PACIFIC 201 - A Star Trek Film

That looked very good!

 

Nice teaser!

 

Thanks for the feedback!
Here's a new render showing off the current state of the NCC-201 model.
She's almost complete!

 

I will say a few things here:

I don't like the nuTrek look at all in any method.

Here, though, I like how you're going about making it look more primitive than TOS, and your corridor looks like a better version in that it doesn't feel abnormally wide or tall like in TOS. I can believe your corridor could eventually become that which we saw in TMP/TWOK.

Interesting evolution on the uniforms. Did you see the Chris Bennett style uniforms? Perhaps you could have some people in those uniforms, perhaps as an 'old uniform' giving way to a new uniform with a new ship?

For actors, do you have anyone already? And do they look as if they could've been in Trek or mainstream sci-fi? (Like Larisa Oleynik and Jamie Bamber - people who are in-shape and could believably be in a semi-military organization)

On the tricorder predecessor, I'd suggest a few dials, and a larger screen so you can insert graphics later in post-production. The dials will let the actors imagine altering things like scanning range, sensitivity, focus, etc.

For the badge, I would avoid the customary Trek arrowhead, unless you can explain why they have it when TOS kind of established it as the emblem solely of the USS Enterprise. Perhaps it's the UESPA emblem? Kind of like Chris Bennett's system where the emblems initially represented the command of each ship?

The communicator looks like the back of an old cell phone, which I guess is a bit appropriate for the film. I'd suggest avoiding open circuitry, and going with at least 2 or 3 buttons and one or two dials for the (fictional) purpose of changing frequencies, increasing/decreasing volume, and hailing the ship. For the lid, add some mechanical grating to suggest an antenna there and a call-out to TOS/ENT.

I like that your early draft of the captain served on an NX-class ship. Perhaps if this is the launch-episode of your ship, you could show the NX class along with some others, like the Daedelus or Intrepid. I hope to see more development on the captain and the crew, with a good mix of people in there. Please do keep up the good work. Maybe even start a Kickstarter to help raise funds. Axanar did.

 

Overall, a good and different ship design. I would like to know if you plan on adding bussard collectors (TOS/ENT-style of course) and linear interior warp-field-grill blue lights (like ENT had and what I imagine TOS would've had if they'd thought of it) for when the ship goes to warp. The engines don't feel like part of the Trek human engine design.

 

Wow! A lot to reply to here! Thanks for all the feedback. This is the stuff I live for!

To make sure I get to all your points, I won't do a quote format, but instead, I'll list them out and put my replies underneath.

• JJohnson: I don't like the nuTrek look at all in any method.
• Don't worry about "nuTrek" influences. I have no intention of copying JJ Abrams' slick look. My visual goal is this: functional and realistic. That includes some of the (very realistic and consistent with real space photography) sharp shadows, harsh highlights, and blown-out sun flare that Abrams happens to use. However, I am chiefly inspired by real-life photos like this:
  

• JJohnson: Here, though, I like how you're going about making it look more primitive than TOS, and your corridor looks like a better version in that it doesn't feel abnormally wide or tall like in TOS. I can believe your corridor could eventually become that which we saw in TMP/TWOK.
• The TOS look is being respected, but much of the wasteful, wide-open space of their 60's TV set is being retconned. The big rooms and wide corridors of the 1701 have no place on the smaller and relatively old 201.

• JJohnson: Interesting evolution on the uniforms. Did you see the Chris Bennett style uniforms? Perhaps you could have some people in those uniforms, perhaps as an 'old uniform' giving way to a new uniform with a new ship?
• I never saw Christopher Bennett's uniforms, but it's interesting that mine actually have a few similarities to his, with the division color being represented on an outerwear jacket. I was also going to have my MACO-evolution security division wearing grey. Very interesting. We won't see "old" and "new" uniforms, but we will see "enlisted" and "commissioned" uniforms.

• JJohnson: For actors, do you have anyone already? And do they look as if they could've been in Trek or mainstream sci-fi? (Like Larisa Oleynik and Jamie Bamber - people who are in-shape and could believably be in a semi-military organization)
• My concern is the same as yours! I will make sure that my actors are physically fit and look as though they could serve aboard a navy vessel (including fitting the age demographics for people serving at sea or in the space program).
  As a theatre performer, I know lots of talented local actors, and as such, I have several actors in mind, actually.
  
  Here we see my candidates for first officer, science officer, and chief engineer.

• JJohnson: On the tricorder predecessor, I'd suggest a few dials, and a larger screen so you can insert graphics later in post-production. The dials will let the actors imagine altering things like scanning range, sensitivity, focus, etc.
• Thanks for your input! Dials are definitely being considered. I just need to find some good ones that'll attach in a believable way. But overall, every one of my props is still entirely up for debate. I may go an entirely different route if something better comes along.

• JJohnson: For the badge, I would avoid the customary Trek arrowhead, unless you can explain why they have it when TOS kind of established it as the emblem solely of the USS Enterprise. Perhaps it's the UESPA emblem? Kind of like Chris Bennett's system where the emblems initially represented the command of each ship?
• This is one of those touchy issues, as the TOS arrowhead clearly has its roots in the Starfleet/UESPA arrowhead from ENT, and the blue UESPA arrowhead on "Friendship One". I settled for a compromise and used the shape of the TOS arrowhead, but enclosed it in the semi-circle of the ENT arrowhead. Depending on how you want to interpret it, it can be a standard Starfleet insignia, or it can be it's its own insignia that uses a (very) common Starfleet motif.
  

• JJohnson: The communicator looks like the back of an old cell phone, which I guess is a bit appropriate for the film. I'd suggest avoiding open circuitry, and going with at least 2 or 3 buttons and one or two dials for the (fictional) purpose of changing frequencies, increasing/decreasing volume, and hailing the ship. For the lid, add some mechanical grating to suggest an antenna there and a call-out to TOS/ENT.
• I think you'll like my second communicator better than the first. It has a ribbed lid which is reminiscent of the ENT communicator, but it's gold like the TOS communicator. Also, it has a more practical interior. Though the specifics are still to be determined.

• JJohnson: I like that your early draft of the captain served on an NX-class ship. Perhaps if this is the launch-episode of your ship, you could show the NX class along with some others, like the Daedelus or Intrepid. I hope to see more development on the captain and the crew, with a good mix of people in there. Please do keep up the good work. Maybe even start a Kickstarter to help raise funds. Axanar did.
• I'm definitely going to show an NX-class starship. However, it's going to be slightly revised and decidedly more TOS-like than it appeared in ENT.
  
  And I do plan on doing some kind of fundraiser for this project, as expenses will very quickly mount with costumes and sets. However, that is a ways into the future, as I actually intend to produce a sort of preview/promo special to show my future backers that this film will be possible.

And finally, I'll reply to your comments about the ship itself:

• JJohnson: Overall, a good and different ship design. I would like to know if you plan on adding bussard collectors (TOS/ENT-style of course) and linear interior warp-field-grill blue lights (like ENT had and what I imagine TOS would've had if they'd thought of it) for when the ship goes to warp. The engines don't feel like part of the Trek human engine design.
• I don't have any plans on adding glowing bussard collectors. They simply don't fit in with the highly-functional, NASA-like environment I want to depict with this movie. But most of the visual differences in the nacelles can be explained by the fact that the NCC-201 is running on fairly experimental warp technology, so the design is somewhat different than we'd expect for this era.

 

• JJohnson: For actors, do you have anyone already? And do they look as if they could've been in Trek or mainstream sci-fi? (Like Larisa Oleynik and Jamie Bamber - people who are in-shape and could believably be in a semi-military organization)
• My concern is the same as yours! I will make sure that my actors are physically fit and look as though they could serve aboard a navy vessel (including fitting the age demographics for people serving at sea or in the space program).
  As a theatre performer, I know lots of talented local actors, and as such, I have several actors in mind, actually.

oh well I guess I'd be a guest on board or a Tellerite

 

There are roles open for other body types. There's a scene in the beginning with officers and important civilians. And my Starfleet Mission Control specialists don't need to be super fit, either.

 

I like the look of your actor candidates. Do you plan on having any alien characters (vulcans, andorians, etc.) or will your film stay relatively human-centric?

 

Currently the plan is to stay almost entirely human-centric.
It's hard to do makeup right, and I want to concentrate my efforts on the things I know I can do well. Not to mention that I'm trying to soak up the TOS vibes wherever possible, and in most TOS episodes, everybody looks human anyways. So I think it's a safe approach!

 

Lots of TOS episodes are almost entirely human. "Where No Man Has Gone Before," "Space Seed," "Tomorrow is Yesterday," "Conscience of the King," and "Turnabout Intruder" to name a few, where everybody except Spock was human.
Aliens were an important part of Star Trek since the beginning, and have usually been used (as you pointed out) to expose and explore aspects of humanity.

However, Pacific 201 is a movie about human spirit and determination, and is best told through the eyes of an all-human crew. TOS had an all-but-one human crew, so my pre-TOS story has no aliens onboard.

If I chose to do a series in this era, I would almost certainly look to alien species and cultures for episodes. But for this feature, we won't be seeing aliens on the ship.

 

NEAT.

I'm interested.

 

I really like the way this isn't obsessing over canon and minutiae. Seeing the Trek 'verse through a new set of eyes is never a bad thing.

 

Thanks! I'm glad you appreciate it.
I really am taking an "everything is new" approach to some things, and it's a little risky with some trekkies.
My biggest complaint with modern Trek is that it's so concerned with serving and referencing its own world that it rarely forges ahead to new ground and "strange new worlds". So in a lot of ways, I'm trying to bring back that TOS feel in the sense that everything is exciting and new and uncharted.

And of course, I do care about canon, but I'm approaching canon as a "depiction" rather than "historical fact". Historical movies don't always get every detail spot-on, and that's how I think the Star Trek series and movies are best interpreted. Some things are indisputable, but the minutiae of canon are debatable.

 

Trek contradicted itself all the time, there are many you tube videos that point out every contradiction.

Make your own magic I am sure no matter what you will piss off someone, hell go look at the Axanar thread

 

Alright, time for a fun release - here's a first look at the Pacific 201 phaser!

A big push in the design for this film is "realism", and naturally, as phasers have traditionally looked like plastic toys, I wanted my phasers to look like REAL weapons while still honoring the typical "phaser" look.