Star Trek - Phase II

[kham]

Taking up from what would have been S4 of TOS, and what was originally planned for what became ST: The Motion Picture, is this series production on youtube. While most fanfilms tend to be so-so at best, this embraces the TOS-schtick of the 60s, and couples with modern effects for a surprisingly good look. And reinforces again, what I had been saying for years: we dont need crappy pre-TOS stuff with stuff just given different names and the same voyager-esque reset --- the Original Constitution-class and bridge layout, with modern effects looks AWESOME. The ship never needed to be the Enterprise. That we see her again here is a bonus. But it easily could have been the Hood, or Lexington.
Top notch writing and TRYING hard makes all the difference

[nachtjaeger]

If you are at all a Trek fan, you need to watch Star Trek: Phase II. They are uniformly excellent, with guest appearances by George Takei and Walter Koeing (so far). The actor who plays Kirk is brilliant- he manages to play Kirk as Kirk (who really is "a tin-plated dictator with delusions of godhood") but without even a trace of Shatner. My only complaint is that the young actor who plays Spock doesn't have Leonard Nimoy's gravitasse. But with almost no budget, they had to do the best they could with what they were given- and it's awesome.

Taking up from what would have been S4 of TOS, and what was originally planned for what became ST: The Motion Picture, is this series production on youtube. While most fanfilms tend to be so-so at best, this embraces the TOS-schtick of the 60s, and couples with modern effects for a surprisingly good look. And reinforces again, what I had been saying for years: we dont need crappy pre-TOS stuff with stuff just given different names and the same voyager-esque reset --- the Original Constitution-class and bridge layout, with modern effects looks AWESOME. The ship never needed to be the Enterprise. That we see her again here is a bonus. But it easily could have been the Hood, or Lexington.
Top notch writing and TRYING hard makes all the difference

[Mynock]

Top notch writing and TRYING hard makes all the difference

THIS x 1000.

[kham]

FedCon 2014 VFX Reel

Wow

[Mynock]

Damn. That wouldn't be bad for a TV series, let alone something fan based you find on youtube.

[kham]

It's not just Phase II that is doing kickass stuff here; check out

Star Trek: Axanar if the name sounds familiar, it should; right from the TOS canon, the First Klingon War, where Garth of Izar (remember him? crazy on episode, but as Jim Kirk put it, the hero of Axanar, the PROTOTYPE for every starship captain to come)

Their facebook page has the trailer up and , holy cow
The cast alone raises eyebrows for maintaining actual canon with the bloody show, even ST Ent
Tony Todd (Kurn, Worf's brother, also Jake Sisko in future...), JG Hertzler (General Martok....), Gary Graham (Vulcan ambassador from Ent), Richard Hatch (original BSG) these guys went out and got themselves not only good actors, but actors who know scifi AND in some cases, the 'verse!

I cant recall when fan-made stuff was kicking the ass of actual 'productions'
Bravo Zulu

edit; Trailer also up on main page, on gallery link; page new so still evolving clearly for its internal links

[kham]

Short interviews from some of the cast discussing the storyline and production

[kham]

The Prelude to Axanar docudrama scheduled for release Sat at Comicon

[Chimerix]

I've watched all of these, and I agree that they look great, and are decently acted. But I have to complain, this is some of the most godawful writing ever! Every single episode they have things that simply make no sense as critical plot elements. I spent a substantial portion of every episode cringing (although you will note that didn't stop me from watching them all.)

Don't get me wrong, TOS won't be remembered for its excellent dialogue or seamless plots, but they didn't have starships from other timelines appearing just in time to deliver a critical phaser shot, disappearing again, and not even acknowledge it!

They are adhering to canon, as difficult and messed-up as that has become. Mega kudos for that! And I do LOVE that they are using loose threads from TOS as seeds for their episodes.

Another fan-made continuation is Star Trek Continues. I find it to be much more true to the "feel" of TOS.

I am glad that there are never-say-die fans out there doing this. I'll keep supporting them, keep on watching. I'm still waiting to see "The Holiest Thing" and "Mind Sifter."

[kham]

I think Axanar is going to reset the bar for ''fan'' productions; going out to get professional actors , and actors with actual experience in both sci-fi AND the Trek 'verse was a brilliant move. Trying to weave the eras together is definitely a good for them moment. Gary Graham was one of the better actors and characters to come out of the ENTERPRISE disaster era, and him as Soval again is genius. Seeing the Imperial Navy portrayed as something other than lunatic space vikings hopefully will be good. It even looks like some of the ship types from the JJ 'verse are integrated, although they don't seem to be faring well in battle. That might be a not-so-subtle poke in JJ's eye.... The Antares-class that Starfleet comissions for the war looks like it would fit right into the Kirk-era and from the sound of things, the Constitution-class will make some appearance in the full movie (Micheal Hogan is cast as Captain Robert April of the Enterprise---yeah, that one... )