TREKLAND

Subscribers: Please warp over to the new blog home of Trekland

2016-12-21T23:52:00.000-08:00

Hey, loyal subscribers here to Trekland:

Many thanks for keeping up with the blog and popping off!

But you may have noticed there's been no new posts for a month now.

Truth is, my new larrynemecek.com FINALLY went live a couple weeks back— new look, new layout... and a new location for the blog! All now on Wordpress instead of Blogger, if that means anything to you.

So, kindly point your browsers and redirect your RSS or other subscriptions now to www.larrynemecek.com/feed. The nominal TREKLAND actual blog URL is now simply larrynemecek.com/blog.

But don't worry: Eight years of Trekland posts and vidchats are not going anywhere. I will be transferring most all the old posts to the new platform as the months go by.

For now, though, this original 2008-2016 site will stay on as a fully-indexed legacy archive, and "secret passage" links will be posted on both ends, oneto the other—as you can see in the margin here.

Happy aRSS-ing!

20 years since First Contact!: A couple thoughts to add

2016-11-22T15:38:00.001-08:00

Occasionally, Star Trek has this thing about its movie premieres, and infamous dates that will live in infamy. And if TMP's Dec. 7 was one, First Contact's Nov. 22 was another.

Premiere dates are hardly a complete snapshot of a film, of course, but it's what the ticket-buying public most identifies with. Thankfully, neither of those infamous dates were omens of what was to come on screen—especially this one. First Contact was the second of the four TNG films that I saw and covered up-close, and have strong memories for above and beyond the critical and fan reactions that were mostly favorable—even as in hindsight, we can see the demand of bid-screen billing and process molding what we'd always seen in the family on a weekly basis for seven years.

And even as, sadly, the awesome book I wrote most of the BTS half for, Titan's The Making of First Contact (above), was only available in the UK and some European, non-US markets.

We all have our personal memories--mine was seeing those first sets built, posing for an unused book photo on the deflector dish with the bird feeders (LOOK IT UP!) the day of that shooting, and my one and only time to hit Hollywood's famous Pink's hot dog stand near midnight with our Trek colleagues and office friends after the cast/crew screening at the lot.

Still, everyone loved the Borg, and we loved seeing them given their due in a big-budget, big screen upgrade. AND we had the "nextgen" of the Enterprise PLUS our first Starfleet all-CGI ships! Oh, and a great, enjoyably-led film by Frakes in his debut on big screen.... and a great story with great cameos by Picardo, Philips and Schultz... and great featured performances by Cromwell, Woodard and Kriege. Though it should be noted, compared to the Bad Robot Kelvin movies, these were hardly produced even on a '90s Star Wars scale.

In that vein, for my bit in piling on to the celebration online everywhere today, here's a rare shot at the cockpit of the historic Phoenix warp test capsule (below).

Yep, that's it.Canon-wise, "Live long and prosper" all came from this!

-------------------
Anyone note the prop from another cult fave?

RIP Ron Thornton, CGI pioneer and fan media's hero too

2016-11-22T13:19:00.003-08:00

I didn't know Ron Thornton that well, although he was certainly kind and generous and supportive of me in my writing and projects. I may not even have any pics with him, back from the time of no cameras-on-pagers known as The Nineties.

Following his passing Monday afternoon after a long illness, you can read much more by his Trekside colleagues Mike Okuda and Daren Dochterman here at the excellent remembrance startrek.com ran today... where I pilfered the above photo. There are many more reflections on Ron scattered around Facebook by both peers and proteges.

But with his far-too-soon passing on Monday, it brings to mind how much our world has changed, how much storytelling capability on television has changed.. and so much of it due to Ron. For all you kids raised on cheap n' easy CGI* you do on your own laptop... Ron was literally the one who brought the magic of new digital effects to weekly TV.

Ron was a hands-on visual effects guy, and has plenty of credits to prove it. But by the time he'd co-started Foundation Imaging and it bled over into Trek work where we needed to interact, I saw him as head of his companies, mostly. But in that regard Ron was not only always glad to see and help me, but he made it possible for the CGI Trek journalism revolution as well. Beginning with the original UK Fact Files—and then our official Communicator mag and then the US Trek mag that Fact Files content became in the US—those digital ship shots were no longer a high-dollar wish-list item: Ron made it possible to supply us with the angles and 3/4 views of elusive CGI ships that Trek techheads were so hungry for, after mourning the phase-out of those beautiful, actual miniature ship models.

True, in the early years we used to talk about how all the Foundation effects on Babylon 5 were "so CG-ey"—that is, overly aliased, and obviously below the quality of shooting actual models. But the evolution was speedy, for the important thing was that his breakthrough render farm concept allowed common PCs of that time to handle the high-data demands of CGI processing quickly as a networked unit. So speedy, in fact, that even the supervisors on state-of-the-art Star Trek, one by one--even, by DS9's last season, skeptic Gary Hutzel too—became convinced that CGI would be not just doable but respectable on TV limits... both in money AND time. Even for Star Trek.

It's ironic to me how today there's as much CGI digital work on TV now that has nothing to do with space battles—invasive viruses and infections illustrated with graphic motion on every procedural show, massive Earthly landscapes on global adventure shows, Earth-bound superheroics on all the superhero fad series... and it all kicked off with Ron finding a way to make it work on the small screen in the early 90s.

Excuse me. I know I must have a great shot with Ron here somewhere. I'm long overdue to dig it out.

*Just in case you need it: CGI is actually the acronym for "computer-generated imagery."

Hoosier Trek buddies? Starbase Indy THIS weekend!

2016-11-20T05:47:00.000-08:00

What a way to close out the 50th anniversary—with a visit back to all my Trek friends this post-turkey Thursday at Starbase Indy!

This old-school, fan-run hotel con sure has lived long and prospered since we first were invited back during Enterprise's reign, and then a couple more visits since. Long the passion of chair Kim Huff, this year she's handed off to Melissa Kocias and I can't wait to see how it's grown.

Also, this visit I have a specific Enterprise in Space panel to share updates on our non-profit global orbiter-borne space program for students—and I'm excited to finally MEET and have onsite our EIS chief engineer, Fred Becker!

Table-side, I'll have another Portal 47 sign-up bonus and even a prize drawing... plus the latest On Speaker CD edition for the 50th.

And—I'm also looking forward to talking Trek and Starbase Indy Saturday on the local WXIN Channel 59 morning show!

Of course, there's a Dr. Trek Show crowdfunder Saturday night for The Con of Wrath, too, here in this final year of production on the doc. You can find me at my table at 10-5 Saturday and 10-4 Sunday, plus the Dinner With the Stars:

NOTE, Indy fangoers: The printed program onsite does not contain all updates. The online and live schedules, will be updated —and reflect all this below:

FRIDAY
8:30-10:30 pm : VIP Reception— With all the guests

SATURDAY
3 pm — Trekland: Between the Cracks: "Discovering Beyond the Big 5-0": The latest update of my regular Trek hour as we go "beyond" the 50th and "discover" some new ways to look at its past, present and future... via my slideshow of in-jokes and insights and your Q&A, too! I'll also be talking a bit on Enterprise in Space, our non-profit global student-focused space orbiter program. (Guinan's Place Theatre)

11 pm — Dr. Trek Show crowdfunder for The Con of Wrath (Get more info on the Facebook Event page; it helps if you CLICK it early, too!) Your $20 support at the door gets a screen credit on my documentary PLUS, here live: two hours of prize trivia, rare Trek video, and sneak doc peeks with George, Nichelle, Walter, the late Harve Bennett, Wende Doohan, and more. (Special Programs Room, Directors Row #1). And, if you choose, we still give you late-night time for the burlesque earlier and for Barfleet & room parties later! (Guinan's Place Theatre)

SUNDAY
Noon—"The State of the Trek": Trekland is really changing, finally--but a lot if it may be catching us unawares: the business, the canon creation, the fandom. I'll throw out somne thoughts and be ready to toss some out yourself, and to each other—this is a forum to get us all connecting the Trek dots in a new way, perhaps. (Tom Berg Memorial Bridge/ ballroom)

As you trek to the polls today....

2016-11-08T12:52:00.000-08:00

Thank the (Vulcan) gods for the Internet.

(And if you ask me for realz, of course, I'll give you my opinion.)

After 20 years, "Tribble-ations" is still Trek's best fan film

2016-11-04T15:39:00.001-07:00

November 4th is not only the day to say "Happy Will Rogers Birthday!"—yes, there is a physical as well as a philosophical link there—but this year it's the 20th anniversary of DS9's delightfully and awesomely monument anniversary homage show, "Trials and Tribble-ations."

Now this is a valentine to fans. I mean, it's pro-Trek's own fan film, is what it is.

Look, even if you're not a DS9 fan or even an original series fan—you must get familiar with this episode. It's the "Charlie Brown Christmas" of Trek that transcends everything else ... and when it was made, I dived in to do a two-day set visit for the best bits for a TEN-page feature for the official Communicator magazine (before I was editor)... and wound up helping make a little history myself.

In fact, I've long said this was the most effortlessly fun writing project I've ever had—it's both a diary and an interview digest. That shoot was simply a magical time ..as magical as the final episode preserved on film turned out to be.
Sadly, none of the custom photos I took were used on deadline for the spread, but you can still see and read these original PDF pages here, via my site:

What's more, this year's Trekland: On Speaker Vol. 5 "30 at 50" featured my remastered stage visit to "Tribble-ations" (as well as "Flashback"), and there's even more good background there—in 17 of the actual voices, from 1996. It's a great anniversary year gift! The new online order page is coming with the new site in a matter of days, but for now...

When I am live at conventions, as with Northeast Trek Con or Starbase Indy, you can grab one from me there.. as you could since its debut at STLV.

Here's the back cover:

Hello Albany: Trekland finally hits the Northeast!

2016-11-02T05:47:00.000-07:00

All right! I can't wait to hit the Northeast for, naturally, Northeast Trek Con coming up Nov. 11-13, since I've never had the chance to visit in the region—as either a con guest or as a tourist, or both. One exception: that short 2005 visit to the New Voyagers/Phase II sets; otherwise, I've never been east or really north of New York City.

Until now—or Veterans Day weekend, that is...and the debut of this new convention, an old-school fan-run charity throwback but with a shuttlebay full of great actor and behind-the-scenes guests (see Facebook and Twitter, too, for more late-breaking info).

I hear that a lot of Trek fans in the Northeast still may not have heard of this start-up con—so please take notice! There's still plenty for ticket-buyers and room-renters at the Albany Radisson. And I would love to meet as many new fans from this end of the country as I can!

I want to thank Jerry Silber and his team for having me, and what a great a lineup—with even more on Skype. Just check it out!

I get to bring the Portal 47 word to the Northeast, show off the Dr. Trek Show for The Con of Wrath, and evangelize about Enterprise in Space as well. In fact, I'll be getting an important early "blogger" on camera for the doc who was at the Ultimate Fantasy in June 1982 just ahead of this weekend, so I'm doubly excited for that.

Look at this lineup below—and this is just MY stuff!: a mix of solo shots, panels, and moderating for others, including a Skype session. (Here's the full schedule.) I'll also have a Trekland/Portal 47 table when not on stage:

FRIDAY

Noon—Welcome to Northeast Trek: The Year Behind, the Year Ahead
w Arne Starr, James Cawley and moderator Jeff Burns

5 pm— Trekland Between the Cracks: 5-0 Fever and Beyond: The latest update to my regular Trek hour as we go "beyond" the 50th and "discover" some new ways to look at its past, present and future... via my slideshow of in-jokes and insights and your Q&A, too!

9 pm — Captions Log: The home edition of my Trek magazine column, where you come up with the best caption to a blooper photo, and the audience might just judge you a prize winner! (And yes, this is late night for a reason...).

SATURDAY

Noon— Adam Nimoy Skype chat: And I do the moderating! Have you seen For the Love of Spock yet?

3 pm—Voyager panel with Garrett Wang and Bob Picardo: Well, I was on the lot, too!

7 pm — Enterprise in Space, 2120: Hear the latest on this global non-profit orbiter program launching 100+ student STEAM projects and partner-industry demos on the first real Enterprise in Space, sponsored by the National Space Society…and how can help and get involved, too.

10:15 (approx.) — The Dr. Trek Show crowdfunder event for The Con of Wrath: Finally, in the Northeast! Your $20 support at the door gets a screen credit on my documentary PLUS two hours of prize trivia, rare Trek video, and sneak peeks with George, Nichelle, Walter, the late Harve Bennett, and more. (Here's the Facebook event page, so click in or gete more info).

SUNDAY

11 am — The State of the Trek forum: Bring your opinions and your vents—but be prepared to not only share but listen to others, after I get you started.

2 pm — A Tribute to Leonard Nimoy with Robin Curtis: Happy to moderate the lovely Robin after too long a time as moderator.
4 p.m.— Star Trek’s 50 Years: Why It Has Endured: Panelist, with half the rest of the guest line-up. Five C's time, anyone?

So, upstate and New England fans—will I see you there?

SoCal Treksters—see you at Stan Lee's ComicCon (ex-Comikaze)

2016-10-22T03:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, it's now named Stan Lee's L.A. Comic Con, it's next weekend and I'm thrilled to say that Star Trek Continues will again have a panel Sunday after a screening of Episode 6, "Come Not Between the Dragons," which moi am honored to moderate.

You can see the episode on the big screen, only 7 weeks from its world premiere at Salt Lake Comic-Con, at 11:30 am in Room 304ABC on Oct. 30 at the LA Convention Center. Even on Sunday morning, allow plenty of time for downtown parking!

I will hardly need to creatively consult for this part of STC, as I'll be joined by our talented and risk-taking guest star Gigi Edgely as Ensign Eliza Taylor from that episode plus director Julian Higgins, who made his incredible first mark on STC with this one.

Gig has a signing table all weekend, but this panel is the only appearance that weekend for Juliand and I, so come by and say hi during and afterward. I'm happy to talk about any Star Trek, STC or Trekland projects for a bit!

Oct. 12: After one year, it's an open house for Portal 47!

2016-10-06T23:17:00.004-07:00

My baby is one year old! Portal 47, the monthly insider deep-dive to more in-depth Trek, was launched a year ago this month—and we're having a party to celebrate!

Well, a virtual open house, actually, and you're invited: On Oct. 12, a special edition of one of our guest telebriefings. And in the spirit of #StarTrek50, it's a doozy: None other than Robert Butler, director of Trek's 1964 first pilot, "The Cage."

I thought Robert, whom I've met at a couple of recent panels here in L.A., would make a wonderful guest for this opportunity to show off one of the key features in the Portal package. At 88, he can't travel much, so the phone-conference format is a perfect way to open up his appearance to the whole world. And there's not a lot of his colleagues still with us.

As the Portales do once a month, you can even send in questions in advance for our guest. Just reserve your virtual seat at this link, and see how, when and where to join in—and forward your pre-questions, if you like. We'll have some visuals, too, for those online...where we never have bandwidth issues.

It's just one of the features our deep-divers get every month—a part of what we call a mini-con all year long, no matter where your center seat is. (Seriously. Any continent, or wilderness... with a wi-fi signal, that is.)

But next week, all are welcome to see what that's like, and get a dose of first-hand Trek tales in the process... where no savvy fan has gone before. Hope you can make it!

(And by the way: If you tried to make our launch call a year ago and could not get in...don;t look for that to happen again. We're good!)

A rare political move: @TrekAgainstTrump takes a stand

2016-09-29T11:00:00.000-07:00

Well, this is unprecedented.

Nearly 100 names and faces who brought Gene Roddenberry's hopeful, future universe to life over five decades are diving into Campaign 2016 with "Trek Against Trump." From the original series right through to the Kelvin timeline films and even Discovery—before and behind the camera alike, and alongside too.

And, I'm proud to say, me too.

It's not unusual in Hollywood —or in sports, or music, for that matter—to see celebs turn activist and political advocate. Kate Mulgrew, for one, stumped hard for her then-husband Tim Hagan when he was the Democratic nominee for governor of Ohio in 2002. Still, it's unusual for Star Trek, and most assuredly when done en masse. I'm sure that makes some fans queasy—or, since it's 2016, even outright hostile.

But here's the deal: It is 2016, and this group of Trek-related veterans have banded together for a political moment, wading into partisan waters with a joint message for their fans to at least consider—from actors, writers, producers, designers, and crew veterans of all incarnations. "Trek Against Trump" is the result: a simple yet pointed statement against perhaps the most controversial Presidential candidate ever arising from the mainstream two-party system, Donald J. Trump.

And it's a stand, the backers say, that leaves them uniquely affected because of their unofficial role as Ambassadors Emeritus for the Gene Roddenberry legacy of ideals, optimism, respect and future hope that they worked in: the core of Star Trek.

This all just came together in the past few days, and I've been proud to help contact and notify some of the names you see, and to consult on the social media logistics. You LN readers and followers know it's no secret where my politics lie, but they rarely if ever rear up on Trekland—as it should be. But, once again, the news reminds us daily how this is not even a typically partisan year.

And hey— this is an unusual step, and lots of the folks who signed on may have hesitated as to the normal effect that might have on career and even fanbase— not just for the stand, but in taking one at all, and so publicly.

But that again points to how so many see this election as not normal, like the signs for The Donald that are everywhere—from a stunningly historic lack of newspaper endorsements to a heavily split and divided party "behind" him. And yet we have a younger generation who see a protest vote as a viable option, who do not remember the bigger-picture consequences from the similar events of 2000—if nothing else, as depicted in the film Recount (check it out). As no less than Bernie Sanders himself has said, this is no time for a protest vote.

How will fans react to this "partisan stand" that backers say is not a stunt, but a natural reaction to counter their helpless feeling that "something should be done!"? There's a lot of high-power names here—and no doubt some fans will be incensed that their apolitical heroes got involved. Can it be barely two weeks since John Billingsley and Bonita Friedericy (Phlox and Rooney, if you need the prompt) felt compelled to launch their funny @MartiniShots anti-Trump mini-videos? Soon to be followed by Rick Berman's now famous tweet...

By that time, Armin Shimerman and John de Lancie were joining forces with John B, got more on board as signers and as help... and voila, here we are today.

So, yes, I'm glad to help.

If it's your cup o'tea, please join and share the simple Trek Against Trump Facebook (@TrekNotTrump on Twitter) everywhere. If not... well, this will all be over in just six weeks or so. Just dial up Netflix or slip in a new Blu-ray... and enjoy a non-political episode of Trek. If you can find one.

Oh, here's a list for that rewatch you might to check out: "The Drumhead" on TNG..."Past Tense" or "Home Front/Paradise Lost" on DS9... "Distant Origin" on Voyager, "Terra Prime/ Demons" on Enterprise... or, of course, Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.

Because, once again, that's Trek. And that's the whole point.

MIchigan: Let's talk "Happy Trek 50th" at your library

2016-09-13T19:46:00.000-07:00

Well, THIS is different...

And so exciting: I'm going on a five-library tour of Michigan to celebrate Trek's ongoing golden anniversary next week. I mean, you didn't think the Big 5-0 ended on Sept. 8, did you? The anniversary year has only begun!

And this is doubly intriguing as it won't be a hard-core fan audience, but lots of armchair fans or just newbie-curious (I';m guessing) at local regional libraries all around suburban Detroit. Just as when the Alexandria, La., library had me visit last spring, I can't wait to see what kind of curious mainstream patrons come out to hear the amazing, wacky, and above all inspiring attraction of Gene Roddenberry's vision —and how and why it has lived long and prospered, generation after generation.

I'm counting on seeing plenty of the Michigan Trekfan faithful, of course, who can make it.

I've only been to Michigan once—at a weekend internet convention two years ago—so this is literally new ground for me. I'll have a 60-90 minute talk, with a special "Between the Cracks of Trek" slideshow of course, and then table time in each venue. My thanks to Rob Butler at the Caroline Kennedy Library in Dearborn Heights for sparking the idea, then talking to more sister sites to add to the tour while I'm in-state.

So here's the schedule, as you can see at ln.com's NEWS page. Times are for the actual talk start, but since all but Saturday bump up against closing time at each site, I'll be there at least an hour early with a table to avoid the "closing rush."

Hope to see a lot of our Wolveriner Treklanders next week!

Here's the schedule:

Monday, Sept. 19, 6:30 pm

Redford Library

Redford, MI

Tuesday, Sept. 20, 7:00 pm

Caroline Kennedy Library

Dearborn Heights, MI

Wednesday, Sept. 21, 6:30 pm

Berkley Library

Berkley, MI

Thursday, Sept. 22, 6:30 pm

Lincoln Park Library

Lincoln Park, MI

Saturday, Sept. 24, 10:30 am

White Lake Library

White Lake, MI

STV: Happy 50th from Star Trek crews past

2016-09-08T09:47:00.000-07:00

YES! Finally, new Trekland video—and a brand-new intro! But the 50th celebration has only just begun ... for a whole year, yes?

So here's some faces and voices I've been holding back for the Happy 50th party—just the kind of behind-the-scenes insight that I love recording and revealing... from the TNG Companion where I met many of them, to our deep-diving Portal 47 today. Some you know; most you will not. (A few have been P47 guests; many others will be, too.)

For all or part of 18+ years, various teams of skilled show-biz folk brought us 737 hours of TV and films from Gene Roddenberry's universe...and could not help but form their own bonds of workaday friendship as well as professional pride.

With social media to help, the group held its third reunion in six years on May 22 in LA's Griffin Park—and it seemed natural to record for posterity some shoutouts for the 50th. I only regret that this was the smallest turnout of the three, and I did not get more folks on camera—to represent even more of the older series, or more of the various departments that go into getting an episode made.

Of course they have all gone on to other shows, other projects or even other careers now... but you can tell how most would agree that their working Star Trek years were something special, if not the highlights of their resume.

And that they are all fans, too.

Portal 47: One year old—just now getting its space legs

2016-09-08T03:39:00.001-07:00

Hard on the heels of Thursday's #Happy50 #StarTrek50 celebrating...

It's hard to believe, but it was just one year ago that I sprung the official launch of PORTAL 47 on an unsuspecting Trekland.... where no savvy fan had gone before.

And despite a couple of opening-night glitches as I scrambled to self-produce a combination talkshow/podcast/intro session, the Portal since then has echoed that famous phrase: From tiny acorns, mighty Orion oaks grow.

And now a brand-new modern webpage (above)! Portal47.net, you know.

I'd heard it for years: "All that Trek stuff you have, the people you know, the things you remember? You should do something with that!" —I was finally able to take that advice, thanks to my coaches and friends, and build a Star Trek experience that was unique to fandom, and uniquely my voice and resources.

Our online Telebriefing in session w TOS guest Andrea Weaver

It's only a quirk of timing that I launched this on Sept. 9—Trek Anniversary Day +1. We'd given sneak peeks at the summer cons and taken early-bird members, but THIS was the real deal showtime—where the biggest part of the monthly Portal package was on display—and my thanks to both "early caller" Dave Rossi and my "sample guest" Mike DeMerritt for helping me get out of spacedock and on with the maiden flight.

Since then we've added slide shows (left) and even webcam video to our sessions... our private P47 Facebook community has turned into a bunch of snappers and sharers ... and our Live-Dives have sprung up wherever I'm a live guest at a con with 47ers present. The word is spreading, and members are popping in every week now!

Of course, my thanks also to Mike and all our original Telebriefing guests: David Trotti, Richard Sarstedt, Ron B. Moore, Alan Sims, Robin Morselli, Phil Weyland, Marvin Rush, Brad Look, Andrea Weaver, Eric Stillwell, David Stipes and Steve Welke. And many to come!

As well as more features to come— including those TrekTours for LA daytrippers I've been promising... plus an ALL-NEW premium level of the Portal that I'm very excited about!

Most of all, I'm planning a First Anniversary Telebriefing Special for Wed., Oct. 5, with another veteran Treklander on the call!

I'll be getting out the deets on that to everyone on my lists and media—and beyond—but if you have an itchy phaser finger, feel free to sign up now. The "Founding Deep-Diver" T-shirt special for first-year charter Portales is available until the night of the call Oct. 5.... so check out the sign-up links at portal47.net www.portal47.net ... or email me at p47@larrynemecek.com with questions.

Happy Trek 50th! It's only now I can be excited

2016-09-08T03:29:00.000-07:00

Hey, it’s Sept. 8!

My early fandom benchmarks & treasures

The Official Big 5-0 is here, at last.

Everyone and their alien dog is doing the Star Trek thing: mainstream news, bloggers, entire nations of state-owned media.

So, just as I promised when I started this blog, I'll take the personal route on this landmark day.

And say, after a year of joining fans worldwide to celebrate and reflect on Gene Roddenberry’s gift to us all, that I’ve got to come clean and admit it:

I take Star Trek for granted. And always have.

I mean, don’t get me wrong: I likely would not have wound up with a lot of my life choices—from a wife, to the expression of career training in numerous fields—had it not been for the little space saga that could.

By that I mean the original series, of course—no bloody A, B, C, D, V, E, J, or new D—and the by fact that I was but a kid when I got trekkified: one hour at a time, one day at a time, every day after school. Just like so, so many others.

I fell for those characters, I fell for that universe. I fell for the fact it was our universe—as both a history buff and a NASA kid, it made complete sense.

Because here’s a second admission: I can be deadly with the practical and the pragmatic. I had a “Well, yeah” put-down comeback that was years ahead of the “Well, duh” fad...and I used it full force, on wide-beam setting on Star Trek.

Of course our technology would progress from the wheel to the horsepower to the airplane to the starship… from fire to oil to antimatter. And for a species that grew from the level of caves to city-states to nations to United Nations, well of course we’d eventually become a union of intelligently populated planets—once we found them. And once they found us— because they, like us, had to figure out the self-survival recipe or they'd never have made it to the stars in the first place. (Well, most of them, anyway. Cue the grumpy Vulcans.)

I read the early books like Star Trek Lives!, grappling with why Trek was so mold-breakingly popular. I saw the interviews… I read the fan letters, the magazine essays. Optimistic future, humanity survives, we don’t kill each other or the planet or the new kids we find out there to play with …yadda yadda yadda... yeah, yeah yeah.

It was a concept that got so many young people excited and engaged...and still does.

Me, not so much. Remember, I was "well, yeah" when "well, yeah" wasn't cool. I mean, I knew how to gush—I just didn't see the need. Duh.

But the years since this teenager fell for that vision of future history have hardly been rosy. World progress has not been inevitable; tolerance and diversity and justice have not arisen automatically, along an ever-rising path to global peace and prosperity.

The go-go ‘70s grew into the cushy ‘80s and the dot-com ‘90s...and then, just about the time Star Trek's optimism seemed old hat in many ways... along came a global melt-down, a rebound of intolerance and pushback, and a generation that never saw a hot world war — but was sure plenty scared of a hot world.

And then Leonard died.

As I said at the time, his passing hit me not just hard, but unexpectedly: with guilt. Guilt that, while favoring McCoy and Scotty, and mourning De and Jimmy, I had taken Leonard and Spock far, far too much for granted.

And as the Five-O party started, and all the old truisms and quotes were trotted out again to explain Trek's appeal and Trek's longevity... I realized I was guilty once again. Of taking the core of the whole damn franchise for granted.

Even more than in 1966 or even 1986, Star Trek is an incredible gift of inspiration and hope, an ageless lesson in diversity and respect, a needed lesson in rationality and curiosity...and a damn flexible storytelling vehicle with great characters, cast, commentary and yes, canon—which you might say the biggest sign of respect of all: from creator to audience.

Yes, the years go by, world progress is not on autopilot, and it's actually gotten easier to gush about Star Trek. I bet we'll be saying the same thing after the next 50.

Duh.

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Have a great #happy50th day today!
Remember to share your pics of your party or meetup tonight at Larry Nemecek's Facebook or on Twitter with the hastag #mytrek50 ....
And if in L.A. (or on Facebook Live) drop by our "we are all fans" Trek50 meetup tonight at Lucy's in Hollywood anytime from 6-10 p.m., co-hosted by Roddenberry's Mission Log podcast, for a toast on Star Trek's debut half-past hours across the US time zones, shared on Facebook Live.

The REAL 50th at last!—and if in L.A., come toast with us

2016-09-06T07:47:00.000-07:00

After all the big conventions and events, after all the special merch, after all the other hoopla... it finally all comes down to Thursday....THIS Thursday, Sept. 8...at 8:30 pm Eastern*... at the hour when "The Man Trap" first flickered across NBC's airwaves.

So where will YOU celebrate Star Trek's actual 50th anniversary of its aired debut?**

Lots of folks are having get-togethers in their homes ... or nearby watering holes, or pop-culture storefronts: many will be screening "The Man Trap" at its debut hour—all over the world, actually. Feel free to take snaps of your own celebration and share with us on the Trekland Facebook page that night!

But IF you're in SoCal with no prior plans and want to share the night with Trekfans... please do so! Here's an invite to join us that night to toast Star Trek's 50th at Lucy's El Adobe, right across the street from Paramount Pictures and a onetime watering hole of Gene Roddenberry and friends. You can check out his autographed photo to the joint (right)!

Together with co-host John Champion of Roddenberry's Mission Log podcast, my Portal 47 will be lifting a toast at 6:30 pm* to the debut of Star Trek on the equivalent of its premiere in Eastern time—and then twice again on the half-past hour for Central/Mountain and Pacific times.

You're on your own for drinks, and some of us are getting dinner around 7:00.

But we'll have a giant 50th Anniversary card to sign ... and some other fun and a surprise or two as well. Most of all, we're coming together to mark this landmark that has meant so much to so many.

And for those around the globe not with us in person, you can join us in spirit: I plan to film each toast, and any fun surrounding subspace chatter, all live on Facebook Live online at my Trekland Facebook—again, at 6:30, 7:30 and 9:30 PDT.*

For a Thursday night, and after all the big extravaganza of the past few weeks, I just wanted to do something relaxed, in an LA venue of even a tenuous Star Trek connection... with a vibe where folks with no plans otherwise could come for fan fellowship and fun. There may even be recent tales of Vegas, New York and elsewhere...or memories from further afield in fandom, back further on the timeline.

Hey, we only get one shot at the true golden anniversary moment for Star Trek—just make you sure to mark it somehow, somewhere, with fans you love and enjoy. Maybe that means we'll see you at Starbase Lucy's!

If you do plan to come by... PLEASE just help us keep tabs on turnout and click the "Going" button on the Facebook Event page—thanks!

*As my talented buddy and fellow STC'er James Kerwin pointed out, Daylight Savings Time was not created until 1967—so, techincally, celebrants this year ought to mark "The Man Trap"'s 1966 debut at *9:30* PM EDT—an hour later—to compensate.

**And yes, we all know by now, thanks to the wackiness of younger-brother sales and marketing, Star Trek actually flashed on-air before an audience the TWO DAYS before NBC's Sept. 8 premiere— on the CTV, in Canada!

Hey, Salt Lake—can't wait to Trekland back for the 50th!

2016-08-25T09:00:00.000-07:00

FOUR big conventions across this continent over Labor Day weekend, on the eve of Star Trek's actual 50th anniversary Sept. 8—and I'm thrilled to be back for the party at one of the biggest three: Salt Lake Comic Con!

It's been a late assembly on my schedule details, but for sure I'll be thrilled to be on hand in RM 250A for the world premiere of Episode 7 of Star Trek Continues Friday at 7 pm, "Embrace the Winds," with Vic, Todd, Kim, Wyatt, Cat, builder John and producer/make-up designer Lisa and I paneling afterwards—and 300 free posters, first-come!...

... Followed by prize trivia and rare/new video for a 9:30 pm "Dr. Trek Show" crowdfunder event for The Con of Wrath in RM 150G—the last chance for SLCC fans to grab a screen credit live and more, as we wrap up the documentary this coming year.

Here's the con link for my schedule—a solo Trekland show session at 3 pm Thursday, and then I join with local fans on a couple more on Saturday. It's been great to meet all the SLC club-ship-chapters in the Seventh Fleet and meet so many fans active in their local groups.

Keep checking—it's likely not to be complete til con eve!

Meanwhile, I'll have a Trekland Outpost at Booth 403 in the front of the Big Hall, looking for more deep-divers for Portal 47 with a drawing and some jump-in special goodies ... as well as my newest On Speaker remastered archival CD interview album, Volume 5: "30 at 50: 'Flashback' and 'Tribble-ations " for the 50th, and the regular fun stuff.

Spread the word, Utah (and south Idaho)!

And stay tuned.

Gulf Coast fans—hit me up at Pensacola Comic Con!

2016-08-14T12:15:00.002-07:00

Well, this is exciting! I've never been to the upper Gulf Coast before...much less the Emerald Coast.

But here I am at family-focused Pensacola Comic Con this weekend, Aug. 20-21, with all things Trekland and Portal 47—and we'll be talking about all things new and Star Trek: Discovery, of course! Thanks to Ericka Boussarhane for having me—and my stargazing buddy/blues boy Tim Russ to rep Trek as well.

This is the smaller of Pensacola's two big cons, and I have no idea about the shape or size of Gulf Trek fandom, but we'll sure find out. I have a panel each day... It's not like there's a shortage of topics .... AND I'll even be grabbing yet one more "Con of Wrath" Survivor, too, while in town.

So who's near the famous white beaches and can make it by?

My panel, my table, my stuff —just a corner of Trekland in the HUGE Star Trek year at Comic-Con San Diego

2016-07-18T18:04:00.000-07:00

Wow. Maybe it's because this is Comic-Con NUMBER 47?

San Diego Comic-Con has never been about Star Trek; it's always been about, well, comic books. And manga. Superheroes. And, for the past 20 or so years, the blockbusters derived therefrom. Sci-fi, fantasy, horror and anime, you get to come too.

"Oh well, see you in Vegas" has been the cry among Trekfolk at SDCC the past decade or so, since I started going in 2006. I've always felt badly that Star Trek's golden age and its incredible casts and creators came too soon for the bigtime, Hall H Comic-Con treatment.

UNTIL NOW. And good on CBS Consumer Products, and CBS and Paramount in general, for finally corralling an historically huge, Dyson Sphere-sized year for Trek. Having both the new mpovie AND the new series AND the 50th anniversary to play off is about as natural an opening as you're going to get, and they have not disappointed. Starting with a Comic-Con program cover featuring Leonard Nimoy's Spock (at right)!

Of course if you don't have a way in by now, you ain't gettin' in ... but if you're among the 150,000 plus on business and/or pleasure in San Diego his week...Here's a huge list of all things official Trek and licensees here. Huge! The MAC Trek cosmetics line and the 50 on 50 art exhibit with artist signings and that cover Spock image are among the panels and products.

And I'd just add to that, the first Trek pin collectibles from my old buddy Dan Madsen's FanSets (too new to get its own booth) will be at Comikaze and StylnOnline booths—and an even bigger hit now that folks can see "augmented reality" with the PokemonGO craze.

Now for my little corner of Trekland, here's my deets—and THANKS AGAIN to Cat Roberts, our Lt. Palmer of Star Trek Continues et al, and John for hosting our "Dr. Trek" crowdfunder again on Friday night!

—WEDNESDAYMaybe I'll see you before or after the 8 p.m. IMAX World Premiere of Star Trek Beyond?

—THURSDAY:
8-9 pm, 29AB: "Trekland's Between the Cracks Show: The How We Got To 50 Edition" PANEL — Our annual updated look at all things Trek in-perspective and in-jokey will also this year hopefully have a brand-new sneak-footage reel for The Con of Wrath! Plus we'll have a lightning PORTAL 47 beam-aboard bonus for this night only!

I'm up against some good folks in this slot, sadly, but you can click here in to the SDCC event site/app scheduler here as well. Please do!

—FRIDAY:

2:30-5:30 pm, AA23: Autograph Alley table— Easiest place to catch me! I'll have photos, On Speaker CDs, Portal 47 info, maybe even a book or two--and get into the Portal 47 prize drawing. Oh and opinions and news on all things hot. Click here to save on your SDCC site/app scheduler.

Just be advised I must leave sooner than the normal 7:00 ending time because of ...

First SDCC doc crowdfunder, in 2012!

6:30-8:30 pm, Dr. Trek Show crowdfunder for The Con of Wrath, adjoining Petco Field*—The annual event supporting my doc wherever I am a live con guest—now wrapping up its final year of filming: as usual $20 not only gets you a screen credit but here live it's access to prize trivia, rare Trek footage and newest sneak-peek footage for the doc—including the latest, of Nichelle Nichols and Laura Banks.
*Check out the Facebook event page for the exact address and arrival directions. Share it if you can!

—SATURDAY:

4:30-7 pm, AA23: Autograph Alley table—Ditto as above! But note I will be delayed past the 2:30 start time due to covering the big Hall H panel 2-3 and media afterward. Still, it's the last, easiest place to catch me—photos, On Speaker CDs, Portal 47 info, maybe even a book or two--and last chance for the Portal 47 prize drawing. Late news punditry, too. Click here to save on your SDCC site/app scheduler.
This schedule means, sadly, I will be timed out of Ben Robinson's Star Trek Ships panel immediately afterward with Rick Sternbach and Dan Curry...but again, it's all Treklanders all long overdue for a little Comic-Con love.

Here's hoping we all survive the Comic-Con crazy.... Especially me, because Tuesday starts our incredible #LA2Vegas / #SFx2 50th anniversary expanded edition of the Trek Film Sites Tour. And then right into sold-out, five-day #STLV.

Trek well!

'Beyond' in incredible, Barco Escape three-screen panorama theaters—can you see it near you?

2016-07-15T12:24:00.003-07:00

The pre-screening buzz is great for Star Trek Beyond, as I'd guessed, even though detailed reviews are being embargoed til the release July 21...

But here's one detail that should not be a secret: A hot new way to see Beyond and other features, soon, in only a few dozen cities around the globe: a multi-screen, panoramic theater system called Barco Escape.

I'm going to be seeing STB again in L.A. just after the Comic-Con premiere, but the wide Barco artwork below gives you the idea—over 20 minutes of the movie were specifically created for the sprawling, massively wide effect by director Justin Lin and J.J.'s Bad Robot team in full partnership with Barco. These ain't third-party add-ons!

And now there's a trailer out for the Barco Beyond:

Barco, first out in 2014 with The Maze Runner, has also partnered with 20th-Centruy Fox and Jerry Bruckheimer, and has committed to at east three more films with the Barco touch this year—one of them big-time: The feature 6 Below will be shot entirely in Barco Escape by director Scott Waugh (Act of Valor, Need for Speed), and starring Josh Hartnett.

To me, it harks back to the old Cinerama three-camera multi-screen projection which is amazing, as we recently saw at a festival of films actually made to take advantage of it and projected that way. But THIS of course uses the latest in digital cinema on a whole new seamless level, and expands the visceral sensory experience that is hitting you from such a wide angle. An epic space blockbuster like Star Trek on big screen is the perfect way to take advantage and showcase all that expanded cinemascope panorama!

I can't wait to try it out here at the Regal at LA LIVE downtown, but check Barco Escape's world screening link here where you can see the cities and showtimes around the world and whether you're lucky enough to have the access, too. Just check it out and get tickets at those exclusive theaters just like you normally would for a show.

Barco uses the Twitter handle @BarcoEscape and has a full website here.

And just so you can get the full Jaylah effect too:

-------------------------------------------
In case you missed it, here's the full press release announcing the deal and the technology:

-->

J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot and Barco Boldly Go Into the Future of Cinema with “Star Trek Beyond” Release in Barco Escape

Digital Cinema Powerhouse Brings Multi-Screen, Panoramic Experience To Theaters This Summer

LOS ANGELES — April 11, 2016 — Digital cinema leader Barco and Bad Robot Productions today announced “Star Trek Beyond,” one of this year’s most anticipated films, will be released in Barco’s multi-screen theatrical format Barco Escape, bringing audiences inside the action from the interstellar franchise - like never before. J.J. Abrams’ Bad Robot will master a special version of the film, expanding the storytelling across three screens to unveil a thrilling new movie going experience to audiences when the film, from Paramount Pictures and Skydance Productions, releases on July 22.

“Star Trek Beyond,” the third installment of the phenomenally successful reboot, is directed by Justin Lin, and stars Idris Elba, Chris Pine, Simon Pegg, Zach Quinto, Zoe Saldana, John Cho, Anton Yelchin and Karl Urban. The most recent film, “Star Trek Into Darkness,” grossed more than $467 million worldwide, making it the highest-grossing entry in the Star Trek franchise.

"Justin Lin’s Star Trek Beyond is an epic adventure — truly larger than life,” said producer and Bad Robot president J.J. Abrams. “It is especially fitting, then, that we are partnering with Barco to provide an ultra wide-screen immersive experience using their unique Barco Escape format. This premium format dramatically expands the width of the viewing plane, giving filmmakers an innovative new tool with which to tell stories and audiences an enhanced new way to experience cinema."

Barco Escape will illuminate the Star Trek universe by creating key “moments” across all three screens that will exhilarate fans. Bad Robot will re-master more than 20 minutes of “Star Trek Beyond” into the new format. As part of Bad Robot’s commitment to the innovative technology, an executive from the company will also join Barco Escape’s advisory board.

“J.J. Abrams and the Star Trek franchise share in our passion for exploration and innovation, which is why we’re thrilled to lead Barco Escape’s 2016 lineup together with ‘Beyond,’” said CEO of Barco Escape, Todd Hoddick. “We are honored to have J.J. and the incredibly talented team at Bad Robot Productions as partners and look forward to sharing the power of this experience to capture the magnitude of big, bold stories like ‘Star Trek Beyond.'”

Since debuting in fall 2014 with the hit movie “The Maze Runner,” Barco has been working hand-in-hand with today’s top studios and filmmakers to create projects that offer audiences an unmatched viewing experience - only available in theaters. Director Scott Waugh (“Act of Valor,” “Need for Speed”) recently announced he is directing the first feature shot entirely for Barco Escape. The film, titled “6 Below” and starring Josh Hartnett, will be released later this year.

Barco Escape also holds a multi-year deal with 20th Century Fox and a development deal with Jerry Bruckheimer, who is also an advisory board member. Barco is committed this year to offering at least four films in Barco Escape, which has proven to bring audiences out to the cinema with its first two theatrical releases.

The fully DCI-compliant Barco Escape technology utilizes three cinema projectors and two additional cinemascope screens, allowing filmmakers to create for a much larger canvas. With current exhibitor partners in the United States, Europe, Mexico and China, Barco plans to expand to more than 100 Barco Escape theaters in 2016.

About Barco

Barco, a global technology company, designs and develops networked visualization products for the Entertainment, Enterprise and Healthcare markets. Barco has its own facilities for Sales & Marketing, Customer Support, R&D and Manufacturing in Europe, North America and APAC. Barco (NYSE Euronext Brussels: BAR) is active in more than 90 countries with 3,300 employees worldwide. Barco posted sales of 1.029 billion euro in 2015.

About Bad Robot Productions

Bad Robot was formed by filmmaker J.J. Abrams in 2001. The company has produced television series such as ALIAS, LOST, FRINGE, PERSON OF INTEREST, feature films such as CLOVERFIELD, STAR TREK, SUPER 8, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL, STAR TREK INTO DARKNESS, MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – ROGUE NATION, STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, and interactive content including the mobile app ACTION MOVIE FX. Bad Robot's first foray into publishing, S., a novel conceived by Abrams and written by Doug Dorst, was a New York Times Best Seller. Bad Robot is based in Los Angeles and can be followed at twitter.com/bad_robot.

###

First time in 13 years: Trekland is back to Shore Leave!

2016-07-09T13:26:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited: I'm finally getting back East to a convention, and what a granddaddy of the old-school Trek fan cons it is: Shore Leave in Baltimore, where recent years' summer con/tour timing blocked my return for the first time since 2003, when the final TNG Companion black-cover edition came out. A lifetime ago!

It's not too late at all for you to get there, either!

We're even doing a reporter-survivor interview for The Con of Wrath while there—and of course I'm going to find time to get by to see the Great Lady "E" back in her refurbished state and restored place of honor at the Smithsonian Air and Space. Can't wait to meet and thank fellow guest, Curator Margaret Weitekamp, in person for helping make that far-flung project come true.

Shore Leave is notable as the biggest summit every year of the New York Trek author mafia, and believe you me I'm much feeling my rookie status at joining this august and dangerous group as the interloper. I only hope they will be kind, since I finally deigned to stray "back East"—or "Back Mid-Atlantic," as I am constantly corrected to say.

Shore Leave is back once again at the venerable Hunt Valley Inn in Baltimore's north suburbs, and I can't wait. I have a mix of author panels and some solos, and I'll have everything from all things Trekland and another PORTAL 47 prize draw to Enterprise in Space and, of course this year—joining in that illustrious Shore Leave author and actor guest list to celebrate Trek's 50th.

I also hope to have, finally, an East Coast opportunity for the "Dr. Trek Show" to crowdfund for the Con of Wrath—stay tuned!

I'll post a schedule update soon.

Sulu is gay! The retcon of all retcons—or was it?

2016-07-07T12:19:00.002-07:00

And the Trek headlines keep comin':

Now comes word from down-under Sydney, from the first true world premiere of Star Trek Beyond (sorry, gold-ticket Comic-Con San Diego, you're only the IMAX world premiere)...

...that Sulu is GAY.

Gene and Rick and all the rest, trying to be progressive even at their limits of commercial TV in the 60s and even the 80s, always said the point to having a gay character would be that it should not be a major point. And that's apparently what writers Simon Pegg and Doug Jung, director Justin Lin and actor John Cho have done here, per this reporter:

Hikaru Sulu, played by John Cho, is shown in Star Trek Beyond as the loving father of a daughter with a same sex partner. And in typical trailblazing Trek fashion — it’s just not a big deal.

And you though Sulu's cool movie moment for Beyond would be that trailer-glimpsed nod to Demora—an alt-verse spanning fact that did not have to be the same in both timestreams, obviously, but cute and harmless fanservice by Pegg and Lin.

Who cares if they've stolen a little thunder from Bryan Fuller's onrushing new CBS All-Access Trek series, where I'm sure—knowing Bryan, and the annoying time-lag in getting an LGBTQ character finally to onscreen Trek—it is in the offing somehow.

It's an obvious nod and choice to beloved George Takei, who came out himself in 2005...but I'm sitting here realizing that it's far more than that. Don't even be limited by any post-Kelvin Prime/non-Prime distinction: his parents were the same in both universes, yes? And part from the offscreen implications of a daughter Demora, Sulu through all his appearances in TV and film was never even seen fakily paired up with a female other than in a cordial social sense. Certainly not like hot-blooded helm-mate Chekov...or infamous Kirk, pub-crawler Scotty, divorced Southern gentleman McCoy ....and even seven-year Spock. (Oh, and those Deltan pheromones do it to anybody, deleted scene or not.)

It's the retcon that was there all along—whether or not George had had a behind-the-scenes understanding with Gene and Co. about not portraying Sulu as outwardly heterosexual to begin with. Any of the supporting cast getting that much screen time for any character development was a miracle—and yet even Uhura got a hetero moment with her salt-vampired crewman, much less even Rand and Chapel.

Yes, THIS is much more the kind of surprise I like to keep getting about my Trek as 2016 and #FiveOhFever roll along. Stay tuned... I have a feeling there'll be more.

Including a comment soon from George....here seen with husband Brad at our The Con of Wrath shoot:

From the fan-film guidelines to Rihanna, and Beyond — My take on all those Trek headlines, in one fell swoop

2016-07-03T09:00:00.000-07:00

Wow. I picked the wrong week to go off-the-grid into bad wi-fi back home in Soonerland...!

I have so much to get done with "5-0 Fever" con summer and the Trek tour bearing down, plus a new On Speaker archival CD edition to get out ... and a nice website redesign for Trekland, finally, and Portal 47 both in the works...

But I have to say a few things about the crazy going down in Trekland the last few days—starting with the fan film guidelines came out the day I traveled to SoonerCon. (Of course. Oh, and the reaction.)

So take an extra 4.7 minutes and I'll wrap it all up for now in one subspace blast and say...

REALLY, Trekland? So much hate and trolling and boycotting...and, right NOW?

Take a breath and step back a sec. Let's put it on the main viewer, shall we?

It's July, 2016. We have a Star Trek feature film that is not only looking more like Star Trek to the hardcore than its two priors... but an exciting episodic series under an award-winning Trek vet with a mix of both Trek alumni and newer voices ...on a platform that will not be ruled by ratings numbers or even note-popping censors ... and, in Rihanna's "Sledgehammer," a Bond-like music hit and video mix from an actual fangirl superstar that will cross generations, continents and media to bring all-new eyeballs to all things movie-Trek and start the pipeline of fresh cadets and warriors and drones all over again.

Rihanna's "Sledgehammer" video w alt-Enterprise: Anyone else see a "The Doomsday Machine" homage here?

PLUS an awesome 50th anniversary that *is* living up to far more than just party hype—with major conventions around the globe, concerts and museum /science tours and the return of the 1960s original 11-footer Big E to its rightful place of inspiring honor in the Smithsonian, complete with a highly researched paint and detail restoration. I just missed seeing the 1701 in 1976, saw it in 1986, was disappointed in 1992... and can't wait to glimpse her return to glory in a couple weeks, right before Shore Leave.

And this is all grabbing mainstream media attention ...smack in the middle of the Big Bang Theory Era. That's what they used to call "synergy."

How people can be poking holes in all that positive, franchise-refreshing force for good is just beyond me. Really. But hey, don't misunderstand: I'm not saying go vanilla—I'm just saying go smart.

What I really refuse to do is get too sucked into the time and negativity sink over the Axanar lawsuit and all the tangent spinoffs from it—while still avoiding any "deer in the headlights" blindsiding. While you might be feeling a bit down that the Golden Age of Fan Films seems to be over, let me just suggest that it might simply be ...evolving. For I remember all the prior times "Paramount" was decried by fans— from the marketing study and boycott over Spock's death threatened for The Wrath of Khan, to the upset over the "new" upstart TNG without Kirk/Spock/McCoy... and the yell over every new iteration of series to come. And somehow, it all came out in the end just fine. I even hear Star Trek AND its fandom hung around and pressed on.

Look, my low-key friend John van Citters of CBS licensing is now an unlikely Internet star front-and-center over the "fan film guidelines" (thanks to Jordan Hoffman's new official podcast Engage)—but that's the same JVC who used to point out to me years ago, at the clamor for embracing such "rules," how "a Lucasfilms model of 5-minute festival entries would never fly with Trek fans so let's just leave it in the gray area to avoid getting those lawyers involved"--the guys who care less about promotion and brand-building, and more about fiduciary duty and legal precedent. As is their oath.

That's how I know what a huge leap these guidelines were, for the corporate machinery to agree to as much as they did—even as, to some fans, that 15/30-minute limit may seem restrictive...which is inevitable. There will be a bit of customizing in reaction, on a case-by-case basis ... but look, guys: For nearly two years, I've been worried. I mean, I've been soooo proud to have acted in, and remain a part of the think thank, for Continues; I appeared in New Voyages early on, and have supported Starbase Studios back home in OKC plus any other project that asked for it, on principal. And yet, sadly, the boom does seem unsustainable in some ways: Today's zooming crowdfunding and temptations mean it was increasingly likely this ever-more-overloaded plane was going to have a rough landing on the choppy sea of expectations sometime— and becoming more apparent every month to many of us.

And face it: As I've said for a couple years now, I was also expecting a lot of the fan-film fire to go out—by fan producers, if not backers and attention spans in general—once a Trek series got going again, sucking all the air out of the room with new canon content to follow and fathom. That's right around the corner, now.

Question is, when and where and how rough would that landing be, who'd take charge in the crisis (if anyone), and who would get hurt in the crash? And would the "owner" CBS/Paramount get blamed, no matter what?

The post-guidelines world will not be this way forever—just ask the website owners who freely post scene clip frames today, unlike in 1996 when C&D's by Paramount went out as frame-grabbing exploded ... or the "official" editors like me four years later who could not mention actors' non-Trek crossover projects in depth—until we could. (Professor X in a Trek mag, anyone?) Or the idea of limiting later-generation Trek cast and crew to only licensed conventions (ca 2001).

The truth is, things in any pop culture franchise "poppish" enough to be alive are always the edgiest on the cutting edge—the fun frontier where no attorneys or rights-protectors have gone before. Until everyone does go there, at least, and things settle down....and then start up again in another paradigm. That's just the world we live it. It's unsettled, but it's ever-fresh: And it's the price you pay for having an incredibly attractive, thought-provoking little space show that keeps attracting new fans, new iterations, new business ...and refuses to die after 50 years.

The other truth is this: For all the meme meltdowns online past and present, fan film fandom... con-going regulars ....hell, all Internet Trek fandom... are just a drop in the bucket among all the armchair fans out there. You know: the folks who watch the shows, buy the books and toys, and raise their kids with Trek?

And now... a boycott? Really? Aside from the basic math, consider the timing.

Because Vulcan's Forge was never like this: We are FINALLY emerging from wandering the Trek desert of the last 12 years, and have now a transition time from what *was* to what *is*—whether it's fan film parameters or a hit music/movie video or a for-pay streaming platform in the fast-changing media landscape. Same as 1979, 1982, 1987, 2001 ...and 2006.

Thank the Prophets it's happened again. It means we're still alive... and that a 100th anniversary Trektennial in 2066 is a pretty sure bet.

Oh—and beyond our selfish fun? Star Trek remains a good bet for a wracked world that could really use some hope and intelligent futurism in its free time right about now.

Just like in 1966.

'Augmented reality' for collector pins? Yes, and more out now from FanSets—aka my old buddy Dan Madsen!

2016-06-22T05:04:00.012-07:00

Some of just the first offerings from Fan Sets

It's the 50th! Everyone is looking for a new way to show and celebrate their Trekness... and now here's a cutting-edge spin on an old favorite from none other than my buddy and colleague Dan Madsen.

His new company FanSets just launched with Dan, founder of the former longtime Official Star Trek Fan Club and my boss-publisher for the late great Communicator mag, and two partners in a great new enterprise: combining official and beloved 2-inch Star Trek character and ship pens in a bunch of new ideas for wearing and display—including a blow-your-mind way to see and enjoy pins in a whole new way!

Wait, what? you're saying by now: Pins are kinda retro, old-school —and yet still fun for when you can’t cosplay and just want to wear a favorite ship or character. But what's cutting-edge about a pin?

My annual catch-up with Dan at San Diego Comic-Con

"It’s the Augmented Reality pins," Dan told me in an exclusive chat. "We are working with a company out of Indonesia that is one of the top three Augmented Reality companies in the world. Essentially, what this is, is—let’s take the Enterprise pin: You'll be able to take an app that we’ll provide and, when you see that pin on anyone, hold your smartphone or your tablet up to it for a second–and suddenly the Enterprise will come alive, out of the pin: it will literally be 3-D and move—shoot off into warp drive, with music and sound effects."

Or, say, point your app'd smartphone at one or more certain characters on a transporter pad and get a 3-D holographic beam-out effect, with voices and music. Or stand your Enterprise pin next to your buddy with her Klingon ship, and point again: "The Enterprise will come out of the pin, the Klingon will come out of the pin, and they’ll have a space battle right there on your phone! Firing back and forth at each other."

Dan says he and FanSet partners Lew Halboth (28 years in the video game industry) and John Garrison(his industrial background backed by comics fandom) expect to have the first AR pin out by Christmas, and to demo the system for fans at "STLV"—Creation Vegas Khaann. But long before then, there are lots of other lines coming—and an ever-growing batch of the basic pins are up at the FanSets.com website right now."The fun thing is, not only can you wear them, you can display them," Dan says. "If you decide today you feel like wearing Sisko, then you put Sisko on and wear him— then you come home and you put him back in your display."

They have "tons" of these pins planned—from basic character and ship pins by the "hundreds" of styles, where minor characters like M'Ress are just the start (she's in the first 50). "She's one of the coolest pins, to me," Dan says. "That’s just an example of how we’re going into more of the minor characters that you don’t see turning up on most merchandise, if at all."

But you can also look for everything from pins with moveable parts, to autograph pins (to get and wear your favorite actor's inking), to "alphabet" pins sporting a notable of that letter (S with a Spock!) ... to the AR pins and app. The autograph pins are slightly larger, but "not so heavy they weigh down your jacket!"—and take any pen used for signing regular photos.

"By Vegas in August, we will probably have 50-70 different ships and characters, and probably have some of the first autograph pins there for the actors who are appearing," Dan says. He's especially proud of the vibrant colors and the enameling on even the basic pins: "The website does not do these colors justice! The little Chakotay pin—it's only two inches tall, but you can see in detail the little tattoo on his forehead."

"And by the end of the year we're going to be launching a collector’s club, so that people can not only get exclusive pins but get access to order first on our limited- edition pins—like a run of 1701 pins, and once they’re gone, they’re gone."

Look for a special FanSets display case coming, too. "The fun thing is, not only can you wear them, you can display them," he notes. "If you decide today you feel like wearing, you know, Sisko, then you put Sisko on and wear him— then you come home and you put him back in your display." You can collect them all, he adds—or maybe just the original series. Or Next Generation or Voyager, or just the ships, or the captains...and so on.

Dan was most enthused and insistent that his partners all came together with a business plan that took over three years to design and capitalize and, in a word, is not flimsy. They fully intend to "pump out" hundreds of pins, go deep into the Star Trek bench of characters, ships, and gear—and not be dependent on early sales to make the full line come to pass, including the high-end AR pins. "No, we're not launching with just a bare-bones line—that’s the reason it’s taken so long," he says. "None of us wanted to get involved if it was gonna be hanging by a thread, at first. We wanted to make sure we had all our ducks in a row, so as to have the biggest launch and rollout we could."

"We’re gonna have a huge collection in Vegas—our very first appearance at a convention, " he adds. "We hope to have an augmented reality demonstration there to show, and we’ll have a ton of pins there to buy. And at Mission New York a month later, and at Destination Star Trek Europe." The license includes many countries globally and covers all Prime Trek, with the Kelvin Timeline movies about to be added and the new Bryan Fuller TV Trek series dealt for as soon as possible.

FanSets also has a license for the same ideas with Harry Potter and DC Comics, and will be adding more franchises soon. "But I wanted to start with Star Trek because that’s where I started, with the Official Fan Club," Dan says, "and it’s still the closest to my heart. And to get them launched in time for the 50^th anniversary!"

Timing did not allow FanSets to get a booth at massive San Diego Comic-Con—but Dan says they'll have a presence with two exclusives, available from either the Stylin' Online at the Official Star Trek booth or at the Stan Lee Comikazi booths at SDCC. One of the pins is a tribute to Nimoy, Doohan and Kelley on the transporter pad, the other is an Enterprise inscribed with the SDCC 2016 line—and both to be sold for that weekend only for $12.95.

Otherwise, the regular character pins sell for $8.95, the ships are $12.95, and the Augmented-Reality pins are $12.95 as well. The line of the moveable-part and larger autograph pins are not set yet, but everything the company sells will be under $20.

And, he proudly adds, no consultants were used in the choosing of these pins.

"We’re all Star Trek fans—we sat down and thought, who should we do?" Dan recalls. "We have to do the main guys, but once past that—who are the ones we don’t see very often that we ought to do? We don’t have to sell a million of each one—we’re selling to collectors, so we can do a smaller run and do pins that appeal to a smaller number."

Sure, that's great talk, I tell him—but have you thought about a Tellarite?

Dan knows me well: “I am absolutely proud to tell you that we have a Tellarite!"

I can't wait to see it.

FanSets also has a Facebook page.

Taking Trekland back home for 'Silver' SoonerCon # 25

2016-06-20T06:47:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my homies back in red-dirt fandom land, I'll be back BUSY with a Portal 47 drawing and all the Trekland road show once again in metro OKC for SoonerCon next weekend—which this year is a triple treat. And BUSY for me!

It's SoonerCon 25 ... on its actual 30th anniversary...and also the 25th anniversary of its onetime OKC sister media con, my own baby Thundercon.

SoonerCon is still a comfortable size at an expected 2,000, but incredibly diverse and sprawling in coverage—from anime, comics, "Oklahoma's largest sci-fi/fantasy art show", and SF/F lit and media ... to gaming, live-action role-play, "real space" science, cosplay, fan films and indie cinema. There's also the latest inductees into the Oklahoma Speculative Fiction Hall of Fame. And it still supports a charity: this year, the Oklahoma state chapter of the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI).

And they've even got SoonerCon red carpet photo-op billboard walls!

It's been growing about 15% a year since coming to the Reed Center in suburban Midwest City, five minutes east of downtown OKC just off I-40 at Sooner (yes) Road ...and has sold out the adjoining Sheraton. I'm told the next-door Hawthorn Suites/Wyndham has all mini-suite rooms and is honoring the con's $99 room rate with an SCon mention —and day/ weekend memberships* are on early-bird discount through Wednesday. You can find late news on Facebook, too.

As the comic-con mega-model has taken the country's mainstream imagination in grassroots pop culture by storm, I've seen many old-school "lit cons" across the country wither and die out altogether. Kudos to SoonerCon after its 2007 reboot, where both Leonard and the old vets join Aislinn and the new blood with savvy marketing and sponsorships... and the growth stays vibrant.

I mean, look at this sponsor row (above)—including Bernina of OKC, who sponsors the entire cosplay/costuming shebang! (Logical, Captain.)
OKC is also home to one of the three major TOS fan-film studios in the US, of course, with the education-based Starship Grissom and other productions filming at Starship Studios. I'm also looking forward to crossing paths on the con trail with mon capitan Vic Mignogna of Star Trek Continues and joining him for the Oklahoma big-screen premiere Saturday of STC's recently-debuted sixth outing, "Come Not Between The Dragons."

I also get a chance to join SCon's rich space science/STEAM track to evangelize a whole hour with Oklahoma Space Alliance folks about non-profit Enterprise in Space. Our Con of Wrath DP Neal Hallford will be back home and doing some panels, too!

But of course my big focus this Trek anniversary year is my PORTAL 47 insider fan service, and talking about the upcoming ST Beyond with new-found enthusiasm as well as the new CBS Trek series coming in January on streaming All Access. There are three Portales in the Oklahoma City metro alone (and one ex-pat on hand), and we'll have a live meetup for sure.

So here's my way busier-than-usual days at SCon... which is also here, on-site (scroll).

And in the cookie-cutter hours between these panels, I'll be at my table—

FRIDAY (tabling noon-3, 4-5 )

3 pm: SoonerCon @midnight: Worst Book Ever (Maynard)— In @Midnight style, I'll relay audience suggestions to writer panelists to create the best "worst titles" and intros ever. PART II will include the book covers drawn Sat.)

5 pm: "The State of the Trek" Forum (Ballroom D)— My renowned fan forum where YOU talk and opine after my kick-off. And boy have things picked up. No rusty/dusty topics here.

6pm: Opening Ceremonies (Ballroom D)

SATURDAY (tabling noon-2, 3-6 )

11 am: Monster in an Hour (J Stage)— I moderate audience shoutouts to several artists to fulfill the dictum of a "monster robot" artwork—which then goes to the charity auction.

2 pm: Trekland, Between the Cracks (Ballroom B)— Hey, it's my annual show of in-jokes and insights, updated for this incredible 5-0 Fever anniversary year in Trek, new movie and new series! Are you a JJverse fan—I especially want to hear from you!

4-6 pm; ST Continues screening of Ep. 6, "Come Not between the Dragons," with a panel following with Vic (Ballroom D)— Where anime fans discover Trek, and Trek fans find their childhood. :-)

6 pm: Art/Charity Auction (Ballroom A/B) — I have some historic SoonerCon & ThunderCon pieces you locals don't want to miss.

10 pm-midnight: The Dr. Trek Show (Parlor: Sheraton 104)—Your last chance to get in on my annual, live-touring crowdfunder event to support my documentary, "The Con of Wrath"...with prize trivia, rare unseen Trek clips AND sneak peeks of the doc with George, Walter, Nichelle...and plenty of time to still go party.

SUNDAY (Do the math—I have one hour of table time today, at 2 pm !)

Noon: Enterprise in Space: For Real! (Theatre)— I get an hour to update and recruit new "virtual crew" crowdfunders, as spokesman and lead fandom/celeb outreach for this amazing, non-profit global program for student projects to orbit and be returned— inspired by the best of sci-fi and sci-fact, aboard the first real Enterprise in space. Members of the Oklahoma Space Alliance, the local chapter of EIS's sponsoring National Space Society, will join me too.

1 pm: Star Trek at 50 (Ballroom D)— A true panel, where Vic and I and everybody will share about our inspirations, dreams, and loves from Gene Roddenberry's unending little space saga's sandbox.

3 pm: SoonerCon Scoops and Stories (Ballroom D)— Yep, the veterans finally get to party and jawbone over our local con memories from the pre-cool days of fandom. Here's where it's great to have homies ... I think.

And Closing at 4 pm— for what will surely be an historic SoonerCon.
If not exhausting!

____________________
*In the grand old tradition of true sci-fi conventions, your SoonerCon attendance is a membership—in contrast to a mere show, with a ticket.

On a day like today, HERE's how to apply Trek therapy

2016-06-12T18:01:00.001-07:00

Back to "5-0 Fever"and more videos in a second....

But today, on this tragically historic day of the biggest mass shooting in US history... followed on soon by the discovery of an Indiana kid in L.A. trying to make his own anti-gay mark... I've seen lots of numb, mourning, sad folks online sharing their grief, talking, and even railing about all the topics-turned-hotspots: Literally, the ol' guns, gays and God wrapped up in one bloody package for legitimate discussion, hot debate, and of course political opportunism ...whether anything really changes, or not.

And of course from Trekland's perch I see a lot of Trek fans, somewhere along the numbness spectrum, announcing they're just about to go off and binge-watch a chunk o'Trek to escape and chill out in their beloved universe where such crap doesn't happen.

Usually.

Because, really—to be truthful and credit Gene Roddenberry and his writer-descendants... the "perfect" 23rd and 24th centuries were often times not seen to be so—and at times dispensed with teh alien metaphor and came close to home.

What comes to mind? Well, if you do an "escape bingewatch" today... what about gender equality in TNG's "The Outcast," the paranoid fascism of DS9's "Past Tense" I & II (above) or "Homefront/Paradise Lost" ... theology tyranny in "In The Hands Of the Prophets" or Voyager's "Distant Origin"... or Enterprise's xenophobic dive into "Demons/ Terra Prime"?

Then maybe wind it all up with TOS's "Day of The Dove," and wish we could find our planet's rotating ball of noncorporeal hate-consuming light sparkles...and deal with it all as easily as that.

And then go curl up and watch "Tribbles" or "Piece of the Action," and hug those pillows, loved ones or both.

And keep dreaming—and working—for "The Big Bird's Dream," each in your own way.

In other words: Keep on Trekkin'... with meaning.