SoCal Treksters—see you at Stan Lee's ComicCon (ex-Comikaze)

Yes, it's now named Stan Lee's L.A. Comic Con, it's next weekend and I'm thrilled to say that Star Trek Continues will again have a panel Sunday after a screening of Episode 6, "Come Not Between the Dragons," which moi am honored to moderate.

You can see the episode on the big screen, only 7 weeks from its world premiere at Salt Lake Comic-Con, at 11:30 am in Room 304ABC on Oct. 30 at the LA Convention Center. Even on Sunday morning, allow plenty of time for downtown parking!

I will hardly need to creatively consult for this part of STC, as I'll be joined by our talented and risk-taking guest star Gigi Edgely as Ensign Eliza Taylor from that episode plus director Julian Higgins, who made his incredible first mark on STC with this one. 

Gig has a signing table all weekend, but this panel is the only appearance that weekend for Juliand and I, so come by and say hi during and afterward. I'm happy to talk about any Star Trek, STC or Trekland projects for a bit!

Hey, Salt Lake—can't wait to Trekland back for the 50th!

FOUR big conventions across this continent over Labor Day weekend, on the eve of Star Trek's actual 50th anniversary Sept. 8—and I'm thrilled to be back for the party at one of the biggest three: Salt Lake Comic Con!

It's been a late assembly on my schedule details, but for sure I'll be thrilled to be on hand in RM 250A for the world premiere of Episode 7 of Star Trek Continues Friday at 7 pm, "Embrace the Winds," with Vic, Todd, Kim, Wyatt, Cat, builder John and  producer/make-up designer Lisa and I paneling afterwards—and 300 free posters, first-come!...

... Followed by prize trivia and rare/new video for a 9:30 pm "Dr. Trek Show" crowdfunder event for The Con of Wrath in RM 150G—the last chance for SLCC fans to grab a screen credit live and more, as we wrap up the documentary this coming year.

Here's the con link for my schedule—a solo Trekland show session at 3 pm Thursday, and then I join with local fans on a couple more on Saturday. It's been great to meet all the SLC club-ship-chapters in the Seventh Fleet and meet so many fans active in their local groups.

Keep checking—it's likely not to be complete til con eve!

Meanwhile, I'll have a Trekland Outpost at Booth 403 in the front of the Big Hall, looking for more deep-divers for Portal 47 with a drawing and some jump-in special goodies ... as well as my newest On Speaker remastered archival CD interview album, Volume 5: "30 at 50: 'Flashback' and 'Tribble-ations " for the 50th, and the regular fun stuff. 

Spread the word, Utah (and south Idaho)!

And stay tuned.

Last day "To Boldly Indiegogo" for Continues—and it will

Today— ending at midnight Pacific time— is the last day you can jump into the "To Boldy Indiegogo" crowdfunder campaign for my beloved Star Trek Continues, where *I* jumped in as Dr. McCoy twice and remain aboard as creative consultant.

If you have not done so thus far, I wish you'd make that leap—especially if you jumped into either of the bang-up "Kirkstarter" drives before ... because you loved the bang-up quality and love of the amazing, Star Trek Continues stories, and their recreated look and feel. Five times now, on time and on budget—right?

And now a final day all-levels donor's bonus is just out.Oh, and did you know: the Webby-winning Continues is now a tax-exempt, 501(c)3 non-profit filed with the IRS—so, for Americans at least, you can even take you donation as a tax deduction!

But, hey, I know what's up: Unless you've been living under a fake styrofoam rock the past few months, you know the fan-film world has been thrown into a tizzy over the Axanar lawsuit and the ripples from it. And then the whole future of Trek fan films seems uncertain, as the studio Trek "fallow time" finally ends and we get an exciting canon series back in episodic form next winter—which is the positive future where a lot of my Trekland focus is going.
 
But in the here and now today, no matter what, let me just assure you this:  Your faith, as well as your much appreciated cash, will not be in vain in Star Trek Continues if you check aboard this Indiegogo campaign. You have my word on that. And Captain Vic's—check his update video on the Indiegogo page at "13 Days Ago." (Today's offer supersedes the bonus mentoned.)

The announced plan was for STC to end after 13 episodes anyway, with a original "finale" that leads into the situation seen at the beginning of The Motion Picture. The crowdfunding strategy was to go big on a goal after the two prior conservative targets of $100K, and thus make a longer haul over time with less crowdfunding. (My local NPR station, knowing even supportive listeners are weary of the on-air fundraisers, did the same thing with a larger goal to cover the entire election season without interruption.)

But to hedge the risk, STC made the switch to Indiegogo—where, unlike the goal-or-bust structure of Kickstarter, you keep whatever you raise. On the other side of the coin, Kickstarter is supposedly more of a comfort for risk-averse donors, of course—but here we thought that with STC's track record of transparency it would be a moot point.

But as you notice: the campaign and its next episodes are going ahead. So if you've been hesitant about helping out this time, let me just say this:

I am as excited about Star Trek Continues as I was when I first recorded this back in 2013, from Sickbay— or any of the other vidchats with STC regulars, crew and guests I've done so far. Many of which I've still not posted!

There's lots more good Star Trek Continues background stuff coming here—just as with the main STC series, where Ep. 6 and 7 that were crowdfunder-supported last year will be out online over Memorial Day and Labor Day holidays: "Come Not Between the Dragons" and "The Winds of Change."

Thanks for listening. Here's the link one more time.
Now, I just need to crowd-fund a few round-trip airfares to Toronto...

Salt Lake ComicCon: What a line-up for Trekland!

They say that Salt Lake ComicCon is now the #3 geek/genre convention in the country now—after granddaddy San Diego and still-young New York CC. I guess I'm about to be two for three!

Yes, I'm SLCC-bound next weekend with a very full dance card, taking PORTAL 47 out for its first spin in public,  and well aware of the huge Trek turnout from the Utah/Idaho region at this otherwise multi-genre comic-con. I'll be at Booth 2254 at posted hours with a drawing for some rad real prizes —and gifts for PORTAL 47 on-site sign-ups.


I'm going to be doing everything from hosting Walter Koenig on stage to remembering Leonard Nimoy … and looking at the State of Trek was we barrell down into the big 5-0 anniversary.

Not to mention helping out with the WORLD PREMIERE of Star Trek Continues' Episode 5 and the panel afterward with Vic, Chris, Wyatt and Steve—and Lisa, and Daniel! 

And, of course, what's a convention on my guesting itinerary without a Dr. Trek crowdfunder night for The Con of Wrath—now into our wrap-up shooting year?

Doubly excited, as this will be the largest convention where PORTAL 47 is out in the open!  Thus, I'll have "On Speaker" CDs, my photos, and a drawing for three prizes at my table— two months of Portal 47 power, a TNG-era artifact from the Trekland Trunk, and a one-time Portal guest telebriefing jump-in, too (need not be present to win!). 

So if you are in SLC, be sure to come visit me at dear ol' Booth 2254 at the Salt Palace! Who knows—I may even do something radical and have an assistant this weekend.

The con sked for me is here … 

THURSDAY
2 pm, Rm 355 — All about the for-real Enterprise in Space.org 4 pm, Grand Ballroom — Moderating for the great Walter!

FRIDAY
5 pm, RM 255E — "Leonard Nimoy: A Retrospective"
6-7:30 pm, RM 355 — Star Trek Continues WORLD PREMIERE Ep. 5 screening/ panel
9-11 pm, Rm 151A: "Dr. Trek Show" crowdfunder event for The Con of Wrath

SATURDAY 
3 pm , RM 255E — "The State of Trek: Looking Ahead to Star Trek at 50" —Not my usual fan forum, but a panel leading and with Chris Doohan, John Eaves, Jonathan Croup

And there's a chance we will get to add one more for Thursday or Saturday.. stay tuned.

I was blown away by the depth of Trek fandom in Utah during the small but intense CONduit sci-fi con last spring… so this 

STV: It's FarragutFest! Celebrate with two REAL and local crew of the Farragut & Enterprise

If it's the first weekend of December, it must be FARRAGUT FEST down in Kingsland, GA, home to the Farragut Studios that boasts the rebuild of Desilu's storied Stage 9...i.e., the original Star Trek sets of the 1960s whose amazing recreations are used here now for both the Starship Farragut and Star Trek Continues indie fan film series, of which I've come to be quite familiar.

If you are lucky enough to be in the region—I hope to go one year, but families already come from several states away to get to walk those hallowed corridors in these incredible lookalikes—I hope you tell Royal Weaver and Sam Rooks hi, if you meet them (video below the fold). Those two, and many more, are part of the local crew who build and maintain those stages year-round in-between times the rest of us are away.  In between the tours, panels and even vendors of FarragutFest, they are among the many who can tell you all the history and backstage detail you'd ever want to know.

And that's why I took time during the "Mirror" shoot for STC's "Fairest of Them All" last spring—our own chat cut short by the needs of the shoot, as you'll see—to get both of these guys on camera and get them their due. The photo (left) just happens to be them atop and steadying a ladder to be able to run the Tantalus Field cover during that filming.

Also during shoots, Sam spends a lot of time with lights, while Royal is everyone's number one door man—and I don't mean the taxi-hailing kind, I mean the sliding Starfleet kind. It's a special art, as anyone who's seen the original bloopers knows all too well!

So—in honor of another FarragutFest this weekend, here's my chat with the locals, to celebrate! If you can't be there, try for 2015—I know I will—and meanwhile check out the Farragut Films Facebook page where I'm sure there'll be pics a-plenty. Go "Like" their page—and of course, go "Like" the Star Trek Continues page as well— if somehow *gasp* you haven't already!

STV: Writer-director James Kerwin on making "mirror" with Star Trek Continues—Part 1

Just in time for a Star Trek Continues screening and panel this noon Saturday at Stan Lee's Comikaze...

Here's Part 1 of my sit-down with STC's "Fairest of Them All" co-writer and director James Kerwin, made last summer before the episode won for "New Media—Drama" at the Burbank International Film Festival, and represented the entire series to win "Best Web Series" at the 2014 Geekie Awards. 

I've known friend-of-Trekland James since I first saw his sci-fi noir feature "Yesterday Was a Lie" thanks to star Chase "Leeta" Masterson, and we also talked to him during the Spirit of Star Trek series in L.A. in 2010-11. Although I did not act for James, he has not been shy about exercising the phone line in my role as STC creative consultant at times...so it was a pleasure to talk about this episode after the fact, and out of the on-set stress of concentrating to get the shoot finished.

We'll have Part 2 up shortly with more insights and in-jokes... and more on his own RUR project later still.

See you at L.A.'s own Comikaze—last con of the year!

They say that cons in L.A. are the hardest because the celebs are everywhere all year long anyway, and the fans are blasé. 

Well, we'll see about that: After missing it for a couple years, I'm finally going to roll out of bed and stroll over for the Comikaze event downtown under Stan Lee's banner—and I can finally see for myself about all that, in all its downtown Staples Center splendor.

Yes, Friday is actually Halloween—my first year to be "home" on spook night since being in Kingsland, GA on Oct. 31 last year for the last day of filming Star Trek Continues' "Lolani" and the early overlap with Farragut's "Conspiracy of Innocence." But you've got nothing to do in the day, right?

Highlight for me at CK is the Star Trek Continues' big-screen showing of "Fairest of Them All" at noon Saturday and a cast/crew panel afterwards that I'm taking part in—along with James Kerwin, Chris Doohan, Kipleigh Brown, Doug Drexler, Lisa Hansell & Tim Vittetoe, and Jacqueline Groehner. I also expect to be tabling as well... in fact, I'll have my Trekland CDs and photos and Stellar Cartography...but most of all I'll be talking about Enterprise in Space live, my first chance to do so since we really started our roll-out.

Hang on, and we might even try a crowdfunder "Dr. Trek" show Saturday night. Not too late, of course: It is, after all, an L.A. crowd.

Oh and here's the "official" screening/panel call for STC's event at noon Saturday...

LA ALERT: This Friday FREE in Glendale: Celebrate "Mirror" past and present with Star Trek Continues and author Marc Cushman

And all of this is free, with lots of parking!:

For you SoCal Treklanders, here's a chance THIS FRIDAY NIGHT in Glendale for a big-screen viewing of both the original HUgo-niminated "Mirror, Mirror" and the Star Trek Continues' inspired follow-up, "Fairest of Them All," with a chunk of the STC cast on hand and hosted by author Marc Cushman.

The event is actually titled "Star Trek: Past, Present and Future" and has a Facebook page; it starts at 7 p.m. at the Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard in Glendale.  Marc will share notes on the TOS version from his "These Are The Voyages" book on Season 2, and then it's all capped off with a Q&A with STC cast and crew.

Unfortunately for my STC family feels, I will be in El-Paso for EP-Con—a wonderful opportunity to be with fans there and screen it—but  slated to be on hand in Glendale (check the poster (left)!) are Vic Mignogna, Todd Haberkorn, Chris Doohan, Kim Stinger, Michele Specht, Asia DeMarcos, Kipleigh Brown, and co-writer/director James Kerwin — plus guests stars past and present Bobby "The Gorn" Clark and Michael "Apollo" Forrest. And "more"….in surprise...

In case you didn't hear, this is my first chance to blog it and boast like a proud uncle: STC just won "Best Web Series" at the live-streamed Geekie Awards, and only last weekend took home the festival win in New Media—Drama at the Burbank International FIlm Festival after its World Theatrical Premiere…check it out here (at left)!  

Trekland hits Vegasland 2014: Tour, trivia, TNG, The Experience

Whoa, here it is—where you Vegasites will find me at the Rio after our LA2Vegas Trek Tour
comes rolling in Tuesday night, and our "Kirk memorial" day trip to the Valley of Fire.

Special note this year: The annual debut of TREKLAND: On Speaker! This year, it's  Vol. 3, "DS9's Finale: What They Left Behind," on the 15th anniversary of the 2-hour epic and the end of the series!

You can also find Vol. 2 at my TABLE, but specific hours will be posted this year. Still working on that—check in later.


WEDNESDAY:

9 pm, Masquerade Bar (casino): Really? Our fourth annual preview-night "Landing Party" sponsored by Trekland, Mission Log Podcast and Glue Guns and Phasers. Fun and prizes and a hard-core's early-bird meetup of your Vegas regulars!  Hope I'm not too sunburned.


THURSDAY: 
12:30 pm.:  Rapid-Fire Trivia—the return of this pretty simple trivia bash with prizes supplied by our freinds at CBS Consumer Products. Just me and you... just get in line!

9 p.m.: Special screening off-site (Brenden Theaters,  across the street 2 blocks west) of THE GREEN GIRL, bio-documentary about Susan "Vina" Oliver and her long career, studio rebel, speed pilot/driver life, and early push as a female director. I was one of many to talk on camera for director George Pappy, including Celeste Yarnell. Panel afterwards! Only 96 seats: Some seats still available (online only).

11:55 pm: Special free screening off-site (AMC Town Square, on the Strip) of "Fairest of Them All," Star Trek Continues' "Mirror, Mirror" followup.  I am still proud to remain as a creative consultant. Panel afterward includes most of crew and cast present.

FRIDAY:

Daytime: At the table, but check hours: I'll be doing vidchats at times.

SATURDAY:

Daytime: Same as Friday, but get for a little cosplay surprise...

9-11 p.m.:  My Rio room 18006: The annual "Dr. Trek Show" crowdfunder to benefit THE CON OF WRATH: $20 not only gets you a screen credit but also a shot at prize trivia, rare Trek video and sneak peeks at the docs so far. And a shot at getting some more Trek tales out of me.

SUNDAY:
1:50 pm:  Panel talk; "20th Anniversary of the TNG Finale" This will be fun, and I have a surprise reading: The Lost Draft of the theft of the Enterprise-D!

5:20: "We Touched the Future: The Impact of Star Trek: The Experience"—panel with STTE veterans and fans/coworkers from the audience.

You're not coming to any of these by now unless you're already AT Vegas. Hope to see you, off this quick intro!

LA ALERT: FREE TOS/STC screening/writers Saturday

 

If you are in the LA area and love you some Original Series, plus Star Trek Continues' depiction of it... you have a don't-miss triple whammy this Saturday, July 12, 10 a.m.- 1 p.m. in Glendale.

 

And it's all free!

First up at the Glendale Central Library, 222 E. Harvard St., there's a stellar Star Trek panel with Walter Koenig (Chekov), Marc Cushman (award winning Star Trek author of These Are the Voyages TOS books), Mark Altman (writer/producer of Free Enterprise), John D.F. Black (sole surviving producer of Star Trek, TOS) and Scott Mantz of Access Hollywood.

After that, hang on for the screening of a clip from STC's most recent, "Fairest of Them All" (the mirror universe follow-up) -- and then a panel with director James Kerwin, assistant director Chris White, and actress Kipleigh Brown.

That's a knock-out, historic first panel—and if you have somehow not seen Marc's books yet, they are incredibly dense with TOS material. I know all those buds on the TOS side—as well as that lineup coming on afterward. I wish I could be there...but family calls, during my "rest" this month.

Yes, the day is free—plus get 3 hours' free parking (with validation from library) at the Market Place shopping center parking structure off Harvard Street.

Click in at the Facebook event page here.

TODAY: Latest in Wired.com's doc series on ST Continues

Have you seen these? A crew from Wired.com was on-site last March to film a zillion sit-downs of Star Trek Continues cast and crew and behind-the-scenes footage of the shoot. ...all for a five-part online doc series  they are now posting almost daily. Some of me is in those digital film "cans" as well; they certainly shot enough folks and footage.

Parts 1 and 2 were released last weekend on the eve of the online premier date for "Fairest of Them All," the "Mirror, Mirror" follow-on sequel that is getting rave reviews.

With series like this as proof of its appeal and quality, I have no problem with promoting and staying in the think tank for STC, with an eye down the road for even more creative playing in the Trek TOS sandbox.

And now, Part 3 is up in the Wired series, just today! It's a tour by Vic of the incredible 1701 sets in Georgia, co-built and shared by Continues and Farragut Films.

SO—what do you think? IS the bridge your favorite--or are you in the minority?

What a jam-packed weekend of good news in Trekland!

Well. THIS has been some weekend. Look what ALL just happened:

—"Fairest of Them All," the third episode of Star Trek Continues, just debuted online Sunday (and before a cast-fronted live con crowd in Sydney, Australia) to thunderous fan approval, from all I've read initially, as of tonight. I'm proud to not only remain in the think-tank for STC but to promote and cover its talented family and the "making of" each show as well. That includes both new and catch-up STC videos out now on "Trekland STV", and those still to come—you ain't seen nothing yet! Not to mention future episodes of STC itself.

So stay tuned and subscribe to Trekland as well as my YouTube Channel to know when they go up even ahead of their posting on the STC Facebook (and have you Liked there yet?)

—The second Kickstarter for the Hollywood Sci-Fi Museum, whose non-profit board I sit on that grew from the "Save the Bridge" New Starship project, raised over 50% of its goal just these last two weeks and finally BUSTED right through to success Sunday with 12 hours to go—and ended up with over $11,000 extra in the pot by the time its midnight deadline arrived. Yes, I was nervous a couple weeks ago, and even knew that a lapse here was not fatal—with so many industry and corporate donors and supporters lining up. 

But this was a solid sign of the basic support for such a new Hollywood tourist landmark and museum, much less its planned educational mission. This drive helps fund some of the major bridging pieces of the puzzle to make this thing really work—the budget is on the KS site. It was also a nice affirmation of the hours of professional yet volunteer planning that's going in, and faith that this is not a gaudy pipe dream. Don't forget our Facebook, too! And get the latest at Comic-Con San Diego too—the Bridge is back for free photo ops, of course, at Booth 3631!

—And THEN, on a bit less lofty but every bit as fun level, we were madly making fans aware that this was the last weekend to register for the 2014 edition of the "LA2Vegas" Trek Film Site Tour that I lead for Geek Nation Tours and Terrace Cassidy. Quick! Jump aboard now if you'd like! 

—Plus, I was honored to talk about De Kelley Saturday for the 15th anniversary of his passing June 11 in another new online media "thing," a recorded Google+ Hangout sponsored by In Memory and Honor of Deforest Kelley Facebook group. 

—And THEN…there's the other nonprofit I'm honored to sit on the board for, Enterprise in Space—and its amazing, public-oriented mission that we will SOON be telling the world about, even as there's details and deadlines to chase down now. IT just became "official" and is jumping into gear—much more later!

—Oh, and also... hope you all had a wonderful Father's Day—both those of the fatherly persuasion, and those who enjoy their love!

(Oh, yeah—and thanks for that whole "stand by me while the overblown misquoting monster made-up story" thing blew over. Whether on Facebook, Twitter or comment threads, the Trekland Army was awesome the way you all knocked down the bizarre report every time other unaware—or lazy—news websites picked up the story to run it, without editing it first.

Whew. I'll just pack for BayouCon, now…!

A debut eve two-fer: Fresh from stage, Todd Haberkorn reflects on Spock's "Lolani" mind-meld

Yes, this is a look back, but hey:

A chat with Todd Haberkorn is always a fun visit—even when it was shot back during the filming of Star Trek Continues' "Lolani" last fall—and portends what may be in store for Todd's process of Spockifying himself as the mirror universe-based "Fairest of Them All" debuts online at noon Eastern on June 15.

We filmed this just after he shot the pivotal mind-meld scene in Episode 2, and yes the makeup and the uniform undershirt are still in place, as Todd graciously delayed the end of his final day of shooting for a few minutes for our chat. You can also see makeup supervisor Tim Vittetoe prepping removal in the background.

I still have more vidchats and "B-roll" background video from both "Lolani" and the new "Ep3" mirror show to share; stay tuned as I unspool more. And don't forget to catch up on the  "Official Star Trek Continues" Facebook page for ongoing news and more STC BTS, as well...

What do think about Todd's, er, thoughts about the mind meld?

Wyatt is back! Star Trek Continues' Ep. 3 debuts Sunday

Here you go! Aside from the great new WiredTV series and all our usual site videos, I do have some sneak-peeks of my own for Star Trek Continues' Episode 3, the mirror-tale "Fairest Of Them All"—filmed in mid-March and getting its world premiere tonight at SupanovaCon in Sydney, Australia...online Sunday, June 15 at noon Eastern!

And what better way to start off "safely"—a spoiler-free tease, natch—than with a chat with Wyatt Lenhart, who took one episode's leave offship from playing Chekov, but is back now in all his mirror-snarly glory here for "Ep3." I ask him all your pent-up questions!

As I promised, leaving the on-camera world of STC for now did not mean an exit from the production family, and part of my world now is continued documenting of STC in the Trekland style... like this quick chat with Wyatt on a pivotal day of shooting. It's just the first of many more to come:

Phoenix rising!: See you at Comicon—and Todd too!

Whoa! It's been two days back from FedCon and time to turn sights just eastward to Phoenix Comicon, another show that's exploding in size but keeping its fun fan factor feel...and thanks to Matt Solberg and ALL the wonderful volunteer staff for having me back again as a guest.

2013 PHXCC debut of STC and "Pilgrim of Eternity"

No huge Star Trek Continues world debut and cast signing as with last year's amazing moment, but this year Todd "Spock" Haberkorn—the only castmember who had to miss 2013's debut gala—is also a PHXCC con guest and will join me for a screening of "Lolani" on Sunday in the Big Hall, otherwise known as the Valley of the Sun. Sure you've seen it online, but here's a chance to see it big-screen...and yak at us afterwards in Q&A.



On the solo front, I've got four events—plus my Trekland hours at Table 2524.

Here's links to my bio page there and those events—you can go to each page and "Choose" it--and get a number tally for my use:

Friday 4:30 - 5:30pm Room 122ab: Larry Nemecek's "Trekland: Between the Cracks" show

Saturday 3:00 - 4:00pm Room 122ab: The "State of the Trek" Forum: Larry Nemecek and All of Us

Sat. 10:30pm-12:30 am, Sheraton venue TBA Thursday: The "Dr. Trek Show" crowdfunder meetup for "The Con of Wrath" ($20 donation  for screen credit, prize trivia, rare & doc clips)

Sunday 1:30 - 3:30pm Valley of the Sun Hall: Star Trek Continues: Episode 2 "Lolani" Screening and Q&A


If you plan to come, please do "Like" the panels on these pages, and of course my Facebook event page's own "Attend" button.. always helpful! If you do, you'll get word for the Room Number for Saturday night's meetup in the Sheraton as soon as it's ready, on Thursday. Or just make sure you're following me on Twitter or Facebook as well—'twill be posted there too.

And next up: Lake Charles for BayouCon, back to OKC for SoonerCon, and then San Diego Comic-Con (two days, with a panel), the LA2Vegas Tour and then Vegas! And now London Destination Star Trek in the fall. I'll have more details, but for now here's the skinny in brief—and know there's a meetup planned at each site.

Treklanders around Detroit? Come meet up at Midwest Media Expo!

And now for something completely different…

It's a combination of my:
—a) setting foot in Michigan for the first time ever
—b) doing a convention as a fivesome with my Star Trek Continues cohorts, and
—c) guesting at a convention without any top-line actors or author/artists, but indeed some bigtime voice actors  (STC company included!).

It's otherwise known as the Midwest Media Expo in downtown Detroit's Renaisssance Center, the second edition of this "celebration of all popular media, including: Animation, Television, Film, Literature, Video Games, Tabletop Gaming, Comics, and Internet Culture",  and runs from 2 p.m. Friday/25th through 5 p.m. Sunday/27th. I'll be there doing my own thing, but also appearing with the hootful otherwise known as STC's Vic Mignogna, Todd Haberkorn, Chris Doohan, and Steve Dengler.

Outside voice actors, the other guests are all leaders in fandom movements like indie films and other productions, web stars, podcasters, and cosplay… and I can't wait to see what the audience shapes up as. For me, this is truly a new kinda deal…but I have hunch that, whatever happens: fans will be fans. We'll see how Trek turns out at this multi-genre show… but I know we'll have a good group for our screenings. 

And, above all, I'm looking forward to being on Michigan turf for the first time ever… and meeting the fine folks of the USS Intrepid club chapter again, at least. 

Not to mention some of our ST Continues crew visiting from adjacent Ohio—the great Liz, Abbey (my Nurse Temple), and her hubby Adam! 

So here's the weekend for me: 

FRI:
4-6 p.m., 4th Floor West Foyer: STC group autographs/LN tabling

SAT:
11 am-12:30 pm, Main Events 1/Cabot Ballroom: ST Continues panel

9-10:30 pm, Panel Room 2/Ambassador 3: Our "Trekland: Between the Cracks" show

11 pm -1 am: TBA close by: My crowdfunder "Dr. Trek Show" meetup for The Con of Wrath
(Not on advance con schedule online) 

SUN:
12:30-2:30 pm, 4th Floor West Foyer: STC group autographs/LN tabling

And just to be clear-ish:

I will indeed be doing a "Dr. Trek Show" crowdfunder meetup for "The Con of Wrath" as well, but right now it's looking like 11 pm-1 am… at a site close by, but TBA. Stay tuned, MME'ers.

It's birthday boy Grant "Sulu" Imahara during "Lolani," the 2013 Star Trek Continues shoot for Episode 2!

Grant Imahara has a been a real hoot to know and work with amid my ongoing connection with Star Trek Continues ever since the pilot episode, and during the shoot for Episode 2 "Lolani" in 2013 his one day on set actually fell on his Oct. 23 birthday. (Note that this is just a couple days before my infamous "Cure" moment, and my voice is already suffering from Travel Crud.)

But Grant is in fine form, as you can tell by our quick vidgab (below the fold), filmed between takes and amidst the chaos. Watch for my shot of the moment when Sulu turned back into Mythbuster Grant and he tried to troubleshoot a stuck Suluscope (I always called it the "Viewmaster") ...along with a peek at the creatively-"sculpted" Enterprise birthday cake Grant was presented later that night.

As the world will see, Grant has a notable moment in Episode 3 of Star Trek Continues, coming in summer 2013. I missed seeing him during that shoot, so I guess it was a good thing I "saved" him back in Episode 1, eh?

And if all this "Continues" talk is new to you, what are you waiting for? Go here to see STC prior episodes on YouTube or Vimeo... and "like" the Facebook page as well to keep up with news of the latest stuff. And, yes, our Kirkstarter is indeed over with success.

STV: 'The Cure' saves the day (and my throat) for ST Continues' "Lolani"!

More of our premiere week goodies for "Lolani," the second episode from Star Trek Continues …. 

Makeup wizards Tim Vittetoe and Lisa Hansell have a fabulous concoction for raspy ruined throats called simply "The Cure," which they shared when I had to save my voice at the very beginning of the 2011 Vegas Khaaan. I swear by it now!

So when travel crud threatened to do the same sabotage to my first real shoot day during the October 2013 filming of STC's second episode, I asked Lisa to refresh me on the recipe. Thanks to Gull Weaver for the emergency shuttle ride and daughter Carson, who shot this video for history's sake—they whisked me over to Applebee's, the only bar open in town before noon in Kingsland—and with all the ingredients... or close enough. And then bartender Nellie did the rest, just in time!

The record shows I then survived the rest of the week. 

 

"Lolani" premiered the night of Saturday, Feb. 8 at Dallas Sci-Fi Expo and soon afterward online at the STC Episodes site, via YouTube and Vimeo.  I'll have some more spoiler-filled vids up soon, once the world gets a gander at the episode.

And don't forget you can "Like" the Official STC Facebook page, and help us keep on past 90K to hit 100,000!

STV: Star Trek Continues' premiere week: Sneaky peeks!

Ready for even MORE new Trek?

In honor of the world premiere of Star Trek Continues  Friday at Phoenix Comicon with a gala screening, cast panel and signing—and yes, I hope many of you can join us—I put together this little pastiche of faces and moments from my own lenses during our January shoot for "Pilgrim of Eternity." It got its own world premiere as an exclusive clip I showed at BlasterCon in L.A. a couple weekends ago.

You can catch Grant Imahara from Mythbusters, Chris Doohan looking like another Doohan in red, fearless leader Vic Mignogna as Kirk and director, with Todd Haberkorn the Wonder Spock ... and a lot of the cast and crew, including me in McCoy togs and our Kim Stinger as Uhura bein' tough. I'll save some moments with Michael "Apollo" Forrest for a later time.

In fact, you can catch those three npow that we have premiered the thing! And if you crave EVEN MORE, bop over to the STC Facebook page, "Like" it, and scroll back through the last few weeks—there's been fun video and stills a-plenty.

For now, enjoy this teaser—literally!

STV: Kirk and Spock, on-set cut-ups: Star Trek Continues' Vic Mignogna and Todd Haberkorn

Let me introduce you to two of the best voice actors and most popular guests on the anime convention circuit—as well as a couple of all-around performers, directors and even editors: Vic Mignogna and Todd Haberkorn.

With all that, you're catching them at Trekland because Vic is the driving force—as producer, director, co-writer and Captain James T. Kirk—behind Star Trek Continues, which as you know by now this week is the latest "fan film" to debut that looks like anything but amateur. Todd, always at his side—well, sometimes—is holding on to the Spock ears and inflamed stoicism with great aplomb. (Vic was also crazy enough to ask me to step in at the 11th hour to play Dr. McCoy when the prior actor could not make the January shoot.)

With the world debut of "Pilgrim of Eternity" coming at Phoenix Comicon in big Room 120, this chat during the shoot is the third of four videos I'm premiering this week in the countdown to Friday night's huge screening and cast Q&A/signing event. Don't forget you can see more of the shorts at the STC website,  and more clips and stills at the Facebook page, too—which of course is easily Liked.

Till the premiere gets online ASAP after PHXCC for all to see ... Enjoy this third pre-premiere glimpse:



PLUS:  GRANT "MYTHBUSTERS" IMAHARA AS SULU—JUST CONFIRMED AS WELL!