The film has only been out a few days, so I’ll try my best to let you know what I thought, without spoiling the surprises.  I might write more when I can do so without fear of spoiling things for others.

The First Impressions:
Star Trek (2009) is an extremely enjoyable reboot of the franchise, with a fresh approach and a fresh cast the franchise owners can build upon for the foreseeable future. The writers have figured out a way to create an origins story well grounded in the canon, while simultaneously giving themselves absolutely clear territory into which they can move forward. That which was, is relatively safe from meddling. That which will be, is a tabla rasa. Quite a neat trick when you think about it, which is when the trouble starts… thinking about it.

The Genre:
So, how and where does Star Trek 2009 fit into the realm of cinematic science fiction? This episode occupies a region I find interesting because it moves Star Trek further from its ostensible grounding in scientific plausibility and further into the realm occupied by franchises like Star Wars, which gleefully make use of the tropes and symbols of science fiction, but leave the science behind as unwanted baggage. Of course, Star Trek has always been suffused with techno-babble and regularly careened into the patently ridiculous, but, you always felt that science was viewed as an asset instead of a hindrance to good storytelling.

Wait.  Is this truly a shift in positioning?  A search through IMDb seems to indicate that other than the first Star Trek film (where Issac Asimov filled the position) , science advisers or consultants haven’t been credited members of the crew, as opposed to the televised series where folks like André Bormanis, David Paige, and Dave Krieger are included in the credits for Star Trek: The Next Generation, Enterprise, Deep Space Nine and Voyager as scientific consultants.

I think I just contradicted myself.  So be it. “I contradict myself. I am large. I contain multitudes.”

It seems then, that there is a differentiation in the importance of scientific accuracy as a production element between the televised series and the films.  By the way, a quick web search reveals that as recently as early 2008 Carolyn Porco was acting in, and giving interviews in this role, but she is missing from the movie’s credits (at least on IMDb). An oversight? Perhaps. It’s one of the little things I’ll look for when I see the movie again.

Yes, I’ll see it again. Gladly.

The Wrap-Up:
So, where to now? Paramount has an unqualified hit on their hands which has breathed new life into a profitable piece of intellectual property. But, we might ask, what kind of life? Has Star Trek become even more unhinged from science fiction and moved ever more fully into the realm of magic clothed in technical jargon? Nyaaa.  The cinematic half of the franchise was there already.

What Abrams and co. have undeniably done is re-invigorated the relationships between the core characters.  The chemistry among and between them is new, lively, surprising and emotionally charged.

In the end, it is probably a mistake to expect a Star Trek film to be great science fiction, not to mention, a great film.  If that’s what you’re looking for, rent Blade Runner or Ghost in the Shell or A Clockwork Orange or 2001 or Primer or  Terminator or The Thing or Children of Men or The Andromeda Strain or, or, or…

I’ll try not to think about it. Pass the popcorn. Wow, the new Enterprise sure is cool looking.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2008/dec/07/forrest-ackerman-science-fiction-obituary

The Battle Hymn of the Fanation:  the National Fanthem
by Petrov Pederson aka Con Pderson
originally published in THE OUTLANDER #2, May, 1949
(with thanks to Len & June Moffatt for finding this)

Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Fan.
He is trampling out the places with Amazing on the stand.
His fantasy collection is the greatest in the land.
Forrest J goes marching on.

Forry, Forry hallelujah
Forry, Forry hallelujah
Forry, Forry hallelujah
Forrest J goes marching on.

Without a mind to guide them and without a guide to spare,
Dick Shaver takes the low road while Ray Palmer tears his hair,
They have felt the mighty vengeance of the Weaver in his lair.
Forrest J goes marching on.

CHORUS

While New Hampshire echoes wildly in the city of LA
With people owing money and without a dime to paym
Their Ackerman will reign until their hair is old and gray.
Forrest J goes marching on.

CHORUS

With Laney in the back seat and with Burbee cranking reams,
Our Ackerman is victim of a host of ghastly schemes,
Tho they think that they will conquer, he will chase them in their dreams.
Forrest J goes marching on.

CHORUS

In the famous Ackermansion, not a bit of room will show
For books and pics and magazines, both amateur and pro,
Not even for a mirror, just to watch his tendrils grow.
Forrest J goes marching on.

CHORUS

(later added by Ted Johnstone and Rick Sneary, in Zap #1)

We tremble in the presence of fandom’s number one
Lest he loose the fateful lightning of his terrible swift pun
His hoard of imitators will soon be on the run
Forrest J goes marching on

CHORUS

We’s the agent for a host of sci-fi writers near and far
His action can decide between a failure and a star
And woe betide his clients if he’s feeling under par
Forrest J goes marching on

CHORUS

In Hollywood he’s an expert on their alien planet scenes
He has seen them all a million times in all his fannish dreams
In his eyes you can see the distant future brightly gleam
Forrest J goes marching on

CHORUS

and back to Pederson’s original for the last verse

When Atomigeddon’s over and the sweeping up’s begun,
When Man deserts the planet and humanity is done,
In science fiction fandom he will still be Number One.
Forrest J goes marching on.

CHORUS

So, I didn’t cross the Script Frenzy finish line. I didn’t make it to 100 pages. In fact, I’m only about 1/2 done (51) pages.

I didn’t work as dilligently as I could have. I did, however keep the story from morphing too much and stuck to my treatment.

It will definitely need a re-write. The beginning is somewhat devoid of my personal style, which pushed it’s way to the fore as the month progressed, so the beginning and middle are different in flavor.

I also learned more about the characters as time progressed.  Now, this is a natural

occurance, even desirable, as long as the added character depth doesn’t make the script

too much longer.

I will finish this. I can’t work on it this weekend though. I have work work to do.

1. Take miserable care of your body, your relationships, your finances and everything in your life. Avoid anything that would make you happy — artists have to suffer.
2. Understand that you can only possibly write with your mind is relaxed and untroubled by other concerns. So if there’s anything else at all you ’should’ be doing, do it instead. For greatest efficiency, just thrash and worry about what you should be doing instead of actually doing anything — that way you can endlessly reuse the exact same things!
3. You know it’s impossible to make a living writing, so have a day job you hate that leaves you mentally, physically and emotionally exhausted. After work, you’ll be in no shape to write, so have some ice cream and watch TV. You deserve it.
4. Invent endless constraints regarding under what circumstances you could get writing done. You need your own office. A special desk. A special pen. Absolute quiet. A certain computer. Spend more time complaining about the lack of these circumstances than actually writing.
5. You’ll be able to get plenty of writing done when you’re independently wealthy and have lots of free time. Just wait till then.
6. There are thousands of writing books. Better read them all before you start. One of them has got to have the secret. (Be sure to skip all the exercises.)
7. Let’s face it, you don’t know enough to be a writer. You’ve never even read [insert famous literary work here]. Better get to it, or no one will take you seriously.
8. Surround yourself with people who are jealous of your time, disrespect your writing and undermine you at every turn. If possible, marry one and have kids.
9. If you actually fail at all of the above, and actually sit down to write, make sure each word, each sentence is perfect before you move on — compare it to your favorite writers’ published works (you don’t think people with talent have to rewrite, do you?) and attack it with all the viciousness of your cruelest and bitterest teachers.
10. Give up as soon as it seems hard or you feel uninspired. After all, if it were real art, it would flow smoothly and be easy.
11. Whatever you do, don’t finish anything. Just keep starting new fragments. (Any ideas prior to your latest suck anyway.) Or endlessly torture your existing manuscripts until you drain them of any vitality they might once have had.
12. If you do finish something, immediately share it with someone who can be counted on to tear it apart, tell you you’re wasting your time, and imply you’re an idiot for ever imagining you could write. Believe this person — s/he wouldn’t say it if it weren’t true.
13. Be sure you never actually submit your work for publication. Take the decision out of the editors’ hands: reject it for them.
14. If a story gets rejected, don’t send it anywhere else — obviously it was no good. In all likelihood, you aren’t either: be sure not to pass up the opportunity to consider giving it all up.
15. If, in an extreme case of failing at the above, you’ve actually published something, know that it was just a fluke. Never ever believe in yourself.

Thanks, Zed.

So, I’ve lost my mind again, but this time something might actually come of it.

I’ve gone ahead and signed up for Script Frenzy, which is to stage screen plays what NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) is to novels.

You can keep track of my madness here.

June will be very busy with preparations for NEARFest, Readercon and Big Brothers.