Our latest release "Fast Friends" is available at starshipexcelsior.com. It's not as long as the epics we've been releasing lately, but it's too long for a vignette. Any comments, suggestions, criticisms are welcome. Enjoy!
It's got art, too! Like the man said, it's at StarshipExcelsior.com and hopefully on all the podcatcher services the kids are using these days. Between Stitcher and Castbox and Spotify, it's harder to keep up with all of them than it was in 2007! I feel in my heart that maybe this is going to be the one Maurice likes. But we will have to see about that!
...and just when you thought it was safe....you can hear our first ever commentary track as James Heaney and I discuss the making of our pilot episode "There You Are". Follow this link to stream or download it. It should also be available on your favorite podcatching app.
Mine is but one opinion. And, fair warning, I am probably not the target audience here, despite my love for audio drama. I realized 4 seasons into TNG that my affection for TOS didn't carry over, and the way the subsequent shows have evolved largely leaves me cold. This is why you really don't see me much outside the TOS and Movie forums. In short. It was okay. The gimmick was cute, and I like the wordplay of the title. The audio production is better than I remember from years past. But I can't say this would compel me to listen to more. As above, a big part of that is the conventions of modern Trek that don't speak to me. Spoiler: about things that happen in the episode As with so many fan productions the problem for me is the main character doesn't drive the story. Stuff happens, he reacts. He doesn't even come away from the experience seeming to having learned anything. I'd have given the President's last line to him (minus the soup thing), since really, it's where the story ends. No one seems to take the situation very seriously. They're all pretty glib about it. Where's the shocked WTF moment for any one them? Yes, I realize this story is light hearted but people can behave believably even when you play it funny. The show takes too long to get going. It was 1:50 before the first line was spoken. Even with a Chesterfield ad at the top Gunsmoke would be 30 seconds into the story by this point, at that was 1950s pacing. There's a reason most radio shows put their credits at the end because you want the lowest friction possible for your audience to get into the show. And when the show does start there's this dialog about meetings and stuff that would be fine if it paid off but never goes anywhere. It's rote, like the crew investigating the disappearance, thus feels like It's there because it's the convention and not because it adds anything to the story. As is you could whack off the framing scenes at the front and the back and not affect anything but the running time. Or maybe there's something there I missed because I'm unfamiliar with the characters. Putting on my writer's hat (okay, I never really take it off) I'd have suggested that something about the experience move the lead emotionally from where he starts at the top and where he gets off the ride. He starts at A and ends up at B. What is the story about thematically, and whose story is it, and why should I care? That's the question I always ask writers, including myself.
JOHNNY NEMO! You're still afloat, too! I lost all your contact info years ago and have been therefore unable to tell you when we're putting your art up places! I've been crediting you on the IMDB, though, and hoping you'd see something and reach out and say "hi" again someday! How you doing? How's the comics biz? Even though it didn't work out with us, you are a very talented artist and I hope you've been successful in the years since.
Hah! that's so cool!!! Id always pictured myself there one day! I'll definitely take it - I had art stolen by "Spike's Star Trek Page" and posted without permission or credit so this kinda makes up. F**** guy wouldn't even acknowledge my messages.... Biz has been slow watching print media slowly die away this last decade, posting odd pieces on deviantart.com to keep the skills wet at least. Careers with the big firms these days is a death sentence creatively. I've been developing an idea for an original graphic novel set in the 80's about growing up as a sci fi fantasy nerd then; picture if you will the Goonies immersed in Ready Player One and homaging all the sci fi properties we adored then. I've kinda hit a wall for motivation so i decided to come back to BBS to see if generating more trek inspired stuff can get those fluids running again. How about ST:X? You guys still producing? - and yeah, I'd still do pieces for you if needed.
Then I'm glad you've avoided the death sentence, although I'm sure your first choice would have been "let's have a thriving comics industry." That sounds awesome! Yeah, we're still chugging away. Season 5 just ended, Season 6 coming up! And we did an episode with Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and Robin Curtis for the 50th Anniversary a few years back that you might want to check out -- it was pretty neat. (I mean, ALL our episodes are neat, but that one was particularly so.) You be careful -- I have a way of turning up like a bad penny and taking people up on those offers. Even though we have a talented album artist now (name of Jon Baas), there's other stuff going on, so you may very well be hearing from me! Gonna go see if TrekBBS has a "subscribe" button so I can get notified of your various images when you post 'em!
[QUOTE="Yeah, we're still chugging away. Season 5 just ended, Season 6 coming up! And we did an episode with Nichelle Nichols, Walter Koenig, and Robin Curtis for the 50th Anniversary a few years back that you might want to check out -- it was pretty neat. (I mean, ALL our episodes are neat, but that one was particularly so.) What have you done???? lol - I'll look for it tonight for sure. Audiodramas are great for background distractions at work.... i may not be able to physically multitask but the audio can keep the mind journeying... Ive literally soaked every Trek Audiobook having listened to each 2-3 times. You be careful -- I have a way of turning up like a bad penny and taking people up on those offers. Even though we have a talented album artist now (name of Jon Baas), there's other stuff going on, so you may very well be hearing from me! Gonna go see if TrekBBS has a "subscribe" button so I can get notified of your various images when you post 'em![/QUOTE] No worries..... if I can be of assistance, feel free to ask. ... I went through my old jumps, and sure enough in my "Starfleet Cruisers" jumper file is the Sovereign class Excelsior, the study reference model I used for the original idea. Ive already dumped a lot of stuff here in the last couple of weeks trying to get back into production habit....
Is there some issue with the podcasts? they keep stopping after 8-10 minutes Edit - Thumbnail for art I kinda owed you guys.... I had to bow out before I could do this one.... based on the original thumbnail i drew then:
Pretty good for an old fart! 100 pounds lighter than when we last were in touch and living in Boise after fleeing Florida!