Okay, so here's the big idea behind all this. A few years back, after pitching at Enterprise just before the final season, I had a sort of feeling that it was time to "let Star Trek go" so to speak. While I did predict to more than one of my colleagues that I could see Paramount reviving the franchise in three or four years with a fresh set of producers and with a new cast of actors playing the original characters, inside I finally began to feel the "rope" bonding me emotionally to Star Trek beginning to slip through my fingers. So, in the intervening couple of years or so, I more or less put Star Trek into my "shoebox of memories" and moved onto bigger life challenges.
Well, as we all know, soon Star Trek was to see a new life just as many had predicted with Producer/Director J.J. Abrams and the fires of my imagination were again re-kindled. "What would be this new Trek?" I wondered. One thing it would be is impossible to wait for. I was so impatient in fact -- just before Christmas I wrote my own. Now, when you're finished laughing, please read on. I promise -- it's worth it.
The idea for STAR TREK "SOLDIERS OF PAWNS" (STSOP) is not a new idea for me, actually. It has many years of thought and development behind it. The original inspiration grew out of my disappointment after seeing Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. Some of the ideas are even based on my brother's and my "adventures" as kids playing Star Trek and our thoughts and ideas pre-Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. We had quite the imagination when we combined forces of imagination, and many of the ideas were really cool and stuck with me through the years.
In particular, what gave me the idea to do this now was that I ran across a feature script I wrote years ago titled "Soldiers of Pawns" which was a sweeping space epic. I wrote it first during my undergraduate years at The American University -- as a Trek story with the original series characters. I later re-wrote it while at AFI but as a completely different science fiction story and universe apart from anything Trek, but with the same basic premise and plotline. I have since lost the "Trek version" I wrote at AU, but I suspect (and hope) it is gathering dust in my father's storage facility waiting to be found some day in the future. It's probably right next to the Lost Ark of the Covenant.
So -- I decided to do a page-one re-write of this old space epic -- drawing it once again back into the Trek universe. I will serve no other purpose but to show love for and entertain the best group of fans in the world -- and to give a great level of satisfaction to me as a long-time fan and as a writer. It will also serve as a "spacer" between my other writing efforts -- and okay -- I'll admit it -- It will also be just plain "fun" as Kirk said in Star Trek "Generations."
Let me strongly preface this right up front by saying that the story completely ignores all but the original TOS canon television material. It will not jive with any other written material or the animated series or anything outside of the original 77 TV episodes. However, great pains were taken to ensure there was no overt trampling done when not necessary.
Briefly to set the stage, the story takes place during the transition from Kirk's service on Farragut to his taking command of Enterprise. I'll give a little preview: It's about fathers and sons, best friends, lovers, family, sacrifice and truth. How's that for broad starters? I promise one thing: You will laugh, you will cheer, and you will cry. The screenplay is available to download and read (see the "button" below).
I think I've maintained a balance I liken to a wedding ("something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue"). I may stretch TOS canon to the limit in a couple places, but perhaps a fresh point of view might be inspiring. It had to stand on its own and stand for everything Trek at the same time -- and it had to be new enough but not too new. Very very fine lines to follow and yet let creativity freely flow, but from the feedback I've received, I may have accomplished this to some extent.
Now interestingly enough, I thought I was the biggest fan and knew everything there was to know about Star Trek. While I can certainly lay claim to some mojo, my knowledge is restricted to the original series (TOS) and of course the movies and some familiarity with the subsequently produced TV series' (TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT). I began my writing marathon and posted my progress to the STAR TREK NEW VOYAGES website forum. When the script made the Christmas Day deadline and was released, acceptance was overwhelmingly positive. Thus, I have chosen to open a topic of discussion here to see if there are any fans (or new fans or non-fans) out there who have missed this.
I am currently collaborating with another writer to novelize the story and things are progressing fantastically. As soon as the novel is complete, another draft of the script which will be used to begin efforts to produce a fan-based/not-for-profit film. It will be the most ambitious fan-based Star Trek film ever undertaken but with currently available technology, the sky's the limit.
So, anyone wishing to read the script can click on my signature below and download the PDF file.
(Edited to remove the bolding per soldiersofpawns request)
Well, as we all know, soon Star Trek was to see a new life just as many had predicted with Producer/Director J.J. Abrams and the fires of my imagination were again re-kindled. "What would be this new Trek?" I wondered. One thing it would be is impossible to wait for. I was so impatient in fact -- just before Christmas I wrote my own. Now, when you're finished laughing, please read on. I promise -- it's worth it.
The idea for STAR TREK "SOLDIERS OF PAWNS" (STSOP) is not a new idea for me, actually. It has many years of thought and development behind it. The original inspiration grew out of my disappointment after seeing Star Trek: The Motion Picture in 1979. Some of the ideas are even based on my brother's and my "adventures" as kids playing Star Trek and our thoughts and ideas pre-Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. We had quite the imagination when we combined forces of imagination, and many of the ideas were really cool and stuck with me through the years.
In particular, what gave me the idea to do this now was that I ran across a feature script I wrote years ago titled "Soldiers of Pawns" which was a sweeping space epic. I wrote it first during my undergraduate years at The American University -- as a Trek story with the original series characters. I later re-wrote it while at AFI but as a completely different science fiction story and universe apart from anything Trek, but with the same basic premise and plotline. I have since lost the "Trek version" I wrote at AU, but I suspect (and hope) it is gathering dust in my father's storage facility waiting to be found some day in the future. It's probably right next to the Lost Ark of the Covenant.
So -- I decided to do a page-one re-write of this old space epic -- drawing it once again back into the Trek universe. I will serve no other purpose but to show love for and entertain the best group of fans in the world -- and to give a great level of satisfaction to me as a long-time fan and as a writer. It will also serve as a "spacer" between my other writing efforts -- and okay -- I'll admit it -- It will also be just plain "fun" as Kirk said in Star Trek "Generations."
Let me strongly preface this right up front by saying that the story completely ignores all but the original TOS canon television material. It will not jive with any other written material or the animated series or anything outside of the original 77 TV episodes. However, great pains were taken to ensure there was no overt trampling done when not necessary.
Briefly to set the stage, the story takes place during the transition from Kirk's service on Farragut to his taking command of Enterprise. I'll give a little preview: It's about fathers and sons, best friends, lovers, family, sacrifice and truth. How's that for broad starters? I promise one thing: You will laugh, you will cheer, and you will cry. The screenplay is available to download and read (see the "button" below).
I think I've maintained a balance I liken to a wedding ("something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue"). I may stretch TOS canon to the limit in a couple places, but perhaps a fresh point of view might be inspiring. It had to stand on its own and stand for everything Trek at the same time -- and it had to be new enough but not too new. Very very fine lines to follow and yet let creativity freely flow, but from the feedback I've received, I may have accomplished this to some extent.
Now interestingly enough, I thought I was the biggest fan and knew everything there was to know about Star Trek. While I can certainly lay claim to some mojo, my knowledge is restricted to the original series (TOS) and of course the movies and some familiarity with the subsequently produced TV series' (TNG, DS9, VOY, ENT). I began my writing marathon and posted my progress to the STAR TREK NEW VOYAGES website forum. When the script made the Christmas Day deadline and was released, acceptance was overwhelmingly positive. Thus, I have chosen to open a topic of discussion here to see if there are any fans (or new fans or non-fans) out there who have missed this.
I am currently collaborating with another writer to novelize the story and things are progressing fantastically. As soon as the novel is complete, another draft of the script which will be used to begin efforts to produce a fan-based/not-for-profit film. It will be the most ambitious fan-based Star Trek film ever undertaken but with currently available technology, the sky's the limit.
So, anyone wishing to read the script can click on my signature below and download the PDF file.
(Edited to remove the bolding per soldiersofpawns request)
