Welcome to the twelve issue of Trekkie Central Magazine, In this issue we are taking an in depth look at the new Star Trek fan series Star Trek Phoenix. We have interviews with all the major cast and an exclusive article written by the Executive Producer of Phoenix Leo Roberts about his show. We all hope you enjoy this magazine. Live Long and Prosper Richard
Special Thanks: Contributors: Gerri Donaldson; Eugenia Stoypra and Leo Roberts. Interviewees: Ben Andrews; Amanda Cherry; Ben Johnson; Jon Johnson; Aaron Key; Nicole Santora and Roy Stanton. Production Companies: Temporal Studios; Hidden Frontier Productions; Intrepid Productions; Farragut Films; Neo FX. Trekkie Central Staff: Writers: Heather Ashleigh; Jennifer Cole; Gerri Donaldson; Josh Edelglass; Beo Fraser; Danny Lavery; Gustavo Leao; Alex Matthews; Richard Miles; Eugenia Stoypra; Michael Struck; Sean-Paul Teeling; Tim Vining and John Whiting. Head Writers: Gerri Donaldson; Alex Matthews; Richard Miles and Eugenia Stoypra. Graphics Artist and Front Cover: Ryan Dunleavy and Richard Miles Creative Consultants: Michael Hudson and Rick Pike. Assistant Editors: Heather Ashleigh and Alex Matthews Editor: Richard Miles Trekkie Central Magazine and Supplemental is produced for fans by fans. This is a free to download and view online magazine, from which no profit is made in anyway. If you see this magazine on sale anywhere please do not purchase it as this will jeopardise feature issue of this magazine. If you do find it on sale please inform us immediately by emailing us at admin@trekkiecentralmagazine.com and marking the inbox as fraudulent magazine in the subject box. Many Thanks
Captains Table Other Fan Film Productions Conventions
6 7
Captains Table
27
Coming Soon
28
Ben Andrews Interview Introduction to Captain Bryce Avari
8
Aaron Key Interview Introduction to Lt. Austin Hunt
10
Ben Johnson Interview Introduction to Commander Talis Jaryn 12 Nicole Santora Interview Introduction to Lt. Cmdr Yamora Vu’Shan 14 James Lyle Interview Introduction to Dr. Thomas Alden
16
Jon Johnson Interview Introduction to Lt. Ikin Celes
18
Roy Stanton Interview Introduction to Ambassador Tevon
20
Amanda Cherry Interview Introduction to Lt. Cmdr Danara Sheras 22 Introduction to Star Trek Phoenix By Leo Roberts
24
PRESCOTT TRANSFERS TO THE USS ENTERPRISE It has been announced on the Starship Farragut website, www.starshipfarragut.com, that the character of Lieutenant Commander Prescott is to transfer to the USS Enterprise and the set of Star Trek Phase 2. Upon releasing this news series and character creator, John Broughton has said “We wanted Prescott to be a dedicated military man, with elements of General Patton and Tackleberry from Police Academy. His dedication to his job caused him to sacrifice a social life, and made him somewhat awkward. Paul played Prescott by-the-book, and added an element of humor to the character. When Paul announced he was moving to Phase 2, we knew that we couldn’t cast anyone else in that role. We wish him and Phase 2 the best on their adventures together.” For more information visit the Farragut website.
The following has been taken from the Trinity website at www.st-t.co.uk Seattle, WA, February 1, 2009 - Temporal Studios, producer of STAR TREK: PHOENIX, independent nonprofit Internet series located in Seattle, Washington, USA, announced a creative partnership with Horizon Film, producer of the Internet anthology Trinity, located in the United Kingdom. Both are based on 'Star Trek" created by Gene Roddenberry. Temporal Studios and Horizon Film will share creative resources in the areas of CGI and art direction. Both production companies are committed to excellence to present their respective work and dreams to audiences worldwide. To accomplish their individual goals, both companies have united to form an alliance to generate the necessary tools to attain their respective visions. Both are looking forward to creating a universe to go where none have gone before.
HERE WE FEATURE A LIST OF CONVENTIONS AND EVENTS. NEXT MONTH WE WILL HAVE A FULL LIST INCLUDING THOSE THAT HAVE BEEN EMAILED TO US.
Region Five & RadCon February 13, 2009 at 5pm to February 15, 2009 at 12pm – Best Western Pasco Inn & Suites TREK VALENTINE'S SOCIAL AND VIDEO MIXER! February 14, 2009 at 3pm – RIPLEY GRIER STUDIOS, NEW YORK CITY Farpoint February 15, 2009 at 6pm to February 17, 2009 at 6pm – Crowne Plaza Hotel, Timonium MD Recruitment Drive for UFOP:SB118 February 15, 2009 at 6pm to February 15, 2011 at 7pm – contact Fleet Captain T'Pen for more information. scb4k@yahoo.com Australian Star Trek fan club - Star Trek Monopoly series February 22, 2009 at 1pm – SA Writer's Centre Australian Star Trek fan club - 1st meeting for 2009 February 22, 2009 from 3pm to 7pm – South Australian Writers Centre Australian Star Trek fan club open day 2009 February 22, 2009 at 3:30pm – South Australian Writer's Centre FUN NIGHT on the USS Chicago NCC-75011 February 22, 2009 from 4pm to 6pm – The ZONE Comics CoastCon XXXII March 20, 2009 at 12pm to March 22, 2009 at 4:30pm – Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum
If you know of a convention or event taking place or you are organising one yourself please feel free to email us the details at admin@trekkiecentralmagazine.com
HERE TCM TALKS WITH BEN ANDREWS WHO PLAYS CAPTAIN BRYCE AVARI ON STAR TREK PHOENIX.
TCM: How did you become involved with Star Trek Phoenix? BA: It’s a funny story actually. I was perusing one of the local casting call boards and I ran across the post for Star Trek Phoenix. I instantly geeked and wrote down the date and location. Unfortunately I was so eager for the audition my brain failed to comprehend that the audition was two weeks out. So, low and behold I show up a week early and no one is there other than little ol’ me. I went home and saw that the audition was actually the following week. Trust me; it was a long week of waiting. I emailed Leo Roberts telling him I came early but was looking forward to the actual audition. He later admitted thinking, “who is this weirdo?” TCM: Can you give us an overview of your character? BA: Well the original casting description of Avari was a cross between Kirk and Picard. To me there was a wide interpretation of what exactly that could mean. As I continue to develop his character, I try to absorb my favourite qualities of both. On the flip side of the coin, Avari is a man who doesn’t fully understand who he is, but is deep in the search of his core. He is diplomatic, but his reason can sometimes take 2nd seat to his passion. Since the death of his father he has thrown his entire life into his profession as a Starfleet officer.
TCM: What if any knowledge of Star Trek did you have before Phoenix? BA: The first movie I ever remember watching on television, as a child, was Star Trek the Motion Picture. Growing up I watched re-runs of TOS, then in my teens I was there from the first moment watching TNG. I joke with the other cast members that I am only a level 3 trekkie. Others on the cast are level 10. Since being casted though, I would say I have probably moved up a couple levels. TCM: Where would you like to see your character go? BA: Well other then the secret twists that I can’t tell you about, I would like the audience to see a real evolution of the character. Ideally, he is on a deep path of discovery that will eventually alter the core of who he is. At the end of that path you will find a man who is ready to become a legend amongst captains of the federation. That is as long as the writing staff doesn’t kill me off and replace me with someone better. TCM: Can you tell us a bit about what drives your character in the series? BA: Avari is fascinated with the depths of humanity. As you will see from his vignette and in the series, he likes to take himself to the limits just to see who he really is. An Avari quote, “How can you know how you will react in a life or death situation if you have never been there?” He has no fear of exploring that part of his psyche. The loss of his father has made him focus solely on his limits, but you will find as the sacrifice of other qualities.
TCM: Star Trek Phoenix is still in its early stages, but what sort of background was given to your character for you to get a feel of how to play him or did you have to develop one yourself? BA: A little of both actually, executive producer Leo Roberts gave us a lot of creative liberty. As long as we stay within the series structure and character outline, he is open and willing to listen to our ideas. As cast members, we have found in the development of our relationships with one another, that we are starting to queue up excellent future episodes. The flood of ideas that emerges from these sessions is amazing. TCM: What aspects of yourself do you bring to the character you play? BA: I like to think I bring everything about myself. I definitely believe in the school of thinking that to be a good actor you have to merge yourself with your character. The more qualities that you can bring to the character the more advantage you have. Then you’re simply playing yourself with a few added qualities. Boy, does that even make sense? TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about your role in the show? BA: Well this has turned out to be much more than just an acting experience for me. It started out as bringing as many of my filming resources to the production as I possibly could. Since then Leo has brought me on board as a producer and I have starting doing some writing for the project. Maybe the future will find me doing some directing? First though, need to make sure I can just be a captain. I am proud to be a part of what is turning out to an amazing production. The creative and professional talent aboard this crew is truly inspiring. All I can say is look out world! Here we come! ~
HERE TCM TALKS TO AARON KEY, WHO PLAYS LIEUTENANT AUSTIN HUNT IN THE NEW FAN SERIES STAR TREK PHOENIX.
TCM: Where would you like to see your character go? AK: I'm not quite sure I know where I want my character to go. I know I want him to get into some dangerous spots and then out of them again and I want to see him romance the ladies, but as far as his future the phoenix is it. This is the start for him. I want him to be recognized as an invaluable part of the crew. 5. I think ambition drives my character mostly. I think he is good at everything and wants the universe to know it. He takes great pride out of being the "best of the best" and he is a bit cocky for it.
TCM: How did you become involved with Star Trek Phoenix? AK: I got involved with star trek phoenix through performers call board. I have been acting on screen for two years and one of my resources for auditions is the yahoo group called "performers call board". I actually almost didn't audition. They day of the auditions I had pulled an all nighter with some friends and I just didn't feel like going and I thought it was just some random Indi thing anyways. Well I happened to be in Seattle about 45 minutes before the auditions ended so I popped in since I was there and low and behold here I am with a main character. I think it was mean to be.
6. Well I know my characters name is Austin Hunt. I was told that he is the chief of security on this new ship the phoenix and that he was born on Risa. I was also told that he is young, good looking (Obviously that’s why I got the part....lol...jk) and cocky. (Also why I got the part). From there I have had free reign to develop my character as long as he fits in those parameters. He comes from a rich family, he is the best at everything he does, he gets bored quickly and that’s why he joined Starfleet. He is always looking for the next challenge in life and I am hoping to have this portrayed through the series. I also think he has had some issues with his father so when it’s time to have hunt in an emotionally torn scene I think that will come up. As far has how to play him it will be really easy. Many of the characteristics of hunt are ones I have in my own life and I think that is a big reason why Leo chose me for this part.
TCM: What if any knowledge of Star Trek did you have before Phoenix?
7. Like I was saying I bring a lot of myself to this part. I have always been very good at anything I have done. I have a natural talent for life. Anything I put effort in I excel at. Because of this I can be less than humble sometimes but I am getting better. I have a certain charm and boyish attitude that Leo wants hunt to have and I think it will be very comfortable for me to portray that on screen. Also like Hunt I am very athletic. I work out 3-4 hours a day. I am an amateur Kick Boxer so I like to fight. Also another thing I haven't addressed is hunts sense of justice and overall chivalry. Despite is arrogant and need for competition hunt always plays fair and it torments him when people get away with injustice and I am very much the same. I don't think you have really won unless you have won it fair and square.
AK: I'm an uber trekki. I have watched star trek my whole life. There were times where I would watch star trek 4 or 5 hours a day for weeks on end. Man, I miss being younger with no responibilities. I also proudly own over 3,000 star trek cards and love to play the game. So I can say before phoenix I had quite the knowledge base.
Hunt pretty much sums up my role in the show entirely. I might help with some set building and painting. I own my own painting company. I introduced my Mom to the show and now she is the lead hairstylist so that was my doing. I have taken on the responsibility of quality control on the craft services. ~
TCM: Can you give us an overview of your character. AK: My character is the token good looking, alpha male, young stud, hot shot, that all the ladies are after.
HERE TCM TALKS TO BEN JOHNSON ABOUT HIS AUDITION FOR STAR TREK PHOENIX.
TCM: How did you become involved with Star Trek Phoenix? BJ: I had just started acting again after a long hiatus, and I attended an open audition call in Seattle Center. There were a lot of people there - I filled out the forms and waited HOURS for my turn in the audition room. By that point, I was very nervous lots of people around, at least a few of them clearly professionals. When I eventually made it into the audition room, I was just planning to audition for a supporting cast role, though I had noted an interest in the first officer - just thought it was a long shot. I read for Moural (not terribly well, as I recall), and then Leo (the executive producer) asked me to read a few sides for Commander Jaryn. When we were done, he asked me if I had any objection to being in the main cast and I said "No!" immediately - walked out of the audition room much more confident than going in. TCM: Can you give us an overview of your character. BJ: Talis Jaryn is the half-human son of a Starfleet officer - his alien side is Altusian, a new race being introduced for this series. His only notable nonhuman physical characteristics (that we know of) are his vibrant purple eyes. Altusians generally develop empathic abilities as they mature, but these are muted in Jaryn due to his human heritage. He is a talented Starfleet officer, with a gift for diplomacy and command. His personality is shaped by the culture of Altus where he was born and raised - he shares his people's love of learning, conservation, and the arts. But his young adult years were spent in human society, which have tempered his even disposition with a love of risk-taking and a taste for adventure.
TCM: What if any knowledge of Star Trek did you have before Phoenix? BJ: I am probably the least Trekkie member of the main cast. :) I'm familiar with the first 3 series and I've seen some, but not all, of the movies (the good ones, of course!), but my knowledge of the Trek universe is considerably less than encyclopedic - especially in this cast. I love science fiction in general - I've always been an avid reader and DVDs like Dark City and Firefly cover my television shelves. TCM: Where would you like to see your character go? BJ: Where no man has gone before, of course! Exploration should a big theme of Star Trek: Phoenix, and that's really cool - I think the discovery of strange new places and phenomena are what makes science fiction interesting, and Jaryn and I are definitely on the same boat in that regard. In addition to seeing him get out there in the wild, I think it'll be a treat to see how he manages his own conflicting nature aboard a ship filled with a lot of diverse, volatile personalities. TCM: Can you tell us a bit about what drives your character in the series? BJ: The biggest drivers for Jaryn at this point are his curiosity and thirst for adventure, and his sense of responsibility and duty as an officer. As the series goes on, we'll get more insight into Jaryn's past and how he ended up on the crew of the Phoenix. TCM: Star Trek Phoenix is still in its early stages, but what sort of background was given to your character for you to get a feel of how to play him or did you have to develop one yourself? BJ: The STP writing team gave the actors outlines of the characters as an initial basis, but this project is a very participatory endeavor - all the actors have been encouraged to develop their characters further, both on their own and with the other members of the cast.
TCM: What aspects of yourself do you bring to the character you play? BJ: I think the love for adventure is probably the biggest thing Jaryn and I share. I love to travel and visit new places, in real life and in fiction, and I think mustering up Jaryn's enthusiasm for that will not be a terribly taxing endeavor. The diplomatic nature is all him, though. TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about your role in the show? BJ: The only other thing I'd like to add is how much of a treat it's been to work on this production so far. We have a very large cast and crew, especially for an independent, non-profit fan production, and the tremendous talent and dedication on display by everyone are just astounding. We're still in the early stages of production, but everything we see come out internally has just continuously exceeded expectations - I think Trek fans have a lot to look forward to when the first episode goes live.~
HERE TCM TALKS TO NICOLE SANTORA ABOUT HOW SHE BECAME INVOLVED WITH STAR TREK PHOENIX
TCM: How did you become involved with Star Trek Phoenix? NS: I responded to an ad on craigslist originally as a costume assistant. I was so excited about the idea of a fan series; the concept was new to me. But I went to the Star Trek Phoenix website and discovered that they were also casting. I knew that I had to be at that audition! TCM: Can you give us an overview of your character. NS: My character, Lt. Cmdr. Yamora Vu'Shan, is the Science Officer on the Phoenix. She commands the "sci" portion of sci-fi. She is the Spock of the ship, keeping everyone aware of what is actually possible. What if any knowledge of Star Trek did you have before Phoenix? NS: Oh, I had plenty of "knowledge". I've been a fan since I was about 12 years old. I was really into Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. I loved that show, and so did my family. We'd gather around the TV every week and watch. Since DS9 went off air, I have watched almost every episode of every other series with the exception of Enterprise. TCM: Where would you like to see your character go? NS: I'd like to see my character break away from her shyness. Although intelligent, Vu'Shan is a bit a of a wallflower (a lot like myself!) I think she needs to be possessed by some alien life form or something.
TCM: Star Trek Phoenix is still in its early stages, but what sort of background was given to your character for you to get a feel of how to play her or did you have to develop one yourself? NS: Vu'Shan is from a planet where the surface is uninhabitable. Her people live underground in dark caves, like moles. During her youth, she dreamed of exploring the galaxy.
TCM: Can you tell us a bit about what drives your character in the series?
TCM: What aspects of yourself do you bring to the character you play?
NS: I think her curiosity drives her forward. She's a scientist and that need to know is constant motivation.
NS: My curiosity for the unknown is something that I think I share with Vu'Shan. I'm not a scientist by any means, but I like exploring new ideas, learning new things. TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about your role in the show? NS: Check us out! ~
HERE TCM TALKS TO JAMES LYLE WHO PLAYS DOCTOR THOMAS ALDEN ON STAR TREK PHOENIX
TCM: Where would you like to see your character go? JL: Well, as I said, the doctor has some pretty deep personal flaws, so there’s a LOT of room for character growth. I’m looking forward to seeing him develop relationships with his new shipmates on the Phoenix: It could be interesting, because he’s not exactly an easy person to get along with. He manages to insult about half a dozen people in just his first couple of minutes on screen. TCM: Can you tell us a bit about what drives your character in the series? JL: I think there’s a hint about this in the title of a short character vignette we’ve filmed about the doctor. It’s called “No Other Medicine,” and the title comes from a Shakespeare line (Measure for Measure, Act III). The full line is “the miserable hath no other medicine but only hope.”
TCM: How did you become involved with Star Trek Phoenix? JL: I caught an advertisement for an open audition, and there was no way I could resist an opportunity like that. I turned up hoping to read for the parts of the captain and the doctor, but I got very excited about the part of Doctor Alden when I saw some of the script and got an inkling of the character. TCM: Can you give us an overview of your character? JL: Doctor Alden is a bit unlike any doctor we’ve seen in Star Trek before. He’s an Englishman, from a long line of doctors back on earth but he’s chosen to serve out among the stars, in part because of some things from his past he’s trying to run away from. He’s a great comedy character because he’s a fussy, wisecracking cynic; but he’s also a deeply flawed man with a tragic personal history, about which we get some hints early on. He and the captain are old friends, so I think we’ll see some echoes of the Kirk/McCoy relationship there, but in a very twisted way, because Alden is definitely no Southern gentleman. TCM: What, if any, knowledge of Star Trek did you have before Phoenix? JL: I’m a lifelong fan—I grew up on Kirk and company (I literally cannot remember a time when I didn’t watch Star Trek) but became a devotee of Next Generation and DS9 especially. My wife and I actually once co-wrote a paper about Trek for a scholarly conference on the theme of “Images of Technology,” so I guess you could say we’re pretty big fans. I’d seen bits and pieces of a few fan productions before I got involved with Phoenix, but of course I’m learning a great deal more about them now.
TCM: Star Trek Phoenix is still in its early stages, but what sort of background was given to your character for you to get a feel of how to play him or did you have to develop one yourself? JL: I love this question—I got very lucky with the doctor because right from the auditions I was given some great guidance about the character: He was supposed to be a little bit Dr McCoy, a little bit Tim Gunn (from Project Runway), and a little bit Stewie from Family Guy, but without the homicidal maniac. What actor could pass up that challenge? (Hmm...maybe it’s a little disturbing that the staff thought I fit this character so well. ☺) That said, we actors on this production have been given plenty of room to develop and refine our characters, so the description above is really just a jumping-off place, just a hint or a first impression of a pretty rich character. TCM: What aspects of yourself do you bring to the character you play? JL: The doctor and I share a love of Shakespeare, which I hope we’ll see a bit on screen. And we have the same hair, for rather the same reasons. TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about your role in the show? JL: I’m also contributing some writing to the show, but beyond that all I’ll say about my role right now is that it’s a great privilege to be able to play it among such an amazing group of talented, dedicated and professional filmmakers. I can’t wait for folks to see it.~
HERE TCM TALKS TO JON JOHNSON ABOUT HIS CHARACTER LIEUTENANT IKIN CELES IN FAN SERIES STAR TREK PHOENIX.
TCM: How did you become involved with Star Trek Phoenix?
TCM: Can you give us an overview of your character?
JJ: When the project was first launched, I joined on as the costume designer because I wanted to be a part of the project from the start. When I was younger I was always in acting, so when the project came along I wanted to be a part of it no matter what. When it was time to start casting for characters I tried out for the role.
JJ: Lt. Ikin Celes is the Chief of Navigation and Operations. Celes at first seems young, but his experience and skill make up for his youth. Ever since his childhood visit to the Starship Museum on Earth, Celes was fascinated by piloting. He graduated from the academy with a Level 7 flight certification. On a personality level, Celes is the boy next door with a passion for piloting, not your stereotype cocky pilot. TCM: What if any knowledge of Star Trek did you have before Phoenix? JJ: The running gag we have with our show is that everyone is scaled on 1-10, 10 being really knowledgeable. Before the show, I would say I was a level 6 and now I’d probably rank myself as an 8 from everything I’ve learned since joining the show. TCM: Where would you like to see your character go? JJ: I think I would like to see Celes become the Second Officer, much like Commander Data was from TNG. TCM: Can you tell us a bit about what drives your character in the series? JJ: He loves to fly, especially ships with cutting edge technology. TCM: Star Trek Phoenix is still in its early stages, but what sort of background was given to your character for you to get a feel of how to play him or did you have to develop one yourself? JJ: Well for Celes his was given a basic background, but we’re lucky enough to make the character our own and develop them with guidance from the writers. TCM: What aspects of yourself do you bring to the character you play? JJ: I’ve been called the boy next door type, so I think that helps me portray Celes. TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about your role in the show? JJ: Not at this time. Celes is like an onion, he’s got layers that will be revealed over time.~
HERE TCM TALKS TO ROY STANTON WHO PLAYS THE CHARACTER OF AMBASSADOR TEVON IN STAR TREK PHOENIX.
TCM: How did you become involved with Star Trek Phoenix? RS: Well, it almost didn’t happen. I had been taking a break from acting and focusing on 3D computer art, but was still getting notices from an online actor’s callboard service, usually just briefly glancing at and then deleting them. I had just thrown a number of notices in the “deleted” folder, when I realized that one of them had the words “Star Trek” in the subject heading, so I pulled it back into the inbox. It was the audition notice for Star Trek Phoenix, and after reading it I was intrigued, but still reluctant to jump back into acting. I thought, “I’ll just see if there’s a main character they’re auditioning for whose Vulcan….” (since I’ve always had a fascination with Vulcans), and at the time, there was, so I decided to go in and audition for Tevon. I mean, it was Star Trek, after all, and everyone really seemed to have their heads in the right place from what I read on the website. Basically, the more I found out about the series the better the project sounded, and once I actually did the audition for Leo and Jon, I knew I wanted to be a part of the series very badly. And may I add that being told I was cast as Tevon was an absolute dream come true. TCM: Can you give us an overview of your character. RS: Ambassador Tevon is a Romulan by birth, but was orphaned at a young age and adopted by a Vulcan. He was raised according to Vulcan tradition and cultural mores, so adheres to the philosophy of logic and non-emotion. He is a member of Starfleet, and carries the rank of Commander, and was involved in (some say responsible for) an incident which resulted in the deaths of a number of people, including Captain Avari’s father; Tevon was, however, exonerated and allowed to continue as a member of Starfleet.
TCM: What if any knowledge of Star Trek did you have before Phoenix? RS: I’m a Star Trek fan from waaaaaayyyyy back; before it was cool. I grew up watching the original series, so I most closely associate Trek with Kirk, Spock, McCoy and the rest of the original crew. Every afternoon after school, I’d watch Trek. Religiously. I’ve watched those episodes so many times I could tell you which one it is within a minute or two of seeing the opening shot. What else can I say? I built the model kits, read the books collecting the original series episodes, went to the Smithsonian the FIRST time the original Enterprise was put on display there (and was in complete, unutterable awe seeing THE ship right there, in front of me), collected blueprints, technical manuals, props, went to a convention or two… I followed The Next Generation fairly closely, and watched most of the episodes of DS9 and Enterprise, but in the final analysis, I’m an old school Trekker. TCM: Where would you like to see your character go? RS: I think Tevon obviously has the potential to play a pivotal role in dealing with the Romulans, by virtue of his unique perspective on both Romulan and Federation culture. However, I’d like to see him take an active role not only in that process, but also in the Phoenix’s capacity as an exploration vessel; taking part in first contact with new cultures, and in the overall exploration of new planets.
TCM: Can you tell us a bit about what drives your character in the series? RS: For me, what drives Tevon the most is a need to understand his own sense of dichotomy through interacting with both human and Romulan cultures. Attempting to gain an understanding of how such cultures blend could give him insight into how he might blend the two sides of his own psyche. Ultimately he’s looking to find his place in the grand scheme of things, I think, as many of us are. Again, being raised under the tenets of non-emotion, yet being physiologically geared for expressing emotion puts him in a rather unique position and subjects him to unique forms of internal conflict, and I believe we may discover that finding a way to resolve such an internal conflict may be more important to Tevon’s survival than even he realizes. TCM: Star Trek Phoenix is still in its early stages, but what sort of background was given to your character for you to get a feel of how to play him or did you have to develop one yourself? RS: I was given only the most important facts in terms of back story. There were some key elements that were critical to the overall story, and others that were relevant in terms of how other characters reacted to Tevon that were laid out at the beginning, but since then I’ve been allowed to develop a fair amount of my own ideas regarding how Tevon is to be played. TCM: What aspects of yourself do you bring to the character you play? RS: I think I operate at pretty much an even keel for the most part. Most people see me as fairly mellow and level-headed, with a mostly logical take on things(feels kind of strange to use the word “logical” now when referring to myself), although in all honesty, my own passions can swing wildly if given half a chance; which I feel gives me some insight into what Tevon may be guarding himself from on a daily basis. Also, one of the things that initially attracted me about acting was the idea of masks; assuming other identities, playing a persona other than one’s own, and I think that feeling the sense of duality one encounters as an actor will help me in portraying Tevon as someone who has a very solid persona in place that effectively masks something very different on a deeper level of his psyche. I am also skilled in the critical “eyebrow raise”. Left or right, no prob. TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about your role in the show? RS: At this point, all I can tell you is that Tevon will have to work hard on building relationships with some of the crew. In addition to the somewhat questionable actions of his past, there’s still a lot of mistrust of Romulans in general out there, even if they’re wearing Starfleet uniforms and spouting Vulcan logic, so I think Tevon’s story arc will deal with gaining trust to a great extent, and again, with finding his place in the scheme of things. And I have to say once again, that being in this role, and working with the talented people in this series, is nothing short of a dream come true. I feel it’s a tremendous honor to be allowed to play with such amazing people, and I can’t wait to show you all what we create.~
HERE TCM AMANDA CHERRY ABOUT HER ROLE ON STAR TREK PHOENIX.
TCM: How did you become involved with Star Trek Phoenix? AC: When I saw the casting notice online that was the first I had heard of the series. I had been a fan of STAR TREK in all of its iterations for most of my life and as an actor I couldn’t resist the draw of living in Gene Roddenberry’s future. After I had been cast I was found out by the production to be a lapsed PR professional and recruited to work behind the scenes as a Producer/Writer as well as the PR director for the series. TCM: Can you give us an overview of your character. AC: Danara Sheras is a firebrand. She knows what she knows and in her areas of expertise she knows better than just about anyone-(Starfleet Captains and high brass included). She knows what to keep her nose out of, but will fight to the death if she knows she’s right about something. Danara would rather have her head in the Dilithium chamber than anywhere else and prefers the company of engines to that of people. TCM: What if any knowledge of Star Trek did you have before Phoenix? AC: I became a fan of STAR TREK in 1991 when a friend dared me to watch an episode of TNG; actually he had to dare me twice because the 1st try didn’t take. His second dare got me to watch what is still one of my favourite episodes in all of TREK. I since then have become a bigger geek than anyone ought to be. I speak a little Klingon (insults mainly) and I understand the “Treknobabble” well enough that I’m able to do the really technical speak in character without stumbling. That has turned out to be an imminently valuable skill. TCM: Where would you like to see your character go? AC: I would like to see her become more comfortable in her own skin. Danara has a real issue with teamwork and also with authority. She has such a hard time accepting other people in her sphere of influence in any way. I hope that she learns to trust this crew and at the same time to trust herself enough to begin to relax a little. I hope that she thrives in her role as Chief Engineer and that she’s able to form some functional interpersonal relationships. I can only hope, as well, that she figures out that she needs that in her life; that engines aren’t the best friends a person can have.
TCM: Can you tell us a bit about what drives your character in the series? AC: She would tell you that the thrill of going fast, of figuring things out, of doing something with her own two hands and of getting things right are the driving forces behind her. But from being inside of her head I have to say that she has some inadequacy issues that she’s constantly trying to overcome; issues that she has no idea of. She HAS to be perfect; she CAN’T let herself make any errors. That gives her a lot of room to grow, if she’ll accept it. But really she feels no need to move beyond the way she is right now. She thinks she’s fine and happy the way she is and I think that the potential for herself discovery will be very interesting to explore. TCM: Star Trek Phoenix is still in its early stages, but what sort of background was given to your character for you to get a feel of how to play her or did you have to develop one yourself? AC: Before the auditions even happened the Executive Producers had gotten together with the writing staff (as it existed at that time) and had come up with some rudimentary backgrounds for the characters so that the actors could know a little bit about where the characters were coming from and give them a frame of reference for the cold readings. After the show had been cast we were all able to take what we knew from the initial biographies and tweak, alter, and flesh out those pasts in order to make our characters three dimensional and complete people in our own minds. For example: Danara had a home planet according to the audition bios, but it was me who got to decide at what age she left that place and how much she remembers of it. TCM: What aspects of yourself do you bring to the character you play? AC: If this makes any sense to you: her red-headed-ness. She and I have a little bit in common in our attitudes, although her self-sensor mechanism is nowhere near what a normal person would be able to get away with in society. That’s one of the things that’s going to be so much fun about her: she’s willing to say everything I would just think. TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about your role in the show? AC: I think that the one thing you and the readers of this magazine should know is that our cast is made up of actors who amaze me every time I work with them. We have a group of passionate and dedicated professionals who are a joy to be around. We have formed such a close knit family on the set already and we’re not even to principal photography yet. These characters are going to be as well played as any on TV or film. It’s the people that will make this a great series. Everything else is just icing on the cake.~
HERE LEO ROBERTS; EXECUTIVE PRODUCER OF STAR TREK PHOENIX; GIVES US AN EXCLUSIVE BEHIND THE SCENES OF THE SHOW
During the month of April, I devoted all of my time to creating the first website. I was advised to get that up and running to recruit volunteers and put actual content on it. When that site premiered on April 30, people started to take notice. I spent May and June recruiting people while starting the first podcast of the series to reach people on that audio medium. During the month of July, word-of-mouth advertising took off and our staff began to rapidly grow and by mid-August it doubled from 15 to 30 people. Also in August, we held auditions for the series on August 16/17. We saw over 100 people during both 8-hour days and found our entire main cast and ended up creating a huge supporting cast. It's amazing to see how well the actors, who auditioned 6 months ago, have literally taken their characters to a new level and they are doing such an awesome job. When the Pilot script was read by the cast in September, their characters seriously came to life and it was so much fun to watch everyone act out their part. It was then that two of the main cast actors, Ben Andrews and Amanda Cherry joined the production as producers. As a series, we decided that the bar was being raised moment by moment and we went from a fan production using green screens to a fan production with full sets. It has been a difficult and challenging journey to proceed with full sets due to the construction costs, transportation, and storage but the rewards are far more incredible then not doing it.
STAR TREK: PHOENIX began as a simple idea for a fan production on December 30, 2007. During the first two months, I engaged in thousands of hours of research scouring through the Internet for ideas and watching nothing but Star Trek. From the Original Series to Enterprise, I came up with the premise of the series which has morphed into what it is today. Fans have asked why call it Phoenix and to this day, I have no real idea why I called it that other then it was only used twice in Trek history; once in the TNG episode "Wounded" and again in Star Trek: First Contact. Creating the characters was the hardest part of the development process. Trying to make up fictional people that fans could relate to that would be new, fresh, but yet had the Trek feel to them was the challenge. One of the ideas I came up with was to create the characters and provide enough background then do something unusual in filmmaking...allow the actors to take their characters, work with each other and develop them. This has been hugely successful and has really added to the popularity of the series here in Seattle. Today, each of the actors own their character and they collaborate on a weekly basis as a group to decide how their characters are connected with each other and how they will be developed with each episode of the series.
As a production team, we knew that embarking down this path would change everything including our premiere date from January 1, 2009 to sometime in 2009. In order to keep the momentum going and to give us experience working together for the first time, we decided to begin filming the character vignettes. After the table reading, we asked the actors to begin thinking about their characters and Rodrigo DeMedeiros aka Councilor Tol Hadik was the first to create his within an hour. "Hollow" was born as was "Third Degree" featuring Amanda Cherry as Lt. Commander Danara Sheras. Both vignettes were filmed on October 25 and we quickly learned that we should have filmed them separately but again it was a great learning experience for all of us. "Hollow" was released on December 8 and has received positive reviews considering it's a 70-second video that provides nothing but mystery and intrigue. "Hollow" was also an opportunity to begin showing the audience how we could provide them with various styles of filmmaking. "Third Degree" is very different from "Hollow" and I would label it as classic Trek. The vignette is almost 5 minutes in length and is very different but also shows off our first attempt at CGI. The third vignette, "Holo-Victory" features our lead actor, Ben Andrews, who plays Captain Bryce Avari. We filmed this vignette November 8 on location and it was a huge challenge because of the weather, the homeless people around the shoot location, and the consistent crowds that gathered watching us film. Regardless, the footage turned out amazing and I am pleased with the end result especially with it being a fight sequence with the captain battling an unusual foe. The fourth vignette, "No Other Medicine" features James Lyle who plays Dr. Thomas Alden. This vignette is also another example of classic Trek but really gives the audience a huge glimpse into the character of Dr. Alden. The timelines for these vignettes is very interesting and they are all over the place. For those of you wondering, "Hollow" takes place in the distant future of the series whereas "Third Degree" takes place just days before the Phoenix launches in 2421. "HoloVictory" is unique as it takes place during the first two months of the series but doesn't exactly tell when and you'll see why when it's released. "No Other Medicine" is another with a close timeline as it takes place a few weeks before the Pilot. This vignette and "Third Degree" are still in post-production but will be completed this month.
As we passed the Holidays, STAR TREK: PHOENIX reached its 1year anniversary and we celebrated it with a revised new Pilot script and another table reading. It caused a new wave of energy to be inserted into the production and we provided many updates to everyone giving them status on what is currently going on with the series. Managing this production has always been challenging and rewarding at the same time. Trying to provide consistent updates to more than 100 people on a volunteer project is vital to keep their interest and we are doing our best to continue with that process. Everyone on this production believes in it and contributes their time, money, and energy into what will be an amazing series; it will be worth it all the moment they see the Pilot air on the big screen. We will have two events that will show the Pilot on the big screen that will be offered to the cast and crew with their families and a second screening for the media and other guests. On January 24, we began filming the first scenes of the Pilot. We decided to use an old Hangar from Sand Point Naval Air Station in Seattle. This hangar is nothing but a monstrosity and we could literally construct every set we want and place them all inside of it with room to spare and not to mention a 2-3 story warp core. The shoot ended up being a 16-hour shoot day for most people and we had the media present conducting interviews with the cast and crew in addition to filming us. We also wanted to generate a new trailer of the main cast so that was filmed at the end of the day. The footage from all is amazing and using a Red One camera is certainly worth the cost and exposure as a result of what this camera can produce. All of the vignettes and trailer must be complete by February 23 so that we can submit them to the news program who interviewed us so they can air it on television next month. We are hoping that they will also be able to premiere our new trailer at the end of the segment so keep your fingers crossed. After the segment airs, we will place it on the website for everyone to view. The first three vignettes will be completed the week of February 9 in order to submit them to the Seattle International Film Festival (SIFF) in the "Short" category. We have no idea what will happen but the process is so much fun and we look forward to the end result. SIFF is the fifth largest film festival in the world so to be able to submit our work is such a great opportunity and we are humbled to enter our vignettes. As we look to the future, the only way this series can continue, based on the high bar we have created and to deliver a superior film to the fans, is if we obtain financial support. We have created a high-end marketing plan and along with the vignettes; we are more than confident we will find the financial donations we need to complete the Pilot and head into the future. For whatever reason, there is this phenomenon that began with the series months ago. Whenever we need something and we speak it out loud to ourselves and to each other, that need is met within hours or days and recently I saw this phenomenon take place and resolve itself in less than 20 minutes. I don't know what it is or why and I don't question it. Most, if not everyone, believes that this is a sign that the production is meant to be which is why we continue to strive for our best; to raise the bar; and to represent the film industry in Seattle to the best of our abilities. Our goal is to deliver the best fan series we can but to also elevate the industry here because we believe that there are so many talented people in Seattle that the world needs to be reminded of what we can do.
We are hoping to have the Pilot complete and out to the public no later than May and we are doing everything possible to keep that expectation. This process is taking longer than normal because of all that is required to produce the Pilot since it's the equivalent of a feature film. Once the Pilot is released, we will then proceed into production for "Inaugural Peril", Episode 2 of Season One of the series. From that point forward we will set the goal of producing a new episode once every two months along with providing the fans with character vignettes. We are in preproduction of the next two vignettes to be filmed next month. The fifth vignette, "Wounded" features Aaron Key as Lt. Austin Hunt that will show the audience a unique side to this character. The sixth vignette, tentatively called "Live Long..." will feature Roy Stanton as Ambassador Tevon. This is another example of diving into a characters past in order to move forward into the future. "Live Long..." will be the second vignette, other than "Hollow" that is tied directly into the storylines of the series and will reveal a major link between Tevon, Captain Avari, and more. There is no set release date for either vignette but we expect to have them available no later than May. Finally, STAR TREK: PHOENIX has partnered with NORWESCON, the largest Science Fiction convention in the Pacific Northwest. Our main cast will be a featured panel and we also will premiere some of the new footage from the Pilot. This will only be available to attendees of the convention. The Main Cast will also be in makeup and costume chatting with fans and answering questions about the series. We are looking forward to this fourday event of fun and some serious Sci-Fi action. In conclusion, this has been one of the hardest journeys I have embarked upon but it's also one of the most fun things I've ever done in my life. To everyone working on STAR TREK: PHOENIX I would like to say, it has been the greatest pleasure and honor to work with you. You are all amazing people who are so dedicated to this production and we will continue to raise the bar of professionalism and quality for everything we do. Thank you and I look forward to the future. To the fans, I want to say thank you for your patience and holding on to what we promise will be an amazing adventure for after 42 years...the future will return!~
Star Trek Phoenix Star Trek Phoenix is a new fan fiction series from Temporal Studios, a group based in Seattle, Washington. The series will focus on exploration, adventure, and first contact in the Alpha and Gamma Quadrants. The series is set 42 years after the events of 'Star Trek: Nemesis" Even though the episodes have not been uploaded yet the pictures of the main cast and the short vignette shows a slick new look for the Starfleet uniforms and the vignette delivers an interesting introduction to part of a story line. The setting is on a Starship and whether this (USS Phoenix) is the name of the ship has not been revealed at yet. It does however boast a principal cast of the magic Star Trek ensemble number of seven. Phoenix claims to take us back to the roots of Star Trek and what we can tell you is that there are Romulans (duplicitous ones of course) and a treaty. The Phoenix auditions that have been released on You Tube at least show us that the "crew" have demonstrated some acting ability, in particular we are looking forward to seeing more of James Lyle who has been cast as "Dr Alden" it seems that he is a bit of McCoy with a little of The Doctor! The vignette sets the standard for the production and we hope that the show measures up to it. The web site states that the first episode is out in Jan/Feb 09 keep checking www.stphoenix.com as it looks like it may be worth it.
Gerri & Eugenia
ISSUE 13 OF TCM FEATURES THE RELATIONSHIPS AND ROMANCES OF STARFLEETS FINEST.
FEATURING ARTICLES BY GERRI DONALDSON AND EUGENIA STOYPRA ON VARIOUS RELATIONSHIPS IN BOTH OFFICIAL SERIES AND FAN SERIES AND AN ARTICLE BY ALEX MATTEWS ON VARIOUS TREK WEDDINGS.
COMING SOON FOR DOWNLOAD AND VIEWING ONLINE.
ISSUE 6 OF TCM SUPPLEMENTAL TAKES A LOOK AT STAR TREK COMMANDERS PAST A PRESENT. FEATURING ARTICLES BY ALEX MATTHEWS AND RICHARD MILES
COMING SOON FOR DOWNLOAD AND VIEWING ONLINE.