Someone once said that those who fail to learn from history are often doomed to repeat it.

First, Fred Freiberger made some serious errors in judgement during the third season of the original Star Trek.

Second, in the late 1990′s and early 2000′s, Star Trek ended up going through a period of franchise fatigue. A period caused by the mismanagement of the science fiction franchise at the hands of Rick Berman and the former executive staff at Paramount Pictures. Certain elements that contributed to this period involved the recycling of the same old story plots for the unnecessary Star Trek spin-offs: Deep Space Nine and Voyager. Others involved the DS9 staff stealing ideas from its sci-fi rival Babylon 5, in order to help boost their own show’s declining ratings.

Third, the writers for the prequel series Enterprise, did not do their homework when it came down to historical research for the sake of series continuity.

Studio greed and taking way too many trips to the well can often lead to a franchise being milked dry. Let alone having run its course.

Fortunately for Star Trek fans, the noble, highly commendable, admirable, and brilliantly professional efforts of James Cawley and J.J. Abrams(along with their respective production companies and staff)breathed new life and energy into Star Trek after that long period. The results being the highly successful internet series Star Trek-New Voyages/Phase 2 and the 2009 box-office smash hit prequel/reboot.

It has also helped spawn other successful series such as Starship Exeter, the UK based Starship Intrepid, Starship Ajax, and the soon to be released Star Trek-Axanar.

Unfortunately, certain production companies, run by corrupted individuals with redneck mentalities, have tried to take advantage of these successful productions and twist and pervert them into something that is totally the opposite of all of the hard work, professionalism, ethics, and standards that Gene Roddenberry, James Cawley, and J.J. Abrams have helped establish and continue with the legendary science fiction series.

Farragut Films is one of those production companies.

And now, Farragut Films new business partner, one Vic Mignogna, is now involved in another Star Trek fan film series. One that is also destined to be, like the upcoming Star Trek Continues series, a huge flop.

http://trekmovie.com/2012/03/26/new-star-trek-fan-film-to-feature-chris-doohan-as-scotty-and-mythbusters-imahara-as-sulu/#comment-4656857

http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?p=6187033#post6187033

http://www.trekbbs.com/showthread.php?t=169732

http://www.facebook.com/startrekphase2/posts/10150828754860934

http://trekbbs.com/showthread.php?p=5440252#post5440252

Made in association with Sky Conway(who released the Star Trek fan film Of Gods And Men), Star Trek – Renegades(like DS9 and Voyager)is another clear sign of the Star Trek franchise being milked dry for all of its worth.

As to why Walter Koenig(who brought a sense of closure to the character of Chekov by saying good-bye in the P2 episode To Serve All My Days), Gary Graham, Tim Russ, Richard Herd, Ethan Phillips, Robert Picaro, and Garrett Wang are being a part of this twisted farce, it is hard to say. To be honest, it is beyond me.

One thing is an absolute given. Sky Conway has definitely earned a place in the category of those who wish to tarnish the good name of Star Trek. Right up there with Fred Freiberger, Rick Berman, Ronald Moore, Brannon Braga, Vic Mignogna, John Broughton, Michael Bednar, Dennis Bailey, and the rest of Farragut Films.

Honestly, it’s bad enough that the world is in such a shambolic state. Do we really need to see Star Trek go through such a fate a second time? At the hands of malcontents who have no sense of honesty, integrity, and decency, whatsoever?

I think not!

Star Trek is supposed to be about resolving problems and issues in a decent, respectful, and peaceful sort of fashion. It is not about twisting, tarnishing, and perverting it into something petty and contemptuous.

Starship Farragut, Star Trek Continues, and Star Trek Renegades are clearly signs of such misuse, negativity and a waste of constructive purposes. They have already tarnished their reputations and careers by associating themselves with Mignogna and his toxic, narcicisstic, controversial and unethical history.

Star Trek and its legacy are nothing of those negative qualities.

Stick with Star Trek-New Voyages/Phase 2. The ONLY Star Trek fan film that has professional acting and movie/television experience. More importantly, the positive ideals and qualities set forth by Gene Roddenberry back in the mid-1960′s. Including and up to honesty and integrity that will last into the 23rd Century and Beyond!

On the other hand….

Oh, beep, not ANOTHER reboot

Don’t get me wrong – i quite like Singer’s work, generally… if accurately described, his ST revival proposal (rejected in favour of Abrams’ marketing division) was something worth waiting for – but i’m tired of the corporate laziness which finds nothing tedious in rebooting the same beeping project more times than i’ve had hot feeds. Tell me he’s creating something new in the tradition of BSG or ST or B5 (or whatever) & i’m on board immediately; but this idea fills me with all the passionate enthusiasm i usually restrict for ancient mariners who shoot the albatross. I want to run faster than a speeding slug, leap tall daffodils with a single bound & generally overkill this metaphor of total indifference with a thesaurus of misplaced similes; & still can’t communicate in all its Klingon intensity the antagonism i feel right now

Sorry

In other crowdfunding news, DS9′s Chase Masterson & the team behind the wonderful Yesterday Was a Lie have re-upped their RUR Genesis project. THIS is a project i really hope gets made. No edge, but plenty of Chase. I read Capek’s play (full title: Rossum’s Universal Robots – & yes, this IS where we get the word – from robotu, the Czech for serf) a generation ago; & while its no masterpiece, it’s a story filled with interesting ideas. Won’t link directly in respect for the guidelines here – hopefully TrekToday will carry a promo shortly – but a search on IndieGoGo will find it. Or you can contact me via twitter & i’ll send you the details

(Standard disclaimers apply. No financial links beyond being a paying supporter)

With regards

Robert

Regarding budget you forgot marketing. Unstated (never officially admitted) but likely to be at least the same as the production budget (that’s the usual rule of thumb). Instead of $385m on $150m, think $385m on $300m+. With other hidden costs accounted for, this would be a success but not a hit. Part of the reason ST XII was delayed, no doubt. If XI had been

Re: the new fanbase: Why then was there so little buzz over the production of ST XII? Not all of this was the indifference of old grouches. The rod Paramount created for itself is that it targetted a demographic for ST XI doesn’t exist right now – the 13-16 year old kids who were watching each week’s tent-pole picture then. By & large, that’s a different group of kids to the ones who are watching each week’s tentpole picture now. That a few of those kids became fans isn’t denied; but Abrams’ brief was to create a broad new fanbase which would carry the franchise into a new generation. I’d argue from the observations that he failed. ST XI gained an extra buzz from having Nimoy in a positive role – the old grouches kept promoting it for free. But it isn’t happening this time….

(Renegades has hit $43k by the way)

“ST XI was strictly an (at best). It was not a hit.”
Really. 385+ million return on a 150 million budget? Yes, that’s a hit. It was also very favorably reviewed all around.

“It didn’t
create a new fanbase…”
younger people (and by that I mean younger than myself, which is in the Yoda/Methuselah range, all you 30-year-olds are kids to me) not only went to see it, but started watching the other movies and shows, and even (Gasp!) joining fan forums.

“…only survived on its ability to bring back the hardcore fanbase
with the return of Mr Nimoy”
I do hate to break this to you, but we Trekkies (or whatever badge you prefer) are a niche audience; small, though vocal. We can make or break a 20, 40, even 60 million dollar film, but we are not the deciding majority when the budget rises above that level.

I’ve already stated that JJTrek is far from perfect, and gone into my own problems with it in other posts. All I am saying here is that the bashing of the 2009 film (Star Trek ELEVEN, thank you very much), is not particularly justified on these points.

However, departure from the Roddenberry vision, blatant disregard for scientific accuracy, and trashing of established Trek canon remain fair game. My hopes were that those areas would be strengthened in Start Trek TWELVE, but I already have the sinking feeling that the opposite will end up being the case, and all the good things about Star Trek ELEVEN that gave me hope will be flushed down the TF:ROTF toilet.