Star Trek: Beyond the Stars

[Zaminhon]

I was searching the web to find some recent interviews of Gigi Edgley and came across this project: "Star Trek: Beyond the Stars". I'm surprised that this CGI animated series hasn't generated more online traffic. It's going to feature prominent Sci Fi actors lending their voices to motion capture CGI characters. Tim Russ, Madison Russ, Garret Wang, Gigi Edgely and Mira Furlan are featured and Jimmy Diggs (a writer on Voyager) is the creator, writer and director.

“Star Trek: Beyond The Stars” is the first animated Star Trek series since 1973. It is the only CGI-animated series produced by Star Trek professionals. It will chronicle the adventures of four starships and four very different crews as it spans the entire history of the Federation in a non-linear and multi-generational storyline. “Star Trek: Beyond the Stars” is the story of a family, and that family is Starfleet.

source

Here's the Gigi Edgley interview that made me take notice of this project:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XQ7TZZMxFM4

 

[Maurice]

We're in an age of fanfilm glut, and unless the producers actively do a lot of social media they tend to get lost in the noise. Whereas once-upon-a-time it was novel to get "pro" actors into a fan production, today it's almost commonplace.

And, frankly, their webpage doesn't grab your attention. You have to drill down to find anything, which is poor design.

 

[Draculasaurus]

Sounds neat.
I can't really muster too much excitement without seeing some character renders though.
Best of luck to them! I'm looking forward to seeing more.

 

[Barbreader]

Series website: http://www.startrekbeyondthestars.com/
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Star-Trek-Beyond-the-Stars-1656581997890481/
It's also (B) under proposed fan films with no films: http://startrekreviewed.blogspot.com/2009/06/210.html

The writer behind this, Jimmy Diggs, says he is the freelancer who has produced the most Star Trek scripts that went into pro production. He had previously pitched animated Star Trek series to CBS a number of times (without success) including "The Lions of the Night." A quick view of that proposal shows that parts of it have been reworked for this fan effort. He did a few short videos to try to give the feeling for The Lions of the Night:

Teaser-Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DrsrF0hOrE
Animatic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eZW5-KUvERM
The Stalker: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6XKGHA9vjc

It's listed as a failed effort for a Pro Show a little more than halfway down the page, here: http://startrekreviewed.blogspot.com/2009/06/216.html

 

[Zaminhon]

Based on the "Star Trek Beyond the Stars" website and FB, the current production appears to be on its way with casting and some motion capture, at least enough to provide proof of concept. I'm expecting they'll launch a crowdfunding effort soon.

 

[Jedman67]

I'm not sure how Garret Wang, Tim Russ and Mira Furling fall into the "youngest" group of actors...

Actor Tim Russ, will reprise his role as Vulcan Security Officer Tuvok from the series “Star Trek: Voyager.” Tim’s Daughter Madison will Portray Tuvok’s daughter T’Paan in the first multi-generational casting in Star Trek history.
Internationally renowned actress Gigi Edgley has also joined the cast of STBTS. Gigi will portray a fighter pilot and squadron leader aboard the United Federation of Planets Aerospace Carrier, “U.S.S. Kitty Hawk.” Gigi played the mischievous Chiana in the critically acclaimed sci-fi series Farscape.
Actor Garrett Wang will reprise his role as Captain Harry Kim, having been promoted to command the Deep Space Nine station.
Actress Mira Furlan will portray the Vulcan ambassador to the Federation.
This is the youngest and most diverse group of actors ever cast in a Star Trek television series. Thanks to motion capture technology these actors can emote and interact in a way that has never been seen before.

 

[Zaminhon]

I don't understand the "youngest" description either. Isn't experience more important than age in a CGI animated film?

 

[Maurice]

...the first multi-generational casting in Star Trek history...
So now nepotism is a selling point?

...Internationally renowned...
aka Was on a TV show that's been seen outside the US.

...youngest and most diverse group of actors ever cast...
Average age of cast, please?

...actors can emote and interact in a way that has never been seen before...
Now minus all subtleties of an actor's actual face! And has no one seen Polar Express or any of a dozen other mo-cap films? Avatar this ain't gonna be.

I do not wish ill on any of these productions, but this kind of shameless hype turns my stomach.

 

[Karzak]

Wasn't Jimmy Diggs the writer/director who tried to work with New Voyages to do "Kilkenny Cats" before it got shut down a few years ago?

It sure seems like this project is trying to pick up the pieces of that doomed project, at least as evidenced by the artwork featured on the site:

Spoiler: Kilkenny Cats

"The First Star Trek Animated Series since 1973" ... except, oh hi there, Starship Farragut animated episodes! How the hell are ya?

"To Boldly Go Where Only Dreams Have Gone Before" ... or in this case, where New Voyages tried to go and had to turn around and go home instead.

EDIT: Ugh, even the "gallery" of the actors/characters is shit. Lazily photoshopped heads onto 20+ year-old stills of the uniforms from TWOK superimposed over even glitzier, garish backgrounds.

 

[Karzak]

Whoah, slow down there, big shooter!

STAR TREK BEYOND THE STARS ENDORSEMENTS

 

[Maurice]

Whoah, slow down there, big shooter!

STAR TREK BEYOND THE STARS ENDORSEMENTS

When I spoke to Dorothy Fontana she never once used xxxx-rated language. Oh my.

 

[Jedman67]

...youngest and most diverse group of actors ever cast...
Average age of cast, please?

Wang: 1968
Russ: 1956
Furlan: 1955
Madison Russ: ~1986? (estimated)
Edgley: 1977

Average: 47 for the main cast, no bio info on the supporting cast. Making age guesses based on the pictures of the rest, I'd suggest 40 as the total average.

 

[Maurice]

...youngest and most diverse group of actors ever cast...
Average age of cast, please?

Wang: 1968
Russ: 1956
Furlan: 1955
Madison Russ: ~1986? (estimated)
Edgley: 1977

Average: 47 for the main cast, no bio info on the supporting cast. Making age guesses based on the pictures of the rest, I'd suggest 40 as the total average.

The average age of the TOS cast at the premier in 1966 was 37. Except for Doohan and Kelly, who were both 46, the rest (including Grace) were between 34 and 36, with Takei being 29, for the average age of 37.

 

[Kor]

Um... I hate to be a wet blanket here, but, to me, the gallery on the web site is not inspiring a lot of confidence in the quality of the final product.

Kor

 

[mos6507]

"“Star Trek: Beyond The Stars” is the first animated Star Trek series since 1973."

Saying this really insults the several animated Trek fan films that have been produced. There haven't been a lot, but they are out there.

 

[DarKush]

It looks like it has potential. Yeah I think that the adversaries appear to be reworked Kzinti, but I'm okay with that. I liked the picture of the Kzinti/Rakshasan. Rakshasan doesn't sound like a bad name. Hopefully that will give the show a lot of freedom to really develop their ideas.

I'm curious why Tuvok is still a Security Officer while Kim in is a captain.

 

[FormerLurker]

If the Rakshasan are just reworked Kzinti, why didn't they just use the Tzenkethi, Trek's official reworking of the Kzinti?

 

[northstar]

I would suspect this project being pretty much dead as there were no updates to the website since august 2015. There are still tons of temporary text and art on it. Also a strange choice of team - 5 martial artists but only 3 animators for an animated series??? What does an animated trek series need martial artists for (ok, if they do motion capture then they could be the actual performers and not the actors they represent - they would be just lending their voice).

 

[Maurice]

I would suspect this project being pretty much dead as there were no updates to the website since august 2015...

August 2015 is only 4 months ago.

 

[DarKush]

If the Rakshasan are just reworked Kzinti, why didn't they just use the Tzenkethi, Trek's official reworking of the Kzinti?

I don't think that was ever established that the Tzenkethi were reworked Kzinti. The Kzinti did inspire the name. However, the look was never established in canon. Since it wasn't established, Trek Literature went with a totally different interpretation for the Tzenkethi.

http://memory-alpha.wikia.com/wiki/Tzenkethi