On Sunday, we had our monthly Starship Farragut Producers’ Meeting.  For those that may not be familiar, the producers of the Starship Farragut project meet up on a monthly basis to discuss project status, financial well-being, conventions/media plans, scripts, casting/HR, sets, wardrobe, audio/video equipment, lighting, and all other topics involved with making a film, including business items.

During this particular meeting, I shared with the team that I plan to step down as “actor Captain” and focus more on the creative direction of Starship Farragut.  When I conceived this project, I had no idea the amount of work and effort required to be an effective actor.  My background/education is not in the fine arts of drama – an area that I underestimated when this project began almost six years ago.  Having gone through the process though, I have a better understanding and a foundation for the craft.

The Starship Farragut project is one that is stabilized.  In the next few months, will be working with Mike Bednar to see about transitioning day-to-day operations and oversight over to him.  We’ll be examining and assessing how this will actually work and better define areas of responsibility.  My thinking here is and if I can make an analogy, just as Rick Berman handled the daily oversight of Star Trek: The Next Generation initially, Gene Roddenberry was more involved in the creative direction of the series and characters.  Working with the respective actors, I will lend my thoughts and vision for the series.  In other words, I’ll still be involved, but in a lesser role than before.

NOTE:  We are in pre-production of a film called “The Price of Anything,” which we are still moving forward with filming scheduled for October.  This film  will show the transfer of command from Carter to Tacket; I’ll  be working to refine the script to reflect this transition.  All actors engaged at present are still planning to be involved as previously planned.

Also, I’ll  be focusing more of my attention on Farragut Films.  Another analogy, just as Desilu/Paramount Studios was the film studio company that made Star Trek, so is Farragut Films to Starship Farragut.  There are some exciting opportunities lined up that further promotes the Starship Farragut project, both directly and indirectly, and broaden our portfolio of other film and media-based efforts.  I shared one idea at the meeting, which everyone was excited about and will be sharing more of Farragut Films 2011-2012 roadmap at February’s meeting.  In addition, I’ll be working on some small projects that will enable me the opportunity to direct films and potentially direct a Starship Farragut episode in the future.

I believe that Farragut Films has set some precedents in the independent fan film community, and we will continue to do so in a greater capacity this year.  Farragut Films had a great 2010 as we worked successfully with United Worlds Entertainment on the POLARIS film, a non-TREK and original SCI-FI film that I’m confident will be a great INDY film.  As part of this effort, we’ve extended our involvement with the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) on our signatory agreement.  As part of working with the local community, we’ve worked with W.H. Gross Construction Company and the Office of Economic Development of St. Marys to promote that area for living, business, and tourism —- and make it not the ‘best kept secret on the East Coast’.  ‘We’ve also worked with ANOVOS Productions and KRH Embroidery.  Rounding off the year, we celebrated five years collaborating with NEO f/x – a long term and mutually beneficial partnership – we look forward to more years down the road.

2010 was a great year and 2011 looks even more promising.  Happy New Year to all!

Farragut Films – “Setting the Standard.”