Star Trek: Renegades

[Barbreader]

They claim there will be some announcement today, but they aren't clear what they will be.

Meanwhile, some people who got advanced copies seem to have posted them on the web at download websites. Being the scold that I am, I am not covering those at Star Trek Reviewed.

 

[JoeZhang]

Quick thoughts more later - highly variable in all senses - special effects ranging from "pretty good" to "you got that rubber mask from a novelty shop", acting about the same but was was made worst when a professional was interacting with (I guess) a non-pro actor - very jarring.

As a fan film, vaguely OK if you are into this sort of thing, as a series pilot, absolutely no chance.

 

[Phily B]

it reminded me of a bad sci-fi original. some of the effects were good and some of the aliens looked great, i liked the space scenes, the acting was mostly fine but the editing was really weird at times. but the editing/direction was the most jarring of it, scenes would go from static to shaky cam back again while being really badly lit or strangely lit.

 

[CRM-114]

I've been reading/watching reviews of Renegades whenever I can find them, and I keep coming back to the same thought:

Should this be judged as a "fan film" or as a professional production?

Strictly speaking, it is a "fan film" in that it is an independent production and those involved are not profiting from it. It exists with the tacit approval of CBS Paramount, but is not an official production.

On the other hand, it was produced using professional actors (largely), involved production people who work in the industry, all with the express intent of pitching it as a potential series to CBS.

I haven't seen it yet, so I'm not sure if I can answer that question one way or the other, or if it even makes any difference.

 

[Maurice]

I've been reading/watching reviews of Renegades whenever I can find them, and I keep coming back to the same thought:

Should this be judged as a "fan film" or as a professional production?...

They sold it as a pilot worthy of sharing with a network. That implies a level of quality beyond a pure fan film and invites a different degree of scrutiny. As I've said before, you can't say "we're so pro" and then expect to be judged by less than pro standards.

 

[Barbreader]

The Pilot will be released on You Tube tomorrow (8/24/2015), according to the Renegades Facebook page. No time is given, but they promised to post a link to their Facebook page.

And now I have to get a poster for my Star Trek Reviewed Headline...

 

[HugyBearMD]

Saw the film (quite accidentally actually). ST is neither lifestyle nor hobby for me and since I'm no critic, lets just say I enjoyed having some new, higher production Star Trek to watch. I hope that everyone in the production was pleased with their good work. You made a film to entertain and my date and I were entertained. And yeah, I can understand the money end, gotta pay the bills, but I also think a $10 downloadable version would be more incentive to make me buy....

 

[JoeZhang]

it reminded me of a bad sci-fi original. some of the effects were good and some of the aliens looked great, i liked the space scenes, the acting was mostly fine but the editing was really weird at times. but the editing/direction was the most jarring of it, scenes would go from static to shaky cam back again while being really badly lit or strangely lit.

I guess my main issue with it was that it didn't actually feel a lot like Star Trek but more of 1990s show like B5 - what with the neck-snappings, the dark sets and generally not successful attempts at being serious.

 

[Freman]

I for one, could care less about this whole "they said they were pitching it as a pilot" crap. Who cares?? Just watch the movie and like it or don't. Yeesh. It's a wonder ANYONE goes to the trouble of making us new fan productions to watch. I know I sure as hell wouldn't.

 

[Tosk]

I could also care less, but not by much.

 

[DCR]

I'm glad they are releasing it earlier. Delaying the public release by over a month after it went to the backers may have been intended as a reward for backers and a way to build excitement, but it was just too long.

At the rate the internet moves, that long a delay would be more likely build resentment or just cause people to lose interest entirely. The shorter delay keeps excitement higher.

 

[JoeZhang]

I'm glad they are releasing it earlier. Delaying the public release by over a month after it went to the backers may have been intended as a reward for backers and a way to build excitement, but it was just too long.

At the rate the internet moves, that long a delay would be more likely build resentment or just cause people to lose interest entirely. The shorter delay keeps excitement higher.

They are releasing it early because it is em.. freely available on the internet and youtube.

 

[The Transformed Man]

Yeah, it leaked on the interwebs early yesterday so best to get ahead of it.

Honestly, I'm not really sure what to make of it. On some levels it's really good, then on others it's Sy-Fy Channel bad. It's so hit and miss. To use a baseball analogy at times the film hits a solid double to the outfield, driving in a run... Next batter comes up to bunt and move the runner over, promptly pops out and the runner gets caught between 2nd and 3rd.

On one level the story itself is interesting, and could make for an interesting pilot, but is then marred by needless subplots, and some truly awful fan service. There's some great acting... and then some of the worst I've seen since a Troma picture. There's some terrific dialog clearly written by a professional; then the next scene comes across as if it were written for a 7th grade theater production. One moment SFX scenes rival a movie production, and in the next look like they were shot in someone's backyard by someone learning the ropes of chroma key.

I'm very conflicted about this release...


Yancy

 

[Barbreader]

I for one, could care less about this whole "they said they were pitching it as a pilot" crap. Who cares?? Just watch the movie and like it or don't. Yeesh. It's a wonder ANYONE goes to the trouble of making us new fan productions to watch. I know I sure as hell wouldn't.

YES!!!

 

[Tom]

The film is now public!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE2Wgop9VLM

 

[SeerSGB]

it reminded me of a bad sci-fi original. some of the effects were good and some of the aliens looked great, i liked the space scenes, the acting was mostly fine but the editing was really weird at times. but the editing/direction was the most jarring of it, scenes would go from static to shaky cam back again while being really badly lit or strangely lit.

I guess my main issue with it was that it didn't actually feel a lot like Star Trek but more of 1990s show like B5 - what with the neck-snappings, the dark sets and generally not successful attempts at being serious.

I was thinking that too, with a heavy dash of Moore-BSG in for flavor. It's not bad, but it's not that good either. SyFy original or Asylum mockbuster level--at best.

 

[JoeZhang]

All the scenes with Chekhov's great-granddaughter should have been left on the cutting room floor - added nothing of significance at all.

 

[Karzak]

All the scenes with Chekhov's great-granddaughter should have been left on the cutting room floor - added nothing of significance at all.

I agree. What makes those scenes worse (beyond how poorly written they are) is knowing both she and her friend are played by Tim Russ' daughter and Sky Conway's daughter. Hello, shoehorn!

 

[JoeZhang]

Ah... That makes more sense...

 

[SeerSGB]

Going back and doing a random scene rewatch. I can honestly see why this got passed on--even if CBS was in a buying mood. Not going to bash on it to hard, but it's dated--the only way I can think of really describing it. Feels like someone took B5 and Moore-BSG plots, Andromeda costume sense, and Memory-Alpha, dumped them into a story generator, and then set the camera to 1990s Sci-Fi original feature, and got this.