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Star Trek New Voyages Fan Series Changes Name to Star Trek Phase II

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By GustavoLeao / 15:36, 18 February 2008 / General Star Trek

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Press Release

On Saturday, February 16th, Executive Producer James Cawley announced to fans during an appearance at the 2008 Farpoint Science Fiction Media Convention in Baltimore, Maryland, that Star Trek: New Voyages would shed the "New Voyages" moniker and become Star Trek: Phase II. Cawley assured fans that the change would be more than just the name, promising that the production will have access to new people, new materials, and a new direction, but will remain focused on his original vision for the show.


"Make no mistake about it, this is a new beginning for our production. This will be the next step in our effort to provide the quality show fans have come to expect, with commitment and dedication to keeping the original series look and feel that fans have come to enjoy," said Cawley, "As before, we will strive to involve familiar faces from Star Trek's 40-year legacy in our episodes, as well as actors from other classic SciFi shows when we can. You will see the changes taking place over the next few weeks, but you will really appreciate the changes when we release our future episodes."


This change naturally generates questions and we have chosen a few that immediately come to mind and tried to answer them for fans.


Q. Why are you changing the name of Star Trek New Voyages?

A. New Voyages began as a fan film project, as a bunch of friends who love Star Trek working together to prove there was still plenty of creative life in Gene Roddenberry's original vision of Star Trek. With our recent Online Video Award from TV Guide for Best SciFi Webisodes, we think we've proven that. We're ready now to move to a higher level - Phase II, Gene's proposed title for a second Trek series that would've aired in the 1970s.


Q. Why make this name change now?

A. The almost universally positive reviews of our latest episode, "World Enough and Time," combined with our next episode, David Gerrold's "Blood and Fire" convinced us that this was the time to re-brand ourselves, to demonstrate our commitment to keep raising the bar for our stories and our production values. What better way than to literally move to our next phase, and to continue to honor Gene Roddenberry's vision.


Q. What about your original mission to continue the original voyages of the Enterprise, Captain Kirk's five-year mission?

A. Our series will continue to tell the stories of the final two years of the Enterprise's five-year mission under Captain James T. Kirk. What we want to depict, though, is the transition between what we saw in the first three seasons of the original TV series and the look and feel that we saw in Star Trek: The Motion Picture.


Q. What changes will we see? How will "Phase II" be different from "New Voyages"?

A. Some changes will be immediate, like our new cast members. Our next episode, Part 1 of David Gerrold's "Blood and Fire" will introduce our new Mr. Spock (Ben Tolpin) and Lt. Uhura (Kim Stinger), and bring a new character to our regular cast, Ensign Perter Kirk (Bobby Rice), Captain Kirk's nephew. Upcoming episodes will feature our new Sulu (J.T. Tepnapa) and Chekov (Jonathan Zungre). Other changes will be more subtle, as we introduce new technology and story elements. Phase II will also feature our first spin-off series, "Star Trek: First Voyages," whose pilot episode will be shot this summer and be released originally as an episode of Phase II.

The official site is here.



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Handshake deal? | Report this post to moderator
By: falcon (Odo's file, contact) @ 07:38:03 on Feb 19, 2008

It wouldn't surprise me in the least if there weren't some sort of tacit approval by Paramount of this move. Cawley did visit the Paramount lot during the filming of Trek XI, and while his meeting with J. J. Abrams was well publicized (as well as his bit part in the new movie), what wasn't publicized is what else he was doing at Paramount. Cawley is apparently pretty flush with money, and it shows in the production values of the episodes he's produced. If Paramount needs some coat-tails to ride, or someone to help build buzz for the movie, this might be a good way to go.

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A generation which ignores history has no past and no future. -- Robert Heinlein

PCLinuxOS

falcon


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This worries me | Report this post to moderator
By: sb2004 (Odo's file, contact) @ 06:18:26 on Feb 19, 2008

I'm a little worried by this, not because of the name change -- I think it's a cool idea -- but isn't the Star Trek Phase II name owned by Paramount?

Especially with the expected huge push regarding the new movie I'm concerned about any development that might affect Paramount's amazing and unprecedented "Live and let live" attitude towards these fan film projects. I remember only 5-6 years ago when Trek fansites were being shut down by Paramount, and you need only look at all the material that's disappared from YouTube to feel the sleeping dragon that is Viacom snoring by the backdoor. The fact Paramount is living and let living right now doesn't mean they'll continue that way, especially as May 2009 (or whenever) approaches.

I'd feel a lot more comfortable for these guys if they managed to sign a licensing deal similar to that which Big Finish signed with the BBC that allowed them to do Doctor Who productions even after the show returned to the air.

Such a deal might actually work in Cawley & Co's favor by allowing wider distribution of these projects on DVD and maybe they might even be able to make a few bucks off the deal for their hard work. And who knows, maybe it might even give them access to some of the unfilmed Phase II scripts as well.

Al


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  • RE: This worries me | Report this post to moderator
    By: seventhstar (Odo's file, contact) @ 12:01:27 on Feb 19, 2008

    Quote:
    I'm a little worried by this, not because of the name change -- I think it's a cool idea -- but isn't the Star Trek Phase II name owned by Paramount?

    The Star Trek name is owned by Paramount; why would you be worried if they tack on "Phase II" as well?

    It's "Star Trek" that is the trademark; I don't think "New Voyages" or "Phase II" is going to make that much of a difference.


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RE: Star Trek Phase II - The Lost Series | Report this post to moderator
By: GustavoLeao (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 21:40:46 on Feb 18, 2008

Thats sounds great, thanks for the info. Now I wonder if they will film any of the aborted 1970s Phase II scripts like "In Thy Image" and "Kitumba".

Gustavo

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TrekWeb.com Supervising Editor

gl2000@uol.com.br


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Star Trek Phase II - The Lost Series | Report this post to moderator
By: GustavoLeao (Odo's file, contact, web site) @ 17:12:13 on Feb 18, 2008

Hope they use the Phase II uniforms and the Phase II refit Enterprise in the upcoming episodes.

Gustavo

--------

TrekWeb.com Supervising Editor

gl2000@uol.com.br


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  • RE: Star Trek Phase II - The Lost Series | Report this post to moderator
    By: VorpalK (Odo's file, contact) @ 20:34:48 on Feb 18, 2008

    As I understand it, Cawley bought a large portion of the Phase II uniforms at the clearance auction last year. Of course since he's worked with W. Ware Theisse, I'm sure he's qualified to re-create what he couldn't buy.


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too bad he won't get paid | Report this post to moderator
By: IamNotBORG (Odo's file, contact) @ 16:41:27 on Feb 18, 2008

Too bad he won't get paid :)


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