Star Trek Film Makers Association

Discussion in 'Fan Productions' started by Linnear, Oct 18, 2012.

  1. Whorfin

    Whorfin Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    May 27, 2007
    Apologies, I've been busy for a few days, not ignoring the thread (which I feel is important in the long run especially). I plan on posting later today... with luck. Only time for a quick note now. :techman:
     
  2. Whorfin

    Whorfin Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    May 27, 2007
    Deleted
     
    Last edited: Nov 27, 2012
  3. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Location:
    Real Gone
    In my best Arthur Dent: "Ah. This is obviously some strange usage of the word 'brevity' that I hadn't previously been aware of." ;)
     
    jespah likes this.
  4. Whorfin

    Whorfin Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    May 27, 2007
    Exactly! :guffaw:

    In my defense, I have been suffering from effects similar to a Pan Galactic Gargle Blaster for a week.

    I would just like to get back to the issue of this new association instead of why all us people on the internet are S.O.B.'s (Sons of Bones, right?).

    Yes, its too much. If someone has something in between my "Moby Dick" posts and the short pleas for reason that seemed to be ineffective a few pages back, please, now is your time! I need to get back to contemplating my navel.
     
  5. MikeH92467

    MikeH92467 Admiral Admiral

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2001
    Location:
    Boise, ID
    How about this: Star Trek: Excelsior is pleased to be accepted as part of the Fan Film Maker's Association (even though we're an audio program). If there is any expertise or other help that we can offer to anyone, just ask!
     
  6. Linnear

    Linnear Lieutenant Commander

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2006
    Location:
    Newport Beach, CA
     
  7. Whorfin

    Whorfin Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    May 27, 2007
    Excellent. I encourage anyone interested to look into the generous offer of the Association, and appreciate your own offer as well. If I had ever managed to accomplish anything with my own endeavors I always considered "Phase II" to be helping others do the same (as much as was practical).

    **********

    Alec,

    I had a post discussing your reply online here for a brief period of time. Maurice's gentle chide (which I took as good natured) helped me face the fact that it was (again) entirely too long, almost entirely off topic (not by my choice), and entirely unlikely to change your mind about anything. So I withdrew it. I had suggested at the end that I, at least, would be able to go to LA this week as I am in California until Monday. I did so hoping that some of the people you've been mutually annoyed with would come as well (assuming they were within range). This doesn't seem likely either, but I thought it was worth a shot. If you and the other Association members are satisfied with the current situation then who am I to suggest you should be otherwise.

    Best luck to all of your studios, and those of the new recruits.

    Regards,

    Whorfin
    :techman:
     
  8. Linnear

    Linnear Lieutenant Commander

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2006
    Location:
    Newport Beach, CA
    Whorfin, Sorry, but a combination of me being forced to skim, rathter than read your incredibly long post, not coming to this particular thread anymore as I found it way off topic and being out of town for two weeks, conspired to not let me see your suggestion, which is an excellent one. I woul dlove to take you up next time you are in L.A.

    Alec
     
  9. Whorfin

    Whorfin Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    May 27, 2007
    Alec,

    Thank you for your kind offer, but its hard to say when that will be... years at the least, I suspect. It would be interesting to talk personally with you about your production since we are both interested in portraying the same era of Trek, and to a smaller extent the same personalities.

    Of course, I would have to show up in a Guy Fawkes mask: to preserve my secret identity. :devil:

    I do encourage you to find a way to get together with the people you are experiencing difficulty with online, find one or more neutral parties to moderate, and have a get together. It can be at some fan event or a one-off. A conference call would be less effective because the moderating effects of physical presence would be lost. Alcohol is a catalyst, but the effects are unpredictable!

    For the record, I believe that its unreasonable to ask any group to work with someone who has caused them direct harm in some way. On the other hand, I also think its unreasonable for an association of equal groups to dictate who can and cannot be associated with by the individual members (I state this as a point of discussion, not as fact in anyway). I think, ultimately, these two issues were behind the discussion that started the fireworks in this thread. People want to hear the details before entering an agreement, and I think that was -- largely -- what they were asking for. Perhaps with skepticism, even distrust because of certain personalities involved, but initially with interest. I think pursuing this question with the Association members and responding here would be useful to clear up any misunderstandings.

    While this extremely generous offer is potentially of great benefit (I really, really can't state that enough), I'm concerned about potential downsides. I think we've seen in this thread (among others) some of the negative fruits of the Trek studio interactions that have already taken place. Taken as a whole they may be small compared to the positive outcomes as productions, but the negatives tend to impact the online community heavily as well, causing dissent and mistrust, if not outright fury (if anyone can make mountains out of molehills, online forums should hold the patent). Now multiply the current situation by 10, for example. I hope the issue is obvious. People aren't perfect and there are going to be mistakes and misdeeds, and the Association would be well served to think this all out ahead of time and come up with rules, procedures, and education to help decrease the impact on all parties, including us in the bleachers.

    My effort here has been an attempt to get all parties talking internally and externally in a useful manner to resolve these sorts of issues before they become even more poisonous, and I would be very glad if that would happen.

    While currently a "production" of my own isn't on the horizon until certain conditions change, in the spirit of the Association's generosity I'm willing to offer my services as a "script doctor/editor" or general Trek Consultant (™) to anyone who is interested, to the extent that I have the time or ability to do so. All I can promise is that I'll be honest.

    Regards,

    Whorfin

    [Who is still listening to Jethro Tull's "Thick as a Brick"]

    PS:

    My proposed playlist for the thread:

    http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/8680/
    http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/9788/
    http://www.songmeanings.net/songs/view/68157/
    http://remus.rutgers.edu/JethroTull/Albums/ThickAsABrick-lyrics.html

    Cheers :beer:
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2012
  10. Linnear

    Linnear Lieutenant Commander

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2006
    Location:
    Newport Beach, CA
    Whorfin:

    Do you ever write short posts? :-)

    I will send you my # and we can talk.

    Alec
     
  11. Whorfin

    Whorfin Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    May 27, 2007
    Yeah, I know, its a problem. Need a 12-step program or something. They start short, but there's always one more sentence to add. Essentially, I'm trying to have a real conversation, its just that one side is very silent while I type, but it doesn't stop me. Anyway, I've grown nostalgic for the thread so surely you wouldn't begrudge me a brief departing speech?

    There is a reason that I pioneered my own long-winded thread: a moderator quickly complained. On the whole though, if you average it in words per year I think I'm fairly typical. Maurice, do you have those numbers for us? ... He'll get us those in a minute.

    If you ever see me at a convention never hand me a soapbox or you'll probably have to use a fire hose to get me off. :evil:
     
  12. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Location:
    Real Gone
    MS Word. Statistics. :razz:
     
  13. Linnear

    Linnear Lieutenant Commander

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2006
    Location:
    Newport Beach, CA
    I hereby assign Maurice to be your editor. Assuming he wants the job. It may be quite time consuming.

    The Propworx office has had lots of visitors over the past couple years, and there is an amazing Italian restaurant we always go to. The offer is open to anyone who wants to visit. Plus I usually stack visitors up with all of our catalogs for free.

    [​IMG]
     
  14. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Location:
    Real Gone
    Whorfin: where in CA are/were you visiting?
     
  15. Whorfin

    Whorfin Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    May 27, 2007
    San Diego until 12/3, I have an old friend here. I managed to get to the Flying Leatherneck Museum this trip, its a small place run by good people. I hear they've made more of the USS Midway available for tours but I haven't got to it this time... at least yet!

    Maurice, if you're going to keep that cushy job as my editor you've got to earn your keep, so crunch those numbers, darn it! Alec just showed you a picture of your new office now get in there before I have to crack the whip. :devil:
     
  16. Linnear

    Linnear Lieutenant Commander

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2006
    Location:
    Newport Beach, CA
    Whorfin, I am in Newport Beach, an hour north of San Diego.
     
  17. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Location:
    Real Gone
    You can't afford me.
     
  18. Whorfin

    Whorfin Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

    Joined:
    May 27, 2007
    <checks lining of pockets carefully> Nope, you got me there. Payment in oo-mox is out of the question as well... for me at least! :alienblush:
     
  19. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

    Joined:
    Oct 17, 2005
    Location:
    Real Gone
    Ok. Enough amusing banter. We're waaaaay off-topic here.