could even be proposed ? The Crew of one vessel find what's left of an unknown vessel. They investigate and try and find the story of the ship, when they are attacked and must retreat. Never fully knowing the story of the unknown ship.

That can either be the ST crew finding a BSG ship....or a BSG crew finding a ST vessel. With the loan of the other's set pieces and co-operation this could be reasonably practical ?

Just a thought/suggestion.....

That's a fun idea, but just not wholly practical. I you had seen the herculean effort it took just to get Exeter to THIS point, you'd clap your hand to your forehead and faint.

All of the sets you see in Tressaurian Intersection are either in storage or in a landfill in Texas right now. The crew and cast are scattered across the US and it would be yet another monkey wrangle to assemble them for another shoot.

When all this comes together again (if it does) I'm certain that they'll want to be concentrating on another NEW episode of Exeter... there aren't that many TOS Galactica fans among them.

But don't let me speak for them. There's contact emails there on the site... drop Jim an email and see what his reaction is. Who knows? I could be completely wrong.

-Gordon

[ernie90125]

All of the sets you see in Tressaurian Intersection are either in storage or in a landfill in Texas right now. The crew and cast are scattered across the US and it would be yet another monkey wrangle to assemble them for another shoot.

Oh no ! I hadn't realised that this was a 'unlikely to continue' venture, or that any of the sets had been destroyed.

My idea was for the Exeter to find an unknown ship which was actually part of a Colonial ship. So it would have been an Exeter adventure. There website does say new epsides are in development, which is why I thought it was reasonable to suggest it. Very sad if its unlikely they productions will be continueing.

[spcglider]

Originally Posted by ernie90125

Oh no ! I hadn't realised that this was a 'unlikely to continue' venture, or that any of the sets had been destroyed.

My idea was for the Exeter to find an unknown ship which was actually part of a Colonial ship. So it would have been an Exeter adventure. There website does say new epsides are in development, which is why I thought it was reasonable to suggest it. Very sad if its unlikely they productions will be continueing.

WHOA!!! I didn't mean to give the impression that it was unlikely that there'd be more Exeter adventures. There probably will.

Its just that they've got more than enough material backed up in the creative pipeline that considering a "cross over" is most likely not on the horizon.

The quality of production you see there is not without a price. This time around, the Exeter guys managed to buoy their financial ability by taking "donations" in return for a mention in the credits at the end. It was a genius plan and it worked quite well... allowing them to afford higher quality facilities and construction than they ever would have otherwise. And let me tell you... every penny they recived is UP THERE on screen. That and more.

Each episode they take on becomes it's own set of impossible hurdles to overcome... and that's just THEIR project. Now imagine trying to bring in a whole new genre, even as a "cameo"...

If I ran the zoo, I'd run screaming into the night. I can't tell you how Jim would react.

The idea of a Galactica fan film is NOT a bad one, though. Its always possible to do short films to test the waters. And I've seen a couple of admirable shorts. But there's no point in trying to do something the scale of Exeter the first time out. I guarantee that the effort will either a) fall far short of expectations, b) fall apart due to internal stress or c) implode and fail. I've been involved in far too many proposed fan productions to believe otherwise. Its imperical data.

And to that end, I would say to anyone who wants to try, make a GALACTICA fan film... don't dilute it with other genres. Make it pure and honest. That's what will lead you to bigger and better projects.

-Gordon

[ernie90125]

Gordon,

Thanks for clearing up the mis-understanding about future Exeter fanfilms. I had indeed mis-understood and am very pleased to now understand there may be future episodes !

My idea runs almost exactly along the ideas of what you suggested actually.....!!!

The idea of a Galactica fan film is NOT a bad one, though. Its always possible to do short films to test the waters.

This is kinda what I was suggesting. If next time the Exeter team are filming they could shoot a few sequences with resources they already have set up.

PLOT(loose suggestion)
The Exeter crew are on a wormhole test when they discover what's left of a mysterious starship about to be sucked into a Sun. Its too big to be tractored to safety and has major damage. They read one lifesign, and beam a rescue team aboard. They recover a very injured body, and revive him/her back on the Exeter. They learn of a great mechanical menace is present in the galaxy and searching for Earth. Then a (techie) solution to re-open the unstable for one last risky journey through the wormhole is found and they head home...but the injured man dies.

Here's the interesting part......was the mechanical menace the Cylons...or had the Colonials discovered the Borg ?

This means they can consider it a ST fanfilm with a very minor crossover....or it can be a major crossover prelude. Testing the Water.

The only sets needed are Bridge/Sickbay/BSG. The BSG set can be any room....even just grey walls with debris and damage.

Thoughts ?

[spcglider]

In my experience, trying to do a fan film (or any production for that matter... pro or otherwise) runs quite a bit like a manned mission to the moon. There isn't alot of extra time/money/manpower to allow divergences like you suggest. I would be evidence of a greater perfect world if it were true. When you "pull the trigger" for a production, you MUST have a singular focus.

As it turned out, the production for Tressaurian Intersection was so rushed that they didn't get all the film coverage they needed in the first place... so we've done several insert shots after-the-fact here at Minnefex in Minneapolis against a green screen. They were pretty p.o.ed about not getting the stuff when they were all set up in Texas. But time/money/manpower just didn't allow it. And that's just to get their main goal accomplished.

Now, imagine you've invested over 20 K plus alot of money from donations in YOUR Galactica fan film AND agreed to help out a Stargate SG-1 fan film by doing a fast cross-over that doesn't really contribute to the main thrust of your production, but then discover that with a few more hours worth of time spent at the original shoot, you could have avoided needing to do a passle of insert shots later at an inconvenient time requiring an additional investment of $$$.

You'd have every right to wish you'd skipped the SG-1 thing in favor of accomplishing your main goal... a Galactica fan film.

Like I said, make a GALACTICA fan film. Don't dilute it. Don't cross it over. Make it pure and fine and people WILL respond. That's what happened with Exeter. They did "Savage Empire" and the response was so positive that they were able to rally that success into "Tressaurian Intersection". They made PURE TOS TREK and they were rewarded for it.

Its great to think about the story possibilities of cross-over stuff and I'm not trying to poo-poo the genesis of your idea. But unless you have a crew that is enamored of two independent properties and willing to put in the same kind of effort towards both of them as elements of a whole, one of them will suffer in the final outcome. And that disserves both.

-Gordon

[ernie90125]

Gordon..........you're right.....they must follow their dreams.......and we must follow ours......and best of luck to each camp.

My suggestion was only if possible. If it could be done in addition, without loss to the main production.

I hope its something they'd consider....

[spcglider]

Originally Posted by ernie90125

Gordon..........you're right.....they must follow their dreams.......and we must follow ours......and best of luck to each camp.

My suggestion was only if possible. If it could be done in addition, without loss to the main production.

I hope its something they'd consider....

Consider, maybe. But I'm not the one to make that determination.

Like I said, drop jim an email and feel him out. I could be completely wrong.

-Gordon

[ernie90125]

That's what I've done. I'll be interested to read any response.

Interesting, the Hidden Frontier team did a BSG inspired episode called 'Battlestar Excelsior' so perhaps they are fans of our beloved show too.

Now, possibly the idea could be brought up with them.....but what would be interesting...would be both TOS and TNG eras doing something BSG related thus making it a multi-generational and multi-franchise storyline !

Who knows.........!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Galactifan]

It's nice to see fans continuing the original Star Trek series. Keep up the good work!

[spcglider]

NEWS!!!! Exeter Tressaurian Intersection Part 2 is up and running!!!!

-Gordon