TCM Issue 1 by Richard Miles

Hello and welcome to the first issue of Trekkie Central Magazine. Whilst there is no official Star Trek on T.V at the moment, we trek fans know that it is alive and well in the hearts and minds of fans, especially in a select few fans who spend a lot of their time and money creating shows for fans to enjoy via the internet. In this issue we will be taking a look at one of the newest shows, Star Trek Odyssey. This show comes to us from Areakt Pictures and has been created by Rob Caves of Hidden Frontier fame. Within this issue will have got exclusive interviews with Rob Caves, Karl Puder, Michelle Laurent and Julia Morizawa. We also have an introduction to the series, a review of the first episode and a page devoted to some of the Production stills from the Hidden Frontier website. Additionally, we will be quizzing two of the cast from the upcoming show Star Trek The Helena Chronicles - we will be digging into the minds of Sharon Savene and Beau Christian Williams. We hope that you will enjoy this trek through Star Trek Odyssey. Live Long and Prosper. Richard Miles Trekkie Central. 3

Welcome What’s the series about?

3 In Pictures.

A review of Iliad Star Trek Odyssey’s first episode

The Creator A chat with Odyssey creator Rob Caves

Finally Human A chat with Julia Morizawa (Stadi)

Production Stills from…

Comrade in Arms A chat with Michelle Laurent (T’Lorra)

Korg A chat with the man behind the mask Karl Puder

Introduction to The Helena Chronicles

A New Crew A chat with Sharon Savene (Fisial) and Beau Christian Williams (Artim)

Captain’s Log Rob Caves gives his thought on Star Trek today

Next Issue

Iliad is the first episode in the new and exciting Star Trek series from Areakt Pictures, Star Trek Odyssey. Iliad sets the scene for what truly looks like a great series in the making. The episode starts with alien ships, which we later discover are Archein, coming out of a wormhole and firing upon Romulan ships, who return fire. During the episode the Romulans ally themselves with first the Klingons then the Federation in an attempt to stop these attacks. The three powers embark on a plan to combat the aggression before the Alpha Quadrant is completely invaded. Admiral Knapp, aboard Deep Space 12, tasks Lieutenant Commander Ro Nevin and Commander Corey Aster the job of figuring out the wormhole and whether or not they can close it. Once they have investigated the wormhole Nevin and Aster decide that the best way to destroy it is for two or three ships to travel to the Andromeda Galaxy and destroy the station that is at the source of the formation of the wormholes. They plan to get to the Andromeda Galaxy by using an experimental technology that is

slip stream mixed with technology from the tetrahedrons. So together with Admiral Knapp, the Romulan Proconsul and Commander T’Lorra they set to work on the plan. The starship Odyssey is the ship that is chosen by Starfleet to go on this mission along with a Klingon ship commanded by General Korg. Odyssey is fitted with a Romulan cloaking device by T’Lorra who has been assigned to help Nevin on the Odyssey and get the ship ready

the station. The mission goes wrong when the Archeins uncover the plot to destroy their wormhole, they also detect both Odyssey and the Klingon ship, a major space battle ensues and there are major losses on both sides, including both the Captain and First Officer on the Odyssey. Just before he dies the First Officer gives Nevin command of the Odyssey and entrusts him to get the ship home. Between Ro Nevin and Korg they devise a plan to destroy the wormhole and get home.

for the mission. After the ship is launched both Odyssey and the Klingon ship set course for the Andromeda Galaxy. When they arrive in Andromeda the crews set about their mission, which includes using an Iliad probe fitted with a Holo-Cloak to make it look like an Archein supply ship. The probe also contains an explosive designed to destroy

Korg flies his ship into the wormhole whilst Odyssey transport an explosive aboard the station stranding it in the Andromeda Galaxy, the Klingons are trailed by the explosions wake and emerge in the middle of a battle in the Alpha Quadrant, then the ship explodes. Meanwhile Odyssey is forced to hide in a nebula to make repairs before beginning it’s long journey home. Overall this episode sets the scene of a brilliant series, and also sets the scene well for the Helena Chronicles due for release in 2008. Trekkie Central gives this episode 5/5.~

Having been the creator of Hidden Fron-

and now Odyssey?

tier and seeing how well that series was received by the fans, Rob Caves decided to produce Star Trek Odyssey, here he speaks exclusively to Trekkie Central Magazine.

RC: Back when I started making videos with my camera as a kid, I dreamed of playing in the Star Trek sandbox. Telling stories of other starships, other crews. So it’s been a dream come true to be able to play in the Trek universe. Trek fans are great! They are brutally honest, but also generous and wonderful people to work with. We’ve really created a family with the production, and everybody gives their best at shoots to make the show what it is. (ed: That really shows)

TC: How did you become involved with Star Trek Odyssey/Hidden Frontier? RC: I started watching the Next Generation in 1987 with my dad, but really got hooked in 1991 when the Best of Both Worlds aired. I started making Star Trek fan films with action figures with a home video camera and this was what made me want to become a film maker and pursue film in college. I attended college, and found a Star Trek club that happened to be interested in making their own fan film based on the club members. That was the USS Angeles. We made several episodes and a movie and really started to learn some of the ins and outs of filmmaking. After the Angeles had been going for a while, we spun off Hidden Frontier and started using actors and brought in some writers. It was a seven year learning experience on Hidden Frontier and I think that you can really see us grow in our craft and hobby from season 1 to season 7 of Hidden Frontier. When Hidden Frontier ended it’s storyline, we were looking for a new direction to take Star Trek, so Odyssey was born. TC: What is it like being part of the Star Trek Universe and how do you feel about the fandom that surrounds Hidden Frontier

TC: How much of your time does the show take up? RC: More than it should (winks) TC: You obviously enjoy being part of the show, so what are the best and worst bits of being in it? RC: The best parts are the satisfaction, and the responses to the episodes when they are all finished up on the internet. Hearing from a fan that your episode touched them, or made a difference in their life is also a very special thing. Worst parts would be being dead tired after a long day filming, but even that has a certain satisfaction to it. TC: How did you discover Star Trek/what was your first memory of it and how did it affect your life? RC: Oops, did that one earlier. My dad tuned in to TNG in 1987 and we watched it together for a while, then I rediscovered it in 1991 when the Best of Both Worlds

aired. I had a crush on Shelby, and wanted to see more of her in action. Star Trek had a direct hand in my decision to pursue film making in college and film editing as a career path. I just wish someone would have told me I didn’t have to study film in college in order to work in Hollywood! (winks) TC: What would your idea be for a new Official Star Trek show? RC: I think all of the Hidden Frontier, Odyssey, and Helena Chronicles concepts would make great official Trek show, but I will begrudgingly admit that a reboot of Kirk and Spock aboard the TOS Enterprise may have the best financial chance of success. TC: At what point in Hidden Frontiers run did you decide that you would like to be able to carry it on into not just one but two other shows? RC: It was towards the end of Hidden Frontier, reading all the fans that wished the show didn’t have to end, and my own desire to continue to tell compelling stories in the Trek universe that I decided to keep the show going for a few more seasons. We also made incredible advances in green screen technology, lighting, costuming, makeup, and a host of other areas right at the end of Hidden Frontier. It seemed such a shame to shut it all down right away. TC: You do a lot of the CGI, how long does this take and are there many other people working with you to complete this? RC: CGI is a constant process, but it’s

manageable because I try to work a shot or two into my daily routine. That was especially important in Hidden Frontier where I was basically doing all the CGI except for late in the series and with exception of CGI background sets. Most of those were either the real sets, or done by our set builders. The only sets I did were DS12’s promenade and a couple of cargo bays. With Odyssey, I still do the bulk of the starship CGI shots, though we now have a team of modellers and set builders that have done a bang up job with Odyssey and Helena sets. We also have a guy doing LCARS full time. Ironically with two shows, my workload even with help, is still about the same as it was for Hidden Frontier! TC: Where did the ideas for Odyssey come from, and how did you decide what characters to take into the new series? RC: Odyssey started out as “Why is everyone so critical of Voyager, and what if we address those complaints, what would Voyager look like if done “right”?” But that was just a spark, it quickly turned into something much more complex, and like Hidden Frontier, Odyssey has a complex back-story and plot twists galore. It seemed like the perfect opportunity to use Homer’s Odyssey as a rough template to build a 24th century tale around, combining some of the Greek mythology with Trek lore that was established in TOS about the Andromeda Galaxy. As for the characters, I recognised that Ro Nevin had become one of the most popular characters on Hidden Frontier, and that made him a perfect candidate for a show lead. The ending of Hidden Frontier left us the perfect Odysseus/Penelope analogues in the form of Ro and Aster. A dedicated couple, that will have to endure numerous tests of devotion and love over the course of the journey to re-unite. As that concept started to form with Odyssey, we realized the Helena Chronicles would be the perfect way to show the Penelope side of the Odyssey through Aster. But that was just one building block, from there Helena Chronicles will

deal with all sorts of new threats and twists and turns facing the Federation that will all come as a result of things that happen in Odyssey’s pilot episode, entitled “Iliad”. “Iliad” kicks off Odyssey and is a very loose re-telling of Odysseus’ sacking of Troy and the famous use of a “Trojan Horse” in an effort to end a war before it engulfs the Federation and her allies. We also created a regular Romulan character because the Romulans have always fascinated me and we’ve never seen them for any real length of time. She’s definitely one to follow on the Odyssey as she interacts with the mostly Federation crew of the ship. Rounding out the crew are a Welsh Doctor with a mysterious agenda, a Canadian Chief Engineer that has no leadership experience, a full Betazoid Security Officer, and also the return if Alex Wozniak, a minor character from Hidden Frontier that the fans took a liking to. TC: The fans obviously loved Hidden Frontier, so do you hope that they will accept Odyssey with the same affection that is bestowed on Hidden Frontier? RC: Absolutely. These are all labors of love and I hope people fall in love with the characters as I have. TC: You have just announced a joint venture between yourselves and Star Trek Intrepid in the one off episode ‘The Orphans of War’ whose idea was it and how did the story develop into a full stand alone episode? RC: Orphans came about because the Intrepid folks are planning a holiday in the states and wanted to visit us. We talked about a brief cameo in Odyssey or Helena Chronicles, but there really wasn’t anything that made sense right now. But we couldn’t let the opportunity pass, so we decided to give the Excelsior cast and Intrepid a chance to interact in a setting that would further the timeline of Odyssey and Helena and fill some gaps in the process. Orphans will likely be a 20 minute long, short episode, but it does pack a lot into a short story and has nice interaction between the two crews, as well as some exciting action scenes. It’ll all be shot in one day, which is very crazy. But as long as we have fun, who cares? (winks) TC: You have also recently been involved in

Star Trek New Voyages along with Bobby Rice and JT Tepnapa, how did this come about, did you approach them or did they approach you and are you happy with the results of this joint venture? RC: JT Tepnapa has done some casting for them, and Bobby Rice of course stars in Blood and Fire. I have not yet had any involvement with the episode or the show, so really no comment there. TC: What are your hopes for the future of Star Trek Odyssey? (Would you still like to be producing it in seven years time for example) RC: Odyssey and Helena are scheduled to run for 3 seasons each concurrently. I said that I wanted a break after Hidden Frontier, and while a break after 3 years of Odyssey sounds nice, who knows what the future holds?

All the previous questions were asked before Iliad aired the following question was asked afterwards. TC: Now that the first episode is out and the fans have had a chance to respond on the forum how do you feel about Odyssey and the comments that people have made? RC: We’re thrilled at the overwhelming response! We definitely take people’s comments and try to make the show better where we can. In many cases, people end up pointing out stuff we wished we could have improved while filming, or when we watched it for the first time ourselves. But it’s great to get the feedback. It really does help keep us going.~

JULIA MORIZAWA TALKS TO TREKKIE CENTRAL MAGAZINE, ON LIFE ON THE STARSHIP ODYSSEY.

ere Trekkie Central Magazine talks to Julia Morizawa, who plays Lieutenant Stadi, on what life is like aboard the starship Odyssey. TC: You are playing a human in Star Trek Odyssey, is it a bit of a relief to be able to show emotions on screen after playing a Vulcan in Star Trek Hidden Frontier? JM: I suppose there is a part of me that feels “relief” getting to play a human in the new series. S’tal was a wonderful challenge because I had too translate human emotion, thought and reaction into something unfamiliar - something I could only imagine and never really experience or study (other than watching the performances of other actors as Vulcans). But even though lacking emotion, S’tal (for me) had little quirks sometimes a hint of tone in her voice or the raising of an eyebrow. In Star Trek Odyssey, Stadi is a fun role to play because she can be a firecracker - she’s very serious about her job, but if something is bothering her, she’ll let you know. The role is more instinctual for me because I can actually bring my own personality into it. I don’t have to remember to “hold back”. But regardless of the role I’m playing, I always enjoy the opportunity to work with Rob Caves and the rest of the cast and crew. TC: Where would you like to see your character taken during the course of the series and how would you like to see her grow? JM: I think that on of the strongest conflicts I see within Stadi is that she is determined to do her job well, but is very hesitant to put herself and the rest of the crew in danger. However, her job requires taking a lot of risks and making a lot of sudden decisions. I can foresee her perhaps putting the entire ship at risk in order to save one person. I can imagine her being very confused about her priorities, and maybe even her morals. I think it could be interesting to see Stadi facing these types of dilemmas, which might force her to rethink what is truly most important to her. Does she always want a fight to the death, or does she just want to get back home? Things aren’t always going to go the way she wants, and it would be interesting to see how she adapts to that.

TC: When did Rob Caves approach you to talk about Star Trek Odyssey, and what was your reaction to the series? JM: Honestly, I’m not sure when Rob Caves first approached me about Star Trek Odyssey, because when we’re not at the studio, we do most of our communication via email. I remember at a point, I believe while filming the Hidden Frontier finale, Rob (Caves) asked me if I had given the new series and role any thought, and I was like, “Uh, what?” But when I did get all the information, I was on board right away. First of all, I was just flattered that they had asked me back! I was excited to be able to continue working within the same group of people, and to try a completely new character within the same genre. I’m definitely glad to have stuck around. TC: What is the best thing that you have gotten from acting in either Star Trek Hidden Frontier or Star Trek Odyssey?

immediately feels like family. The opportunity has also proven to be a wonderful learning experience working almost completely in front of a green screen and sometimes acting out a scene when the other character isn’t really there. I’m always impressed with the technical side of the projects. And I have to admit I am constantly flattered by the response of the viewers. I periodically receive emails from fans of the series and am able to develop casual long-distance relationships and share some of my other work with them. And that’s really one of the main things I’m all about - inspiring others, whether it’s simply through entertainment or on a deeper level, and working on projects that can move people to think, feel, or simply have a better day.~

JM: I honestly cannot pick one “best” thing. The whole experience has been amazing. First of all, in my experience, most projects I work on in L.A. are pretty short-lived. And once the project is complete, people move on and rarely keep in touch. I’ve been working on Hidden Frontier, and now Odyssey, for about three or so years, and even if I haven’t been called to set for a couple of months, when I arrive, it

he played a Trill in Hidden Frontier, and now a Romulan in Star Trek Odyssey so are there no end to the talents of Michelle Laurent? Here she speaks directly to Trekkie Central Magazine about Odyssey, Wonder Woman and the future. TC: Having played a Trill in Star Trek Hidden Frontier how difficult was it to begin playing a Romulan in Star Trek Odyssey? ML: At first I was nervous, but once the make up and costume were on, it felt a lot easier. TC: What were the differences? ML: The hardest part is remembering that Romulans are not really emotional creatures, they are almost seemingly cold. So I can’t really express fear, happiness, or sadness like I would if I were playing a Trill. Although I can express being aggressive and angry. TC: You are going to be playing the first main cast Romulan ever featured in a Star Trek series, so how do you think the fans will accept what has traditionally been an enemy race being on of the good guys?

ML: I think it makes for great drama and hopefully the fans will love it. It’s something different and interesting. TC: Whilst talking to Rob (Caves), he mentioned that you played Wonder Woman in another fan series, what was that like and how long did the series last? ML: Well, it wasn’t a series, they were two shorts I did in the hopes to gain attention from the people planning to put ‘Wonder Woman’ and ‘Justice League’ into a feature. I really want an opportunity to audition for the part of ‘Wonder Woman’. It would be great to have a ‘no name actress’ play the part and I (like so many others) was hoping to be able to do that. However I hear that Jessica Biel is up for the role, so I guess that’s that… TC: What differences in production between the Wonder Woman production and Star Trek Odyssey are there? ML: Ummm, there are many. With Wonder Woman I had to train for fight scenes, shoot at different locations, and do some wire work (lots of fun :o) ). With Odyssey, I am in one room in front of a green scene the whole time while pretending that there are things around me when there is nothing there (that can be very tricky).

TC: In Hidden Frontier you played Dr. Tesla Mar who wasn’t really a main character and in Odyssey you play the Romulan T’Lorra who is a main character, so how has the workload changed between the two series and are you enjoying it? LM: There are a lot more lines with technical terms to learn. That can be very difficult because it’s not something used in everyday language. So I get a bit tongue tied from time to time. But I do enjoy doing it. It’s a great challenge. TC: What sort of storylines would you like to see T’Lorra in? LM: I’m not sure yet. TC: How would you like to see your character grow over the coming series? LM: I would love for her to rediscover who she is and what she can become, for her to see her new comrades in a different light and possibly challenge some of the Romulan beliefs she was always taught to have. TC: What is the best thing that you have gotten from acting in either Hidden Frontier or Odyssey? ML: Besides meeting and working with great people, my cold reads have improved. (smiles)~

Note: The word ‘Fanchise’ is not a typo. It is a word specifically coined (not by Karl or myself) to be analogous to ‘franchise’, but represent that the endeavour is a fanpic production not sanctioned by the copyright holders. 18

Karl Puder has starred in more fans shows then most other people but has played the same character in three of them, here he speaks directly to Trekkie Central Magazine about life as General Korg. TC: How did you become involved with Star Trek Odyssey/Hidden Frontier? KP: I discovered Star Trek: Hidden Frontier in 2002 and became a big fan. Through discussions on their forums, I got to know the people involved in the production and determined that on some upcoming vacation I should visit them in person. The opportunity to actually participate in something that, though unofficial, was worthy of the title “Star Trek” was exciting, and proposed that I could hold the boom mic or press “record” and “pause” on the VCR, just so I could be more than a spectator. Through their discussion forums, other fan series came into existence, such as Kevin Cho’s audio drama Star Trek: Pioneers. In that series, I took the regular part of voicing the Vulcan science officer, S’tak. I also voiced a few occasional characters, such as Tunaka, the Talaxian ambassador. From there, I discovered Eric Busby and his Darker Projects audio production group, which was just starting a new Star Trek audio series of it’s own, called Star Trek: The Section 31 Files. That series began with a set of established characters from a previous production, and I was cast as another Section 31 agent in the crew, the Klingon operative named Korg. As the story developed through the year, Korg dealt with several interesting situations. In real life, one of the writers for Star Trek: Hidden Frontier (Carlos Pedraza) liked the character enough to note my upcoming visit to the Areakt studio and write the character into a crossover for a few episodes of that video fan series. TC: What is it like being part of the Star Trek Universe, and how do you feel about the fandom that surrounds Hidden Frontier and now Odyssey?

Roddenberry's creation of Star Trek was a stroke of genius that continues to strike a chord with a significant number of people, and that the official productions of Star Trek are insufficient, certainly in quantity and sometimes in quality. Anyone who thinks that Star Trek needs a rest is out of touch. TC: How much of your own time does the show take up? KP: Actually being on the show has consumed a week or two of vacation per year, since I have to travel to California to shoot my scenes. I memorize my lines on the flight over. Once I'm there, we shoot my scenes for a whole season, which usually has me in make-up and costume for the better part of a day, though on my last visit I had multiple shoot days to cover both the Odyssey premiere and the HF finale. Being a fan of the show occupies a few hours a week, keeping up on the discussion forums and chatting on IRC on Monday night. TC: You obviously enjoy being part of the show, so what are the best and worst bits of being in it? KP: The best part is hearing from other fans that they think I have done a good job portraying my character. The worst part is cleaning off the make-up afterward. To get it to stay put under the hot lights, the airbrushed body paint is preceded by a skin sealant and followed by fixer. Both are essentially hypoallergenic glue. The forehead appliance has its own glue that tends to leave remnants for a few days as well.

but figured it out later ("Plato's Stepchildren") when I discovered Star Trek in syndication. Like many of that era, I managed my passage through the teenage years by identifying with Mr. Spock and the Vulcans' use of logic for self-control. After that, it receded to being one of many pieces of science fiction that I enjoyed, but the vision of a possible future with a positive philosophy did stick with me as a generally optimistic attitude. I don't know whether it is derived from IDIC, but I do have somewhat eclectic tastes. When Star Trek returned to production, I was a fan all over again. TC: What would your idea be for a new official Star Trek show? KP: Just one? There are several unexplored paths from the existing shows that would be interesting. Captain Sulu could have as many good adventures as Captain Kirk did, but because he is such a different person they would all be new stories. A sequel to Deep Space Nine would have plenty of loose ends from that series to weave plotlines around some of those characters as they continue their lives. Other characters' ongoing lives (some of Voyager's crew getting back into alpha-quadrant life, for example) could also yield a new series.

TC: How did you discover Star Trek/what was your first memory of it and how has it affected your life? KP: My first memory of Trek is of my father coming home one day talking about how some people at work were upset by an episode of a TV show that they were "never going to watch again". I didn't know what it was at the time,

KP: It has certainly been a lot of fun. Watching characters in a fantasy world on the screen gives one the opportunity to identify with them and imagine what it would be like. Having one of those faces actually be my own makes that easier in a way, but also harder, since my imagined Trek role is as a Vulcan, yet my part is as a Klingon. It has given me a deeper understanding of what it is really like be an actor and (at least in my case) of how important it is to have a good director to elicit the desired performance that will fit in with the rest. Being part of Odyssey is bittersweet because while it is an ego boost that people still want more of my character, I live at the other end of the country and cannot be there on a regular basis to be on screen. The fandom around the fanchises such as Hidden Frontier and Odyssey are proof that Gene

I have hopes for the series that is currently being created, but I would not have asked for a prequel. It seems that the story before Jim Kirk's Enterprise should be in an appendix volume like The Silmarillion. It could be a reference document for us nerdy fans, but I'm not imaginative enough to find fifty stories there. Therefore I merely have hopes, because that may just be a place where my imagination is weak. For Sulu or DS9, I would have confidence, that there would be at least fifty more stories, not just hope. Another idea would be a less frequent show that might be longer than an hour and might not be such a strict series. Sort of a Star Trek "mini-movie of the month" that's not about just one ship (or crew or space station or planet). Each time it could be about any existing or new people or places in or near the United Federation of Planets. There would certainly be a lot of recurring characters for continuity, but no regular cast that we would expect to see in every episode. The Star Trek novels would be good source material for at least some of these.

someone in the studio, so I never had a problem with the time that it took. Then again, I did not have to do it every weekend or even every month, merely once or twice in a year. That meant that there was always a lot of catching up to do every time, not to mention first-time meeting of people who never happened to be on set on the same days before. TC: You appeared in the last few episodes of Hidden Frontier as a background character so how did you feel when the character was brought in to the fore in Star Trek Odyssey? KP: I wouldn't say that Korg was that much of a focus in these stories. A fulcrum, perhaps, on which to temporarily rest the lever of Corey Aster and Ro Nevin as it launches the plot of the new series.

TC: How long is the average make up sitting and what do you do to pass the time? KP: An "average" would be misleading. The time has not been consistent because the makeup department has been improving their technique before every time I have been there. The first time, they were already facile with the general procedure of gluing on the facial appliances and putting on the color with sponges. That made the whole sequence take about two hours. When they got the airbrush for painting large areas, it seemed to reduce the total to just over one hour. The last time I was there, it was definitely under an hour of actual make-up time. There is always something to talk about with 20

I feel that it speaks more for Eric Busby's creation of the character and the way that the writers such as Carlos (Pedraza) and Dan (Crout) made good stories in which he happened to appear, than it does for my portrayal. Further, it is the quality of the editing that brought out Korg as a minor focus in Star Trek: Odyssey #101, "Iliad". As for the character's prominence in the ongoing series as a whole, that remains to be seen. TC: What are your thoughts on how you would like to see your character grow over the course of the series?

TC: You gave your voice to the character of Korg in three seasons of The Section 31 Files, so how difficult was the transition from that to actually having to don all the make up and become a Klingon? KP: Being on-camera required commissioning a costume (http://stores.ebay.com/MAWSONMADE) and physically being the character rather than just making a voice to feed the listener's imagination. Since I'm not really an actor, for me the obvious bit of hard work was memorizing my lines. I had thought that bringing the character to life in person would also be a difficulty, but it turned out that when I read lines for voice acting, I already expressed the character as part of emoting the lines. The fact that it is taped and edited (rather than live theatre) meant that I got multiple attempts and only had to get it right once, just as I was accustomed to do for the audio productions. So, with the help of the Areakt studios staff (particularly John Whiting's make-up department), I became Korg by just sitting still to let them glue on the appliances and paint me brown.

bonus fun for me (despite the glue removal afterward). Every character is the star of the show of their own life, an "also starring" in their close friends' life story, and a mere extra in all the other billions of life stories. I acted my part (obhumility: if you can call that acting!) as if it were the most important part to him, whereas I know that it is only one of over a dozen pieces that share the viewer's time. If I thought that my part were crucial to the overall story, I'd be too nervous.

KP: Well, Korg has already gone through changes during the Star Trek: The Section 31 Files series, especially if you consider all the way back to the flashback in episode 2.10, "Korg". The end of Korg's story in that series occurs after the events we've seen in Star Trek: Hidden Frontier, so to some extent his path is bound to that destiny unless the Odyssey writers decide that their story needs to represent a different version of the timeline. During the shoot, it did not even occur to me. By then I had gotten used to the trappings of going through the make-up and costuming, and was quite comfortable working with the production staff, so at the studio I was merely having fun with my friends, trying to present a good story to the camera so that Rob (Caves) could edit it into a good story for the screen. I was concentrating on inhabiting my character and getting my part done well. I didn't even have very many lines, so it seemed like just another instance of doing my part to support the greater story. JayTee (Tepnapa) did run me through several takes of the "all hands: abandon ship" line to get me to bring what he wanted to it, but that was simply me learning his view and doing it. The scene was significant to Korg because he had to decide to abandon his ship to save his crew, and I had to express that. I was not thinking about whether the scene was of major or minor importance to the whole story.

Since my original plan years ago was to hold a boom as an excuse to watch the production in person, any screen time was

TC: How would you like to see the series develop? KP: If I had any good specific ideas on that, I'd be writing for the show and keeping it a secret. I'm not a story-writer, I am a reader and a viewer. As a general goal, I would like the series to keep a good story going, and along the way address social issues that the commercial productions are still avoiding. The matter-of-fact inclusion of realistic gay characters was an important feature of HF that came up as a plot element for the character Ro Nevin in a few stories as he struggled with finding his identity. Now, that should be a given, an ever-present part of the fabric of the environment, with other elements taking the forefront. The surviving crew of the Odyssey have many challenges ahead of them, not only from the Andromeda galaxy (the Archeins, the search for resources) but also from the personal dynamics within surviving crew of the ship. I would be disappointed if those dramatically rich conflicts were not fully developed as the story unfolds.~

Over the next few pages we will look at the new Star Trek series from Areakt Pictures Star Trek The Helena Chronicles. Star Trek The Helena Chronicles is set six months after the end of Hidden Frontier. It is set aboard the USS Helena NCC 80455. The series is set in the area of space formally known as the Briar Patch and has the opportunity to revisit some of the species from both Hidden Frontier and Star Trek Insurrection. The series features characters from Hidden Frontier as well as introducing new characters. The well known characters featured are Captain Faisal, Commander Dao and Lieutenant Artim. The first episode is entitled ‘Sanctuary Lost’ and is scheduled for a late 2007 filming and any early 2008 release. The series is running concurrent to Star Trek Odyssey and is in essence the other half of Homer’s Odyssey.

seen as someone who the ship can rely on and trust to get the job done.

TC: How did you find out that your voyages through the Briar Patch would continue?

evolved in that movie. There wasn't a lot to go on. (at least that someone of my age could see.) So I took what I could and just developed the character more myself. With the script I was given it was very easy to mold this character to HF. Tho, I think this 24th century dreamer has lost some of his drive over the years.

SS: I was talking to Rob and Beo throughout the end of Hidden Frontier about what they were going to do next, and letting them know I would be interested in whatever it was. A month or so before Excelsior Ball II, they asked if I would be interested in being on Odyssey, and Helena Chronicles.

TC: Sharon: In Hidden Frontier you were playing a commander and quite a few of the fans thought that she lost command in the last episode, so with that in mind do you think that Faisal will make a good Captain and do you think that the crew will respect her command abilities?

BW: Well, I didn’t know for a while, but Rob had said that there was the possibility of me playing a recurring character in Odyssey. I was really excited about the new project and wanted to be a part of it very badly (who wouldn’t after seven years involvement with HF?) Then one day I got a phone call letting me know about HC and the role of Artim was offered to me again in this Odyssey partner series. Of course I was thrilled! I'm very happy to be involved with Areakt once again.

SS: First let me speak to those fans who though Faisal lost command. Ok, She got a bit walked on, but if you look at it she merely failed to control individuals who were guests on her ship. She had no direct command over CPT Naros, Dr. Henglaar, Counsellor Elbrey, Traya Knapp, or Silan except that they were guests on a ship she was left in command of. What could she have done, locked them all in the Brig? Turned off the transporter?

SS: Well, thankfully, we only shoot one thing at a time. I have already wrapped my scenes for the first two Odyssey Episodes, and am currently studying the scripts for the first two Helena Chronicles episodes. Working on lines and coming up with acting choices can take some time, but the actual shooting days have been limited to 1-2 per month. We’ll see if that increases with HC, but AREAKT is always really efficient, and without the need to engulf myself in blue make-up, the shooting should go faster.

TC: You all played a part in Hidden Frontier and we saw the most of Adam’s character in that series, so do you think that, that could affect the story lines in any way (we might see more story's focused on the other two characters)?

Now that the Helena is hers, and considering the lessons she has learned from losing two captains above her, and the battles she’s been in, I know that she will make a good captain. As for the respect she gets from her crew, we will have to see about that. She is a new Captain, mistakes are bound to be made.

Sharon Savene and Beau Christian Williams talk exclusively to Trekkie Central Magazine about life beyond Star Trek Hidden Frontier and their hopes for the future.

SS: It totally depends on the preferences of the writer and the producers. But, Adam’s character is the XO of the ship, I would imagine we will still see plenty of him. TC: How hard was it for you to take the character of Artim from Insurrection and transform him into a character that fitted into the Hidden Frontier Universe? BW: When I started HF, I was very young. Yes I had seen Insurrection and thought it was a wonderful movie, but the character wasn't truly

TC: Beau, How would you like to see the Character of Artim grow over the coming series and what experiences would you like him to have? BW: I am excited about this new series and I believe that Artim will have the chance to be what I always wanted him to become: Something more than the yes sir ensign (for seven years.) I believe he will grow as a character and I truly hope his career will grow with him. I would love him to behim

TC: Sharon: You play a part in Star Trek Odyssey and then you have your part in Star Trek The Helena Chronicles so how much of your own time does all this take up?

TC: Sharon: Playing an enemy in Odyssey and an ally in both Hidden Frontier and The Helena Chronicles must mean you have to act differently, so how difficult is it to switch between the different types of Character and what problems can and does this cause? SS: I approach acting as a skill I have developed, with techniques that help me, like a chef. A chef goes into a kitchen to cook, whether he is about to make a salad, or bake bread he is still cooking, just with different ingredients and tools. If I am playing a Hero or a villain I need to be aware of how my choices manipulate the audience’s perception. It isn’t the side they are on that makes a character challenging, but the character itself. The most difficult part of playing Seram, versus Faisal is that Seram has more secrets than Faisal, and a lot more at stake. Whereas Faisal, until now, has had the luxury of being a follower and a leader. So, as alluded to earlier she must 23

now step up in a new way, and begin to holding her cards closer to her chest. TC: How did you become involved with Hidden Frontier? SS: I submitted to a casting call, auditioned, and was cast. Once I worked with AREAKT, I did my best to stick around, and keep contributing. BW: Back Stage West. Thank you Rob for advertising in that paper! At the time of my audition, I had hair similar to what you see today. Short, wavy, but more blonde. They offered me the role because I looked close enough to the character from Insurrection. But when it was time to film, I showed up with a shaved head (required from working on movie I was involved with at the time.) I’m not quite sure how Rob responded to this, but I know we went forward anyway and by the next time they needed my character, my hair was back to normal. TC: Sharon: How would you like to see your character grow over the coming series? SS: I hope Faisal finds love, gets to show her tough side, and her vulnerable side, and gets to have some serious interstellar fun. Just like a real person. It would be great if she finds success in Starfleet, But I am not sure if the Helena is destined to be a flagship of the federation. TC: Where would you like to see The Helena Chronicles in a few years time? BW: I would love to see it moving forward with Odyssey. I would hate for this project to be three episodes just to tell one part of Odyssey's story. Instead I would like them to become counterparts to each other for all the years they run.

TC: I would love to see even more improvements in the production value. Maybe we’ll get a contributor who has a large warehouse space in LA who is ready to convert it to a green-screen studio, or who has money to build us sets. Or we might win some internet series awards, aren’t there “webbies?” I’d settle for more viewers and fans. While I do the show out of love and respect for Star Trek, for me, the main commodity I get in return is notoriety from the fans. I appreciate that so much, and take it very seriously. TC: What's your view on Star Trek now, and if you could produce your own Official Series, what would it be? SS: I wonder about mainstream Star Trek. On the one hand I love the principles that Gene Rodenberry illustrated in his many series. But on the other hand, when should Paramount say enough is enough? Look what happened with the Brady Bunch! Personally I am mostly excited about the upcoming film because I want to be in it, and I’m a fan of “Lost.” So I think the franchise needs to be very careful about what projects they green light. I don’t think Star Trek will ever completely end though. And I wouldn’t want it to. If I could set into motion my own Star Trek Series I would take it farther into the future, and the main conflict of the series would be the federation trying to overcome its own corruption and infighting to hold onto its original ideals. I would definitely have more civilian characters than even DS9 had. BW: If by Official Series, you mean Paramount, then I would definitely send them straight to Rob for anything he has in mind. That man runs a tight ship and cranks out the story that the fans have been yearning for. Hidden Frontier is an amazing story and the characters are very easy to fall in love with. I am eternally grateful that I was given the opportunity to be part of it, and can now continue to be part of that world.~ 24

Since Star Trek's inception, it has boldly blazed new paths not just in the stars, but in the human condition back here on Earth. The best of the fan efforts are taking up this torch and carrying it forward into the 21st century. Hidden Frontier has had gay characters, stories about terrorism, clinical depression, and a host of other issues and inequalities that plague our society today. Star Trek can continue to be relevant if it continues to take risks and not fall back on easy ratings gimmicks like plotless action, gimmicky casting, and putting women in unflattering catsuits to bring in viewers. Star Trek is at its best when it shows respect and intelligence for its subject matter, issues, and how it examines them. If the studio is unwilling to take the risks with the franchise, the fans will always be there to lead the way. That's interactive media at its best and there is no reason there shouldn't be studio produced Trek coming out as well as fan made productions that can afford to take the risks with the content that the studio won't. The future looks bright. Best Rob

Special Thanks go to Michelle Laurent, Julia Morizawa, Karl Puder, Sharon Savene, and Beau Christian Williams. Extra Special Thanks to Rob Caves who without his help this publication would not have been possible. Thank you for all your time that you have given to helping me.

The Star Trek name is the property of CBS/Paramount pictures, no infringement is intended. Star Trek Odyssey remains the property of Areakt Productions, no infringement is intended. This magazine has been made for fans for their enjoyment. This magazine has been distributed free of charge and no money has been made from itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s distribution. If the creator of this magazine and the creators of this fan series cannot make any money than neither should you.

If you find a copy of this magazine on sale anywhere it is illegal, please do not buy it and benefit those that are ripping off fans and committing an offence. Copyright Trekkie-Central.piczo.com 2007