Star Trip: The ...What? Generation

[oswater]

Hello everybody, my name is Dardan. A few friends and I put together a short parody film of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It starts off as kind of a tongue-in-cheek jokey thing, but becomes it's own sort of strange fun mess.
I didn't know this place existed, another forum referred me to here. I'm very, very glad to have found this place.
Warning: Coarse Language.
Anywho, here's the link:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=y_pm0RpH0hc
I hope you guys enjoy it!
Also, if you do enjoy it please share it with your friends. We just want to make as many people laugh as we can.
Thanks for watching.

 

[Maurice]

A bit much on the four-letter wordage.

 

[Barbreader]

I've added your film to Star Trek Restricted due to language. See http://startrekrestricted.blogspot.com/2009/11/post-5.html , under F.

 

[oswater]

A bit much on the four-letter wordage.

Added a warning. Hoped not to offend.

I've added your film to Star Trek Restricted due to language. See http://startrekrestricted.blogspot.com/2009/11/post-5.html , under F.

Thank you!

 

[Trekker4747]

I little heavy (okay a lot heavy) on the gay stereotypes. Which *may* have been funny in 1988. Not so much in 2013.

 

[oswater]

I little heavy (okay a lot heavy) on the gay stereotypes. Which *may* have been funny in 1988. Not so much in 2013.

Is it because the movie is designed with a Vaudevillian style?
Is it because the characters discuss things like sex, desire and attraction?
Is it because Troy, a male playing a female character, is feminine?
Or is it because of the 'curing homosexuality' joke in the first act?

Either way you slice it, only one of the characters is written as a homosexual. Vaudeville is a style that's brightly colored and strange on purpose. Watch any Marx Bros film or John Waters movie and you'll see what I'm talking about. The characters discuss things like sex and desire because that's relevant to what the villain of the story does. He lives off peoples desires.
Troy is feminine because HE is still based off his female character. A man can act feminine without being gay.
Oh and that 'curing gayness' joke was written by a gay man.
So honestly, I think you don't even know what you're offended about.
I would love for you to watch the video again and I have no hard feelings. The last thing I want is for somebody to imply I'm some sort of bigot.

 

[Captain Atkin]

I thought that was pretty damn funny. As for the "cure gayness" joke... lets face it... how often did we ever see gay people (from Earth) represented on TNG? The fact that a gay person wrote that joke in the early 90s doesn't surprise me in the least. Sure, some of the humor in this video might seem dated now, but that is what makes it so much fun to me.

The only thing that I felt was missing in this video was music during the acting scenes. I think adding some cheesey music to the film would add to the humor. All in all though, this was an enjoyable little film. Strange as hell, but enjoyable

 

[boobatuba]

Oh and that 'curing gayness' joke was written by a gay man.
So honestly, I think you don't even know what you're offended about.

Wow. So if a homosexual says it, it can't possibly be offensive? Just...wow.

A note about vaudeville...it was popular in the first 1/3 of the 20th century. It was INCREDIBLY offensive to minorities, and that was the point. So, I don't understand why you would be surprised that people are offended if you claim to write in a "vaudevillian style."

My problem with the video is that I just don't think the jokes are very funny. I don't find talking about "white girl pussy" terribly clever. I find it very juvenile with a sort of "tee-hee" flavor. Not my cup of tea, but also just my opinion.

 

[Maurice]

I little heavy (okay a lot heavy) on the gay stereotypes. Which *may* have been funny in 1988. Not so much in 2013.

Is it because the movie is designed with a Vaudevillian style?
Is it because the characters discuss things like sex, desire and attraction?
Is it because Troy, a male playing a female character, is feminine?
Or is it because of the 'curing homosexuality' joke in the first act?

Either way you slice it, only one of the characters is written as a homosexual. Vaudeville is a style that's brightly colored and strange on purpose. Watch any Marx Bros film or John Waters movie and you'll see what I'm talking about. The characters discuss things like sex and desire because that's relevant to what the villain of the story does. He lives off peoples desires.
Troy is feminine because HE is still based off his female character. A man can act feminine without being gay.
Oh and that 'curing gayness' joke was written by a gay man.
So honestly, I think you don't even know what you're offended about.
I would love for you to watch the video again and I have no hard feelings. The last thing I want is for somebody to imply I'm some sort of bigot.

Just because the something wasn't intended to be offensive doesn't mean that it can't be seen as offensive. Lots of gay people engage in gay stereotyping, which doesn't make it not a stereotype. Troy lisps and minces...your classic portrayal of a mincing queen. Some people might find that dated or offensive.

 

[oswater]

I thought that was pretty damn funny. As for the "cure gayness" joke... lets face it... how often did we ever see gay people (from Earth) represented on TNG? The fact that a gay person wrote that joke in the early 90s doesn't surprise me in the least. Sure, some of the humor in this video might seem dated now, but that is what makes it so much fun to me.

The only thing that I felt was missing in this video was music during the acting scenes. I think adding some cheesey music to the film would add to the humor. All in all though, this was an enjoyable little film. Strange as hell, but enjoyable

Thank you for watching, and I completely agree. More music would really fill out the atmosphere.

Oh and that 'curing gayness' joke was written by a gay man.
So honestly, I think you don't even know what you're offended about.

Wow. So if a homosexual says it, it can't possibly be offensive? Just...wow.

The argument wasn't that a gay man has magic anti-offensive armor on, it was that it portrayed gay stereotypes. A gay stereotype needs to come from a place of ignorance, which is was not.

A note about vaudeville...it was popular in the first 1/3 of the 20th century. It was INCREDIBLY offensive to minorities, and that was the point. So, I don't understand why you would be surprised that people are offended if you claim to write in a "vaudevillian style."

So were films, music, stage and popular culture in the early 20th century. Modern vaudeville is not. It was adopted by people like Conan O'Brien and John Waters to celebrate things like strangeness and outlandish behavior. So your point is completely moot.

My problem with the video is that I just don't think the jokes are very funny. I don't find talking about "white girl pussy" terribly clever. I find it very juvenile with a sort of "tee-hee" flavor. Not my cup of tea, but also just my opinion.

Completely fair. Glad you watched it.

Just because the something wasn't intended to be offensive doesn't mean that it can't be seen as offensive.

And sometimes a tool is also a weapon. Again, didn't mean to offend. But if you laugh, then have a great a time. If you don't, maybe next time I'll make something more up your alley.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Yeah.

You don't get a "next time," any more than I'd waste time on another Uwe Boll movie. That's the consequence of doing something really poorly.

 

[oswater]

Yeah.

You don't get a "next time," any more than I'd waste time on another Uwe Boll movie. That's the consequence of doing something really poorly.

Thanks for giving it a shot!
But considering Uwe Boll had directed dozens of movies and has made millions of dollars, it means your time isn't very valuable. So I guess my "consequence" is having to deal with you.

 

[Taylirious]

I thought it was great!

ETA: Fun, kinda In Living Color(No Offense) but I enjoyed that show.

 

[Maurice]

Yeah.

You don't get a "next time," any more than I'd waste time on another Uwe Boll movie. That's the consequence of doing something really poorly.

Thanks for giving it a shot!
But considering Uwe Boll had directed dozens of movies and has made millions of dollars, it means your time isn't very valuable. So I guess my "consequence" is having to deal with you.

A gracious artist accepts that not everyone likes his or her work and doesn't feel the need to snipe the people who don't. Some people hate the music videos I've directed, and, you know what, that's fine. If they think my work isn't worth the time even after watching for 15 seconds, that's fine too.

 

[Taylirious]

There is a difference in constructive criticism and someone just shooting off at the mouth.

ETA: I don't have a dog in this fight but I enjoyed what the film makers did.

 

[oswater]

Yeah.

You don't get a "next time," any more than I'd waste time on another Uwe Boll movie. That's the consequence of doing something really poorly.

Thanks for giving it a shot!
But considering Uwe Boll had directed dozens of movies and has made millions of dollars, it means your time isn't very valuable. So I guess my "consequence" is having to deal with you.

A gracious artist accepts that not everyone likes his or her work and doesn't feel the need to snipe the people who don't. Some people hate the music videos I've directed, and, you know what, that's fine. If they think my work isn't worth the time even after watching for 15 seconds, that's fine too.

Ultimately, you're right but the guy posted here to be mean spirited on purpose, so I felt it warranted a response.
I'd love to see your work, though. If you took the time to watch something of mine, I'd happily watch yours.

I thought it was great!

ETA: Fun, kinda In Living Color(No Offense) but I enjoyed that show.

Thank you for watching, I really do appreciate it.

 

[boobatuba]

Ultimately, you're right but the guy posted here to be mean spirited on purpose, so I felt it warranted a response.

Well, when the guy who posted has written professionally-produced Star Trek, I think I might give his opinion a little more weight.

Kind of like how your gay writer is allowed to write an offensive gay slur.

 

[oswater]

Ultimately, you're right but the guy posted here to be mean spirited on purpose, so I felt it warranted a response.

Well, when the guy who posted has written professionally-produced Star Trek, I think I might give his opinion a little more weight.

Kind of like how your gay writer is allowed to write an offensive gay slur.

Kind of like how one forum goer can call another one out for insulting a piece. It just works that way.
Professionally produced Star Trek doesn't deal in funny. So he can write circles around me all day long, doesn't mean he inherently knows anything about being funny.
Truth be told, nobody really does. You just gotta try it and see if people laugh. If they laugh, you did a great thing. If you don't, well, you get this thread.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

I know better than to bother, but what the Hell...

I'm generally - almost universally - supportive of anyone who attempts to make a movie, because even in the absence of anything else it requires inventiveness and dogged determination to get it done and not a little bit of courage to exhibit it. As Sondheim is supposed to have observed, you get nothing by discouraging an artist. Most people improve if they stick with it.

I rarely say anything at all about humor and parody. For some reason, a lot of first efforts fall into these areas. Understandable, as everyone thinks they're funny; certainly we all amuse ourselves (who was the litigant in the 1950s obscenity case who quipped "no one can say we've lost the capacity to entertain ourselves as long as masturbation exists?") Sadly, comedy is difficult.

I broke my rule here because the writing in this thing is witless, unfunny and without real redeeming merit while managing to be broadly insulting. I don't concern myself so much with the feelings of the creator in this case because oswater's presentation has been so tone deaf, condescending and lacking in introspection or humility that I don't expect to penetrate his carefully constructed defensive shell in any event.

As for Troi...I got a laugh out of that character when he was Prince Precious in Flesh Gordon, but in those days I was usually drunk, stoned and stupid.

(I know, but it seemed only sporting to tee one up for oswater and friends. Have at it, kids.)

 

[GSchnitzer]

We now seem to be steering into discussing the discussion.

Please be careful, folks.