My Star Trek Idea

[connorcrusher]

Hi, I'm a young Star Trek fan who has a basic idea for a Star Trek fan series. I'm only 16 so this is a big ambition for me, I don't plan on doing this until I finish university which I will be starting in two years. The basis is: set in the 2370s on a starship named USS Pathfinder, the ship is the largest in Starfleet, it'll either be named a Kirk Class or Archer Class. It will have one of the youngest Starfleet captains in history, the captain being 29. It'll also include what Star Trek has needed for decades, an LGBT character. Or more than one LGBT character. This is so important to the vision of Gene Roddenberry. Also my crew may include a character with a disability, as this is a subject close to home. This is my idea so far.
I hope it's not too bad. I just need some support with it. And anyone who would be interested in getting involved in the future please let me know.
Thanks, Connor

 

[STEPhon IT]

Probably be a good idea to make the Captain gay, but don't make those LGBT characters a crusade; it should be as natural as life should be in the 22nd, 23rd, 24th century and beyond.

 

[Maurice]

Honestly, why does everyone feel the need to add the "not that there's anything wrong with that" caveat of "don't make it a point/soapbox/crusade"? "Probably be a good idea to make the Captain Indian, but don't make those Indian characters a crusade; it should be as natural as life should be in the 22nd, 23rd, 24th century and beyond." See how that looks?

I think this webcomic handles gay characters perfectly fine without hiding from or downplaying it (link).

 

[steam235]

I'm not sold on any idea unless it's driven by a story. Why should he be the youngest? Why 29? Have you thought of a story that works better because he's young? Is there a reason the ship is the biggest? Do you have two or three story ideas that are driven by the idea that this is the biggest ship? I like your ideas, but I'd challenge you: Let the story you want to tell shape your world, don't let your world shape your story.

 

[Squiggy]

I would avoid the Kirk/Archer class fanwank.

As for the disability, it would need to be a serious or new kind of disability in order to get around the next 400 years of medical advances. Granted, Geordi was blind - but there were ways around it. They also repaired Worf's severed spine and gave Picard several new hearts along with reversing the effects of aging with the transporter. So you might want to approach that like Melora in Deep Space 9.

 

[steam235]

As we've seen with cochlear implants, there are people who choose not to change themselves.

 

[Maurice]

Hi Connor. Permit me to offer you some advice from the perspective of someone who's been around this block a few times.

When people pitch series ideas at me I always kick the details aside and ask, "What's the format? What kinds of stories are you going to tell? What themes are you going to explore? Particulars aside, what're the things that make this unique and why should anyone watch?" The right characters are important to making that happen, but a common trap is to start with a Mission Statement that doesn't actually describe a show.

Also, I suggest figuring out one compelling story to tell and if you can make and finish it, then consider making more. Don't worry about a "series". Try writing one song before you start thinking about albums.

 

[STEPhon IT]

Connor, I was thinking of an officer who could have a hearing disability; the officer doesn't have to be a communications person, but maybe that officer does some awesome stuff--possibly through advance technology. Or another idea, the officer could be a race of people where off-worlders believe it's a disability, but they neglect the advantages this race, the officer, may have: like she could read a species' facial expressions or she could identify tones in a voice or breathing. It doesn't have to be preachy but it's a thought.

 

[Professor Zoom]

I'm not sold on any idea unless it's driven by a story. Why should he be the youngest? Why 29? Have you thought of a story that works better because he's young? Is there a reason the ship is the biggest? Do you have two or three story ideas that are driven by the idea that this is the biggest ship? I like your ideas, but I'd challenge you: Let the story you want to tell shape your world, don't let your world shape your story.

I'm going to be a little contrary. I do agree with the idea that you need to have a story driving the work. Where I disagree: it's alright for the world to come first and the story arise from that. In creating something: there are no dos and don'ts. It's a personal thing. Everyone creates differently.

 

[Draculasaurus]

Sounds great Connorcrusher!
I hope you don't plan to wait until you've got a bridge set and a lot of costumes to start making movies though.
You should start developing your skills now, on smaller projects, just using what you already have.
Best of luck.

 

[David.Blue]

Connor, sounds to me like you have the seed of something interesting there, but turning it into an actual story is something else altogether. To give you an idea what I mean, you seem to have four ideas here:

1. Late 24th century. Exactly what about that era really attracts you? For example, I once worked out an idea involving a ship in the Pike era, exploring the Federation's initial prejudices. One projected storyline involved a female Orion in Starfleet subject to all sorts of assumptions by pretty much everyone. Another was the relative scarcity of aliens serving with Humans at that stage. So what kinds of stories in the late 24th century really grab your imagination? What about that era do you find so compelling?
2. The biggest ship in Starfleet. In terms of story, what does this mean? Is it a carrier for example, with whole squadrons of Roundabouts maybe? Or is it so huge because it is intended to be out of direct contact with Starfleet for maybe years? Remember the Alpha Quadrant alone should have about 100 Billion stars, and I'd be shocked if the UFP, Romulans, Klingons, Ferengi, Breen, Cardassians, Shelliak, Gorn, etc. all combined would reach one percent of that (i.e. ONE BILLION STARS). Does this mean a sizable civilian component? Or is it a warship designed to go mano a mano with...whom?
3. A LGBT character. Here we have an interesting question--why in terms of story is this person LGBT? If in fact it is just part of the normal background, then the simplest way to achieve that (probably) is to give this character a love interest, preferably a love story that folks find genuinely compelling. Some that come to mind are Shaw/Root on Person of Interest, Laura/Carmilla on the Carmilla web series, Sherlock and John and/or Moriarty on Sherlock, Garak/Julian on DS9, Clarke /Lexa on The 100, etc.
4. A disabled character. This one seems to me presents the greatest challenge. Star Trek generally presents a level of medical tech that can cure all but the rather more advanced stages of death. What kind of "disabled" might exist in such a society? Perhaps more interestingly, how would a genuine disability be treated by those who've come to associate deafness, blindness, diabetes, arthritis, autism etc. much as we do things like belief in human sacrifice, suspicion of hygiene, or worshiping fire! If so, then you are looking at what might be among the few prejudices left! I would suggest--as a storytelling device only--that the disability be in some sense treatable, so that loss of availability to the serum/injections/pills/whatever can present an actual challenge in terms of a story. Maybe. If that idea sounds good.

I wish you the greatest luck!

 

[Maurice]

...LGBT character. Here we have an interesting question--why in terms of story is this person LGBT?

No one ever asks "why in terms of story is this person hetero?" The fact that so many people seem to feel there must be a reason a character isn't hetero is in of itself a problem.

 

[David.Blue]

No one ever asks "why in terms of story is this person hetero?" The fact that so many people seem to feel there must be a reason a character isn't hetero is in of itself a problem.

I believe I answered that in terms of the rest of what I said. The author in question evidently wanted to make a point of the character being LGBT. And I specifically suggested how to make that a point to bring up as part of the general background rather than as some obscure detail. My apologies for creating a wrong--and offensive--impression. I was attempting to reply to the four elements specifically suggested and what might one do with them. As you can see, I asked the same question of the other three elements described as well.

 

[Maurice]

Thanks for clarifying that. I just see that question so often that it smacks of a double standard most times.

I have a gay main character in something I have been working on, and it's just part of who he is. It'll actually inform a story at some point, but that's more a "what kinds of story possibilities does this character's attributes suggest" than a "this attribute exists so that..." I think that's the only distinction one should make.

 

[CRM-114]

Thanks for clarifying that. I just see that question so often that it smacks of a double standard most times.

I have a gay main character in something I have been working on, and it's just part of who he is. It'll actually inform a story at some point, but that's more a "what kinds of story possibilities does this character's attributes suggest" than a "this attribute exists so that..." I think that's the only distinction one should make.

It seems like a truism in American film/television that if a character is LGBT, we tend to do it in a rather heavy-handed manner; think of it in terms of having a "gay character", as though the character (or any character for that matte) should be defined by their sexuality. Conversely, you could create "a character who happens to be gay." Human beings, gay or straight, are more than their sexuality. Although certainly, people on both sides of the coin seem content to be defined that way.

 

[Maurice]

Which shows would this be?