Star Trek: Renegades

[BillJ]

What I don't understand is if you have Walter Koenig and Tim Russ onboard, not to mention $300,000, why not build one or two terrific sets, get a pair of tailored costumes that actually fit, and just shoot a two-hander?

The Dirty Dozen cost $5.4 million almost fifty years ago. You're not going to transpose that to outer space and do it justice in 2015 with the relative pittance Rengades raised.

The bridge of the (Anti)Hero Ship should have had some investments made to it, to make it look GOOD!

You didn't find the modified lawn chair a kick ass command throne?

 

[Phantom]

^Office chair.

Huh, and some people accused me of being harsh in my comments back in June.

I think that some people are a but surprised that a production with so many pros involved didn't turn out better.

It's certainly no Axanar.

 

[BeatleJWOL]

It's certainly no Axanar.

...as far as we know.

 

[BillJ]

It's certainly no Axanar.

...as far as we know.

This.

We've seen nothing from Axanar beyond people talking.

 

[Campe]

Prelude to Axanar was an interesting concept. Other than the presentation, it brings absolutely nothing new to the table we've never seen before in Star Trek. That's what sets Prelude apart from most fan films. Will they be able to do the same with a traditional narrative in the full film? Definitely yet to be seen. I'm not convinced.

 

[Tom]

With a budget 5 times that of Renegades, Axanar does have a lot to live up to

I just love how everyone talks about it, likes its a completed project that can be compared to other projects. Did someone invent time travel? if so I would like to check out the future.

 

[BillJ]

With a budget 5 times that of Renegades, Axanar does have a lot to live up to

I just love how everyone talks about it, likes its a completed project that can be compared to other projects. Did someone invent time travel? if so I would like to check out the future.

Well, not everyone...

It's certainly no Axanar.

...as far as we know.

It's certainly no Axanar.

...as far as we know.

This.

We've seen nothing from Axanar beyond people talking.

Prelude to Axanar was an interesting concept. Other than the presentation, it brings absolutely nothing new to the table we've never seen before in Star Trek. That's what sets Prelude apart from most fan films. Will they be able to do the same with a traditional narrative in the full film? Definitely yet to be seen. I'm not convinced.

 

[JoeZhang]

This is the problem with using professionals on fan or independent productions. You can't expect the pros to not go off to make good money..

making other fan films I think?

surely a sitcom could be written about jg hertzler and Gary Graham traveling america in a winnebago making fan films?

 

[Karzak]

^Office chair.

Huh, and some people accused me of being harsh in my comments back in June.

I think that some people are a but surprised that a production with so many pros involved didn't turn out better.

Those same people should probably learn to start listening to other professionals then, when said professionals offer their insight and opinion based on their experience, as Maurice and others have. To be entirely fair, Maurice's comments in June:

In three words: it's a mess.

It features a ridiculous number of paper-thin characters with clichéd motivations (when we get any). The editing is clumsy and there's never any sense of tension or build up. They appear to be trying for a heist movie/Seven Samurai thing here, but fail miserably at that.

As to CBS: it's aimed so squarely at fans and so fan-wanky and ham-fisted it hasn't got a prayer of getting their attention.

The trouble is, with so much "pro" talent and a budget larger than some small indie films which are actually in theaters, it's no longer apt to treat productions of this scale with kid gloves. If they're not good, there's really very little excuse. And this one is not good. Most of the fault lies with a script that, sadly, is blandly derivative when it's not pure rubbish. The show's inability to build or sustain tension throughout makes it difficult to call the editing anything more than serviceable.

As above, my "expectation" is that they tell a good story, which has little to nothing to do with the budget. At its core Renegades has a weak script, and that's the primary thing that's wrong with it.

In short, it'd be hypocritical to position a show as professional enough to serve as a network pilot and then expect it to be critiqued on the level of a fan production.

...were cogent, to the point, and not at all insulting in any way, let alone what any sane person would consider "harsh." The comments might have been blunt, but so what? They might not be what the fan filmmakers wanted to read, but nothing gets made or released in a vaccuum, nor is anything every going to be perfectly received and viewed exactly the same way by everyone.

Too many fans get so bent out of shape when others criticize these things, choosing to view those opinions as attacks. Once again, we have a perfect example of a working professional recognizing the very flawed and substandard production and being shouted down by a mob of fans who don't want to listen, except as see.

It's not just Maurice, either. Plenty of other people have made similar observations about this fan film and others, only to be bullied, shouted out of the thread, mobbed, ganged up on, and had their credentials questioned.

Bear in mind I am not suggesting it impossible or inappropriate to disagree with those opinions, but treating them as entirely without value (as I have seen happen here on numerous occasions) is just another sad trope of the fan film community and altogether a disappointing behavior to witness.

It's certainly no Axanar.

As all that exists of Axanar so far is a cocktease sizzle reel and a poorly shot scene, I don't see how that's really a viable comparison to make.

 

[Campe]

As all that exists of Axanar so far is a cocktease sizzle reel and a poorly shot scene, I don't see how that's really a viable comparison to make.

All kinds of this!

 

[northstar]

With a budget 5 times that of Renegades, Axanar does have a lot to live up to

I just love how everyone talks about it, likes its a completed project that can be compared to other projects. Did someone invent time travel? if so I would like to check out the future.

Huh? When did Axanar raise 2Million?

 

[BillJ]

With a budget 5 times that of Renegades, Axanar does have a lot to live up to

I just love how everyone talks about it, likes its a completed project that can be compared to other projects. Did someone invent time travel? if so I would like to check out the future.

Huh? When did Axanar raise 2Million?

That is what they are attempting to raise overall.

 

[Jedi_Master]

It's certainly no Axanar.

...as far as we know.

Exactllllyyyyy... A bigger budget doesn't automatically make a film better.

 

[Jay]

No offense to Maurice (especially because I agree with him and think he has a good eye for what makes something work) it's not as if he has an IMDB page that rings out "here is a well-sold script writer who has Emmy and Oscar nominations under his belt." Heck, I see a fan film, mostly video games, and a couple of other things I've never heard of. So I don't think the producers have to listen to him really. But also, who says Walter Koenig knows what he is doing where writing is concerned? He's an actor who got on a successful TV show and had a career but the handful of things he's written don't speak to any great writing talent that I see. I'm not sure he's even that good an actor looking at this role (what I could of it).

Just because these guys had roles in a TV show we loved doesn't mean they know what to do other than have roles in a TV show we loved.

 

[BillJ]

This is the problem with using professionals on fan or independent productions. You can't expect the pros to not go off to make good money..

making other fan films I think?

surely a sitcom could be written about jg hertzler and Gary Graham traveling america in a winnebago making fan films?

Don't forget Richard Hatch. He's following them looking for clues on when and where fan films are being shot, so he can get there first and collect a paycheck!

 

[SuperSpaceMan]

I don't see Axanar getting completed with a 2 Million Dollar budget.. there is only so far people will go, chasing good money after bad, and it seems that their fundraisers are now facing diminishing returns.....

 

[SeerSGB]

It's certainly no Axanar.

...as far as we know.

This.

We've seen nothing from Axanar beyond people talking.

Yeah let's not go there...

My faith in Axanar being more than FX fest is already pretty low, Renegades--which I was hyped for--ain't helping.

It's certainly no Axanar.

...as far as we know.

Exactllllyyyyy... A bigger budget doesn't automatically make a film better.

I'd say it can actually be a hinderous to making a good film. When you have the budget, by damn god you're gong to put it on the screen. Writing, IMO, falls to the wayside in favor of "looks how much we spent on the look". Less money and more focus on story, again IMO, tends towards a better product; they can't sell on the eye-candy so they have to make the story work.

 

[Campe]

So Axanar's raised, what? $1.1 million? Renegades was $375k? I admit that a little extra fundage and paying an editor with a good eye would have made Renegades better. And I just rewatched the little clip of Axanar. It's... okay... at best. A little sloppy in the shooting but the CGI is nice. And really not that much better performances out of the Axanar cast compared to Renegades (granted, yes, half of who we've seen from Axanar was in Renegades, but...). Dialogue is stilted. Focus seemed soft.

So, yeah, not convinced. Like, at all.

 

[JoeZhang]

This is the problem with using professionals on fan or independent productions. You can't expect the pros to not go off to make good money..

making other fan films I think?

surely a sitcom could be written about jg hertzler and Gary Graham traveling america in a winnebago making fan films?

Don't forget Richard Hatch. He's following them looking for clues on when and where fan films are being shot, so he can get there first and collect a paycheck!

'goddamn it Graham, once again you forgot to set the alarm and we are late for the casting, I've just seen Hatch go in there and... aw.. that's Picardo going in there, the whole job has gone to shit!

 

[SuperSpaceMan]

So Axanar's raised, what? $1.1 million? Renegades was $375k? I admit that a little extra fundage and paying an editor with a good eye would have made Renegades better. And I just rewatched the little clip of Axanar. It's... okay... at best. A little sloppy in the shooting but the CGI is nice. And really not that much better performances out of the Axanar cast compared to Renegades (granted, yes, half of who we've seen from Axanar was in Renegades, but...). Dialogue is stilted. Focus seemed soft.

So, yeah, not convinced. Like, at all.

Half of that 1.1 million though went into a building and a half completed bridge set....