Welcome finally to the eighth issue of Trekkie Central Magazine, after what has been a long break and the launch of a sister magazine in the form of Trekkie Central Supplemental we are proud to bring you this issue. This issue focuses on the recently released feature from Hidden Frontier Productions in association with Intrepid Productions Star Trek Operation Beta Shield. We have an interview with the executive producer Rob Caves about his thoughts on the movie. We also are bringing you interviews with some of the main cast of Operation Beta Shield most notably Risha Denney and Nick Cook, aka Commodore Shelby and Captain Hunter, also we have spoken too Rebecca Wood about her character Vindenpawl. Not only are we bringing you Operation Beta Shield but we have two interviews with two of the cast of the new series Federation One, both Heather Ashleigh and Wayne Webb speak directly to us on their respective roles in the new series and their hopes for the future. Finally if that wasn’t enough we have a character review of Commodore Shelby for you, a review of Operation Beta Shield by Alex Matthews and also an article on the Aliens in Star Trek Fan Films also by Alex Matthews. Live Long and Prosper Richard Ps Please note the news section will return in issue 9.
Trekkie Central Staff: Writers: Heather Ashleigh; Michael Bednar; Gerri Donaldson; Josh Edelglais; Beo Fraser; Danny Levy; Gustavo Leao; Alex Matthews; Richard Miles; Eugenia Stoypa; Michael Struck; Sean-Paul Teeling; Tim Vining and John Whiting. Head Writers: Gerri Donaldson; Alex Matthews; Richard Miles and Eugenia Stoypa. Graphics Artists: Steve Gilson and Richard Miles Front Cover: Richard Miles Creative Consultants: Michael Hudson and Rick Pike. Assistant Editors: Heather Ashleigh and Alex Matthews Editor: Richard Miles Special Thanks: Contributors: Gerri Donaldson; Alex Matthews; Richard Miles; Eugenia Stoypa. Interviewees: Heather Ashleigh; Rob Caves; Lucy Cook; Nick Cook; Risha Denney; Wayne Webb; John Whiting and Rebecca Wood. 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 Trekkie-central@hotmail.co.uk and put fraudulent magazine in the subject box. Many Thanks
HERE TCM TALKS DIRECTLY TO EXCUTIVE PRODUCER ROB CAVES ON OPERATION BETA SHIELD. TCM: What was it like working with Nick and the crew of Intrepid again? RC: It has always been a lot of fun working with Nick and Intrepid. We have a blast when we get together. It's always a lot of hard work, and we're exhausted by the end of it, but it's worth it! I was really glad that we got to spend some down time with them around EB and before the shoots this time around. When they visited for the Orphans shoot last year, it was literally a 24 hour sprint. This time we had a whole week. TCM: Can you tell us what the running time will be? RC: Yeah, the running time for OBS is about 70 minutes. So it's coming in just a bit shorter than we expected, but it still feels very epic. TCM: What can you tell us about OBS? RC: It has a very epic feel to it, and I wanted to do something with the Romulans that had shades of Star Trek: VI, the Undiscovered Country and I think we did that. We were keenly aware that we were exploring themes that mirror the present day situation in Iraq. The Beta Shield name itself is derived from Operation Desert Shield that was part of the first Iraq war. So we have the Federation and the Klingons going into Romulan space to *protect* them from the Archein, the extra-galactic baddies from our Odyssey series. And of course the Romulans are not too pleased with this. And there is some rather underhanded politics, and speeches about trading freedom for security. Overall pretty relevant stuff, but in a Trek setting. And it will setup our third Hidden Frontier spin off, the Federation One series.
TCM: How much were you able to film with out the crew of Intrepid being there? RC: We filmed almost half of the project before Intrepid arrived. They also shot a small portion over in Scotland. But the big scenes in the episode all had a combination of the characters together, so that was shot last over in LA. TCM: You have stated previously that it will be original music, who is composing that music? RC: David Beukes, the composer for Intrepid episodes to date, who also composed for Orphans of War is scoring Beta Shield. TCM: What parts of the cgi have you produced for the cgi? RC: I did all the external CGI shots of the ships for OBS. The interior sets that were built new for OBS were built by Odyssey and Helena staff CGI set builders. There was a fair amount of stuff recycled from Helena and Odyssey though, but the Excelsior did get a new bridge, which I think is cool! Also Jeff Hayes Intrepid bridge set was again used in OBS. TCM: How long has it taken to produce OBS? RC: OBS filming began back in April I believe. Filming wrapped the first week in June, and the score should be done in July or early August. We're still aiming for a release in August. TCM: As part of the major filming week, you invited the studio up to a few fans over three days, how did that go and would you do it again in the future? RC: I know everybody that came for the first time said they loved it. It's always fun to get new people involved and give them something to do, either on camera or behind the scenes. It's not something we can do all the time, but generally if people get in touch and want to come to a shoot we try to work something out.~
1. What is your name? Nick Cook 2. What was the last book you read? Currently reading Shakespeare's The Tempest, though not sure that counts as a book. 3. Is the glass half full or half empty? Half full of course. Unless I'm feeling particularly morose, in which case it's half empty. But mostly full. 4. What is your favourite colour? Hmm, teal probably. 5. Scifi or Chick Flicks? You can't like both? Okay, mostly sci fi. 6. Picard or Kirk and why? Picard. He's intelligent, diplomatic and women love him. Oh, and English (we'll ginore the whole French thing). 7. What question have you always wanted to be asked? Can't say in a PG setting, but Angelina Jolie would be asking the quesion. 8. When was the last time you were star struck? Probably the first time I worked with Risha Denney. Thankfully for all concerned, I'm less of a dork these days. 9. Who was it that made you star struck? See previous answer. 10. What is the natural colour of water? Kind of watery. 11. Family Guy or The Simpsons? Family Guy. 12. Quark or Odo? Quark. 13. The original Enterprise or The Enterprise D? Enterprise D. 14. Football or Baseball? Neither. 15. Who would you most like to meet and why? John Carpenter, because he makes such great movies.
HERE TCM SPEAKS TO RISHA DENNEY AND NICK COOK, COMMODORE SHELBY AND CAPTAIN HUNTER RESPECTIVELY, ON WHAT WORKING WITH EACH OTHER AGAIN WAS LIKE. TCM: How did you become involved with the fan series Star Trek Hidden Frontier originally? RD: I answered a casting ad for part on a science fiction show, and I didn't know at first that it was Star Trek or that the part was a series regular. I auditioned like everyone else, but really had know idea was I was getting myself into at the time. TCM: How do you think the character of Shelby has evolved since the first season of HF up to where she is now in OBS? RD: Well, I think she has evolved in many ways, though most importantly she may not operate like she has something to prove anymore, which was her original motivation. Knapp, Nechayev, Cole to a certain extent, and even Rand, actually all of her superiors I suppose, have been a hurdles to her professional growth, and some what to her personal growth as well. I guess you could say she has had a 'problem with authority' and part of that has been learning the humility required to follow the chain of command, even when she knows she is right. Well, usually... TCM: Who's idea was OBS? NC: After Orphans of War, Rob Caves and I basically said we need to do this again, only bigger. The story itself was Rob's idea, and I think he came up with a pretty sweeping, epic plot. TCM: Who wrote the script for OBS? NC: Brian S. Matthews, who also wrote Orphans of War. TCM: Can you tell us a bit about the story? NC: Well I don't want to give too much away, so, I think I'll leave it up to Rob to let loose any story snippets he wants to leak out. That said, it's probably no secret that you will get to see some Shelby/Hunter chess action. I'm not telling you who wins though, you'll have to watch for that.
TCM: What changes if any are there for Shelby during OBS?
RD: Shelby obviously has had changes occur on her ship, with all the new assignments of personnel and such, which changes all the dynamics that happen on the ship and between the characters. Of course her role is different in the quadrant right now, and she plays a supporting, and ummm...shall we say butt-saving part. Same as usual I guess, just from a different angle. TCM: How much were you able to film before going to LA? NC: Well there wasn't all that much we needed to shoot. There were a couple of scenes involving David Reid as S'Ceris, and one of Lynn Robinson as Tagen. Since neither of them were able to make it to LA, we had no choice but to shoot their scenes in Dundee. Fortunately, Brian had taken that into account, and their appearances were written in such a way as to make that viable. I think we had to shoot maybe two pages, if that much. The real challenge was shooting it in such a way as to make that footage match up with everything else. To accomplish that, Rob sent us pretty specific directions as to how he wanted David's scenes shot, and we stuck to that. Having seen the rough cut, I think it worked out pretty well. TCM: What is it like working with Risha and the others again? TCM: You filmed the Orphans of War fan film with the Intrepid crew last year so what was it like working with them again? RD: I really enjoy working with Nick and Lucie, and I look forward to the next time. Its too bad they are across the pond, or am I across the pond? It makes it difficult to do very much together, but we enjoy it and have lots of fun. TCM: Yours and Nick's characters have a very good relationship on screen is that reflected in real life? RD: Like I mentioned, being so far away from each other certainly limits the contact between the characters on screen, and the actors off screen as well. However, what I do find interesting is that the relationship between our characters set the tone for our true life friendship, so we act just like
them in real life too.
NC: Well I think when we all got together the first time to do Orphans, we were getting into uncharted territory. None of us really knew each other beyond the occasional online contact. So while I can't speak for anyone in the HF camp, I do know I was kind of nervous about the whole thing. I can be a bit of a goofball on my own set, but I was generally pretty wellbehaved at the Orphans shoot because I didn't want to step on anyone's toes, or screw anything up. So I was a bit nervous, and far more restrained than I would be on the Intrepid set. Going back to work on OBS was very much the same experience as we had on Orphans, only this time we weren't just two fanfilm groups coming together, we were a bunch of friends coming together. Suffice to say, I was rather less restrained this time than I was last time. Simply put, it was a blast. I don't think there's any question that we do this because we enjoy making Star Trek together, but that's really the icing on the cake for me. Hanging out with my friends, being able to do share a pursuit we all enjoy, that's the real pleasure.
TCM: Yours and Rishas characters have a very good friendship, is that reflected in reallife? NC: Well I have to be honest, Risha and I have only met a few times now, so I couldn't really say we know each other all that well. We do get on though, and I think we have fun working together, but I also think it would be dishonest on my part to say we're anywhere near as friendly as Shelby and Hunter. That said, I'm not a professionally trained actor, so for me to be able to work alongside someone of her calibre, and to learn from that experience, really is a pleasure. I'm always grateful that Risha actually puts up with me. TCM: During OBS Shelby receives a promotion to Commodore, did you think well about time or was it a surprise? RD: It was a surprise, and kind of bittersweet at that. Of course it was about time, but it was a 'bad' time. While Shelby certainly deserved the promotion, the circumstances made it less than ideal. It was just a function of her lot in life to have waited so long, worked so hard, fought against such odds, and then the whole thing was kind of anticlimactic. But hey, it still the promotion! TCM: Have you worked on any of the cgi for the show? NC: No, I'm sorry to say I am really pretty clueless when it comes to CG. I did do a couple of graphics, but that was about the limit of my contribution. TCM: Is there anything else that you can tell us about the film? NC: OBS is pretty epic in scope, but it's the interplay between the characters that really make it shine for me. I think those who've followed the Hidden Frontier shows and Intrepid will appreciate the humour, and the insights they'll get into some of those characters. I'm immensely proud of what we've achieved, and I hope the viewers will enjoy watching Beta Shield as much as we enjoyed making it.
TCM: You are due to appear soon in the pilot episode for Federation One fan series, what can you tell us about that? RD: I think its another example of Shelby's current role in the quadrant. Instead of focusing in on the adventures of her and the Excelsior crew, they just seem to come out of the nearest worm hole when the see the bat signal in the sky, and rush in to assist where needed. TCM: In the past you have done some directing for HF can you tell us what you keep in mind when directing an episode? RD: Directing for me is just acting from the other side, if that makes sense. Since acting is where I come from, that is my angle when I deal with actors. I just approach them the way I approach my own acting. I focus on behavior first, and lines are secondary, but because of the specialty nature of Star Trek, lines are much more important than usual. I just want to see behavior that is interesting and fitting for the character and the story. I have a really hard time keeping all the technical stuff straight and really rely on Rob and the AD to help me with that as well as the lines, that way I can focus on the behavior of the actors. TCM: What else can you tell us about Shelby, are we likely to see her again at some point in the future or is Fed One the last time? RD: I don't think we can ever completely count Shelby out as long as she is travelling through the galaxy. Not only is she always looking for adventure, she is always ready and willing to take on a challenge. As we know Shelby is just a wormhole or energized beam away...~
OPERATION BETA SHIELD A REVIEW BY ALEX MATTHEWS nd
Last year, during my trip to the 2 annual Excelsior Ball, I had the privilege to be involved, at least marginally in the wedding scene of Ro Nevin and Corey Aster that was used to bring the Hidden Frontier series to a close. At Rob’s suggestion, I was even fitted into a science division uniform, and credited at the end as my Intrepid character, Keran Azhan. At the Ball itself, those assembled were even given the treat of seeing the rough cut of the HF finale, “It's Hour Come Round At Last', as a special thank you for attending. It was an amazing experience and one I fondly remember. This year, it went even better. Since the success of the 10 minute Intrepid/HF crossover short, “Orphans of War” written by Brian Matthews, both series were eager to go one step further and do a full-length episode teamup. This eventually evolved into the movie-esque project, “Operation: Beta Shield”, which also served to follow up on various plot point that have been seen in the HF spin-off shows, “Odyssey” and “Helena Chronicles”. A lot of work went into this project, and it holds a special place in my own heart because it was my first time being actively involved in a HF Productions project. When I was able to confirm I would definitely be attending this years Excelsior Ball, Rob and Nick were gracious enough to offer me a part, not a simple background part like the previous year, but an actual speaking role. Although I was disappointed I wasn't able to flesh out Azhan in a HF project, I was more then happy to know I would be made up into a Romulan citizen, and share a scene with Korg, brilliantly (and scarily) portrayed by Karl Puder. What made it even more exciting was knowing this was the opening scene of the entire film! When I received the script for “Beta Shield”, I was blown away by the audacity of the project, and the various storylines it explored. Returning to the oppressed planet of Vreijheid, and revisiting the character of Karah Vindenpawl had something HF fans have been waiting for since her brief reappearance in Season Six's “Beachhead”, after her initial introduction in the Season Four episode “Security Counsel”. Vindenpawl has been a fan favourite due to her interactions with the main HF cast, and her take-noprisoners attitude, and everyone was eager to see the direction that Rebecca Wood, the actress who brings her to life with such zeal, and Brian Matthews' writing, would take her. They won't be disappointed with what comes out of this union.
“Operation: Beta Shield” is a politically motivated adventure, that deals with the intricacies that are involved in keeping the Federation running, as well as just how Starfleet and the Federation interact with each other. With the recent Archein invasion of Romulan space, seen in “Odyssey”, the stakes are incredibly high for the crew of the USS Excelsior, recently refitted and missing several regulars. Visiting the old homestead of the Excelsior is a welcome treat, and Elizabeth Shelby back in the center seat is a sight that has been missed since HF finished it's seven year run. But this is a different Shelby then we have become used to, because she herself has some new situations to deal with, most notably the absence of her trusted First Officer, Robin Lefler, who is currently a wanted fugitive along with the crew of the Starship Helena. Speaking of Lefler, “Beta Shield” shows us just how her decision to remain on the Helena is affecting her fiance, Commander Ben Nostrom, the chief engineer of Excelsior we were introduced to in “Orphans of War”. The Excelsior herself, a character in it's own right, has drastically changed, having been completely reconfigured from the usual form that Shelby has grown accustomed to, lacking it's rd distinctive 3 nacelle, replaced now with an enhanced sensor pod. This is alongside various other cosmetic changes on the interior and external modifications that addresses certain design flaws the original kitbashers back in the days of TNG finale, “All Good Things...” really didn't think about in detail. But where many things have changed, many things still stay the same, such as the relationship between Shelby and her friend, Daniel Hunter, captain of the USS Intrepid. Only glimpsed at in the Intrepid pilot, “Heavy Lies The Crown”, the adversarial sparing between the two characters was explored in slightly more detail in “Orphans of War”, and “Beta Shield” gives the two a lot more screen time, revealing that beneath the catty comments and snide asides, there is a genuine caring relationship between the two. The film also brings a welcome return to one of HF's well known guest actors, Jim Davies, who played the renegade alien Siroc for 4 seasons, and whose plots and machinations nearly brought about the destruction of the known universe. But this time, the actor has switched sides, and portrays the Federation President, Se'Fron of Efros, a notably different character from both Siroc and his other HF role, Dr. Qu'qul of the Independence. In “Beta Shield”, the Federation President decides to no longer sit by the sidelines, and becomes actively involved in the degenerating situation when the fragile alliance between the Federation and the Romulan Star Empire threatens to fall apart.
Brian Matthews script weaves several distinct plots, sending the crews of both ships in a variety of directions, before bringing them back together for a bitter-sweet finale. While the crew of Excelsior deal with the possibility of Archein invasion, the crew of Intrepid must look into the idea that Section 31 are taking advantage of the weakened position the first invasion has placed Romulus in. But after a major political disaster, Excelsior ends up escorting the Federation President to Romulus in order to repair their alliance, while Intrepid follows the S31 trail to Vreijheid IV. Given the nature of the story, it does have the drawback of only focusing on certain characters, mainly Hunter, Shelby, Korg, Se'Fron, and towards the end, Vindenpawl. Fan favourite, Dr. Henglaar appears briefly in several scenes, though not as a main character, merely as a sounding off board for other characters, like Shelby and McCabe. Lt. S'Ceris, and Lt. Commander Caed, main Intrepid characters, also appear at irregular points, but more time is spent with the Excelsior officers, compared to their Intrepid counterparts. We are introduced to several new faces on Intrepid, notably First Officer Xara Tagen, Lt. Solek and CPO Corin Gaines, but aside from receiving credits, they are not introduced at all, so prior knowledge would be helpful when seeing them. Unfortunately, that is one of the larger problems when Intrepid and HF engage in these crossovers, as Intrepid is still set in a time frame several years behind the HF productions. Projects such as “Orphans of War” and “Beta Shield” require a time jump for the Intrepid crew, indicated at such time as when Caed is refered to as a Commander, when in “Heavy Lies The Crown”, she is a mere Lieutenant. Gaines is refered to in “Heavy Lies The Crown” but no link is made to establish the character seen in “Beta Shield” is the same character, while the Intrepid episodes and shorts that introduce characters like Tagen and Solek are yet to be released. This means that viewers of “Beta Shield” have no real understanding of just how important these characters may be to later Intrepid arcs – they simply appears as a nameless officer reporting information to a known character, like Shelby or Hunter. “Operation: Beta Shield” is not merely a stand-alone movie, but also a pilot of sorts, for the latest HF spinoff, named “Federation One”, with the end of the film acting as a jumping off point for the new series. It takes it's name from that of the Presidential flagship, which is originally introduced as StarfleetOne, before having it's designation changed by the end of the film. Excelsior's chief of security, Lt. Commander Matt McCabe (portrayed by Wayne Webb) is transferred to head up the security staff of the President, and acts as the link from HF to FedOne, just as Ro Nevin links “Odyssey”, and Corey Aster and Jorian Zen link “Helena Chronicles”. The plotline of “Beta Shield” may give us a hint as to the kinds of stories we will see in this developing series, which began filming at the same time as “Beta Shield”, since many of the actors involved in the film are becoming regulars in this new series.
I consider myself very lucky, as I was able to see early on just what Rob and Co. planned with this project, was allowed to watch as the script became a reality, and even got a sneak peek while I was over in LA of half of the rough cut. Finally being able to watch the entire production, and actually be able to say “I saw that filmed!” or “I ran tape on that scene!” is something I won't forget in a hurry. Although I have raised some points of contention, I am not disappointed with the film on a whole, finding it as engaging and watchable as I found the original script. I enjoyed watching scenes I would imagine in my mind fleshed out, where they do not disappoint, in fact going above and beyond what I envisioned. As usual, the CGI is amazing, the acting and characterisation what I have come to enjoy from these people, which is only enhanced by the talents of soundtrack masters David Beukes and Andrew Ceperly, and the firm but fun direction of both Jennifer Cole and David O'Neill. The make-up team of Beo Fraser, John Whiting and Heather Ashleigh allowed the alien races of Trek do be done justice on a budget, while caring for the 'victims' at the same time, of this I can personally attest during my own transformation into a Romulan. One of the primary complaints about “Orphans of War” was it was too short, and offered a mere taste of a joint adventure between the two crews. I think that will be remedied by watching “Operation: Beta Shield”, which is hopefully again, a taste of more joint adventures, seeing what Excelsior, under Elizabeth Shelby's command, gets up to in the Beta Quadrant. When she isn't giving Hunter a hard time, that is...
HERE TCM TALKS TO THE NEW FEDERATION PRESIDENT, AKA REBECCA WOOD ON HER EXPERIENCES ON THE SET OF OPERATION BETA SHIELD AND FEDERATION ONE. TCM: Your character has appeared in HF before, how has she changed between then and OBS? RW: Well, for one thing, just in terms of technical changes, she has a bit more of a role in the script, which gives me a chance to flesh her out in terms of layers, levels, journey and complexity. Not a tremendous amount, but more. As a character, she has changed in that she's grown more mature. She is choosing her battles more wisely. I think she's really come into her own as a ruler. TCM: How does your character feature in OBS? RW: She is a leader, and she's facing a challenge. (well, a FEW challenges really!) I really can't tell you more than that, without fearing the Doom of the Plot Pirates. TCM: How does your character feature in Fed 1? RW: Honestly, these two scripts are tangled up together in my mind because I filmed them both at once in one crazy marathon day. I really can't tell you much without giving everything away; I will say she is coming up against an old adversary, which is quite delightful and fun for me as an actor. TCM: Your character is known as a bad guy, do you think that this is an accuate describition of her? RW: No. Before, back in one of my first interviews when I said "she's not evil, she's just misunderstood" (which seems to have become, since then, a commonly stated theme around HF) I really was a bit tongue-in-cheek. I saw where she could be seen as a "bad guy." She was created in order to expose/explore in satire something that was going on in America at that time. Now, with OBS and Fed. One, I truly don't think she's a "bad guy" at all. But viewers may differ with me on that--and all opinions are valid...there are a lot of unanswered questions still. I'm playing her with complete conviction as I play all my characters, because that's the only way to give an honest performance.
TCM: In OBS your character, must have an impact on the events surrounding the heightened fear, (Archeins invading) can you tell us a bit about that? RW: Well, no. I can't...this is so difficult. Let's just say she's challenged. She's reacting to things, she's having to think on her feet, or IS SHE? It's up to the audience to puzzle it out. TCM: We will be getting to know your character more in Fed One, are there any storylines that you would like to see her in? RW: Well, Vindenpawl is very much a public figure, and that is really the only way she is shown onscreen. It furthers the plot, but as an actor I value any private moments my characters can experience onscreen. All of my characters in HF have been action-oriented, plot-furtherers. It's great, it serves the show, but it doesn't truly challenge me as an artist. Logistically with these episodes there is just not a lot of time, so this answer is really a total hypothetical, "I-wish" kind of answer. As an artist I am challenged by my character having to cope with things, struggle, learn, change, or basically just go through something -- the most private struggles "in public" (onscreen) are the most intriguing to me, and the most fun to work on, they are the things that stretch me as an artist and really draw on my training. Honestly, this is something that just isn't going to happen, but I'd like to see her have a story of her own. Right now she's a small part of a larger story; she's a mere figurehead, she's a leader, she has sunk her individuality in the service of an office. I wish I could explore the PERSON that she is. I wish they'd let her have a romance or a personal crusade or something. I've done my homework as an actor and given her a lot of background in order to make her completely faceted, but none of that work will really ever be seen, as the story is mainly about someone else. /shrug, what can you do: as an actor, I get the script, and I do what I can with what I'm given...but it's like everything I've done for HF thus far, I'm ensemble, B-plot. It's fun, I love it, and I pitch in with all I've got, but still...there's only so much you can do.
TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about your part in OBS? TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about your part in Fed One? RW: I'll answer both of these at once; as I said before, both scripts really work together. I loved filming these, it was one of my favorite things I've done for HF. I think you all won't be disappointed. I'm looking forward to hearing what people think, and if they get what I got out of it, the speculation is only beginning. ~
HERE TCM TALKS TO LUCY COOK ABOUT HER MAKE UP EXPERIENCES BOTH ON INTREPID AND OBS. TCM: How did you become involved with the make up department on Intrepid? LC: I have been with Intrepid since the beginning, so when we were starting up, Nick asked who wanted to do make up and I volunteered. A lot of it was just experimenting on David to see what would happen, luckily I had a very patient guinae pig with a high pain threshold. TCM: What is involved with a general make up process? LC: First we put on a layer of foundation, then we put put on the main make up colour such as olive for S'ceris. We then colour the prothetics, apply the spirit gum to them and leave it to dry for a few moments so it becomes sticky and then we put the prothetics onto the actor. We tend to blend the prothetics in with liquid latex where required, then put the make up over the top. When we first started, it would take about 3 hours to do S'ceris's make up, but now it takes less than an hour with the processes becoming slicker each time we do it. When it comes to the make up, I am not a perfectionist and so long as it looks good on camera then I don't do anything else to it. Since Nick B joined the Intrepid crew, he has brought some great ideas regarding make up and an extra pair of hands. TCM: How different was the makeup process on Hidden Frontier? LC: The make up process on HF was so much more professional that what we do. They have stocks of the proper make up, hair pieces etc and the lighting in the make up room actually matches that on the set. TCM: When you went to LA in October to film Orphans, they put a head piece on David Reid will that be featured again in the future? LC: The headpiece in Orphans looked really good, unfortunately we were unable to get the same gum to stick it down in the UK. When we experimented with it here, we found that we couldn't get it looking as good as it did on Orphan. So it was an option of either using it and it looking bad, or going back to the smooth headed S'ceris we used in HLtC. Depending on how we get on with make up, we may use it in the future.
TCM: You helped out the team whilst filming OBS, what was that like and did you get the chance to attempt any aliens that you haven't done before? LC: Helping out on OBS was great fun and I learnt so much from John, Beo, Heather and Andrew (did I miss anyone?). Working in their make-up room was amazing and it's given us ideas of what we want to do for future productions. I was able to help out with the make up on OBS including the Vrijheid make up. TCM: What is your favourite alien to do? LC: My favourite alien has to be David's S'ceris. Probably because I have been able to watch/be part of the progression of the make up, from the first time we attempted the make up and David ended up looking like a Borg to the make up that is now trademarked as S'ceris. TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about, that might be happening in the future? LC: We are always experimenting with make-up and as our experience grows, you will start to see different aliens appearing on Intrepid, some you will recognise, other's you won't.~
In the world of science fiction, the idea that there are other sentient life forms out there is one to be richly exploited, and the various races that occur in the works of those authors that delve into this world are often varied, many of them going beyond the staple bipedal humanoid stereotype. But in the world of Star Trek, primarily a television show, the constraints of a budget mean that sometimes, it is the stereotype that flourishes. Only in a few exceptions throughout the entire 40 year run of the franchise have nonhumanoid aliens been seen, and even then, those aliens will often at some point take on a more 'human' visage, for ease of interaction (and actor requirements). So how can fan-films, which work on an near-non-existent budget, provide anything that begins to match the 'canon' works? Existing Aliens In the current day and age, while the make-up and computer generated effects that the 'amateur' film maker has access to may not be on par with the latest works from Paramount Studios, they are on the same level as the original series adventures of Kirk and Spock, if not better. Also, the idea of 'simplifying' the look of the aliens can be used, depending on the needs of the alien required. In the world of Hidden Frontier, to make a Tellerite, actor John Whiting originally used a Halloween pig nose, but unhappy with the look, branched out into basic prosthetics applications, and was later able to make something that blended easier into the actors face, while looking less amateur. These self taught lessons proved to have definate dividends for the show in the long run, as their make-up crew grew, and produced passable attempts at Son'a, Cardassians, Bolians and Nausicaans. Over the course of the show, and into their spin-offs, the make-up has continued to improve as the staffs understanding of the techniques became clearer and their own supplies improved. In the production of “Star Trek: Intrepid”, one of the chief characters is their half-human, half-Romulan security chief, whose make-up harks back to to the days of the Original Series, where Vulcan and Romulans were indistinguishable in appearance. Lucy Cook, one of the make-up leads for the show, has said the look of the Romulans is in constant improvement, as are the distinct spot-like markings of her own character, the Trill Ops Officer. In the “Star Trek: Exeter” fanfilm, they make a deliberate effort to copy the style of the original series, with the look of their Tressaurian adversaries having a distinct 'retro' look, in a way looking similar to the first appearance of the Gorn. The Andorian communication officer featured on the show also has the same appearance that the Tholians had the Original Series versus the newer look shown in “Star Trek: Enterprise”, in keeping with the 'retro' feel. In the same episode, they featured an appearance from the Tholians, again, following the example of the Original Series, where all that was displayed was an image on the bridge view-screen, of the Tholian commander's 'head'. Whereas, when Hidden Frontier had an appearance of a Tholian, they took a lesson from the work of the CGI experts on the Enterprise spin-off, by using a distinctly animated and rather emotive Tholian officer. Although it differed from the established appearance of a Tholian, it was similar enough in appearance to garner a lot of fan praise in it's inclusion. The former “New Voyages”, now known as “Phase II”, is a mix of the best of both worlds, as while they are attempting to tell the story of the original Enterprise crew during the last two years of the first five year mission, they have enough professional make-up experts of staff to create the newer look of the alien races seen in the Original Series, but without breaking continuity. Here, Tellerites and Andorians look like they are extras from an Enterprise episode, but the Klingons still possess the 'classic' Genghis Khan inspired look.
Creating New Races Sometimes, a story will call for something original, such as the Tressaurians in Exeter, mentioned earlier, or the Archeins, the resident bad-guys of the “Star Trek: Odyssey” series. Here, it is not a matter of following a set look, but rather creating one from scratch. As said earlier, the Tressaurians have a distinct appearance inspired by the look of the Original Series, appearing like an off-shoot race of the Gorn, tall lizard-like bipeds, with orange scaly skin and large iridescent eyes. Although the techniques are available to make more form-fitting and movable headpieces for actors exist on a limited budget, the “powers-that-be” of Exeter went for the more cumbersome, unmoving and one-piece look, in an effort to mirror the look of the Original Series. In the case of the Archeins, Hidden Frontier Productions decided to focus exclusively on the look of the make-up, versus creating a new prosthetic look for the resident aliens of Odyssey. The final result of trail and error was inspired by the looks of several species of tropical amphibious sea creatures, an idea that came from actress Sharon Savene, a qualified marine biologist. Blue skin marked by distinct and individual streaks of black across their faces, they also have colourful large spot-like markings along the bridges of their noses, which move along the upper eyebrow line and then up their temples. It creates a distinctly new and original look, while still being a relatively easy application process, with no worries about pieces falling off the actor mid-shoot. The staff of Hidden Frontier are no stranger to creating new make-ups though, having in the past created the renegade alien Siroc, as well as the residents of Federation member, Vrejheid IV. Siroc was a long-lived alien whose race remains unknown even upto his last appearance in their series finale. His look, created by John Whiting, was inspired by the look of Ted Cassidy as the android Ruk, in the the Original Series episode, “What Are Little Girls Made Of?” He created a series of prosthetic appliances to add to actor Jim Davies' temples and eyebrow area that gave him a more sinister, shadowed look, matching that with grey skin, and like Lucy Cook's 'Romulan ears project', was constantly worked on and improved from it's original look. The Vreijheidians could be called an early prototype for the Archeins, as they too were an alien race which were made to look distinctly original simply by the use of make-up alone. In this case, actors were powdered slightly with foundation, giving a pale, sometimes golden look to the actors skin, which was then added to with a series of intricate marking on either side their faces alongside the nose, moving from just below the cheekbone, up the nose, to just below the eyebrow, complemented by a similar marking by the ear, which differed from the genders. It created an elegant and original look for an alien race that were only featured heavily in the one story during HF's initial run, but would end up playing a part in their upcoming movie, Operation: Beta Shield. Beta Shield also features the crew of the USS Intrepid, who have their own resident bad guys to deal with... the Surai, an original alien race who have yet to be seen in any finished episodes but should premiere in the short “Machinations”. The idea is that this race will be completely CGI, since they will be very much a non-humanoid race, breaking away from the stereotype mentioned at the start of this article, where they will not take on a pseudo-humanoid form to interact with the protagonists, and may be influenced by Species 8472 seen in “Star Trek: Voyager”, since they too use completely organic technology. This simple idea also supports the fact that, despite being 'amateur', the technology exists to enable something like this to be made outside of a big budget studio. So in answer to the question I posed at the start: “how can fan-films, which work on an near-non-existent budget, provide anything that begins to match the 'canon' works?”, I reply that by keeping it simple, like in 'the good old days', modern fan-films will easily achieve satisfactory results within a near-non-existent budget. But when the multitude of technology and software that is now becoming available to the 'amateur' film-maker makes it an option to go beyond keeping it 'simple' without making a mess of it, then that option should be taken. Star Trek pushed the limits during its heyday, so why shouldn't those carrying on the torch and fulfilling Gene's vision not do the same, eh?
HEATHER ASHLEIGH SPEAKS DIRECTLY TO TCM ABOUT HER NEW CHARACTER IN FEDERATION ONE. TCM: This is another you have been cast as, how do you get yourself into this characters mind set? HA: Getting myself into character huh? I read the script (good first step right?) And I try to figure out as I'm reading, what this character is like. Is she tough, is she shy, does she have a strong personality, or is she the damsel in distress type. Once I've determined her personality, the rest is just putting myself into the characters situation. I do that by really determining her situation. Is it good, bad, indifferent. I look at her emotions in each scene and put myself in the characters shoes in each different situation.
TCM: Compare your latest character with your other two major HF characters, Silan and Ensign Kristen Laws. HA: Well, Mara and Silan are a lot alike. They both have attitude, they both have spunk. They both speak their minds. However, Mara knows her place and keeps her thoughts a bit more contained than Silan. But, she's more verbal than Kristen. But to be honest, I haven't spent a lot of time as Kristen Laws, so I can only make the comparison based on the little time I've played the character.
TCM: Can you tell us a bit about this character. HA: Well…she's strong, confident, knows what she's doing. Knows her place, but won't take any crap from anyone either. This character is fairly new, so I can't tell you much more than that at the moment.
TCM: How do you feel about the political theme of both the show, and your character's planetary history?
HA: Mara Onshul.
HA: Again, my answer to this one is pretty much the same as a previous question. I'm learning as I go along. And I know I'll find more the longer I play her and the more I explore her characteristics and background.
TCM: How does she feature in the first episode of Fed One?
TCM: Is she likely to appear in future episodes of Fed One?
HA: She's an assistant to McCabe.
HA: Uh, yea more than likely she'll be back.
TCM: How much do you know about Vreijheid, and has this helped to understand Mara Onshul?
TCM: Which of your characters are you like the most?
HA: You know, I don't know much about Vreijheid or Mara's history. I know more about her personality than I do anything else. Silan was the one I knew the most about. But I think that's because by the time I came into the show, her character had already been drawn out and had been in the show twice before. So, she already had more history. Both Mara and Kristen are new characters and therefore their backgrounds aren't as drawn out as Silan's was. In time, I'll know more about Mara and be able to answer this question better! (hehe). So, I'm exploring Mara and learning about her as I go along.
HA: Well, Silan was a lot like me. However, she was more willing to kick someone's butt at a moments notice if they gave her the wrong look. And I'm not quite like that. Hehe, so I would have to say that Mara is closer to my personality than any of them. She's spunky, speaks her mind (when appropriate), is fun to be around. Yet is professional and knows her place. Gets done what needs to get done and is very efficient. (Ok, so she's more efficient than I am in terms of work, but hey. I've got bigger priorities, she doesn't!) So I would say I'm the most like Mara.
TCM: What is her name?
TCM: Which of your characters are you most drawn to and enjoy playing? HA: Okay, now that's a toss-up. I'd at this point would have to say that Silan is still my favorite. But, Mara, at this point, is right up there with her. TCM: Is there anything else you can tell us about your role in Fed One? HA: Haha, I'd like to, but I don't know enough yet! Haha, come back to me on that one!~
HERE TREKWEBS GUSTAVO LEAO TALKS DIRECTLY TO WAYNE WEBB ON HIM REPRISING HIS ROLE OF MATT McCABE IN HIDDEN FRONTIERS UP COMING PRODUCTION STAR TREK FEDERATION ONE. TCM: Wayne, what is your background as an actor ? WW: I've been in LA for 6 years. I used to think about acting when I was younger, then it was just a way to get out off the farm. I started doing plays and musicals in High School and realized acting is all i ever want to do. I worked on a movie in San Francisco called The Point of Boxes which has won some awards. My first speaking role was in a movie called Candy Paint which also stared Aaron Paul and Emannuelle Chiqri. My first role in a hollywood movie was very minor, i was Aiport Passenger number 1 in Latter Days. But now you can 6 degrees me with Kevin Bacon, in 3, so i'm good. My last non HF role was in a movie called The Weakend which i hope to see soon. TCM: Can you describe the character of Lt. Cmdr. Matt McCabe for us ? WW: McCabe is awesome. He's the guy who doesn't get nervous, he just gets angry. I like to think he channels that rage into an ability to deal in any situation. When he's not in any danger though he tends to look through the world with a sarcastic eye. TCM: The character of McCabe become a fan favorite character among Star Trek and Hidden Frontier fans. And now you are the lead of your own series, Star Trek Federation One. What do you feel about that ? WW: I am so excited. I've been told it's more a mini-series movie type situation than a flat out series. HF has been the most consistent, most fun acting job i've ever had. I love my character, but within the confines of a federation ship Matt doesn't really get to come out of his shell. The series, to me, is an opportunity to see McCabe react differently than we've really seen him. With more humor, less stiffness, and hopefully plenty of female companionship and some butt kicking. Really i just can't wait to see him start speaking his mind instead of having to hold it in, and i hope there's plenty of that.
TCM: What is your opinion on the script for the first episode, "Unity", written by Brian S. Matthews ? Is this a different take on Star Trek ? WW: Things are different, because i don't trust anyone i work with i'm better able to relax. If that sounds odd you'll have to see the episode. I love the way it's written, there are some good funny bits, some really cool characters, and some scenes i can't wait to see played out on screen. Alot of angst though, gotta love that, heh. TCM: Risha Denney reprises her Hidden Frontier role as Captain Shelby in the first episode. Do you both have any scenes together ? WW: Risha is in the first few scenes with me, and she does pop up later at one point. Only one of our scenes is together though.
TREKKIE CENTRAL MAGAZINE BRINGS YOU A NEW MONTHLY FEATURE. WHERE WE WILL BRING YOU YOUR FAVOURITE CHARACTERS AND GIVE YOU SOME INFORMATION ABOUT THEM. UP THIS MONTH IS COMMODORE SHELBY FROM OPERATION BETA SHIELD
Who is Shelby? Her birthplace is unknown, although it is presumed to be Earth, she grew up on Mars in New Cydonia, (the bit where the ‘face’ is seen on Mars) after her mother, a teacher, emigrated. Whilst at first disliking (like most young people) she settled and thrived. Eventually, seeking to join Starfleet as her father had before her. Admiral Shelby was a remote and distant parent with whom she had little contact and this may have been the reason she joined the fleet and seeking to see what kept her father away from her! Shelby’s interest when joining the Academy was to become a pilot but somehow she ended up in the Engineering program. However, Tactical Strategy was her strength! The Academy was where she met the love of her life Mackenzie Calhoun, a Xenexian warlord who joined Starfleet after leading his world to freedom. With Shelby excelling in Tactical Strategy she impressed many a Starfleet Admiral with her strengths in command and ending up in Starfleet Tactical. We first see Shelby in Starfleet history when Picard was assimilated by the Borg and she was assigned to the USS Enterprise and acted as XO under the Captainship of William T Riker. Shelby during her time on the Enterprise presented as a strong and capable women who knew what she wanted and where she was headed. She had no problem with telling Riker to “get a move on” in taking up a permanent role as a ship’s commander so that she could transfer onto the Enterprise as its XO. Although this did not happen she was able to effectively strike up a productive working relationship with Riker and both had gained mutual respect for the abilities of the other. With Riker again taking on the role of Number One on the Enterprise, Shelby was reassigned to Starfleet Tactical to work on the rebuild of the fleet after the battle at Wolf 359. The next we see of her is when she is posted to the USS Excalibur under the command of Morgan Korsmo, and after his death assumes that she will command the ship. However this is not to be! Calhoun her old flame turns up and she remains as his stable XO, again their relationship hots up! Relationships both working and personal take their toll and she is transferred to the USS Excelsior!
She is placed under the command of Captain Ian. We first see Shelby when she comes aboard the Excelsior and when she introduces herself to Knapp, basically says “I want your job” but with as much conviction of someone saying “Yes take me, take me, I want to be executed”.
The Federation has a new enemy after The Dominion War called The Grey (though they seem to have escaped from where that Luke what’s his name comes from!!) something like the Borg, an enigma who takes others as slaves. Shelby seems to have only one friend and that is Lefler the Chief Engineer. It seems that Shelby has lost some of the strength that she showed with Riker. Even when she has had to take on the role of prosecutor when the Captain is accused of killing a Founder, she does her job and then tries to excuse herself for doing it!! During a fracas with The Grey, she is given command of the Fleet and ordered to get them back to DS 12. However, again she appeared scared to take on this! What happened to that strong and capable woman that we saw spar with Riker? Command seems to sit heavy on Shelby’s shoulders and she always looks like the task is too much for her and is surprising for someone who was so obsessed to show what she was made of. Back on the Enterprise she seemed so self assured and does not come across with her in the Captain’s chair. She eventually seems to be respected by her crew and gives praise when praise is due and at times she has a Janeway quality about her when trying to nurture and show care for her crew. But, she is awkward not unlike Janeway when she first took command of Voyager! (Not that anyone could be Janeway, and it is just a little bit!!!!!) She comes to realise that with being at the top comes loneliness. In her Ready Room she wishes to drop the title of Captain and just be called Elizabeth especially by Lefler. However, when the Excelsior is in battle the Shelby of old seems to come through. She appears to be more confident, full of ideas and she takes command (about bloody time too!). Also, whether it is subconscious she seems to channel Picard when she is going to come into a conflict situation by pulling down her uniform. Maybe in the back of her mind she is trying to model herself on the people she has come in contact with and she believes they are good leaders. Slowly she is interacting with the rest of the crew and becoming closer to some of them and with the ship’s counsellor seems to have a place where she can let her hair down (literally). Whatever reputation she had before she came to the Excelsior about people not being able to work with her seems to be lessening. She has become a team player and may have come about by the fact that the buck now stops with her! She is in the Captain’s chair and she is learning that hearing other people’s ideas is valuable.
Art Imitates Life... Operation: Beta Shield offers a glimpse into the inner workings of the gargantuan organisation that is the Federation, and how it deals with the fallout of a failed invasion, and the possible prelude to another. We see the Federation President engage in personal discussion with the leader of another galactic power, and form a fragile alliance that will have far reaching benefits, if everyone can get over the short-term annoyances. The fact that the Federation, despite being a power rebuilding due to their conflicts with the Grey, Tholians and Breen, steps up and offers assistance to a reluctant Romulan Star Empire, itself weakened by the initial Archein invasion, is a heartening sight. It continues the message of peace and co-operation the Federation is wellknown for. But with it's stunning finale, does it hold a darker message for the future of the Federation? One of the core characters at the conclusion of “O:BS” is Karah Vindenpawl, a woman who rules her planet of Vreijheid IV with a iron grip, in the name of security and protection. The episode of “Hidden Frontier” that introduced her, “Security Counsel” is a fan favourite, most notably for it's depiction of the idea that in order to safeguard themselves, a people have allowed their own personal wants and needs to be sublimated for the need of this greater security. But it also poses the question – do those dangers really exist, or are they phantoms haunting us that make us think we are in danger? Given that the Federation has always been about peaceful coexistence with one another, and furthering the cause of friendship and cooperation, how is it a planet like Vreijheid could be a member at all, let alone such a long standing one? It has been seven years since that fateful attack on the Twin Towers, since over 3000 people lost their lives due to the actions of radical terrorists, and is a day forever burned into the memory of the planetary populace. It is something that has united countries, and torn families apart, as people make a decision, answering a call to join up and defend their way of living. Since then, the world is a different place, with the continued “War on Terrorism”, which has had an impact on civil liberties, and a person cannot go through life, even non-US citizens without seeing some kind of indication of these changes. The Department of Homeland Security is a Cabinet department of the US government charged with the responsibility of protecting the territory of the U.S. from terrorist attacks, but its affects are felt worldwide, due to it's contined reference in various television shows, such as “Charmed” or “Smallville”. These shows deal with a certain type of un-reality due to their very nature, yet these kinds of references very much keep them grounded in the real world. With the influence of a country as large of the United States of America, how long can it be before other countries adopt similar attitudes? The United Kingdom has been argued to be “under the thumb” of their America cousins for many years, so will they soon have their own version of the DHS? Will Australia, Canada, France and Germany follow that example? And what effect with this continue to have on our own individual freedom and liberties? Will Earth evolve, not into the idealistic Federation Gene Roddenberry invisioned, but that of something like Vindenpawl's Vreijheid, where security is all that matters, at the cost of our own identity?
BAD GUYS SPECIAL JOHN CARRIGAN SPEAKS ALONG WITH A HOST OF OTHER VILLAINS CHARACTER REVIEWS OF MOST MAJOR BAD GUYS FROM STAR TREK FAN FILMS AND ARTICLES WRITTEN BY VARIOUS STAR TREK FAN FILM PERSONA
RELEASE DATE 31ST OCTOBER 2008
AUDIO SERIES STAR TREK DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS IS THE FOCUS OF THIS SHORT. WE BRING YOU AN EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH BARBARA PUDER ALSO AN EXCLUSIVE LOOK AT THE BASIS OF WHATS TO APPEAR IN THE FIRST SEASON OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WRITTEN BY SERIES CREATOR ALEX MATTHEWS
RELEASE DATE 25TH OCTOBER 2008