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New submitter bufo333 quotes a report from Deadline: Character actor Barry Jenner, best known for his pivotal role as Admiral William Ross on "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine" and with credits including recurring roles on "Dallas," "Knott's Landing," "Family Matters" and many others, died on August 9, his family has announced. He was 75.

Audiofan writes from a forum post on Audioholics: The Star Trek fan-fiction controversy that resulted in legal battles between CBS/Paramount and Axanar Productions concluded last week. However, CBS/Paramount have finally put forth its long-awaited guidelines intended to clarify acceptable fan-fiction so that it won't get the creative Star Trek fan sued for copyright infringement. But in doing so, it may have launched Star Trek fan-fiction's torpedo casket into space with a solemn salute. To be or not to be is the question which we ask about the future of Star Trek fan film. Some of the new guidelines for avoiding objections when making your own Star Trek movies and posting them to YouTube include: The fan production must be less than 15 minutes for a single self-contained story, or no more than 2 segments, episodes or parts, not to exceed 30 minutes total, with no additional seasons, episodes, parts, sequels or remakes. Part of the non-commercial requirements include: CBS and Paramount Pictures do not object to limited fundraising for the creation of a fan production, whether 1 or 2 segments and consistent with these guidelines, so long as the total amount does not exceed $50,000, including all platform fees, and when the $50,000 goal is reached, all fundraising must cease. The fan production cannot be distributed in a physical format such as DVD or Blu-ray. If the fan production uses commercially-available Star Trek uniforms, accessories, toys and props, these items must be official merchandise and not bootleg items or imitations of such commercially available products.

An anonymous reader writes: Star Trek is returning to television. In January, 2017, a new series will begin. The first episode will air on CBS, and subsequent episodes will appear on CBS's online platform, "All Access." "The new Star Trek will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966." The show will be produced by Alex Kurtzman, who produced the two recent Star Trek films in 2009 and 2013. No details have been released regarding what the show will be about, or who will star in it. CBS is currently looking for a writer to helm the show.

ZosX writes "Leonard Nimoy, whom we all fondly remember as Spock, has turned 80 today. StarTrek.com has posted a three-part interview with Nimoy. He talks about shooting the original series ('it was explained to me that they were concerned that the character looked devilish'), moving to the silver screen ('The feeling was, after that first movie, there was something to be done with Star Trek, that the first movie hadn't done what was available to be done'), and passing the torch to the new rebooted cast ('I think the alternate universe was necessary.') Thanks for the memories, Mr. Nimoy! May you live long and prosper!"

ZosX writes "Leonard Nimoy, whom we all fondly remember as Spock, has turned 80 today. StarTrek.com has posted a three-part interview with Nimoy. He talks about shooting the original series ('it was explained to me that they were concerned that the character looked devilish'), moving to the silver screen ('The feeling was, after that first movie, there was something to be done with Star Trek, that the first movie hadn't done what was available to be done'), and passing the torch to the new rebooted cast ('I think the alternate universe was necessary.') Thanks for the memories, Mr. Nimoy! May you live long and prosper!"

ZosX writes "Leonard Nimoy, whom we all fondly remember as Spock, has turned 80 today. StarTrek.com has posted a three-part interview with Nimoy. He talks about shooting the original series ('it was explained to me that they were concerned that the character looked devilish'), moving to the silver screen ('The feeling was, after that first movie, there was something to be done with Star Trek, that the first movie hadn't done what was available to be done'), and passing the torch to the new rebooted cast ('I think the alternate universe was necessary.') Thanks for the memories, Mr. Nimoy! May you live long and prosper!"

Curlsman writes to let us know that the fan site startrek.com, operated for 13 years by CBS, is being shut down and its staff laid off. Is this site worth a write-in campaign? From the (perhaps final) post: "Goodbye from the STARTREK.COM Team. Sadly, we must report that CBS Interactive organization is being restructured, and the production team that brings you the STARTREK.COM site has been eliminated. Effective immediately. We don't know the ultimate fate of this site, which has served millions of Star Trek fans for the last thirteen years. If you have comments, please send them to editor @ startrek.com — we hope someone at CBS will read them."

SlashRating^© E slashdottit! ^tm lopy writes "The Star Trek franchise has partnered with the little known DuroSport Corporation to launch a new video download service. The service will offer 'DeMastered' versions of classic Trek episodes. The new releases roll-back the quality enhancements of recent years and attempt to replicate the experience viewers had while watching the original series on TV in the 1960's. Medialoper was given a preview, and they've just posted a scathing review of this odd new service."

Digitus1337 writes to mention the 40th Anniversary of the original Star Trek series. StarTrek.com's article has a look back at that first episode, and tries to explore the whys behind the popularity that followed it. From the article: "On the evening of the 8th of September, following Daniel Boone, this new NBC show premiered with an episode called 'The Man Trap.' The angle of the story was different, to say the least: It was a love story with a sci-fi twist, borne of a relationship from the doctor's past, featuring a monster that, in the end, just wanted to live. It was moving, tragic and anything but cheesy. The viewers -- at least the ones who were paying attention -- were hooked." Update: 09/09 16:16 GMT by Z : Just to be sure you're aware of it, Slashdot's own CleverNickName is celebrating the 40th anniversary by reviewing episodes of ST:TNG on TVSquad. He begins with "The Naked Now". You know, "You are fully functional, aren't you?"

FilmFan writes "Now that Kevin Smith is offering a downloadable commentary for Clerks 2, will other Directors follow in his footsteps? Some studios think so and are already offering similar content for shows such as Battlestar Galactica, Dr. Who, and Star Trek: Enterprise. Other websites offer fan-created content and even offer a free DVD player capable of playing these downloaded commentaries in sync with a DVD."

Kethinov writes "The Save Enterprise campaigns appear to have been for naught. Paramount has declared that they will not be accepting any amount of money from fans to continue to produce Star Trek Enterprise. With the decision final, Star Trek Enterprise will be the first Star Trek show since the original series not to run a full seven seasons." From the letter: "Paramount Network Television and the producers of Star Trek: Enterprise are very flattered and impressed by the fans' passionate outpouring of attention for the show and their efforts to raise funds to continue the show's production." Commentary also available from TrekToday.

maotx writes "Paramount has agreed to permit Star Trek Enterprise to run for the fifth season which under normal circumstances, the sci-fi show would be impossible to produce with the reduced budget. Enter Star Trek fans Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the creators of South Park, to save the day. The two will rename the show to "Team Enterprise" and will keep the voices of the original actors. With the lack of a budget for CGI effects the two will use a model of the Enterprise NX-01, thus reviving an old Star Trek tradition. "We prefer the look of physical, tangible models over CGI ships any day," Parker said. "Of course, we have no visual effects budget whatsoever, so we won't be painting out the strings. You'll get used to it. Still trying to figure out where to put the propeller." They then went on to comment: "We're also gonna re-do the opening title sequence," Stone revealed. "Record a new theme -- something bombastic, action-oriented. Y'know, something that isn't, like, totally gay.""

echocharlie writes "Steamboy is rolling into US theaters on March 18. The movie features the notable return of Katsuhiro Otomo, who hasn't directed an animated film since Akira, so big things can be expected. The film opened in Japan earlier to mostly rave reviews. The english cast features Anna Paquin, Alfred Molina, and Patrick Stewart. That's interesting casting since all three have had prominent roles in comic book movie adapatations (X-men, Spider-Man 2, and X-men respectively), not to mention Mr. Stewart's famous sci-fi ties. Anime films without Pokémon in their titles haven't fared well at the US Box office (see Appleseed, Tokyo Godfathers, Ghost in the Shell 2, et al.). Hopefully with an adequate number of theaters carrying the film, Katsuhiro Otomo's latest opus will gain the exposure it deserves."

Tycoon Guy writes "It's official now: UPN has decided to cancel 'Enterprise.' The show's series finale, which may feature Jonathan Frakes (William T. Riker) and Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi), will air on Friday the 13th of May. The show's fate was probably sealed when last Friday's episode reached only 2.5 million viewers - but even so, the people at EnterpriseFans.com are still trying to raise money for a fan campaign to save the show."

Tycoon Guy writes "It's official now: UPN has decided to cancel 'Enterprise.' The show's series finale, which may feature Jonathan Frakes (William T. Riker) and Marina Sirtis (Deanna Troi), will air on Friday the 13th of May. The show's fate was probably sealed when last Friday's episode reached only 2.5 million viewers - but even so, the people at EnterpriseFans.com are still trying to raise money for a fan campaign to save the show."

Tycoon Guy writes "It seems Star Trek: Enterprise isn't about to go down without a fight. TrekToday is reporting that Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis will guest-star on the season finale of Star Trek: Enterprise, to reprise their Next Generation roles of William T. Riker and Deanna Troi. Hello stunt casting! The news has been confirmed on Sirtis' official fan site."

Tycoon Guy writes "It seems Star Trek: Enterprise isn't about to go down without a fight. TrekToday is reporting that Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis will guest-star on the season finale of Star Trek: Enterprise, to reprise their Next Generation roles of William T. Riker and Deanna Troi. Hello stunt casting! The news has been confirmed on Sirtis' official fan site."

Last week we called for questions for Roger Nygard, the director of Trekkies, and its recently released sequel. He replies today with answers to many of your questions in a riveting interview set to stun. Or some other appropriate trek joke. Read on for the glorious answers (which might include some offensive language in the form of lyrics from a Star Trek themed band)

Roger Writes:

Thanks for inviting me to field questions on Slashdot. I had no idea how wide a reach this site has. It certainly outed my geek friends, those who popped me an email saying they saw the first posting. One of my editorial assistants, and Final Cut Pro expert, Jeremy Rousch, looks at me differently now. One week ago I was just some guy who had made some movies. Big deal. Now, post Slashdot mention, "I'M FAMOUS!" Being mentioned on Slashdot crossed me over some invisible line of notoriety. Thanks for that, Commander Taco.

Before I get started, here's a little background. I have directed and/or produced six independent features (3 narratives and 3 documentaries), directed and edited for the HBO series "The Mind Of The Married Man," as well as having edited a few projects.

Prior to shooting Trekkies, I had never attended a Star Trek convention, but I had been to a Fangoria convention, where I witnessed the auction of a pair of purportedly authentic Vulcan ears. They went for $350 bucks. That blew me away, and led to making sure we filmed an action in Trekkies.

And now here is my pre-plug to tell you that my requisite shameless plug is at the end of the questions, where you can find links to locate my films. (I put the pre-plug here so those who grow weary of my ranting and click away before the end will not go away plugless.)

Re:Schadenfreude? (Score:5, Interesting) by Chundra (189402)(#10754884)
Are you a Star Trek fan?

How do you define "Star Trek fan"?

By the definition of the folks in my documentaries, the answer would be, no. The dividing line might be whether or not you have ever attended a Star Trek convention, by your own choice.

I am a sci-fi fan. Star Trek was one of many shows I loved as a kid. (Other favorites were Time Tunnel, Lost In Space, Land Of The Giants, Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, UFO, Night Gallery, Probe, The Man From UNCLE, The Invaders, etc.) The difference was that Star Trek was on in syndication every day after school and as a result I have seen every episode of the Original Series so many times that I can still quote lines. For example:

"This is Tranya, please drink. I hope you relish it as much as I."
"There are witches, there are!"
"I remember the old ones." (Very deep voice needed)
"The one that bore me was killed in a freestyle match."
"It is not a dance, it does not gather food, it does not serve Vol."
"Sterilize! Sterilize! Must Sterilize!" -- Anyone have a pair of anti-grabs?

This stuff is forever burned into my cranium.

accusations (Score:3, Interesting) by Savatte (111615) (#10756263) http://www.rit.edu/~mds2184

How do you respond to accusations that you condescended and were basically laughing at the subjects in Trekkies?

I laugh at and condescend toward all those who accuse me of laughing and condescending.

Uh, let me start again...

If there is condescension in my work, I don't feel it. I like my interview subjects. Many have become my friends. Gabriel Koerner is a perfect example. We chat all the time, and he worked on Trekkies 2 doing all the digital effects, in addition to baring his soul a second time.

It's true, there is a lot of laughter in Trekkies. My feeling is that as a documentarian, you provide a soapbox for people who can choose to get on it and speak their mind, or not. Some make a great point and some don't. They are adults and it is up to them.

I've screened Trekkies for both Trek fan audiences and civilian audiences. Guess who laughs harder? The Trek fans of course. They get it, they have a great sense of humor about themselves. Or most do, anyway. Perhaps the few that don't feel like they are looking into a mirror, and they don't like what they see; they have not accepted the geek in themselves. So they accuse those who point it out as being condescending.

Being a geek should be a badge of honor. The geeks are inheriting the Earth. Who are the CEOs and the inventors and the writers and forward thinkers? Those geeks we all remember being made fun of in High School, only they are all grown up now and making bank.

Taking advantage of Star Trek geeks..... (Score:3, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward (#10755971)
Some of the Star Trek "fans" in your movies, like the midget Daryl, clearly have mental health issues. Do you feel any need to get some of these people help or do you just profit from their stupidity like the people who make the Girls Gone Wild videos?

I don't provide counseling for anybody, but I do provide an avenue for somebody to express themselves.

All my films have been about obsession in one way or another. Obsession can be pretty funny when you take a step back and have a look at it.

And let's face it, there are certainly worse things to be obsessed with than Star Trek. Everybody has their little obsessions.

I wish I had thought of the Girls Gone Wild idea. Are you going to tell me you don't watch every nanosecond of those commercials?

Too Nerdy for The Movies (Score:5, Interesting) by ThePolkapunk (826529) (#10756009)
Was there anything you shot or witnessed during the creation of your documentaries that was just too "hardcore" to put in? Were there things that were just so horrifically nerdy you had no choice but to leave them out? Anything that would alienate everyone except the heartiest star trek fans and alien conspiracy theorists? Was there anything that was just so scary you couldn't possibly put it on film?

No. We put it all in. The more exceptional the better. And you do have to focus on the extreme. If you made a documentary about baseball players, you wouldn't focus on the guy who bats .200, the average guy, the "normal" guy. People are intrigued by exceptional players. It's the same for any subject, including Star Trek fans.

Probably the most bizarre people I have ever encountered are some of the subjects in Six Days In Roswell, my film about UFO fanatics. We went to Roswell, New Mexico for the 50th anniversary of the alleged crash of an alien space ship and interviewed the pilgrims, the abductees, the experts, and the locals. The result? Are there really aliens? Abductions? Is that really the anal probe that was used on Whitley Streiber? You be the judge.

The award for the most extreme Star Trek fan in Trekkies 2 goes to Tony Alleyne, in England. He turned his flat into a space ship (70% based on ST: TNG) and lives in it. There is no bed, because he turned the sleeping area into transporter pads (which are functional, BTW). He sleeps on the floor. Does Tony have mental issues? I don't think so. He told us that building his Star Trek environment was therapy for him, after going through a break-up with his wife. And now he loves the publicity he gets from his creation. Similarly, anybody who goes out in public in a Star Trek uniform craves attention. What's the harm in giving it to them?

The most hilarious folks the second time around were the Star Trek theme bands in Sacramento. We shot five bands performing including, Warp 11, No Kill I, and a Klingon death metal band called Stovokor. They were so entertaining nothing else could follow them so we put that segment last in the movie. We also have released a soundtrack with two songs from each band, as well as some filk singers. ("Filk" is science fiction folk singing.)

Here are the lyrics to one of my favorite songs by No Kill I (be prepared for some profanity, the Gorn incites passions):

GORN!
(by Ensign Baron von Grizman)

Trekking through space
Chasing some Gorn
Fucking with the Federation
A battle is born
Taken from our ships
Our savage nature calls
Human pitted against Gorn
Who's got the bigger balls?

GORN!
Can't kill Kirk
GORN!
Green fucking jerk!
GORN!
No can do!
GORN!
Fuck you!

So we fight in an arena
Amuse some fucking gods
But this is Captain Kirk
Not some fucking dog
Gorn coming for me
Like some fucking snail
Death to humanity
If I should fail.

GORN!
Can't kill Kirk
GORN!
Green fucking jerk!
GORN!
No can do!
GORN!
Fuck you!

How 'bout a little chemistry
Sulfur and coal
Diamonds down the shoot
Blow him a new hole!
Hissing like a Sleastack
The lizard king is torn
Green motherfucker just got whacked!
Toot my fucking horn!

GORN!
Can't kill Kirk
GORN!
Green fucking jerk!
GORN!
No can do!
GORN!
Fuck you

Why does... (Score:5, Interesting) by WoodenRobot (726910) (#10755178)
http://www.buddhanet.net/

In your experience/opinion, why does Star Trek attract such a fanatical following, and why is there such ridicule directed towards those that consider themselves fans? It seems unique even among sci-fi franchises.

Star Trek has an underlying positive philosophy (IDIC, The Prime Directive, a better future for mankind, etc.) that makes it unique among sci-fi shows. This chord resonates among the Star Trek fans in such a way that it unites them and inspires this fanatical following.

The nerds will always attract ridicule from the less well informed (read ignorant), but the nerds have the last laugh.

Here we go (Score:5, Interesting) by Jeffery (810339) (#10754797)
do you think the old or new Trekkies are more fanatical?

I think a cross section of each age group probably contains the same percentage of extreme fans. However, there may be fewer new Trek fans currently entering the club than there were in previous years--judged simply by the lesser interest in, and lower ratings for, the current series incarnation. By that reckoning, quantitatively, there are probably fewer fanatical new Trekkies.

Aging fanbase? (Score:5, Interesting) by Darth23 (720385)(#10755425)
It seems to me that the Star Trek fanbase is aging, and there aren't really a lot of new fans getting into it. During the filming of Trekkies 1 and 2, did you notice large numbers of younger fans, and did there seem to be around the same number when you filmed the sequel - or did you notice any decline in the numbers of younger fans?

This is related to the previous answer. But I could add that although the numbers of new recruits per year may be fewer than in previous years, I don't think there is a declining fan base overall. Once a Trek fan always a Trek fan. But what's happening is that many, if not most, are satiated. After 6 series (I count the cartoon) and 10 movies and countless books and merchandise the fans need a little time off. I love a Thanksgiving turkey dinner as much as the next guy. But right after I've finished gorging myself, the last thing I want right then is another bite. I need some time off to digest--and then tomorrow I'll be just as hungry again for more. The fans need time to digest. That's all.

Audience (Score:5, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward (#10755241)
I am curious about the audiences of your films. Were you intending for them to cater to the non-nerd community? Nerd community? Only hardcore fans of Star Trek, Alien Conspiracy Theorists, etc.? What audience did your films end up finding?

Like all filmmakers, I want my work to find the broadest possible audience. Otherwise you're making home movies.

With Trekkies, we knew we had a core audience of Star Trek fans, but we also wanted the film to crossover to non-fans. The sometimes contradictory reactions/reviews are fascinating. Some think the films mock Star Trek fans, some think they are a celebration of fandom. Some think Gabriel Koerner is a geek (in a negative sense), some think he is a hero.

I think the Trekkies doc is like a Rorschach test. Because we had no narration, because we don't overtly comment on the fans and their lifestyles, because we present the fans and allow the viewer to judge, people tend to project motives onto the filmmakers that coincide with attitudes within themselves. If they are intolerant of lifestyles such as those presented, they see the film as an indictment. If they are open-minded about how other people choose to live their lives, they see the film's presentation as sympathetic.

With Six Days In Roswell, we made a film that we hoped that hard-core UFO enthusiasts would enjoy as well as skeptics who find the whole thing absurd. Renowned alien experts like Stanton Friedman, Budd Hopkins, Peter Gersten, Don Schmidt and others make excellent points. But on the other hand, some people are clearly riding the alien wave doing things like selling alien beer, alien beef jerky, alien ashtrays, and staging the production, "Roswell, The Musical." --If you see only one musical before you die, you must see "Roswell, The Musical." The opening number, "Something In The Air," has to be seen to be believed and appreciated...

I also directed Suckers, a dramatic comedy about car salesman starring Daniel Benzali, Louis Mandylor, and Lori Loughlin. We thought that anybody going to buy a car (which is all of us) would enjoy seeing a realistic peek behind the curtain at a new car dealership (we reveal the secrets to how car salesmen do their tricks). Curiously, the core audience for this film turned out to be car salesmen themselves. Go into any car dealership and ask them if they have heard of Suckers and see the reaction for yourself. For them, it is sort of like mobsters watching The Godfather. They enjoy seeing their evil deeds dramatized.

More than just fandom with Trekkies? (Score:5, Interesting) by notmikey (825548)(#10755041)
On the surface, it seems like Trekkies are just really big fans, and that fandom propels them to participate in the universe.

It seems to me, however, that something different is going on. Fandom is often emulation--the Spock ears, the "Dammit Jim" variations, that sort of thing. But Trekkies take it a step farther: they create new material that is meant to merge with the pre-existing Trek world. In this way, Trekkie-ness is more like playing D&D than being in a Sci-Fi film club.

What I wonder (and here's my question) is whether you've noticed some common ground that launches people to go past being a fan and becoming a Trekkie? Is it dissatisfaction with new series and recent movies being weaker than past ones? Possibly some other characteristic that fans tend to share that, when merged with fandom will lead into Trekkie-ness? Is there something inherent about the star trek world that encourages people to internalize their identification with the star trek world? Or is there nothing at all consistent about the way Trekkies enter that world?

You have hit on another basic vibe that makes Star Trek fans different. One critique of Trekkies was that we didn't go deep enough into this aspect of fandom (so we did in Trekkies 2).

Many Star Trek fans take what they perceive as the positive message of the show and they apply it to their lives in the real world.

For example, to move up in rank in a Star Trek club, you have to perform a certain number of hours of community service. Another example is that there is almost always a charity benefit of some kind at every convention. Why? These folks are do-gooders. They are good people. They want the world (and ultimately the Universe) to move in a direction toward the ideal portrayed in the show.

Trekkie Questions (Score:3, Funny) by FerretFrottage (714136)(#10754850)
Do any fans buy the fact that even the slightest blast cases fires/sparks on the bridge? Do they hold the lowest price enterprise contractor responsible?

Ha! Maybe Halliburton will be out of business by the 23rd century; let's hope the Federation will have better quality contractors by then. Either way, there will always be profiteers substituting cheaper wires and pocketing the difference. But here's the upside: if there weren't selfish, greedy bastards out to line their own pockets at the expense of everybody else, battles with Klingons would be far less dramatic visually.

Something to keep in mind, post presidential election, is that in the long run conservatives always lose. If this statement were not true, we would still be living in caves. We wouldn't have cell phones, vaccines, and rockets. Conservatives will never go to the stars. They are too busy trying to hold society back.

Every new idea that is introduced is liberal at first. The idea that the Earth is round and revolves around the Sun was denounced by conservative leaders at the time. Fact-based evolution is currently being denounced and taken out of some school curriculums, to be replaced, or taught side-by-side, with faith-based creationism. Faith has it's place for some people in society, but it didn't get us to the moon and beyond.

Shooting and Editing (Score:5, Interesting) by Anonymous Coward (#10754740)
What format are you using to shoot your documentaries (digital or film)? What workstations and applications do you use to edit your film?

Trekkies: Standard 16mm, 35 hours of raw footage, edited on an Avid, cut negative, 16mm answer print, blow-up to 35mm. We shot 16mm because we were self financing the project and that is the film format with the most cameras floating around. One of the main criteria we had when hiring camera personnel was, "Do you own a 16mm camera? You do? You're hired."

Six Days In Roswell: Super 16mm, 35 hours of raw footage, Avid, cut negative, blow up to 35mm answer print. I really wanted to try for better visual clarity on Six Days In Roswell. I love the look of Super 16mm. If you expose it properly you can't even tell it wasn't 35mm to begin with. 35 hours of raw footage is pretty low by most documentary standards, but in both Trekkies and Six Days In Roswell the footage was so rich, we didn't need to shoot more. Also, shooting film instead of video forces you to be more judicious. You can't let it run like you can with videotape.

Trekkies 2: DVCam (Sony DSR 500 and PD 150), 150 hours of raw footage, Final Cut Pro, mastered on DigiBeta. The future is digital. We shot a lot of footage, but since we were traveling to 8 different countries to create a portrait of foreign StarTrek fandom, we figured we should shoot as much as we could while there since we couldn't go back for pick ups. While Trekkies and Six Days took about 3-5 months of cutting, It took me 8 months to sort though all the Trekkies 2 footage. But the upside is in all the bonus material on the Trekkies 2 DVD, 80 minutes worth. I tried Final Cut Pro for the first time and welcomed the instant online capability.

polarity (Score:4, Funny) by Fr05t (69968)(#10754695)
In your experiences, have you ever found a problem that couldn't be fixed by reversing the polarity of something?

A good solution in almost every exigency. Frost, you are a genius.

However, though some might, I personally wouldn't use this tactic for issues in the bedroom.

Extreme behavior (Score:5, Interesting) by warrped (202864)(#10754840)
Have you ever considered juxtaposing the extreme yet socially reviled behavior of the 'Trekkies' against the no less extreme but socially accepted behavior of (for example) sports fans? Is it the 'socially aberrant' element that draws you to the subject?

Several fans discuss that issue in Trekkies 2. It would be humorous to dissect sports fanatics vs. Star Trek fans--but almost too easy. I'll wager that the average IQ of the guy wearing cheese on his head and screaming obscenities at a referee and the average Star Trek fan leave no comparison. It would be like shooting fish in a barrel.

There were dozens of comments suggesting future topics for Roger to apply his skills to, so I'm just lumping them all together. Roger, our readers suggest you document AD&D Players, Slashdot Readers, Football Fanatics, Everquest Addicts, and the LAN Party Phenom. They all essentially ask the question, "Why 'Trekkies'?" and how do you pick your subject matter.

I am an accidental documentarian. Trekkies was Denise Crosby's idea. I cast her in my first film, High Strung (which stars Steve Oedekerk, and will be re-released by Steve next year), and a few years later she pitched the Trek fan doc idea to me. I said, "I can't believe nobody has done this yet. It seems so obvious." After shooting our first weekend, I was hooked on documentaries. Unlike a narrative project, where it's a challenge to come as close to the script as possible, shooting a doc is a journey, it's exciting not knowing what's around the next corner, how the story will end.

What's next? I'll wager it will have to do with obsession. I'm sure all the ideas proposed above have their "extreme" members. But it will depend on the person, or persons, profiled. You can't make documentaries about things, you have to make them about people. When I meet the person involved in one of these activities who is so interesting that he has to be profiled, I'll start shooting footage immediately. Where are you? Are you out there? Drop me an e-mail (See my address below).

The quintessential question: (Score:3, Interesting) by Jucius Maximus (229128) (#10754795)
Which captain do you think was the best?

I asked that very question of Star Trek fans in 1996 when we put up our first Trekkies website. The votes for 32 different captains are posted if you want to have a look. (Websites below.)

To summarize, Picard barely edged out Kirk, 2826 to 2799 votes. Q got the most votes for a non-Federation captain at 2079. I'm gonna go with Captain Pike (1178 votes).

For the last time... (Score:2) by DwarfGoanna (447841) (#10755766)
I'm a Trek-KER you....*sigh* insensitive clod!!

That's cool. Is it cool for some to call themselves a Trekkie? We get even further into that world-rattling debate in Trekkies 2.

your last name (Score:2) by latroM (652152) (#10755348)
Do you have Finnish or Swedish relatives? My surname is Nygård, so I'm quite interested.

Are you aware of the fact that you've been misspelling your name your whole life?

Ha! Yes. We don't have that "a" with the little knob on our keyboard over here. We will have to import some of those knobs.

My great grandfather, Louis Nygaard, came to Minnesota from Norway. He dropped the extra "a" at some point, saving the family thousands of pounds of ink over the generations.

Why weren't Shatner or Stewart interviewed? (Score:5, Interesting) by GuyMannDude (574364) (#10756041)
My first question of the director is if he could verify my assumption: that Shatner and Stewart weren't interviewed for Trekkies because of money (as opposed to a conscious decision by the director to focus on the other actors). Second, if you did, indeed, want them in the film and they refused, did you work hard to get them? Did you try to negotiate their payment? Did they even consider your offer? Or did you simply get a letter from their agent saying, essentially, "Mr. Shatner is too important to be interviewed in your two-bit documentary."

We indeed wanted to include William Shatner and Patrick Stewart. Shatner is included briefly meeting with his fan club in Trekkies, but he refused to sit for an interview.

The way we got our interview subjects, was to ask to interview them whenever we crossed paths at conventions. When we tried to go through proper channels like agents, managers, and publicists, it was fruitless (Connor Trinneer is the exception). I think we are still waiting for Avery Brooks' agent to call us back. Our paths never crossed initially with Patrick Stewart, and the word we have gotten back since is that he is not a fan of the first film.

We never paid anybody for an interview. Documentaries typically do not pay their subjects. It's the nature of the form. If you had to pay everybody, documentaries would never get made because doc budgets are very low. Our budget on Trekkies was $120,000 by the time we got to a 16mm answer print. That money was coming out of our own pockets, so we couldn't afford to throw it around.

Favorite Episode? (Score:0, Funny) by Anonymous Coward (#10754706)
Do you have a favorite Star Trek episode and a favorite series? If you say Voyager or Enterprise, you may be lynched.

The one where Frank Gorshin is running. Original series fans know exactly what I'm talking about.

Shameless plugging link zone! Here is where you can get Roger's films.

Trekkies & Trekkies 2 (available internet retailers, Best Buy stores, and hip DVD stores)
Favorite Captain tally
Official Paramount Site

Trekkies 2 soundtrack a Reboot Music release.

Six Days In Roswell on DVD or VHS

Suckers

Lastly, here is Roger Nygard's Homepage and his email (which he included, so don't blame me, at least I fuzed it up for the robots!)

Thanks for your time Roger... Good luck on whatever you tackle next.

Tycoon Guy writes "Is that the sound of desperation I hear? TrekToday is reporting that, according to a trailer shown at CBS Television City, William Shatner will be appearing on Star Trek: Enterprise for a two-episode guest stint - as James T. Kirk! The most likely writers of his episodes are Trek novelists Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens, who already resurrected Kirk in their books, and were just hired as story editors for Enterprise's fourth season." We reported a rumor to this effect a couple of months back.

Tycoon Guy writes "TrekToday reports that the next Star Trek movie will deal with the war between Earth and the Romulans that led to the founding of the Federation. According to Rick Berman, the film will be 'set before the time of Kirk, but will not be connected with Enterprise.' So how will they make this fit with the Classic Trek episode Balance of Terror, in which we learned that no human ever saw the face of a Romulan during the Romulan Wars?"

mfh writes "Apparently, William Shatner may return to Star Trek, after talks with studio executives for a cameo on the fourth season of Star Trek: Enterprise. Rick Berman did not disclose which role wants Shatner play, although I'm sure we'd all love to see Captain James Tiberius Kirk again, right?"

mfh writes "Apparently, William Shatner may return to Star Trek, after talks with studio executives for a cameo on the fourth season of Star Trek: Enterprise. Rick Berman did not disclose which role wants Shatner play, although I'm sure we'd all love to see Captain James Tiberius Kirk again, right?"

bluethundr writes "According to Trek Today: the diabolical Trek 'powers that be' have come up with yet another way to separate the hapless trekkie from his hard earned cash. The Original Series is being re-released as a Box Set. Reportedly, the sets should feature enough extras to make (they hope) the die-hard pony-up against their better judgement. They have an image of the box set on the R2 Project. One interesting aspect of this release is that the Region 2 release will package all original season eps in order of original air-date! One also has to wonder why in the world they are still refusing to offer the The Animated Series on DVD, forcing one to buy the bootlegs if you want to get your hands on a copy. VHS only, as far as official release goes. TAS featured most of the original cast, many of the original writers. What's more, is that one episode was penned by another author you may have heard of in which he mingled concepts of his own distinct mythology with that of trek-lore." Update: 05/06 14:54 GMT by S : Phrase by original submitter removed - apologies, I was completely unaware of etymology.

bluethundr writes "According to Trek Today: the diabolical Trek 'powers that be' have come up with yet another way to separate the hapless trekkie from his hard earned cash. The Original Series is being re-released as a Box Set. Reportedly, the sets should feature enough extras to make (they hope) the die-hard pony-up against their better judgement. They have an image of the box set on the R2 Project. One interesting aspect of this release is that the Region 2 release will package all original season eps in order of original air-date! One also has to wonder why in the world they are still refusing to offer the The Animated Series on DVD, forcing one to buy the bootlegs if you want to get your hands on a copy. VHS only, as far as official release goes. TAS featured most of the original cast, many of the original writers. What's more, is that one episode was penned by another author you may have heard of in which he mingled concepts of his own distinct mythology with that of trek-lore." Update: 05/06 14:54 GMT by S : Phrase by original submitter removed - apologies, I was completely unaware of etymology.

bluethundr writes "According to Trek Today: the diabolical Trek 'powers that be' have come up with yet another way to separate the hapless trekkie from his hard earned cash. The Original Series is being re-released as a Box Set. Reportedly, the sets should feature enough extras to make (they hope) the die-hard pony-up against their better judgement. They have an image of the box set on the R2 Project. One interesting aspect of this release is that the Region 2 release will package all original season eps in order of original air-date! One also has to wonder why in the world they are still refusing to offer the The Animated Series on DVD, forcing one to buy the bootlegs if you want to get your hands on a copy. VHS only, as far as official release goes. TAS featured most of the original cast, many of the original writers. What's more, is that one episode was penned by another author you may have heard of in which he mingled concepts of his own distinct mythology with that of trek-lore." Update: 05/06 14:54 GMT by S : Phrase by original submitter removed - apologies, I was completely unaware of etymology.

jkcity writes "According to Cinscape.com The Star Trek Enterprise set is awash with rumour that it will not be renewed for a 4th season, It was previous told it was safe by UPN but so was Enteprise's lead-out show Jake 2.0 which was just Cancelled. Star Trek: Enterprise has also been reduced to 24 episodes this season by UPN, things don't look good for the Star Trek Television Franchise and after the flop of Star Trek: Nemesis it could be many years before we ever see any new Star Trek outside of books."

s20451 writes "Slashdotters may remember Canadian actor William Shatner from such hit TV shows as T. J. Hooker and Rescue 911; he was also known to dabble in science fiction. Shatner released an album, The Transformed Man, in 1968. Intending the album to be taken seriously, it is now held up as one of the campiest recordings of all time, including the worst Beatles cover ever produced. Now a new album is in the works, featuring joint work with Ben Folds, Henry Rollins, and Brad Paisley. More on Ananova."

l0key432 writes "The first season of Deep Space Nine will be released on DVD in late-February next year in the form of a six-disc box set, Paramount Home Entertainment officially announced on StarTrek.com. The DVDs will contain, of course, all of the season one episodes, newly remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and many extras. The following six seasons will be released one or two months apart from each other, as the Next Generation box sets were. Good to see this show finally coming out on DVD and getting some of the recognition it truly deserves."

l0key432 writes "The first season of Deep Space Nine will be released on DVD in late-February next year in the form of a six-disc box set, Paramount Home Entertainment officially announced on StarTrek.com. The DVDs will contain, of course, all of the season one episodes, newly remixed Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround and many extras. The following six seasons will be released one or two months apart from each other, as the Next Generation box sets were. Good to see this show finally coming out on DVD and getting some of the recognition it truly deserves."

An anonymous reader writes "Seems Lockheed Martin has won a contract to equip future versions of the Joint Strike Fighter with a 100-kW laser. Housed in a dome within the aircraft, the laser's turret would emerge for firing [sound familiar?], and the laser itself is spec'ed to achieve airborne and ground kills at a distance of more than six miles. The problem? According to this Aviation Week article, Lockheed Martin has to figure out how to dissipate 900 kilowatts of heat. Maybe the Finnish airforce could value-add to the OEM model." We mentioned this earlier.

l0key432 writes "Enterprise, Star Trek's fifth series, begins its second season on UPN tonight at 8pm/7pm central with the episode Shockwave Part II, airing just before the series premier of the new 'The Twilight Zone' show at 9pm/8pm central. Shockwave II is the conclusion to last season's season-ending cliff-hanger, and additional info can be found at this page(possible spoilers!) on StarTrek.com." Of course with my luck, it'll be pre-empted by some sporting event.

l0key432 writes "Enterprise, Star Trek's fifth series, begins its second season on UPN tonight at 8pm/7pm central with the episode Shockwave Part II, airing just before the series premier of the new 'The Twilight Zone' show at 9pm/8pm central. Shockwave II is the conclusion to last season's season-ending cliff-hanger, and additional info can be found at this page(possible spoilers!) on StarTrek.com." Of course with my luck, it'll be pre-empted by some sporting event.

phyy-nx writes "Scifi.com, in referring to the directors cut of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn (coming out on DVD Aug 6), has quoted clips from an interview with Ricardo Montalban. Montalban portrayed the vengeful Kahn in one of the best perfomances in one of the best of the (almost ten) Star Trek films. He mentions how difficult it was to portray Khan after six years of Mr. Roarke of Fantasy Island and how he overcame that mold to masterfully portray his new character's controlled insanity." Or, as Kirk would say: Khaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!

Erik_ writes: "In this most interesting article on MSN Wearable Wi-Fi - The wave of the future?, there is a description of a Wi-Fi Communicator device. Just like on Star Trek (Thanks Gene), these devices provides hands-free, voice-activated communications throughout any 802.11b networked building or campus. The company manufacturing these devices Vocera hopes to begin selling the equipment later this year. Can't wait to get my hands on some of these communicators... Beam me up Scotty."

savagexp writes "Dark Horizons is reporting that the trailer for the next Star Trek movie will premiere tonight on Entertainment Tonight and via the official website tonight at 7:30 EST." Makes me wish I could stomach ET, or at least had some real bandwidth. Hopefully it'll get placed in front of some of the movies coming in the next few weeks (maybe MiB2?)

pinkunicorn writes: "Perdido Street Station (2000) is new British writer China Miéville's second novel (the first was King Rat (1998), his latest is The Scar (2002), a sequel to Perdido Street Station). Perdido Street Station is the coolest fantasy novel I've read for a good while, if a fantasy novel is what it is. The protagonist of the book, Isaac Grimnebulin, is a scientist and there are a number of high-tech things in the book, but there's also magic (though it's called thaumaturgy)." Read on for the rest of pinkunicorn's review. Perdido Street Station author China Mieville pages 867 publisher Pan rating 8 reviewer pinkunicorn ISBN 0345443020 summary Fantasy with science and an attitude

The action takes place entirely in a city, New Crobuzon, and it's a large city.

There are loads of things here that are taken from outside the standard fantasy mould. Lots of the inhabitants of New Crobuzon are not human. This isn't revolutionary in itself, but they are far from the normal Tolkien-influenced critters. There are khepri, a weird species that doesn't even look the same for both sexes. The males are rather small and look like beetles while the females are as large as humans and look like a mixture of humans (lower half) and beetles (upper half). They can't talk, but communicate with scents and sign language. There are garuda, which are a kind of bird men. There are walking cacti. There are vodyanoi who live in water and can shape it to sculptures.

One day, Isaac Grimnebulin get a visit from Yagharek, a garuda who has had his wings taken off for some offense that he doesn't want to talk about. He wants Isaac to help him fly again. Isaac takes on the job in a very thorough way and starts investigating various other animals that can fly to find out how it's best done.

This is different from most fantasy. Normally, magic is the only science there is (and often that isn't treated like a science either). In New Crobuzon this isn't the case at all. There is magic, but it isn't the only thing. There are also photography (of sorts), printing presses for underground newspapers, intelligent cleaning robots, air ships and mechanical computers, all together. As if all this wasn't enough to make you think of science fiction, towards the end there's even an example of prime Star Trek technobabble, but in a fantasy mode.

In spite of its bulk, Perdido Street Station is a pretty fast read. The plot as such isn't too complex, but it drives the story forward nicely. What I think really stands out are the descriptions: China Miéville is very good at conjuring moods and environments and getting the reader to realize exactly how something looks, even in an entirely alien environment. China Miéville claims Mervyn Peake as one of his favorite authors, and the similarities to Gormenghast in feel are sometimes striking.

Perdido Street Station feels quite a bit like cyberpunk in a fantasy setting. Most of the common signs are there: a somewhat run-down city environment, technology development in a guerilla manner, drugs, computers, body modification (through surgery and magic instead of gene technology, but still) and quite a bit of attitude. I'm looking forward to see if this book will leave as much of a footprint in the fantasy genre as Neuromancer did in the science fiction genre.

You can purchase Perdido Street Station at bn.com. You can read your own book reviews in this space by submitting your reviews after reading the book review guidelines.

emmetropia writes: "Startrek.com has announced that there is going going to be an Online Convention in early August. Every attendee will be able to make themselves look like any of your favorite ST species, Borg, Klingon, Vulcan, Terran, Ferengi, etc etc. The servers for the event are supposed to be able to handle up to 100,000 users, which would mean a rather large convention, let's just hope it doesn't suffer the same fate as Final Fantasy. With full 3D conventions here now, can a holodeck really be that far off?"

pgudge writes "startrek.com had a post about the paramount release of Star Trek The Next Generation on DVD. Claimed a around $100 for the season pack, including 7 DVD's. And that other season are to be released every other month thereafter. all done in Dolby Digital 5.1. Release date expected 26th march" Good way to watch them without suffering through TNN's ridiculous image squashing technology (Proudly proving that in the future everyone is either a pro wrestler, or shaped like a pear!)

pgudge writes "startrek.com had a post about the paramount release of Star Trek The Next Generation on DVD. Claimed a around $100 for the season pack, including 7 DVD's. And that other season are to be released every other month thereafter. all done in Dolby Digital 5.1. Release date expected 26th march" Good way to watch them without suffering through TNN's ridiculous image squashing technology (Proudly proving that in the future everyone is either a pro wrestler, or shaped like a pear!)

PatJensen writes "Star Trek TNG: Nemesis, the 10th Star Trek movie gets the green light from Paramount today. It will be directed by Stuart Baird, who did Executive Decision, US Marshals and Tomb Raider. Looks to be pretty action packed. Digital Domain (LOTR, Titanic) will be doing the SFX. The movie seems to be based around Romulan conflict with the Federation. " Can't be as bad as Insurrection. At least, I hope not. BTW the first movie is out on DVD now and they did a pretty good job with the re-release.

meckardt writes: "We laugh at the science fiction of such programs as Star Trek, but it can almost be stated as a truism that what is fiction today may be science tomorrow and engineering next week. Researchers at the University of Aarhus in Denmark report in the science journal Nature that they have been able to cause particles to interact over a distance using lasers. The effect, called quantum entanglement, has been observed before, but never with such large amounts of matter. Don't expect transporters next week, but it is interesting that this report hits the streets the same day that Enterprise debuts."

meckardt writes: "We laugh at the science fiction of such programs as Star Trek, but it can almost be stated as a truism that what is fiction today may be science tomorrow and engineering next week. Researchers at the University of Aarhus in Denmark report in the science journal Nature that they have been able to cause particles to interact over a distance using lasers. The effect, called quantum entanglement, has been observed before, but never with such large amounts of matter. Don't expect transporters next week, but it is interesting that this report hits the streets the same day that Enterprise debuts."

CliffSpradlin writes "The Motion Picture will be released as a two-DVD set. More info can be found here on TrekToday about what is on the DVDs. At the bottom of the page, there is a form to ask the developers of the DVDs questions about the release. This rerelease is totally revamped, with a new sound mix, better effects, and a better feeling of continuity. For more info what has been changed technically, go here for information from the official website, StarTrek.com"

CliffSpradlin writes "The Motion Picture will be released as a two-DVD set. More info can be found here on TrekToday about what is on the DVDs. At the bottom of the page, there is a form to ask the developers of the DVDs questions about the release. This rerelease is totally revamped, with a new sound mix, better effects, and a better feeling of continuity. For more info what has been changed technically, go here for information from the official website, StarTrek.com"

abde writes: "On Monday, TV Guide featured a preview of the new Starship Enterprise on the cover (scans and comparison with other ships courtesy German Trek site Treknews.de). Entertainment Online also features an transcript of an interview (and video excerpt!) with Scott Bakula on the new bridge (and wow are the set interiors as incredible as advertised!). More images of the ship interior (including Engineering) from that ET special are also shown on fansite Section31.com."

HashCode writes "The Star Trek franchise is about to take a warp speed trip down memory lane ... Star Trek: Birth of the Federation. It looks like its going to become a reality. " Free Advice to paramount trek producers: Go to farm. Find horse. Kill it. Beat it until fists hurt. A related story from Adam Juda confirms that Voyager will land in 2001.

No link for this one, just a general reminder that the next Star Trek (Insurrection) is opening this weekend. I'm gonna be out of town so I'm going to miss it (grrr) but I'm sure lots of you won't. I'm embarassed to admit that I haven't really been paying a lot of attention, but I'm still itching to see it.