More From Kurtzman And Orci

[DWF]

http://www.firstshowing.net/2009/01...kurtzman-and-roberto-orci-part-one-star-trek/

Was there ever concern that the bigger aspect of this new Star Trek would be rejected by fans?

Kurtzman: Do you mean bigger or more action?

Both I guess. As I said, we know that this new version has become something that people have embraced, but was there ever concern when you guys were writing it, when nothing had been revealed yet, that this reboot was going to be rejected, whether it was because of the action, whether it was because of the bigger aspect, whether it was because the direction Abrams wanted to take it?

Orci: Sure. We certainly don't finish the script and go "Wow, that ought to take this world by storm. Let's go home." Anytime you finish something you hope it's received well but you have to follow your instincts. We felt pretty confident about it actually and obviously, when JJ agreed to direct it, we thought okay, that must mean something because he came around. So in a way, he was kind of our first test case in terms of whether or not we were heading down the right path. His stamp of approval, I think, made us infinitely more confident that we'd settled on the right idea.

Kurtzman: The other thing, we all speak a common language and one of the languages is the language of set pieces. "Alias" had two to three per episode and so we spent so much time analyzing set pieces and how they work and why they work and almost taking a three act structure approach to each set piece. Obviously, there were a lot of set pieces is Mission: Impossible 3, but a lot of the movies that we loved as kids were influenced by the same kind of approach. And so it felt like ironically, when we did "Alias", the set pieces and the action scenes were always what we wrote last. In a way, while we knew some of the things we wanted to do in Trek, we did not start from a place of set pieces.

The fact that the set pieces happen to reflect accurately the kind of emotional storytelling in Trek, was great for us, and so organic to the story as opposed to "Let's just have a big action sequence here because something like this has never been done in Star Trek before." It really just had to do with, did it feel right and did it feel honest and did it feel like it was consistent with what was going on story-wise. The fact is that, if an action sequence does not somehow further character development in a big way, then it shouldn't be there, period. We were more concerned with the non-fans.

Orci: We're fans enough to know we had enough of what Star Trek is about that we thought fans would like this Trek. We were much more concerned with is it going to be relevant to a general audience. And we know that was JJ's concern as well.

I can't really agrue with this point, if the movie is going to succeed it'll have to bring in the non fans as well as the fans.

 

[xortex]

They sound surprised it was made. Well everyone loves their own shit esp when they can pass the blame on to someone else.

 

[Patrickivan]

It's going to be "relevant to a general audience."?

Could be a good thing. Assuming the general audience, i.e. non-trek fans, where ever really interested in the Star Trek in the first place. I guess they were always somewhat interested in the past, but they were just afraid.

Now they will be interested because the actors are new? Because the ship looks different? Because the writing is different? Maybe it'll be the type of action? How would they really know the difference and why would they care now if they didn't really care in the past?

 

[SalvorHardin]

Now they will be interested because the actors are new? Because the ship looks different? Because the writing is different? Maybe it'll be the type of action?

Yes, yes, yes and yes probably...

How would they really know the difference and why would they care now if they didn't really care in the past?

That's why we have teasers, trailers, director and writers' interviews, super bowl ads, tv ads, cast and crew interviews etc etc
To inform the public about what this movie is and how new it is, how it differs from the past or how many similarities it has with the past..

And I really don't see why it is impossible for someone to gain interest in something one didn't care for in the past.
The past is the past.
If what's being made now has made changes that make the product more interesting, fresh and appealing then why not give it a try.

 

[Patrickivan]

SalvorHardin, I understand what you're saying, but from the perspective of the non-fan, I don't see anything in these trailers to differentiate this movie from other Trek movies. Though from my view, it's drastically different and bizzare! The special effects are contemporary, as they were with the times of other Trek movies (sans ST:V of course), but to the general audience, despite all the upcoming marketing (that is very good!), it's still going to be just another Star Trek movie.

I predict a decent opening week because of the great upcoming hype (again, a good thing for Star Trek), and then it'll just drop right off everyones radar- with the exception of fans of course.

I'm still hoping that I'm wrong though, and it will be true to Trek, and it will be enjoyable for everyone in general.

 

[SalvorHardin]

SalorHardin, I understand what you're saying, but I don't see anything in these trailers to differentiate this movie from other Trek movies.

I guess then we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

The special effects are contemporary, as they were with the times of other Trek movies (sans ST:V of course), but to the general audience, despite all the upcoming marketing (that is very good!), it's still going to be just another Star Trek movie.

Perhaps you are correct.
I believe that this movie's worst enemy right now is that in the end it is Star Trek. And the general public has had in its mind for many years that Trek is lame and uncool.
But i also believe that if there is anyone that could shake of this "stigma", it's this team Trek XI has.

I predict a decent opening week because of the great upcoming hype (again, a good thing for Star Trek), and then it'll just drop right off everyones radar- with the exception of fans of course.

I'm still hoping that I'm wrong though, and it will be true to Trek, and it will be enjoyable for everyone in general.

I hope you are wrong too.
I'm not very good at box-office predictions so I will not try to make any.

Right now I hope it's a good entertaining movie, faithful to the "spirit of Trek".
We'll see what happens with money.

 

[ST-One]

SalvorHardin, I understand what you're saying, but from the perspective of the non-fan, I don't see anything in these trailers to differentiate this movie from other Trek movies.

You don't even see the younger cast?

 

[Patrickivan]

SalvorHardin, I understand what you're saying, but from the perspective of the non-fan, I don't see anything in these trailers to differentiate this movie from other Trek movies.

You don't even see the younger cast?

Of course I do. But that's inconsequential to how a movie will be received. Especially considering that the aging demographic is growing substantially!

I am around a lot of young people (teens) and I can tell you that not one of them could be paid to see anything Star Trek. Though I have managed to get my daughter to do a pretty good hammed up imitation of Kirk's final death scene! Trek fans and parents will have to drag their kids there.

The target audience (aside from fans) is obviously around the early 20's to late 30's. That's not really the best thing for movies when it's teens and seniors that have the largest amount of disposable income.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I understand what you're saying, but from the perspective of the non-fan, I don't see anything in these trailers to differentiate this movie from other Trek movies.

Let's start with the fact that it looks like a real, well-made movie that the studio invested some money in. That differentiates it from three quarters of the previous Trek movies right there.

The effects in previous Trek movies - the TOS-based ones, certainly - were rarely first-rate for their time; in fact, on at leat one occasion the producers complained that they got a "B team" effort from ILM. Of course, they were getting what they paid for...

 

[Patrickivan]

I understand what you're saying, but from the perspective of the non-fan, I don't see anything in these trailers to differentiate this movie from other Trek movies.

Let's start with the fact that it looks like a real, well-made movie that the studio invested some money in. That differentiates it from three quarters of the previous Trek movies right there.

The effects in previous Trek movies - the TOS-based ones, certainly - were rarely first-rate for their time; in fact, on at leat one occasion the producers complained that they got a "B team" effort from ILM. Of course, they were getting what they paid for...

Yes, it looks like a technically well made Sci-Fi movie... Not exactly something in high demand. Who other then Trek fans care about a new trek movie? Star Trek has a stigma to it that i doubt will be broken by people running around in colourful tight tunics and bald tattooed aliens.

Once the general public learns that Romulans from the future go back in time to destroy the planet Vulcan, only to be stopped by Captain Kirk on the Starship NeutErprise, they won't care how good the movie may be. I'm a huge fan of Trek and this sounds so hokey!

Essentially, the big ads to come will highlight JJ Abrahms' name, "the creator of Lost", and Quinto's name, to try to woo the general populace. Nothing else about Star Trek will get them to come, other then by using those gimicks. A lot of people will go at first- then it will die right out.

 

[SalvorHardin]

A lot of people will go at first- then it will die right out.

Not necessarily.
If it turns out that the movie is actually good and actually is made to appeal to non-Trek fans as they say, then I don't see why it will die right out.

If the "a lot of people that will go at first", as you say, are satisfied and put some good word and reviews out there, then logically more will continue going to see it.

 

[ST-One]

Once the general public learns that Romulans from the future go back in time to destroy the planet Vulcan, only to be stopped by Captain Kirk on the Starship NeutErprise, they won't care how good the movie may be. I'm a huge fan of Trek and this sounds so hokey!

Unlike a movie about a multi-billionaire who gets kidnapped and builds himself a robot-armor to escape and then decides to fight the evil in this world, or a movie about an ordinary teenager who gets bitten by a radioactive spider and develops certain abilities which he then uses to fight crime,... which sound not at all 'hokey'.

Or that Trek-movie about a space-probe which falls through a black hole, gets picked up but robotic lifeforms and travels all the way back to earth and absorbs all knowledge along its way back only to miss that tiny bit of info: the Earth is populated by carbon-base lifeforms and that they are its creators.
And, of course, the new, not even fully tested Enterprise is the only ship in all of Earth vicinity to intercept it. No, not 'hokey' at all.

 

[xortex]

So Joe sixpack is gonna love this movie and become a trekker.

 

[xortex]

The stigma of Star Trek started after TOS. Now that they're bringing back TOS sort of, the stigma should be lifted.

 

[SalvorHardin]

So Joe sixpack is gonna love this movie and become a trekker.

Yeap.
And hopefully, he will have more sense than old, canon obsessed T'Joe purist .

 

[ST-One]

So Joe sixpack is gonna love this movie and become a trekker.

Ah, so you too are hoping it will be just like TOS.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

A lot of people will go at first- then it will die right out.

You may hope for that as fervently as you like, but there's no real reason to expect it to be so. We'll see.

 

[cooleddie74]

So Joe sixpack is gonna love this movie and become a trekker.

Ah, so you too are hoping it will be just like TOS.

It won't.

But so long as it's better than INSURRECTION and NEMESIS I'll be cheering and happy.

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

So Joe sixpack is gonna love this movie and become a trekker.

Forget Joe Sixpack, they better hope Joe the Plumber shows up.

 

[pookha]

The stigma of Star Trek started after TOS. Now that they're bringing back TOS sort of, the stigma should be lifted.

just curious how old are you.
there was a stigma with tos especially during its original run.
it wasnt until the second movie and tng that it became cool for awhile to like trek.