Star Trek: Renegades

harney

I just came across this on Slashdot this evening. It appears to be coming along nicely, so fingers crossed it makes it it into a series!

They have an Indiegogo page that has passed it's goal so far with another 20 days to go http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/star-trek-renegades.

Below is an hour long panel.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PALj5zzjiso

http://startrekrenegades.com/home/

A post from 1 year ago, if there are later ones then my apologies for missing them.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=81026999

I am just going through Voyager at the moment so it is interesting seeing Tuvock and The Doctor on stage.

Kirby

I fear for this. Low budget trek is not likely to look good on film.

Myrddin

It is ten years after Voyager’s return from the Delta Quadrant, and the Federation is in a crisis. The Federation’s main suppliers of dilithium crystals are disappearing. Space and time have folded around several planets, effectively isolating them from any contact with outside worlds. And this phenomenon is not natural – someone or something is causing this to happen.

This necessitates drastic measures; some of which are outside the Federation’s normal jurisdiction. For this, Admiral Pavel Chekov, head of Starfleet Intelligence, turns to Commander Tuvok, Voyager’s former security officer and current head of the newly reorganized Section 31. Tuvok must put together a new covert, renegade crew – mostly outcasts and rogues – even criminals.

This new crew is tasked with finding out what is causing the folding of time and space, and stopping it – at all costs. But will they be able to put aside their differences and stop trying to kill one another in time to accomplish their mission?

This sounds absolutely awful, I'm sorry but that has to be the most unimaginative, uninformed & stretched beyond belief synopsis I've ever read. I actually remember commenting on this before:

So at the age of 137, Checkov is still active & not only that but 'Head of Intelligence'? Lol, ok.
Tuvok is still a Commander, ten years after Voyagers return? Ok.
Tuvok is head or the 'reorganised' Section 31? Lol, ok.
Nobody else can figure out what is happening, other than Tuvok's motley crue of outcasts, rogues & criminals? Ok.

God, they're really up against it if that's their starting block

FutureGuy

EnterNow wrote: »

This sounds absolutely awful, I'm sorry but that has to be the most unimaginative, uninformed & stretched beyond belief synopsis I've ever read. I actually remember commenting on this before:

So at the age of 137, Checkov is still active & not only that but 'Head of Intelligence'? Lol, ok.
Tuvok is still a Commander, ten years after Voyagers return? Ok.
Tuvok is head or the 'reorganised' Section 31? Lol, ok.
Nobody else can figure out what is happening, other than Tuvok's motley crue of outcasts, rogues & criminals? Ok.

God, they're really up against it if that's their starting block

Their ship, before the redesign was one of the most imaginative ship designs in recent memory.

Essentially, they cut the forward section of a Klingon Bird of Prey and stuck it onto the Defiant.

Actually, words do it too much justice...

Overheal

give it a chance give it a chance givie it a chance....






Mmmmmmmmmmmmnope nope nope nope nope nope nopenopenopenopenopenopenope

harney

Overheal wrote: »

give it a chance give it a chance givie it a chance....


Mmmmmmmmmmmmnope nope nope nope nope nope nopenopenopenopenopenopenope

But they've got a hot girl in it!!!!! :cool:

mr lee

this is d future of star trek?,is this thread a piss take?

Optimus Prime

That poster is the worst photoshop job ive ever seen in my life haha, they didnt even bother fading in the characters correctly, someone just cut and pasted in the heads!

mr lee

this is the formula for a trek film,you need a bald and grey dude,a vulcan,a weird looking alien and a pretty face,
bringing back old characters like checkov(at his age) smacks of desperation,
im not that gone on tuvok but i suppose he's still relevant,is he gonna show some of his martial arts this time,he wasnt able to show it in voyager,he was afraid of his **** of d borg,
worst vulcan ever imo

nyarlothothep

They raised well above the 20,000 though so I guess it's going into production now?

I was thinking about how to make a new trek series and the thought just popped into my head that they need to spice it up, like a Spartacus or GoT version of Star Trek, with high production values. Maybe take a similar line, like a fed that's trying to maintain this utopian ideal but internally there's all this political intrigue and externally too with respect to the different galactic power blocs.

Optimus Prime

Never liked tuvok myself, plus isnt that alien guy very similiar to a race of aliens in stargate? cant remember their names but they where the first ones to host Goulds.

Myrddin

So many ideas that could be explored, I'm astounded at the desperation they've resorted to though. It's more about what high profile Trek stars can you find & mash together, than actually creating something engaging, fresh & new.

somuj

keithgeo wrote: »

Never liked tuvok myself, plus isnt that alien guy very similiar to a race of aliens in stargate? cant remember their names but they where the first ones to host Goulds.

The Unas

Goodshape

Teaser trailer posted last week:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WgRJWBB12GA

Quality looks better than I was expecting to be honest.

Myrddin

That does actually make me pay this more attention. I still say it's a bit silly having Chekov in this. I know they want big names, but his canon age is ridiculous at this point

livinginkorea

Hmm not so sure how this is going to turn out...could be a disaster.

At least I can go back to my DS9 reruns

Cantstandsya

Haha this looks like the worst thing ever.

Chekov: Tuwok, you are now head of Section 31

Tuvok: Whaaaa?

Checkov: Yes, and our suppliers of dilithium crystals are disappearing and space and time is folding around planets mysteriously.

Tuvok: We have dilithium crystal suppliers now?

Checkov: We had all along, you should have known that.

Tuvok: Emmmm….

Chekov: That's right Tuwok, the Federation is in trouble… for some reason... We’ve tried our best people but it didn’t work, so you must assemble a team of renegades, a craic team of misfits, degenerates and failures.

Tuvok: You mean you want me to play Mass Effect 2 with the cast of Battlestar Galactica?

Checkov: Exactly, and make it all look deep and meaningful with cheesy dialogue, sideways camera shots and brooding music.

Tuvok: Eh, ok

Checkov: Oh, Tuwok, one last thing. That Transformers movie was cool, copy the title sequence of that for no reason.

Tuvok: Deal.

corkie

I must also check out "Star Trek: Of Gods and Men" once i have finished "Star Trek: Phase 2 (New Voyages)"

Goodshape

That does not look good.

harney

At least the title looks cooler than the transformers version they had.

ItHurtsWhenIP

corkie wrote: »

I must also check out "Star Trek: Of Gods and Men" once i have finished "Star Trek: Phase 2 (New Voyages)"

That certainly does look better.

I was a little bit disappointed by "Of Gods and Men", but it wasn't the worst. I've watched the first of the New Voyages and will give the rest of them a look too.

IvySlayer

I think it looks awful.

Star Trek was about exploration and humanity. This is just phasers and figthing.

Myrddin

I'll say it again, having a 150 year old Chekov in it just screams of badly written fan fiction, which of course, it is.

harney

Not terrible, but not fantastic seems to be the first review I've seen on it.

http://moviehole.net/201594127star-trek-renegades-review

The_Valeyard

IvySlayer wrote: »

I think it looks awful.

Star Trek was about exploration and humanity. This is just phasers and figthing.

So DS9 season 4 upwards.....

syklops

Goodshape wrote: »

That does not look good.

Looks alright to me. Lots of well known faces. Nice looking ships, not an Abrahms-esque USS MacBook Pro.

syklops

IvySlayer wrote: »

This is just phasers and figthing.

And Wrath of Khan was what? Aside from the best Trek movie ever.

Daith

syklops wrote: »

And Wrath of Khan was what? Aside from the best Trek movie ever.

Followed by First Contact as 2nd best and more shooting and gunning.

Generations and Insurrection are TNG through and through and they're rubbish.

Myrddin

The thing about Wrath of Khan & First Contact though, is that there is at least some long standing context behind the action (strong tones of revenge & personal hurt in characters we know & love). That separates mindless action, from contextual & meaningful action (DS9's action was never meaningless either, & also had the benefit of strong context). Renegades doesn't have the benefit of long standing context, & can only give context within its own run time, & in conjunction with several unknown characters means it will struggle to make any real impact.

SarahBM

I also find it very hard to believe that echeb would become a "renegade".

Myrddin

SarahBM wrote: »

I also find it very hard to believe that echeb would become a "renegade".

It's great that there are characters from the canon shows, but the writing/plot is just typical of non canon fan fiction. I like Chekov, but he should only be in shows from the TOS/TMP era, or at most, flashbacks. Having him at 150 years old in a show is ludicrous. The whole Section 31 thing too is tripe.

Tuvok & Echeb being transported to the mirror universe in the very late pre-TNG era would have been a much simpler, more elegant solution. Or something along those lines anyway.

harney

It looks like CBS has said no to picking this up, however they are thinking to make a web series of 12 episodes per year.

http://thegridscififrontier.com/cbs-no-star-trek-renegades

From the article, something that should cheer people up:
Walter Koenig has agreed to stay on through Episode 3 which will be the conclusion to the Episode 2 cliffhanger but after that, he plans to retire his Chekov character.

Myrddin

harney wrote: »

but after that, he plans to retire his Chekov character. [/I]

I wonder if CBS had taken the show up would he have made the same decision...not that I'd blame him.

SarahBM

Just watched the full movie which is available on their Official YouTube channel.
I am interested to know what people think.
I think I give it 6/10. Two of my 6 points for pure effort on behalf of the people who made it. I admire their dedication.

_Tombstone_

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

Cookie_Monster

syklops wrote: »

And Wrath of Khan was what? Aside from the best Trek movie ever.

WOK was more like a strategic sub battle than all out action packed phaser splsion-fest; very slow, lots of tension.

syklops

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

WOK was more like a strategic sub battle than all out action packed phaser splsion-fest; very slow, lots of tension.

Star Trek thread rule #1: Whatever your opinion, someone will come along to contradict you.

You're right, there was no fighting in Wrath of Khan. It was a strategic sub battle.

Cookie_Monster

syklops wrote: »

Star Trek thread rule #1: Whatever your opinion, someone will come along to contradict you.

You're right, there was no fighting in Wrath of Khan. It was a strategic sub battle.

way to miss the point. :rolleyes:

do you not understand the difference between the types of action in WOK and the new films?

The_Valeyard

Just watched it tonight, was alright actually, not the best, but watchable.

syklops

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

way to miss the point. :rolleyes:

do you not understand the difference between the types of action in WOK and the new films?

Settle down dude. I didn't miss the point at all.

Speaking of missing the point, why don't you read the comment I was replying to? What would your response be to that comment?

syklops

The_Valeyard wrote: »

Just watched it tonight, was alright actually, not the best, but watchable.

So right up there with recent Trek series then?

The_Valeyard

syklops wrote: »

So right up there with recent Trek series then?

Maybe enterprise season 1. But seasons 3-4 of enterprise was brilliant. And I did enjoy the first reboot film.

_Kaiser_

I tried, but gave up 15 mins in.. it's very very cheap feeling and the acting (even from the "names") is poor.

Maybe I've been spoiled, but Star Trek Continues and Axanar (and it's only a 20 min demo at this point really) is far superior to this.

Myrddin

So, I watched Renegades last night...my thoughts on it are:

I, like any Trek fan could rip this to shreds quite easily, but I won't - we have to remember it's a fan made film with a limited budget. Based on that, I think it's fair to analyse the film with a softer touch, in comparison to a Hollywood production with a budget the size of a small country's GDP.

To begin, I didn't think it was great at all, which didn't surprise me really. The plot was a cluster****, & I found myself at several points wondering if I'd missed something, as the story seemed to have taken three steps forward instead of one, several times. The idea was decent, but to pull it all off in 90 mins was asking a LOT, and for me, they didn't/couldn't. This needed a simple but engaging plot, but instead they chose a grandiose path that for me was a major planning error.

The plot was also further ruined by the same thing that ruins many non canon stories, this innate need to link every possible known character together in some way. I feel this film was constrained the minute Koenig & Russ gave the green light to be in it - you instantly have a ludicrous situation of a 150 year old human in the same story as a Vulcan from a completely different era - it just doesn't work, not for anyone who takes Trek seriously imo. To have Admiral Chekov at that age running Starfleet Security, colluding with Commander Tuvok who runs Section 31...just screams of badly written fan fiction, & I found it hard to put that aside during the film.

Does nobody ask why Admiral Checkov (head of Starfleet Security) is often alone in his office with a hacker and an assassin for most of the film?? Barring an odd visit from Admiral Paris, Chekov doesn't seem to have many visitors or security around him, considering his important position. His grand daughter had zero point in the film, Zimmerman had zero point in the film, and it all seemed to convolute the plot.

The pacing felt way off, which I was surprised at considering Russ directed this. The sheer amount of fly-by scenes to connect the dots was something else. There was no no natural flow to the film at all, and it seemed to awkwardly connect different scenes with dozens of fly by shots, be it of the Icarus, or the Archer, or the enemy ship etc. Scenes would sometimes clunkily jump from one to another, and it felt like I had to concentrate quite hard to keep up with who was on screen now, where is the scene now, are we here, are we there!

The music was fantastic in it I must admit. It almost has undertones of Horners stunning Wrath of Khan soundtrack, & really helped to balance out the films other weaker elements.

The special effects in this were a mixed bag, some of the effects were actually quite decent (Echeb's arm for example, or the Icarus too looked pretty great), however, other effects were downright awful (the Archer up close actually got pixelated in one scene, some of the phaser fire was shockingly bad where I've seen better on youtube). The space battles were weak for me, if you added it all up it's probably 15 mins of ships throwing photon torpedoes at each other with nothing really resulting from it. The ship phaser fire didn't look great at all, the photons didn't look great, the sound effects for these weren't great, and it felt every bit like a cheap cgi fest really.

The acting, unfortunately echoes the special effects. Some performances were good (Koenig, Russ, Intiraymi, Furlong, Nemec & Graham were solid). Others were decent but had no real point in the film (Picardo springs to mind). Chekovs grand daughter and her friend were awful, and had zero point in the film, some of the crew of the Icarus too were quite bad also. Nice to see Furlong in something after all these years, I didn't even recognise him until near the end of the film!

I feel this had real potential, but this ever present drive to get as many 'names' together & link them all, despite vast age differences is what severely limits the credibility of any story. Having names on board is great for publicity, but the cost is too high if you ask me. If it absolutely HAD to have Russ & Koenig in it, then the obvious and most believable plot would involve time travel of some description. They could have explored the late TMP/pre-TNG era, with Tuvok and co being stranded in time and needing a way to return or something. Anyway, we got what we got. It's clear a TON of effort went into this, & they succeeded in many elements, but unfortunately, failed in many others for me. It was great to see Russ back as Tuvok, he hasn't lost a thing all these years later, and if anything, he should have been in it a lot more.

3/10 I'm afraid

Myrddin

I should also note, by far the worst set was the bridge of the Archer, it was terrible. You get no sense of "yeah, that's the bridge of the ship we just seen on that screen", instead, it's more like "that's the best they could come up with for that cg ship we just seen??". It's seriously like a badly remade Ent-D bridge, built from Ikea kitchen material.

SarahBM

But corin nemec was probably the strongest character

Myrddin

SarahBM wrote: »

But corin nemec was probably the strongest character

Really? I like Nemec, but his role seemed to comprise of shouting orders from the 'bridge' of the Archer...in fact, the Archer and its entire crew didn't really even need to be in the film. There's only so much Nemec could do with that role, & he did very well considering...but I wouldn't call him the strongest character...the writing and his role simply couldn't allow for that imo

SarahBM

Myrddin wrote: »

Really? I like Nemec, but his role seemed to comprise of shouting orders from the 'bridge' of the Archer...in fact, the Archer and its entire crew didn't really even need to be in the film. There's only so much Nemec could do with that role, & he did very well considering...but I wouldn't call him the strongest character...the writing and his role simply couldn't allow for that imo

Sorry I should clarify I ment peripheral character. Out side of the main gang. The Archer just chased them a bit.
Zimmerman and the admirals great granddaughter were the most forgettable

syklops

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

way to miss the point. :rolleyes:

do you not understand the difference between the types of action in WOK and the new films?

What? Who mentioned the new films?

Myrddin

SarahBM wrote: »

Sorry I should clarify I ment peripheral character. Out side of the main gang. The Archer just chased them a bit.
Zimmerman and the admirals great granddaughter were the most forgettable

Yeah I'd agree, it's not entirely surprising given Nemec's experience (he was damn good in SG1). Honestly, barring a few "hey get back here" moments, the Archer and its point in the film seemed utterly redundant. It's like they thought, "oh, we gotta have a federation ship in the film so lets do this" or something. It should have focused a lot more on Tuvok's reforming of Section 31, how he knew the crew of the Icarus, how Section 31 worked etc...

SarahBM

Myrddin wrote: »

Yeah I'd agree, it's not entirely surprising given Nemec's experience (he was damn good in SG1). Honestly, barring a few "hey get back here" moments, the Archer and its point in the film seemed utterly redundant. It's like they thought, "oh, we gotta have a federation ship in the film so lets do this" or something. It should have focused a lot more on Tuvok's reforming of Section 31, how he knew the crew of the Icarus, how Section 31 worked etc...

Plus I would love to know how a bunch of criminals got their hands on a ship like that. And how did that guy not realise he was a hologram. Surely someone would have noticed oi! You never eat or go for a wee!!!

Plus did I mention I hated the Starfleet uniforms