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INTERVIEW: Alec Peters, Director of Star Trek: Axanar

Star Trek: Axanar is shaping up to be one of the best independent Star Trek films ever made. You can contribute to the film here, and check out our exclusive interview with director Alec Peters below:

AP2HYC: So this is the first fully professional, micro-budget Star Trek independent film?

Peters: Yes, there have been other minor-budget independent films, namely Of Gods and Men and Renegades, but both were still more fan-film than a full professional production.  Renegades is the closest to Axanar in what it attempted to do, but what differentiates Axanar is that we are using all professionals, and therefore paying everyone. Plus Axanar will look like it came from a major studio, as we proved in both Prelude to Axanar and our Vulcan scene we released.

AP2HYC: Can we expect awesome effects despite the tiny budget?

Peters: Yes, Tobias Richter will again be doing all the effects that everyone loved in Prelude to Axanar.

AP2HYC: Can you talk about the plot? Where does this fit in the timeline? Will we see familiar characters?

Peters: The year is 2245 and it is the last year of the Four Years War with the Klingons. This takes place in the Prime timeline and is set 21 years before the first season of TOS. As far as familiar characters, we will see Vulcan Ambassador Soval again, as well as Garth of course. And if you are familiar with Prelude to Axanar, all those characters will be back.  As for the plot, we really can’t give that away!

AP2HYC: Will there be cool aliens and creatures on display?

Peters: Well, Klingons, Andorrans, and Tellarites.

AP2HYC: At the time of writing, you have almost reached your crowdfunding goal despite only launching several days ago. Is this a testament to the dedication of Star Trek fans?

Peters: Well, actually we haven’t reached our goal. The goal is to raise the entire $1.3 million we need to fully fund the entire film. So $250,000 is just a baseline goal. We really need $ 330,000 per episode, and we have four episodes to film to make the full movie. We hope we can get at least halfway there so we can shoot half the movie.

AP2HYC: Will this be closer in tone to the original series or any of the later ones?

Peters: Well, the tone will be uniquely Axanar. We aren’t going for a historical recreation like the fan films. We are trying to create a feature film, shoot it in wide screen, and make it look like a modern feature, not a 50-year-old TV series.

AP2HYC: And will we be seeing the USS Enterprise?

Peters: Well, yes, but it is in the space dock being built.

AP2HYC: Do you have a great cast and crew?

Peters: As anyone who has seen Prelude to Axanar can tell you, we do!  And we are building on that cast and crew to make Axanar truly amazing.

AP2HYC: Is it up to the fans to keep the Star Trek franchise alive as there are not many official screen versions anymore?

Peters: I think so. And that is what we are doing. We believe in Star Trek and are sad that CBS isn’t making it for TV. The movies are fine, but really not giving the die-hard fans what they want. So it is up us to fill the gap.

Are you excited for Star Trek: Axanar? What do you want to see on the big screen? Tell us in the comments or on Twitter.

About the author

Davidde Gelmini