STAR TREK BEGINS is a new nonprofit web series in preproduction that will chronicle the voyages of Captain Pike and his first crew aboard the USS Enterprise. Star Trek Begins is based on Gene Roddenberry's 'The Cage' pilot and its crew along with some new original TOS based characters. The web series is set in the original series universe but with a twist. Star Trek Begins is being done as if Roddenberry had created the series today using modern sets, costumes, props, video technology, and computer visual effects. Star Trek Begins is more a "re-imaging" of the TOS universe than a "reboot" (like the Abrams film), and will follow Trek canon more closely in relationship to its time period in Trek history, while making the established universe fresh and new visually. The web series will be familiar yet different. The Kirk command of the Enterprise will still happen in the future, but this web series is about the early Pike command years of the Enterprise. Star Trek Begins is the manifestation of our passion for Star Trek, for film making, and for our artistic need to be creative in our own way. Unlike most Trek web series that are created by fans who turn filmmakers, we are filmmakers that are also fans and will use professional and semi professional actors in our series. The production design of the web series will be more akin to the TOS movies. We hope you will join us for our unique vision of the original Star Trek universe. Thanks you! http://www.star-trek-begins.com http://www.facebook.com/pages/Star-Trek-Begins/264113897042141 ****************************************************************************** STAR TREK and all related marks, logos, and characters are owned by CBS Studios Inc. The STAR TREK BEGINS website and Facebook page, the promotion thereof and/or any exhibition of material created by STAR TREK BEGINS are not endorsed or sponsored by or affiliated with CBS/Paramount Pictures or the STAR TREK franchise. ******************************************************************************
Very cool! The exec producers (with Starship Ajax) I work with had this idea in mind just prior to creating Ajax instead... The Cage was the creation of Trek, and Pike's crew is still paramount (no pun intended) with its fans. Lots of original stories to be created & watched. Good luck to all involved!
Barb, if you look at their Facebook page, looks like they have a warehouse that will be used as a set, they have prop phasers and communicators, and primary-coloured duty uniforms. My guess is it'll be a live-action web series
Thanks, you looked at it better than I did! I listed them, (http://startrekreviewed.blogspot.com/2009/06/210.html(B)) but now I'll list them as "Live Action". Everything but that empty room I was thinking, "Is this live action 3d, or maybe puppets?" Given that puppets are unlikely... I'm going with your interpretation! Any idea WHERE they are?
I googled Deano Pictures, one of the four production companies mentioned on their website home page, which led me to Deano's Youtube page which had Dean Garris' name on it (he's the producer/writer/director for the web series). It mentions he is based in North Carolina... Do I win a Sherlock Holmes prize?
Looks interesting. I'm a little perplexed by the mishmash of props and sets and time period, but I'm going to keep an open mind and wait till the first film is complete to reserve judgment. I hope you guys will keep us updated!
Star Trek Begins shows a lot of promise. It's not made clear in the above info, but I've conversed with the guys from STB on their FB page and website. Contrary to what they posted above, they told me the series will take place in the New Timeline, but PRIOR to ST2009...you see, the Enterprise in ST2009, in STB's reality, is the second ship to bear the name Enterprise...the ship in STB is the ORIGINAL starship Enterprise, first commanded by Captain Robert April, and during the series under the command of Christopher Pike. At least that's what the person who runs their FB page told me. I'm not sure which I'm looking forward to more, Star Trek Begins or Star Trek: Axanar, but both fan shows look to be really interesting.
It will be impressive enough if either production can complete their film. I don't say that as a negative, more out of realistic expectation - too often a group tries to launch a production, only to have real life interfere. Many fan films are started; few are actually completed. I sincerely hope both of these will be completed and released.
That's what makes efforts like James Cawley's all the more impressive, that they can keep production going for so many years now...and their work just keeps getting better.
I don't know how they plan on getting away with that, if Patty's recent listing of Paramount's guidelines for fan films is to be believed - anything set in the "nu" universe is patently a no-no.