STC: To Boldly Indiegogo

[BoredShipCapt'n]

I sort of wanted to gag over the remarks regarding "The White Iris" given I think it was their weakest episode.

To each his own. I find "The White Iris" is the one I want to come back to most often (for reasons unclear even to me).

Also, while P2/NV has had its share of setbacks and delays, I didn't think that was the only production he was referring to in his remark about other fan series.

 

[Warped9]

Also, while P2/NV has had its share of setbacks and delays, I didn't think that was the only production he was referring to in his remark about other fan series.

Generally I think it would be better to simply not refer to other productions. Just talk about what you do amd not what others do or do not do.

 

[9gs]

Sorry if this seems like my ''Bash STC day'', but I listened to the podcast you quoted above, and if Mignona actually teased ANYTHING about their next episode, apart from saying ''the next one will be super amazing and will have something no other fan film has ever done!!''...well, I sure didn't find it...
And for a guy who in the past always seemed to be positive about his own production and was above putting down others, well he blew it this time with his barely-veiled repeated potshots at Cawley productions. I was listening to it and distinctly heard myself saying: ''what an asshole!'' Was it because since he couldn't really reveal anything specific about his next webisode apart from it featuring the engineering section, he still had 45 minutes to fill up so let's slam the competition?
I even snorted after it was all over and one of the hosts gushed: ''it was great having Mignona again, as he's always a class act''.
Do these bozos even know what a class act does?

I went back and listened to this interview again and I will wave the big BS flag on this. Vic never mentions any fan production by name and since he has worked on NV, Renegades, Farragut to name a few (probably more as I don't follow what he has and has not done) what he said about having a tight shoot and not having to come back for reshoots totally fits with the point he was trying to make about too many people on the set. If the shoe fits wear it but Vic did not single out NV at all.

 

[Maurice]

"Too many people on the set" is a common enough occurrence. Heck, even one or two people with nothing to do can be one or two too many. Several times on sets I've had to shoo away visitors/hangers-on who are distracting the cast or crew.

 

[Bixby]

(1)Something seen or referenced in TOS before, but not done in a fan production.
(2)A set seen in TOS' first season recreated for their production, apart from the Engineering set.
(3)A notable writer tasked with writing the two-part finale.
(4)The strong implication that all the remaining stories are basically set (at least in general terms).
(5)Setting the stage for where the characters end up in TMP.
(6)Releasing stills from the forthcoming episode.
Sounds like the very definition of teasers to me.

YMMV, but to me what I consider a ''teaser'' in film and tv is something that entices me to definitely check out that specific production/episode.
A photo of Lou Ferrigno in green Orion makeup? that one hooked me in, if only for the curiosity factor.
''Something seen before but not in a fan film'', ''a previous set'', ''plotting out their remaining episode quota'', ''linking up to TMP''...I fail to get excited by these.
A notable writer for their finale: seeing as STC has been trumpeting every minor recent guest star as the greatest thing EVER for the last couple of years (the yellow Power Ranger? ), and gushing over the recent addition of Rod Roddenberry to their ranks (whose laudable personal contributions include...?) , I'll wait until Mignona actually has a real announcement to make before being ''teased''. For all I know, said writer could be head of scripting over at Duck Dynasty. If he'd said, say, Paul Dini or Peter David if we factor in STC's available budget, then we'd be talking.
Releasing stills: are we talking about where Spock fires a phaser?

I get it. STC and cast have a gaggle of fans that get all excited into a frenzy whenever Vic sneezes, but I look for substance and quality of script and final product, and a little kitsch is always good.

 

[Bixby]

I went back and listened to this interview again and I will wave the big BS flag on this. Vic never mentions any fan production by name and since he has worked on NV, Renegades, Farragut to name a few (probably more as I don't follow what he has and has not done) what he said about having a tight shoot and not having to come back for reshoots totally fits with the point he was trying to make about too many people on the set. If the shoe fits wear it but Vic did not single out NV at all.

No he didn't mention anybody by name, that's why I said barely-veiled. But you are singling out ONE comment he made that could be argued either way and dismissing all his other comments (like the one about having multiple cast members over the years to play one role while he, glory of glories, has only had ONE actor per role, so they MUST be better!! maybe he should try harder to feature the actors that he has in more substantive roles than just glorified cameos, like his Uhura, Sulu, Scotty and Chekov).
Any way, fine, maybe all of Mignona's diva comments weren't ALL directed towards the New Voyages group, why should only ONE group of people be put down publically by a fellow , uh, professional.

 

[BoredShipCapt'n]

Actually, STC has had two McCoys, as Larry Nemecek had to fill in for the ailing Chuck Huber.

I think the thrust of his remark was that people working on other productions may not form as strong a bond with each other as his group and therefore may lose interest and drift away to other projects. He was referring to the crew as well as the cast, as a group who can't wait to get together and work with each other again. I don't know how you would stress the significance of that fact without contrasting it with other situations where it doesn't happen.

 

[Warped9]

To each his own, and so in that vein I have to say that in my view STC is indeed head-and-shoulders above what other productions are doing in general.

I never could buy into NV. It just lacks a certain quality that fails to engage me sufficiently to overlook the missteps. Their general approach doesn't resonate with me either.

Starship Exeter and Starship Farragut work better for my taste even if there can be a lack of final polish. I suppose they're helped greatly by not doing familiar established characters which helps make them more convincing on their own terms. When you're doing something familiar and already well established then you're faced with certain expectations, and if it isn't done just so (at least sufficiently) then it's understandable some viewers might not buy into it.


On another note Vic did remark on the progress of the Indiegogo drive by making assurances he was okay with its current progression. He acknowledges that Axanar's well publicized troubles could have made fans wary of donating to projects not knowing whether they'll still exist within the near future. He was upfront about intending to immediately stop STC's production, without a squeak of protest, if CBS ever directed them to do so. But I think he was also trying to reassure fans that he felt they were reasonably safe because CBS has not made any moves or noises over any other fan productions beyond the one being sued.

I think in his own way he was restating the obvious that Axanar hasn't got any counterargument to CBS whatsoever. Well, obvious to anyone but Peters and his devotees.


I do know that if I could afford to donate more I would. I definitely want to see STC finish its run as planned. I also suspect that unless someone from somewhere makes a truly substantial contribution then STC will have to have another fund drive beyond this one.

 

[Zaminhon]

STC has had businesses interested in partnering up with them. There was even an airline who wanted to show STC on their in-flight movie channel. I understand that Pixar has private screenings of STC for their employees, probably because Greg Dykstra of Pixar is involved in the productions. If even a few of these companies who showed interest or are fans would donate, they would reach their goal in no time, and it would be a good tax write-off.. Regarding fans .. Tom Hanks?.

 

[Warped9]

Tom Hanks: "How much do you need to do everything you want..? Okay."

For Hanks it would be like spare change.

 

[Firebird]

YMMV, but to me what I consider a ''teaser'' in film and tv is something that entices me to definitely check out that specific production/episode.
A photo of Lou Ferrigno in green Orion makeup? that one hooked me in, if only for the curiosity factor.
''Something seen before but not in a fan film'', ''a previous set'', ''plotting out their remaining episode quota'', ''linking up to TMP''...I fail to get excited by these.
A notable writer for their finale: seeing as STC has been trumpeting every minor recent guest star as the greatest thing EVER for the last couple of years (the yellow Power Ranger? ), and gushing over the recent addition of Rod Roddenberry to their ranks (whose laudable personal contributions include...?) , I'll wait until Mignona actually has a real announcement to make before being ''teased''. For all I know, said writer could be head of scripting over at Duck Dynasty. If he'd said, say, Paul Dini or Peter David if we factor in STC's available budget, then we'd be talking.
Releasing stills: are we talking about where Spock fires a phaser?

I get it. STC and cast have a gaggle of fans that get all excited into a frenzy whenever Vic sneezes, but I look for substance and quality of script and final product, and a little kitsch is always good.

Just because it's not your cup of tea does not negate its value for those of us that enjoy STC and the teases. What's the point of nitpicking over definitions? Regular TV series do the same kind of stuff to promote episodes as well, why wouldn't Vic do the same?

 

[Warped9]

In the podcast Vic even acknowledges that some of his asociates have thought that maybe they are a bit too stingy with teasers.

It is a fine line to walk--how much can you reveal without giving too much away? That said it's STC's past efforts that have gotten me sufficiently engaged such that I don't mind them being overly cagey about what is forthcoming.

And besides which my donation will get me an early viewing of Episode 6.

 

[Warped9]

At the current rate of donations (if maintained) they won't make their target of $350,000. They might need to do something to heat up the interest.

 

[Bixby]

Just because it's not your cup of tea does not negate its value for those of us that enjoy STC and the teases. What's the point of nitpicking over definitions? Regular TV series do the same kind of stuff to promote episodes as well, why wouldn't Vic do the same?

You can call it nitpicking, I call it having a professional opinion.

 

[9gs]

At the current rate of donations (if maintained) they won't make their target of $350,000. They might need to do something to heat up the interest.

I agree there seems to be no "theme" like the last Kirkstarter with the cleaver videos, missing are some perks that made them $$ last time, the $2500 for a half day on the set needs a better description I think to get someone to part with $$, overall they seem to be coasting. With the Axanar disaster people are cautious even though STC has a stellar record of giving fans exactly what they paid for. Hopefully the Tax write off aspect will generate more interest. They need to play that up more.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

At the current rate of donations (if maintained) they won't make their target of $350,000. They might need to do something to heat up the interest.

True. Though I'm pretty sure they are using Indiegogo's "flexible" funding option which means they get whatever money they do raise even if they don't meet the target.

 

[Zaminhon]

I agree, the marketing is soft. I thought the interviews with professionals in the film industry were very effective last time (and of course the APOTA theme). The episode trailers in the middle of the pitch video should be a separate video or at least up front.

 

[9gs]

True. Though I'm pretty sure they are using Indiegogo's "flexible" funding option which means they get whatever money they do raise even if they don't meet the target.

True and a good idea to use Indiegogo. But why not hit this as hard as last time (or even harder) to make or exceed your stretch goal. I have to believe/hope that the last 30 days of the campaign is going to see an all hands on deck all out effort.

 

[Zaminhon]

You can call it nitpicking, I call it having a professional opinion.

I was listening to it and distinctly heard myself saying: ''what an asshole!'' Was it because since he couldn't really reveal anything specific about his next webisode apart from it featuring the engineering section, he still had 45 minutes to fill up so let's slam the competition?
I even snorted after it was all over and one of the hosts gushed: ''it was great having Mignona again, as he's always a class act''.
Do these bozos even know what a class act does?

I get it. STC and cast have a gaggle of fans that get all excited into a frenzy whenever Vic sneezes, but I look for substance and quality of script and final product, and a little kitsch is always good.

Professional opinion? (Is this a typo?) If not, are you really going there? If you have made any professionally based criticisms, they are getting drowned out by comments such as these, which sound a lot like a personal vendetta against Vic and the production. You have a right to your opinion, but let's call it what it is - "personal opinion".

 

[Ryan Thomas Riddle]

...
A notable writer tasked with writing the two-part finale.
...
Setting the stage for where the characters end up in TMP.
...

This feels more like connecting-the-dots and trying to ape the modern TV trope of a two-part (or two-hour) finale. If STC is really trying to be as if the original was never cancelled, it'd be an interesting exercise to figure out how the original would've ended the show in 1971-72.