TrekToday

Foster: Writing The Star Trek XI Novelization

2009-07-02T17:45:19Z

Writing a novelization of a movie like Star Trek XI can mean overcoming certain challenges to do so, but Alan Dean Foster had some things go his way when it came to writing the book. Plus: Foster to write a sequel to Star Trek XI.

As reported by Wired, having a good screenplay helped. "A movie like [Star Trek XI], too, goes by so fast," said Foster. "Unless you go back and see the movie again, you miss a lot of stuff anyway. So, a book always goes at a slower pace than a film, even if it's a slow movie. The book still goes at your own pace. You can pause whenever you want and start it up again whenever you want. But it is fun with something like Star Trek where you have a good screenplay. Where you can go back and you can fill in and get in the characters' heads and maybe you can adjust some of the science and some of the details as much as you can." ]]> Star Trek XI. "Star Trek was exceptional, because for the first time, I actually got to see the finished film before I started the book," he said. "It's never happened before, and it shows you how well the production went. That's not something you read about in the paper. But for someone like myself who has been around the business for thirty-five years, to actually see the finished film before I start the book, never happened before. They are always working on the film up to the last minute."

To write science fiction means either having a knowledge of science or else doing the research to be able to write about it properly. "I have a pretty good grounding in science," said Foster. "Just as an amateur. I've always been interested in science and I always do...I pride myself on doing that research. There is a lot of very lazy science fiction out there. But you don't need to have a PhD in astrophysics or something. You just have to be able to research your material, and it's surprising how many people don't. There were some scientific concepts in Star Trek that I kind of wanted to elaborate on, if you will, and so you go online, in the old days you'd go to the library, and you go online and check things out."

Foster explained why some things in the novelization were a little different than seen onscreen, such as the scene where McCoy told Kirk about his divorce. "I wanted to make it a little more subtle," he explained. "I wanted the reader to make the connection. Instead of saying 'all he had left was his bones,' 'all he had left was his skeleton,' and then the reader thinks 'skeleton,' 'Bones.' So I was trying to be a little more subtle about it. And they could have done that in the film, too. 'All he had left was his skeleton,' and then people in the audience said, 'Oh, Bones!' But everybody has a different way of presenting these things. And again in the film they don't have time for reflection on these things. They have to give it to you right up front because they just don't have time."

Now that the Star Trek XI novelization is out, fans who enjoy Foster's work can look forward to his sequel to Star Trek XI. "I signed the contract, so that's a go," said Foster. "At least the first step is a go. The second step is for Pocket Books and Paramount to approve the outline...I did a fairly extensive outline for the book which has the tentative title of Star Trek: Refugees which I can't explain without giving anything away. I mean, I just signed the contract. But hopefully the outline will be approved since the book is due in October."

To read more, head to the article located here.

Nimoy To Receive Company of Angels Award

2009-07-02T04:11:37Z

Company of Angels will bestow the Leonard Nimoy Angel Award to Leonard Nimoy and Robert Ellenstein at a Charity Awards Gala in October.

As reported by Eclipse Magazine, Company of Angels is celebrating their fiftieth anniversary as a non-profit theater and in celebration of this milestone, will honor its co-founders Nimoy and Ellenstein with The Leonard Nimoy Angel Award on October 17th. ]]>
"I'm looking forward to celebrating Company of Angels' Fiftieth Anniversary Award Ceremony and Gala," said Nimoy.

The Award Gala will be produced by actress Marlene Forte (Star Trek XI: Transporter Chief,) who is the Artistic Director on the Board of Company of Angels. Company of Angels is located at the historic Alexandria Hotel in Los Angeles.

To read more, head to the article located here.

Star Trek: Online Bridge Crew Chat

2009-07-02T03:52:32Z

Fan questions regarding the capabilities of bridge crews in the Star Trek: Online MMORPG were addressed recently by Star Trek: Online Executive Producer Craig Zinkievich.

As reported by Zam, Zinkievich explained how bridge crews will function, telling gamers that different ships will have a different number of stations on the bridge. "You'll be able to activate different permutations of Bridge Officers," said Zinkievich. "Most officers will be tradable, though some may be bound to you. You'll be able to give them individual commands, as well command the entire group at once. And, of course, you'll be able to customize the appearance of each officer."
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In addition to regular bridge officers, other bridge officers will be available. "There are rare bridge officers as well," said Zinkievich. "Some that you'll only get access to when you do high-end content, some you'll get through luck and exploration."

To read more, head to the article located here.

Fall 2009 Star Trek Novels

2009-07-02T03:36:26Z

Stories from several different Star Trek eras will grace the store shelves this autumn.

As reported by TrekMovie.com, September will see the release of two Star Trek books; Star Trek: Voyager: Unworthy by Kirsten Beyer and Star Trek: Enterprise: The Romulan War: Between the Raptor's Wing by Michael A. Martin. ]]> Unworthy, the deadly menace of the Borg may not be quite gone. Starfleet is dispatched by the Federation to find out if the Borg threat still remains.

In The Romulan War: Beneath the Raptor's Wing, the Romulans are not happy with the fledgling Coalition of Planets. They find a way of remotely controlling Coalition ships, seeking to drive the new allies apart.

Star Trek: Titan: Synthesis, by James Swallow, debuts in October and continues the adventures of the Starship Titan. Captain Riker and crew must stop the Null, a destructive force which will spread into the Federation if unchecked.

In Star Trek: Vanguard: The Precipice, by David Mack, the fates of familiar Vanguard personnel as well as the three great powers are all linked by one thing, the Mirdonyae artifact. Unless Doctor Carol Marcus and Ming Xiong can unlock its secrets, the artifact might destroy them all. The Precipice will go on sale in November.

Finally, closing out the year will be a Mirror Universe story, Star Trek: Mirror Universe: Sorrows of Empire, by David Mack. Spock, inspired by James T. Kirk's speech from the original series Mirror, Mirror episode, takes control of the Terran Empire, seeking democratic reform. Rivals and enemies of the Empire alike seek to stop him.

To read more and to see the book covers, head to the article located here.

Unstoppable? Perhaps Not

2009-06-30T23:09:13Z

Unstoppable, the "runaway train" picture that might have featured Denzel Washington and Chris Pine, may prove not to be unstoppable after all.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, budget disagreements are causing problems that might cause Unstoppable to be put on hold indefinitely. ]]>
Studios are tightening their belts and are reluctant to pay star salaries. In addition, recent star-driven movies have not done as well at the box office as concept-driven movies have. Land of the Lost and The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 have both faltered at the box office, while movies such as Up, Star Trek XI and The Hangover have fared better.

To read more, head to the article located here.

Pegg: Star Trek XII Less Than Two Years Away?

2009-06-30T22:54:58Z

Simon Pegg spoke recently about the sequel to Star Trek XI as well as his life since the movie was released.

As reported by breakingnews.ie and moviesonline.ca, according to Pegg, fans might see Star Trek XII a year and a half from now. "I know the writers are busy thinking about it," he said. "I don't really know anything about the story, or if I'm in a bigger role, but I'd imagine we'll be back this time next year. That's not official, but I reckon it's probably about eighteen months away from being in the cinema."]]> Star Trek XI has proven to be a success, Pegg find that he is recognized more when he goes out. "The normal people who come up to me are usually nice and polite," he explained. "Things do change and you find it hard to operate in the way that perhaps you used to, even in L.A. for me it is different from how what it was before. But you just adapt. It's not necessarily a positive thing. It means you have to make decisions about where you go, like at home, I can't walk into a pub any more without getting stared at and certainly I can't go in to a pub with Nick [Frost] because we are seen as the 'complete set'! But that's par for the course. It's just something you have to take on board when you get into this game."

Speaking of L.A., would Pegg ever consider relocating there? "I like L.A.," said Pegg. "It gets a bad rap. It is very easy to knock, because there are elements to it that are facile and it is very image-driven but it is also a very creative place, very friendly and a relaxed place in most areas. And the weather is beautiful and everyone is very polite...But I love London, and I miss it. I'm looking forward to going back and working on something small after we finish Paul. My family and friends are there and as a writer you want to be around what you know best...It's really odd at the moment, because I am working in New Mexico and coming back to L.A. at weekends, so my wife is here and I say, 'I'll be home tomorrow' but L.A. is not my home. London is, so it's weird. I feel as though I am living in three places all at once!"

To read more, head to the articles located here and here.

More Detail About Star Trek XI Scene Cuts

2009-06-30T22:01:39Z

According to a shooting draft of the script reportedly obtained by the TNMC website, fans can now get a bit more detail on just what was cut from the final draft of Star Trek XI.

As reported by TNMC, a birth scene with Spock was the first scene cut from the movie. "The thrust of the scene is Spock's mother Amanda expressing her displeasure with Sarek when he isn't present for the birth and then doesn't understand the emotional implications of this," explains TNMC's Harry Barber. "One gets the feeling that this probably happened an awful lot in this relationship. The script then jumps to the scene where Kirk is born, which is where the movie opened." ]]>
James T. Kirk's family issues are addressed in another cut scene. "One shows his older brother storming out of the home of their Uncle Frank, who is clearly not meant to be a nice guy," said Barber. "Mom is apparently in Africa and not expected back for months. Older brother George leaves home, implying along the way that Jim is too much of a rule follower. The next scene shows Jim washing that Corvette under orders from his Uncle."

Other scenes not shown in the movie include ones such as: the Rura Penthe Klingon Prison asteroid where Nero and his crew are being held by the Klingons, with Nero being tortured; Nero's escape; Kirk using Gaila to cheat on the Kobayashi Maru and Nero's crew threatening mutiny.

Some of these cut scenes may have actually been filmed and then cut, so they may appear in the DVD of the movie when released, but others may have been cut before being filmed. All give a little more insight into events in the movie and it appears that while some of the cuts were judicious, some of the scenes might have improved certain scenes or better explained some of the events in the movie.

To read more, head to the article located here.

Alvin & The Chipmunks - Star Wreck

2009-06-29T19:49:51Z

The Alvin & The Chipmunks Go to the Movies: Star Wreck DVD will soon appear on store shelves.

As reported by TVShowsOnDVD.com, on September 8th, fans of both Alvin & The Chipmunks and Star Trek will be able to purchase the DVD which features episodes from the 1980s version of the Chipmunk show.
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In addition to Star Wreck, two other Chipmunk episodes will be on the DVD: Elementary, My Dear Simon, and Chip Tracy."

Running time for the Chipmunk Star Wreck DVD is sixty-six minutes; video is full frame, and audio is in English stereo.

To read more, head to the article located here. The box artwork can be seen here.

Crosby Hoping To Make Trekkies 3

2009-06-28T01:44:23Z

Denise Crosby (Tasha Yar) hopes to create a new Trekkies movie touching upon Star Trek XI and its actors and fans as well as visits to other places missed in the first two films.

As reported by NewsOK, the popularity of the latest Star Trek film makes the timing right for a new Trekkies film. "Our intention was always to make a '3,' to have a triple box set," said Crosby. ]]> Star Trek XI and its new fans would be an obvious source for Trekkies 3. "And there are areas I still want to go to," said Crosby. "Trekkies 1 was domestic and Trekkies 2 we went global, but we didn't get everywhere."

Where would Crosby like to go to find Star Trek fans? "And I'm curious still, to make it a full circle about Asia, Africa and India, like what's going on there," said Crosby. "Sort of our Lost in Translation version of Trekkies."

Crosby is aware that there is a thin line between documenting the occasional oddities of fans and looking down on the fans. "It's a fine line because you don't want to put on kid gloves and make a recruiting film here for Star Trek," she explained. "I really wanted to have a look into this world of fandom and this particular show, which is unlike anything else and has been sort of the granddaddy of them all. At the same time, I didn't want to be cruel or judgmental ... so I had to figure out how to really make that real for the [original Trekkies film.]"

To read more, head to the article located here.

Abrams: Doesn't Want To Say Goodbye

2009-06-28T01:20:28Z

Although it's too early for J.J. Abrams to know whether he'll be back in the director's chair for Star Trek XII or not, his comments indicate that he wouldn't mind being involved with the franchise for some time to come.

As reported by Collider.com, discussions have only begun for Abrams regarding the sequel to Star Trek XI. "We just started talking about ideas," he said. "We've just begun this process so it's so early that it's insane to, you know, I have no idea; but I would say that it's that kind of feeling that as we're talking about stories you start to salivate, like 'oh my God I can't wait to do that!' and so that feels good and my guess is that as we continue it will become clearer how we will plan out what will happen. But it's been really fun, even the cursory discussions we've had so far."]]> Star Trek was a positive experience for Abrams, due to his love for the characters and having a solid cast. "I won't be walking away from Trek in any way in the next film and if we're lucky enough to get that made and, you know, maybe do another one, I think there is a sense of ownership...I love that world. I love the characters and we were so lucky to get the cast we got so I just feel like, I feel too lucky to be a part of this thing to say goodbye to it."

And what kind of villain might the Star Trek crew face in the next film? "Well, I'm open to anything," said Abrams. "We've had some really interesting discussions so far but, you know, you have to be open to everything to find the right thing so the answer is sure, I'm open to that. I think in a story, it's important to personify, somehow, what you're up against so it's a tricky one to figure out how to, like, fight evil wind!"

To read more, head to the article located here.

Conan O'Brien vs. Shatner

2009-06-27T04:34:49Z

William Shatner wasn't the only one "flipping the bird" on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien.

As reported by The Shatner Project, more video has appeared online at the Shatner Project showcasing Shatner's recent appearance on The Tonight Show With Conan O'Brien, which showed Shatner backstage interacting with an unexpected fan as well as footage of Shatner laughing it up when O'Brien had to do multiple shots of an introduction. ]]> Ben Kenney from the band Incubus, the musical guest for the night. Kenney turned out to be a fan of Shatner.

"I gotta tell you, this is a big deal meeting you because I grew up watching you on TV," said Kenney. "And I'm a big fan, very big fan."

Then the video shows Shatner and O'Brien joking around during several takes of a scene, with Shatner messing up one take for the host, in which O'Brien had been trying to explain who would be on the show that night. After the fourth take, Shatner, laughing, points at O'Brien, who in return "flipped him the bird."

Collins On Abrams And Bana

2009-06-27T04:32:06Z

Clifton Collins, Jr. (Romulan General Ayel) spoke about his career, as reported by MovieWeb, including his work on Star Trek XI with J.J. Abrams and Eric Bana (Nero.)

Collins admitted that Star Trek XI has been the biggest film on which he has done thus far, but it was a great experience. "Yes sir, it totally is," said Collins. "Obviously, I was just on with J.J. He's a big commercial guy, as you can tell, but when you get to work with people like J.J. and be surrounded by the producers and get the support of a beautiful, great studio like Paramount, you know, these aren't the horror stories I've heard of at all."

]]> Pedro Gonzalez Gonzalez, who was best known for his work in several John Wayne movies] and I've heard nothing but great stories from when he was under the contract system. I'd follow J.J. anywhere. He's always been a guy who's supported me in the best of ways, giving me opportunities to prove myself, which I'm always more than happy to do."

Collins also enjoyed working with Eric Bana. "I loved working with Bana," he said. "Bana's hilarious, he's talented, he's a cool cat. He's a cat you just want to hang out with, shoot the shit and have a beer. He was in Chopper, you know. I've watched that back-to-back, it was such a dope-ass movie. It put him on the map, but what people don't know is he had his own comedy show in Australia."

It is proving to be a busy year for Clifton, who has eight more films coming out this year, as well as several videos.

To read more, head to the article located here.

Ryan Joins TNT's Leverage

2009-06-27T04:29:42Z

Jeri Ryan, best known to Star Trek fans for her role of Seven of Nine in Star Trek: Voyager, will be appearing in the second season of Leverage.

As reported by TV Squad, Ryan will portray Tara, a "smart-ass, street-wise con woman," who will be a friend of Sophie's (Gina Bellman.) ]]>
Ryan joins other former Star Trek actors who have worked on the show, such as Jonathan Frakes (director,) Armin Shimerman, Brent Spiner and Kitty Swink (the latter three on the "The Juror #6 Job" episode.)

Another former Star Trek actor, Wil Wheaton, will also be making an appearance in the second season.

To read more, head to the article located here.

Nimoy Gratified By Fan Reaction

2009-06-27T04:26:21Z

Although Spock hadn't often been seen in Star Trek shows and movies since the days of the original series movies, fans still love the character.

As reported by NewsOK, audiences greeted Spock's appearance on screen enthusiastically, which was appreciated by the actor who played him, Leonard Nimoy. "[It was] extremely gratifying," he said. "It's an accumulation of emotion from a forty-four-year relationship with the audience. Especially pleasing since Spock was marginalized by the makers of the movies and series that followed the first six."]]>
And what did Nimoy think about Spock, not Kirk, "getting the girl" in Star Trek XI? "Wonderful, daring idea," he said. "I'm jealous."

Nimoy also revealed that he has more than one favorite Star Trek film. "Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home," he said, "and the new film."

However, Nimoy's choice for best movie ever is a classic film, not a Star Trek one. "Casablanca," he said, when asked what his favorite film was.

To read more, head to the article located here.

Star Trek: Online Reconnaissance Photo

2009-06-27T04:23:10Z

A reconnaissance photo and briefing to the Klingon Empire has been posted at Star Trek: Online.

As reported by Star Trek: Online, the history of the post-Star Trek: Nemesis on Star Trek: Online now includes a briefing to the Klingon Empire regarding a new Romulan threat.]]> Star Trek XI are referenced, where Nero and the Narada destroyed numerous Klingon ships.

"Chancellor, I regret to inform you of the loss of the choS Battle Group," says the briefing. "The crews fought with honor, sacrificing everything to send back to us intelligence about a new threat to the Empire."

Quen includes a photo of the ship that decimated the battle group. "The image included in this missive is of the ship that destroyed the battle group," he explained. "We know little about this starship other than that, and what we do know is due to the heroic actions of Captain D'rakal and his crew. They died well, and I honor them."

The Klingons wanted to know how Romulans obtained the advanced technology and the briefing gives details on their search for the source and what happened when they found it.

To read more, head to the article located here.