David Mack Hired as Consultant on Star Trek: Lower Decks and another series

[JD]

I just saw on his Twitter that David Mack has been hired as a consultant on Lower Decks and another unrevealed animated series.
First we got Kirsten Beyer working on Discovery, and now this, I love that the new shows are going to the books' authors for writers and other behind the scenes roles.

 

[Tuskin38]

Oof, beat me by 6 minutes (though I didn't think to check this subforum first for some reason)

 

[Starbreaker]

Awesome. He deserves it.

 

[Relayer1]

I was not looking forward in any way to animated Trek, just think it's a dire idea, but Mr Mack ? Maybe there is some hope for it after all !

And congratulations David Mack !

 

[rahullak]

Great news! Heightens my anticipation for these series.

Congratulations @David Mack !

 

[Christopher]

I was not looking forward in any way to animated Trek, just think it's a dire idea, but Mr Mack ? Maybe there is some hope for it after all !

Don't get too excited -- he's a consultant, not a staff writer. That basically means they can ask him for advice but don't have to follow it.

Although it's a position that could lead to something bigger in the future. Andre Bormanis started as a science consultant on TNG and ended up as a writer on VGR and a producer on ENT.

 

[valkyrie013]

Love his books, Its great to hear there mining the knowledge base

 

[Reanok]

Congratulations to David Mack that's great news!

 

[XCV330]

Congrats David Mack!

Also..

Another unrevealed series? I thought they were all accounted for. If only I could take a trip down that metaphorical circular corridor to the future and see what it was, it might be my Number One Pike I mean pick.

 

[DimesDan]

Cool.

 

[David Mack]

Don't get too excited -- he's a consultant, not a staff writer. That basically means they can ask him for advice but don't have to follow it.

Although it's a position that could lead to something bigger in the future. Andre Bormanis started as a science consultant on TNG and ended up as a writer on VGR and a producer on ENT.

This is all true. My role is strictly advisory in nature. But I hope that if I acquit myself well as a consultant that it might open the door to bigger things. We shall see.

Another unrevealed series? I thought they were all accounted for.

It wasn't meant to be that mysterious. The second project is the Hageman Brothers' kids' animated Star Trek series being produced for Nickelodeon.

 

[XCV330]

It wasn't meant to be that mysterious. The second project is the Hageman Brothers' kids' animated Star Trek series being produced for Nickelodeon.

That's great news. I'm looking forward to both of those

 

[JD]

I was not looking forward in any way to animated Trek, just think it's a dire idea, but Mr Mack ?

Do you not like animation in general, or is there something about animated Trek specifically that bothers you?
I think it's a great idea, the freedom that animation gives you should allow for some cool and/or crazy stuff we couldn't get in live action.
Even if the execution isn't always the best, they did do some cool stuff on the original animated series that they never could have done in the live action version.

 

[Relayer1]

Do you not like animation in general, or is there something about animated Trek specifically that bothers you?
I think it's a great idea, the freedom that animation gives you should allow for some cool and/or crazy stuff we couldn't get in live action.
Even if the execution isn't always the best, they did do some cool stuff on the original animated series that they never could have done in the live action version.

Not really a fan of animation on TV - I'm hard pressed to think of any I like. Certainly can't think of any serious stuff that works for me. I like some animated movies very much.

Seems an extraordinarily bad fit for Trek.

 

[DGCatAniSiri]

Not really a fan of animation on TV - I'm hard pressed to think of any I like. Certainly can't think of any serious stuff that works for me. I like some animated movies very much.

Seems an extraordinarily bad fit for Trek.

I’d disagree, personally - animation is a medium like any other, and offers a way to show more alien aliens without worrying about straining make up budgets, or the special effects budget, or being confined by the basic human form. It even allows the option for recreating familiar sets that no longer exist or revisiting familiar characters whose actors have aged out of the roles.

For several years, animation got shoved to the margins, being either aimed for children first and foremost or being full to the brim of crude humor that gets it shoved to the late hours, but animation is absolutely an all ages medium. Hell, several classic animated shows were aimed as family shows.

It’s not a stretch for me to see Star Trek being animated. I mean, it’s happened before, and most of the worst shortcomings there were budget related or from the fact that the TOS cast had limited voice acting experience, things that are unlikely to be issues on this one.

 

[JD]

Rick & Morty has done some pretty crazy aliens, so I'm hoping Mike McMahan can bring some of that with him over to Lower Decks.

 

[thribs]

Nice to see someone who actually knows Star Trek on these projects for once but I’m still not sure about these animated ones. Could go either way.

 

[JD]

What do you mean for once? There are tons on these shows who know Trek very well.

 

[thribs]

What do you mean for once? There are tons on these shows who know Trek very well.

There are? They should use them then.

 

[DrCorby]

I love that the new shows are going to the books' authors for writers and other behind the scenes roles.

Congratulations to David! I hope this role takes him far. And remember, not only does he write great prose Star Trek stories, he also has screenwriting credits, showing he also knows how to write a story that can be filmed. Since he can speak the series creators' cinematic "language" in addition to fluent "Star Trek", he should be especially useful to them as a consultant.

Not really a fan of animation on TV - I'm hard pressed to think of any I like. Certainly can't think of any serious stuff that works for me.

You might check out Jonny Quest from the early 60s (not the 80s remake). It was an adult-friendly action-adventure series that told dramatic stories. There's physical action, a little gunplay, a hint of the bodyguard's former romantic life, and some pseudo-science plot drivers. The cute dog doesn't talk; he's just a dog. There are a few unfortunate ethnic stereotypes common in those days that crop up occasionally, but not that many. It's a pretty good example of serious American animation storytelling.