Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good?

Nacluv · September 5 2012, 01:01 AM

I have neither seen nor hardly read anything about the fan productions. But I've become curious about them the latest months, a fact I was reminded of in my TOS fans - What's your second favorite show? thread.

So does anyone here has any experience of those productions?

bbailey861 · September 5 2012, 02:33 PM

That is very much an individual call. I certainly think you have to take them at face value. They are fan productions, after all. That being said, I have watched quite a few and have enjoyed them. As long as the story draws me in, any acting issues I may have often drift into the background. My question is - Have you seen any and if so, which ones and what did you think of them?

King Daniel · September 5 2012, 02:45 PM

I know some hate it, but I loved Star Trek: Of Gods and Men. I think it's a cute little epilogue to TOS. www.startrekofgodsandmen.com

As for Phase II/New Voyages, "To Serve All My Days" and "World Enough and Time" were enjoyable. The rest... aren't as good, IMO.
(although I loved seeing a live-action Mr. Arex in their latest mini-episode!)

If you like Star Trek: The Animated Series, Starship Farragut: The Animated Episodes is a must-see: www.farragut-animated.com they're very authentic.

Therin of Andor · September 5 2012, 03:12 PM

Nacluv wrote:

So does anyone here has any experience of those productions?

Well, I am in the first "Starship Exeter". Literally "phoned in" my part. (Actually, I mean it was filmed here in Australia and posted to Jimm Johnson.) I'm biased, but I love the way it fondly lampoons every TOS cliche, except Kirk getting the girl.

http://therinofandor.blogspot.com.au...ip-exeter.html

The link mainly has the director's commentary versions, but I believe the regular sections are on Youtube as well. Jimm has allowed the official site to lapse, but the sections are also available as free video podcasts from iTunes.

TOS Senator Therin by Therin of Andor, on Flickr

The second episode still lacks an ending, trapped in a loop of post-production, but supposedly coming realsoonnow.

RandyS · September 5 2012, 05:42 PM

KingDaniel wrote:

I know some hate it, but I loved Star Trek: Of Gods and Men. I think it's a cute little epilogue to TOS. www.startrekofgodsandmen.com

As for Phase II/New Voyages, "To Serve All My Days" and "World Enough and Time" were enjoyable. The rest... aren't as good, IMO.
(although I loved seeing a live-action Mr. Arex in their latest mini-episode!)

If you like Star Trek: The Animated Series, Starship Farragut: The Animated Episodes is a must-see: www.farragut-animated.com they're very authentic.

I can't speak for Starship Farragut, I haven't seen it. But I agree with your recommendations for Of Gods and Men, and Phase II. I haven't seen all the episodes of that yet, but the ones I have seen were very well done.

Lord Garth · September 5 2012, 09:53 PM

I'll be honest, I enjoyed Phase II's version of "The Child" more than TNG's.

A few minor nitpicks: I wish the Deltan, I don't recall her name, was bald. Peter Kirk wouldn't have been old enough to be a Starfleet officer in Phase II. He looked about 14 in "Operation: Annihilate!" so he'd be 17 at the oldest here. Xon was redundant.

Otherwise, this was a solid piece of work.

sbk1234 · September 5 2012, 10:45 PM

I'm impressed with the jobs done on Exeter, and Phase II. Pretty well done, for fan productions.

Rulius · September 6 2012, 02:04 AM

What happened to Exeter?

RB_Kandy · September 6 2012, 05:02 AM

I just got through watching Starship Exeter - The Savage Empire, it was good, I liked it.

The thing is about watching these fan films, you must view them as fan films. That's a bit hard to explain.
You must view these films as a shoe string budget film made by amateurs who want to capture the spirit of star trek; not as a company trying to make a blockbuster film.

Sector 7 · September 6 2012, 05:25 AM

RB_Kandy wrote:

The thing is about watching these fan films, you must view them as fan films. That's a bit hard to explain.
You must view these films as a shoe string budget film made by amateurs who want to capture the spirit of star trek; not as a company trying to make a blockbuster film.

You make a good point, because this addresses my problem with them: bad/amateur acting takes me out of the story and lessens the experience for me. Even some of the movies I worked on had the same issues. I'll try to be more forgiving in the future. Thank you, RB_Kandy.

KingDaniel, thanks for the links. I'm headed over to Starship Farragut: The Animated Episodes....

Maurice · September 6 2012, 09:44 AM

Therin of Andor wrote:

Nacluv wrote:

So does anyone here has any experience of those productions?

Well, I am in the first "Starship Exeter"...

The second episode still lacks an ending, trapped in a loop of post-production, but supposedly coming realsoonnow.

It's in the queue.

JarodRussell · September 6 2012, 02:19 PM

There's a big personal problem I have when I'm watching fan films/low budget films in general. I hate video. The look is off putting, it takes me out of the experience every time and I can't take it as seriously. For the same reason I dislike recent Michael Mann films. Public Enemy, Collateral, Miami Vice, they look so incredibly cheap, even though they aren't, and it takes me out of the scenes every single time.

There's something about that contrast between "great sets" or "good actors" and then "horrible camera and sound" that puts me totally off. For some reason, I can take a bad set and bad acting if camera and sound is great, but not the other way round.

The worst thing is when, even though they only have only low budget video cameras, they decide to use shaky cam and zooming and focussing and over/under exposure and similar things as stylistic device. That makes it look even cheaper and more unprofessional. Stuff like that ruined "Of Gods and Men" for me for example.

The thing is, in my opinion, one should not try to "ruin" the image on purpose when you already are on a low budget. Try to make it look as good as possible.

lurok · September 6 2012, 03:59 PM

I've only seen two. Of Gods And Men, which has heart in right place but is a little shaky. But I was very impressed by the animated Aurora. http://auroratrek.com/

CorporalCaptain · September 6 2012, 05:12 PM

Star Trek: Aurora, The Tressaurian Intersection, and World Enough and Time are all good.

Galileo7 · September 6 2012, 06:41 PM

RandyS wrote:

KingDaniel wrote:

I know some hate it, but I loved Star Trek: Of Gods and Men. I think it's a cute little epilogue to TOS. www.startrekofgodsandmen.com

As for Phase II/New Voyages, "To Serve All My Days" and "World Enough and Time" were enjoyable. The rest... aren't as good, IMO.
(although I loved seeing a live-action Mr. Arex in their latest mini-episode!)

If you like Star Trek: The Animated Series, Starship Farragut: The Animated Episodes is a must-see: www.farragut-animated.com they're very authentic.

I can't speak for Starship Farragut, I haven't seen it. But I agree with your recommendations for Of Gods and Men, and Phase II. I haven't seen all the episodes of that yet, but the ones I have seen were very well done.

Agree.

September 5 2012, 01:01 AM	#1
Nacluv Lieutenant Commander	Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good? I have neither seen nor hardly read anything about the fan productions. But I've become curious about them the latest months, a fact I was reminded of in my TOS fans - What's your second favorite show? thread. So does anyone here has any experience of those productions?

September 5 2012, 02:33 PM	#2
bbailey861 Vice Admiral Location: Kingston, ON	Re: Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good? That is very much an individual call. I certainly think you have to take them at face value. They are fan productions, after all. That being said, I have watched quite a few and have enjoyed them. As long as the story draws me in, any acting issues I may have often drift into the background. My question is - Have you seen any and if so, which ones and what did you think of them?

September 5 2012, 02:45 PM	#3
King Daniel Admiral Location: KingDaniel has fallen Into Darkness (in England)	Re: Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good? I know some hate it, but I loved Star Trek: Of Gods and Men. I think it's a cute little epilogue to TOS. www.startrekofgodsandmen.com As for Phase II/New Voyages, "To Serve All My Days" and "World Enough and Time" were enjoyable. The rest... aren't as good, IMO. (although I loved seeing a live-action Mr. Arex in their latest mini-episode!) If you like Star Trek: The Animated Series, Starship Farragut: The Animated Episodes is a must-see: www.farragut-animated.com they're very authentic. __________________ Star Trek Imponderables, fun video mashups of Trek's biggest continuity errors. Episode One Episode Two

September 5 2012, 09:53 PM	#6
Lord Garth Commander Location: Originally posted 1999-2010	Re: Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good? I'll be honest, I enjoyed Phase II's version of "The Child" more than TNG's. A few minor nitpicks: I wish the Deltan, I don't recall her name, was bald. Peter Kirk wouldn't have been old enough to be a Starfleet officer in Phase II. He looked about 14 in "Operation: Annihilate!" so he'd be 17 at the oldest here. Xon was redundant. Otherwise, this was a solid piece of work.

September 5 2012, 10:45 PM	#7
sbk1234 Rear Admiral Location: Los Angeles	Re: Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good? I'm impressed with the jobs done on Exeter, and Phase II. Pretty well done, for fan productions. __________________ In all the history of the world, a riot has NEVER broken out at a Sci-Fi convention. "It's a fucking TV show!" - Gary Lockwood

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September 6 2012, 02:04 AM	#8
Rulius Fleet Captain Location: N.E. Ga.	Re: Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good? What happened to Exeter? __________________ "Always with the negative waves Moriarty, always with the negative waves!"

September 6 2012, 05:02 AM	#9
RB_Kandy Commander Location: RB_Kandy	Re: Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good? I just got through watching Starship Exeter - The Savage Empire, it was good, I liked it. The thing is about watching these fan films, you must view them as fan films. That's a bit hard to explain. You must view these films as a shoe string budget film made by amateurs who want to capture the spirit of star trek; not as a company trying to make a blockbuster film.

September 6 2012, 02:19 PM	#12
JarodRussell Vice Admiral	Re: Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good? There's a big personal problem I have when I'm watching fan films/low budget films in general. I hate video. The look is off putting, it takes me out of the experience every time and I can't take it as seriously. For the same reason I dislike recent Michael Mann films. Public Enemy, Collateral, Miami Vice, they look so incredibly cheap, even though they aren't, and it takes me out of the scenes every single time. There's something about that contrast between "great sets" or "good actors" and then "horrible camera and sound" that puts me totally off. For some reason, I can take a bad set and bad acting if camera and sound is great, but not the other way round. The worst thing is when, even though they only have only low budget video cameras, they decide to use shaky cam and zooming and focussing and over/under exposure and similar things as stylistic device. That makes it look even cheaper and more unprofessional. Stuff like that ruined "Of Gods and Men" for me for example. The thing is, in my opinion, one should not try to "ruin" the image on purpose when you already are on a low budget. Try to make it look as good as possible. Last edited by JarodRussell; September 6 2012 at 02:29 PM.

September 6 2012, 03:59 PM	#13
lurok Commodore Location: Lost In The EU Expanse	Re: Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good? I've only seen two. Of Gods And Men, which has heart in right place but is a little shaky. But I was very impressed by the animated Aurora. http://auroratrek.com/ __________________ “Between ennui and ecstasy unwinds our whole experience of time.”

September 6 2012, 05:12 PM	#14
CorporalCaptain Vice Admiral Location: In pre-production	Re: Are any of the fanmade Trek productions actually good? Star Trek: Aurora, The Tressaurian Intersection, and World Enough and Time are all good. __________________ John