Hidden Frontier Productions Issue 1

It's been an exciting start to 2010 at Hidden Frontier!

We hit the ground running the first weekend in January with the first filming

on Season 3 of Star Trek: Odyssey. The 3rd season will combine the Helena

Chronicles and Odyssey together as one show. This will allow us to explore

the plots together and make for an exciting build up to the conclusion of the

story.

Meanwhile we began releasing the first season of our original show,

Frontier Guard in late January and one episode is being released each week

for 11 weeks. The show follows Connor Blake as he adjusts to life in the

25th century and tries to uncover his mysterious past.

Work continues on our audio dramas, Federation One, Henglaar MD and

Grissom, as well as our newest audio drama, Voyages of the USS Angeles.

Originally a video series, the audio episodes pick up with season 2. Season 1

is available on Vimeo and the original pilot movie is being restored for

release in a few months.

As always, we invite everyone to join us on the forums and for our weekly

Monday Night Chats. We hope you enjoy the HFP Magazine!

Rob

Special Thanks:

Interviewees:

Heather Ashleigh; Ryder Bach; Corey Jones; Julia Morizawa; Melodee M. Spevack; Sean Paul Teeling.

Writers:

Rob Caves; Brian Childers; Gerri Donaldson; Bodo Hartwig; Richard Miles; Eugenia Stopyra.

Staff:

Writers: Rob Caves; Brian Childers; Gerri Donaldson; Bodo Hartwig; Richard Miles; Eugenia Stopyra.

Head Writers; Gerri Donaldson; Eugenia Stopyra.

Graphics: Richard Miles

LA Liaison: Rob Caves

Assistant Editor: Heather Ashleigh

Editor: Richard Miles

Managing Editor: Rob Caves.

Production Companies: Hidden Frontier Productions and TC Productions

Issue available to download and view online via: trekkiecentralmagazine.mfbiz.com

Frontier Guard remains the property of Hidden Frontier Productions. Star Trek remains the property of CBS, no infringement is intended.

Corey Jones Interview 6

Heather Ashleigh Interview 8

Ships

FGS Polaris 10

The Trading Post 11

Character Bios:

Blake, Campbell, Pills 14

Ships

FGS Enterprise 15

Julia Morizawa Interview 16

Ships

FGS Timmerson 19

Ryder Bach Interview 20

Character Bios

Warrick, Strayteb, Sobel 22

Ships

Copermicus Academy 23

Melodee Spevack Interview 24

Ships

FGS Gallant 26

Character Bios

Tawn, Gribb, Kellogg 27

Zisser, Costas, Johnson 28

Johnson, Poulson 29

Audio Insider

By Bodo Hartwig 31

Sean Paul Teeling Interview 33

Staff 36

HFP: How did you become involved with Frontier Guard?

CJ: My manager got me the audition and I went in doing the best I

could. When I got the call back I was honestly surprised I felt

confident in my audition but not sure enough to say that I would

have been called back... Cool fact is that I was actually being

considered for both roles of Connor Blake AND his rival, Kasper

Gribb

HFP: How is your character involved with the storyline?

CJ: My character Connor Blake is only a part to the whole Frontier

Guard puzzle. All the other pieces and characters really solidify the

story line but I'm just that one piece that is always at the end that

you need to finish the puzzle. Connor is a significant part because

of his history with the Ark and the fact that he has been apart of

the Ark for these 500 years and in his cryogenic state was actually

picking things up that he doesn't even know he had been learning.

HFP: Can you give us some information about your characters

past.

CJ: I was in a boy scout-like organization with my dad and lived in

Northern California. I wanted to play baseball because all the kids

were talking about it in school but when I tried out I found out

that I really wasn't all that good so I just said no... my dad tried to

encourage me to do it and stick with it and to really give it my all

but...I just wanted to do my own thing and try something new... so

we got into the scouts and I found that learning about my

surroundings and going on small adventures was something I

absolutely loved it. Of course when Tom Corbett came on the air I

did nothing but GLUE my eyes to the television wondering what it

would really be like and how badly I just wanted to get up there

and discover a whole new type of life and life style. Along with

what kind of life I could find or ... what a space rock looked like... I

just loved the thought and well ... when I came to be and came out

of the cryo chamber... things were really cool at first but you can

kinda say it was a burst of my bubble... everything around me I

was still interested in but when I would discover something new...

no one cared... it was all known to them and it was old news....

REALLY old news in fact. But my future is looking bright... and I

can’t wait to see what I actually can discover to make peoples

heads turn and go... wow we never knew that!!! and apart of that

plan I feel... involves me

HFP: There is a friction between your character and some of the

other cadets on the Polaris, why do you think this is, and would

you like to see this change?

CJ: The only real friction I have is with Kasper... he’s a pain in my...

well yeah I just don’t like him. Just because he’s good at sports and

can have super human strength and all that doesn't mean that

he's all that important.... trust me take an IQ test on the boy and

you will find that brawn definitely wins out in his "blood line"...

Half the time he's got cheat codes implanted in this eye piece and

others he just blatantly has the answers to... and all because of his

connection with his father and the Guard... I hope it can change

but he’s going to have to prove himself to me that he's not a

complete muscle head...

HFP: Where would you like to see your

character taken during Frontier Guard?

CJ: To his dreams of becoming an astronaut

that discovers new and unusual things in the

universe. Every kid deserves to have at least

one dream come true

HFP: How do you prepare for the role of

Connor Blake?

CJ: The day before the shoot I wake up in his

mind frame... I work in his mind frame and

then sleep in his mind frame... then on top of

that incorporate all that he stands for... my

dreams and aspirations and then go over the

lines before bed time... although even for the

lines there is a lot of time before then that

goes into just getting those down. I take time

out of EVERY day I have just to get them

ironed into my head so when they come from

me... they come from Connor

HFP: How do you see the character you play?

CJ: As an actor I'm encouraged not to answer

that question actually because it will lead to

bad acting

HFP: Is there anything else you can tell us

about the character?

CJ: I (Connor) just want everyone to know

that I’m just a kid... really nothing more.... I

deal with problems that go on in life like

relationships schooling and now the Frontier

Guard. Things come up every now and then

but it’s hard to be one of the ONLY one of

your kind. I thought racism wasn't all that bad

when I was younger. Now I definitely know

the difference. I just want to fit in, even

though I know that's not going to happen.~


HA: It was a combination of things. I think mostly I got put into the

show because I was there doing other projects and make-up. So the

production crew just sort of put me into the show. But I did have to

audition for my role to be sure I totally fit it, which I, obviously, did.

Hehe, but there’s not much else to tell other than that. Okay, next

question!


She’s on of the cadets in the academy. She’s the one no one’s quite

sure of. The other cadets aren’t sure whether to love her, or hate her.

But they definitely think she’s strange. Gee…wonder why? Hehe….

HFP: Your character carries a stuffed Otter about why is this?

HA: Haha, ok so THIS is why everyone thinks she’s strange. Why does

she carry an otter around? That’s a good question…..Pills is very

childlike in a lot of ways. She’s emotionally and mentally young for the

most part. So having the otter is like her security blanket. Just like my

son Jayden, for example. He carries around a stuffed monkey I bought

for him. He LOVES that thing and Pills is exactly that way. She’s very

naïve that way.

HFP: What can you tell us about your character?

HA: You mean besides what I just said? Hehe…she’s a mix of Hermione

Granger and Elle Woods. She’s definitely….well….blond. Yet she’s

EXTREMELY smart. And to know her outside of class you’d never know

she was that smart. Things come out of her mouth that you would

never expect her to know, and yet she not only knows what she’s

talking about, she’s able to put it into use! There’s definitely more to

her than meets the eye…even to more than what I just said. Pills has a

dark past with her parents dying when she was 12 and having to live

her life without them. That situation has made her that life can be

taken out from under you at any time, and therefore she tries to make

the best of each situation she’s in. She’s consistently happy, which

makes everyone else sick, but that’s how she views things. She’s

taking everything as a blessing because she’s lost the two most

important people in her life. And the only person she has left is the

otter….is it any wonder she talks to him? Hehe….

HFP: Where would you like to see your character taken?

HA: I’d love to, at some point, see the dark side of Pills come out. Like

I said, she hasn’t gotten angry so far. So I’d love to see a dark side of

her come out. Because then people will know what she’s really made

of. Plus I’d love some of the secrets of her past to start slowly

unfolding too…and to figure out why it is that she picked an OTTER of

all the animals she could pick! Lol….

HFP: Can you give us some information about your characters past.

HA: Okay, I need to read these interview questions a bit more

carefully. Haha. Umm, well, like I said, her parents died when she was

12. They were murdered and she’s been on her own ever since. It’s

not been made 100% clear to me in the actual storyline if she’s been

bounced back and forth from foster home to foster home, but that’s

the decision I made for her. That she’s so extremely happy because

she’s has such a hard life up until now.

HFP: How do you prepare for playing Gladys

Pills?

HA: I channel my inner blond….seriously! I have

this amazingly natural ability to be a dumb

blond (wonder why?!?!?!). And so I just

channel that and there you go! Haha….

HFP: Is there anything else you can tell us?

HA: Right now, that’s all we’ve got on Pills. It

seems to be a lot, but there is definitely more

in the making. So stay tuned! ☺~

The last known example of the Pathfinder Class of Combat

Scouts, the Polaris is perhaps one of the oldest - if not the oldest

- commissioned vessel in the service of the Frontier Guard. Long

pulled from active duty, this vessel serves as one of the training

ships at the Copernicus Academy orbiting Luna.

As the oldest known vessel in the Guard, the Polaris has a long

and storied history. Many of its systems are antiquated to the

point of being obsolete, other systems seem to have a mind of

their own, when they work at all, and rumors abound that the

old vessel is alternately cursed, haunted, or both Many of the

cadets who are assigned to the Polaris deride the old scout, and

consider it an assignment for the worst cadets at Copernicus

Academy, one that is sure to doom their chances of making it in

the Frontier Guard, if indeed they make to graduation at all!

For all of these things, however, the old girl has withstood the

test of time through its continued service to the Guard.

It is perhaps a mute testament to the Polaris that, despite

attempts to have the old scout finally stricken from service and

sent to the junkyard, she still serves the Frontier Guard helping to

train new cadets to this day, even if some of those cadets would

rather be anywhere else. The reasons for her continued survival

of decommissioning attempts remains perhaps one of the most

speculated mysteries about her.

"It's a scrapheap, only the worst cadets are assigned to it."

FGS Polaris

Class: Pathfinder

Class Combat Scout

A LOOK AT THE SHIPS BY BRIAN CHILDERS

A SELECTION OF ITEMS FROM THE FRONTIER GUARD RANGE THAT IS CURRENTLY AVAILABLE ON THEIR CAFÉ PRESS SHOP AT http://www.cafepress.com/frontierguard

Our adjustable, 100% brushed cotton Cap is

unstructured and an ideal way to beat the heat. Wear it

anytime you want to keep the sun off or cover up a bad

hair day. It features a sturdy low profile brim,

sweatband, and adjustable closure, as well as Premium Printing for images that last.

• �Adjusts from 20" to 24"

• Crown measures 3 ¼"

• Unstructured 100% brushed cotton

canvas

• Available in Khaki or White

• Hand wash with warm water and

mild detergent

• Hang Dry

Get to class in style with this hip

book bag!

From school, to carrying your laptop,

to a hip alternative diaper bag, our

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practically all you need to get you

through every stage of your life – and

look hip doing it.

• One front

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closure.

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compartment has

inside slip pocket.

• Front panel has

zipper

compartment.

• Adjustable 2"

shoulder strap.

• 600 Denier

Polyester

• Size: 14 1/2" x

12" x 5"

Relax off duty with this official cadet wear!

Relax off duty with this official cadet wear!

Get into sporty, stylin' casual comfort with our Women's

Cap Sleeve Raglan. Looks great on the go or just hangin'

out. Made of 100% combed ring-spun cotton that gets

even softer with each washing.

• 6.1 oz 100% combed ring-spun

cotton 1x1 rib

• Shaped fit, side seamed

• Contrast color cap sleeves and single-needle bound collar

The Ringer T has made a fashion comeback, and ours is

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for retro-coolness. Great for relaxing in comfort year-

round.

• 5.5 oz 100% preshrunk cotton

• Double-needle hemmed trim

• Contrast ringer neck and sleeves

Elegant Tile Coaster, let the cadets

guard your drink!

Liven up any room or party with our fun,

hip tile coasters, measuring 4.25” x 4.25”

and 1/6-inch thick. Images are applied

with a polyester resin that accepts dye as

part of the coating. Four felt pads protect

your furniture from scratches. Dishwasher

safe. Not for use with abrasive cups and

mugs.

Give any room futuristic flair

with this colorful poster!

Perfect for dressing up any wall, this

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high-quality poster, printed on

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using superior dye inks. Treat yourself

or give as a gift.

Connor son of Dr Jason Blake, a prominent scientist on the Ark

Research Project was abducted in 1957 from the planet Earth and

frozen in stasis for 500 years.

Now at 17 biological years he takes a position as a cadet 4th

class with

the Frontier Guard on Copernicus Station. Blake has not come to the

academy with a perfect reputation he is known for his anti-social

behaviour, his lack of diligence with assignments and disruptive

outbursts. He has had to overcome many obstacles to get where he is

today.

Blake wants to present himself as a diligent student and says that his

father has taught him to study hard, respect his instructors and to work

as part of a team. Blake believes his father is proud of him no matter

what he does. But, it remains to be seen if Blake can overcome his

reputation and succeed! Is there more to this youth than we know?

Will he live up to his reputation, overcome his origins and prove worthy

of the Frontier Guard?

Who is Connor Blake or should we say “Johnson”? Why is he here and

will we find that out?

Connor Blake

Zyta of Human and Antarian origin is a laid back kinda girl. Seemingly

not phased when more senior officers are around and not ready to

jump before being asked! At 17 she seems to have typical teenager

woes and she is more concerned with her relationship than the

excitement of being a cadet 4th

class with the Frontier Guard on

Copernicus Station. She seems to make outlandish statements, is this

because she is attention seeking?

However, it seems that she has compassion when she knows that

others have had it “tough”. Already in the short time that she has been

on the station she has well developed friendships. Will this skill be

translated into an ability to command or is she just too laid back?

Another new 4th

class cadet of the Frontier Guard, Gladys seems to be a

girl searching for something. Gladys has an interest in the occult and

uses Tarot Cards to predict the future! Is she seeking out what will

happen to her in the future? Does she believe that she can foretell it?

Will it be bring her happiness and joy or will it bring her more

suffering?

Gladys lost her parents at the age of 12 and even though she is 17 years

old she still seems to be “young”. She has a security blanket in the

form of “Mr Otter” who she freely talks too and interacts with. Is

Gladys ready for the Guard or will this be too much for her? Or, will the

trials that she has already gone through in her younger days mean that

really she is stronger than she appears?

If the Trident Class cruiser is the Apex of the typical commanding

officer in the Frontier Guard, then only the truly exceptional are

honored with command of the massive Alliance Class Carriers.

These enormous ships are the flagships of Frontier Guard fleet

operations, capable of coordinating the strategic and tactical

actions of dozens of Frontier Guard ships simultaneously, and

projecting power via their complements of Peacemaker and

Peacekeeper fighters, as well as support craft like the Achilles.

In years past, Guard pilots took to space in fighters and

fighter/bombers to engage enemy vessels and those enemies

own fighter screens, or to attack installations and surface

targets. In the modern era, however, most fighters are flown as

drones, their pilot operators safely aboard a carrier like the

Enterprise, aboard a capital ship, or space stations. The fighter's

telepresence control links allow nearly instantaneous responses

within a large range, and allow these fighters to perform

manoeuvres that would put a living pilot at risk from both the G-

Forces of the manoeuvre itself and from enemy firepower.

However, all current Frontier Guard fighters still maintain an

integral cockpit, and all Guard fighter pilots are trained to pilot

their craft personally and keep those skills honed should combat

come, once again, down to pilot against pilot.

The Peacemaker is the Frontier Guard's premiere single seat

interceptor fighter, designed for fleet defence operations against

enemy sub capitals and other fighter craft, fast, agile, and

capable of operations within space and a planetary atmosphere,

the Peacemaker is one of the hottest fighters a pilot can dream

of.

The Peacekeeper is the Peacemaker's bigger cousin, designed for

the role of fighter/bomber. Crewed by two, this rugged ship can

carry ordnance that makes them a deadly threat to any sub-

capital ship or installation, and can even threaten a full-size

capital ship under the right circumstances. An older fighter, the

Peacekeeper is now also largely flown as a telepresence drone by

its pilots, who have come to love the toughness of this machine.

The FGS Enterprise is commanded by one of the most storied

Frontier Guard commanding officers of all time, Admiral Diadem

Gribb.

FGS Enterprise

Class: Alliance Class

Command Carrier.


JM: I first became involved with Rob Caves and Hidden Frontier

Productions in 2003. I auditioned after submitting through Backstage

West and landed the role of S’Tal in “Star Trek: Hidden Frontier.” I was

brought in for several episodes until its series finale in 2007. Then I was

immediately asked to play the role of Stadi in “Star Trek: Odyssey,”

whom I’ve continued to portray over the last couple of years. Hidden

Frontier Productions began talking about the development of “Frontier

Guard” about the same time and I immediately expressed interest in

auditioning for a role. I was excited about the possibility of being

involved in an original series with the company because I’ve always

believed that they do such amazing work but were inevitably stuck

under a glass ceiling simply because of the legal barriers of using “Star

Trek” concepts. Finally, at the beginning of 2009, “Frontier Guard” was

ready to begin casting. I was brought in for a screen test for the role of

Zyta and I didn’t hesitate to accept the role when it was offered to me.


JM: The character of Zyta is still in the very early stages of

development. So far, in the storyline, she serves as one of Connor’s

friends or sidekicks. She supports his development by simply being on

“his side” in every episode (at least so far). However, she has the

potential to create problems and obstacles as well because of her

constant need for attention, especially from boys. Hopefully we’ll see

more complexity from her as the storyline progresses. After all,

everyone has secrets.

HFP: How does your character Zyta, compare with your other HFP

characters, Stadi and S’Tal?

JM: I think Zyta is much more similar to Stadi, based purely on the

rumour that both characters were largely inspired by my actual

personality. I think both characters sometimes have a tendency to react

based on their emotions, even when their emotions might not

accurately represent what is really going on. I also see some similarity

between Zyta and S’Tal in terms of their romantic relationships. Zyta

has expressed concern in her attraction to a certain person because she

doesn’t have a good track record when it comes to relationships.

Similarly, there was a time in “Hidden Frontier” when S’Tal was

conflicted regarding her attraction to the character of Barrett, simply

because he was human and she was Vulcan. In general, I believe

similarities between two different characters can always be found,

even in the sci-fi world, because even if they are intended to be a new,

futuristic species, they are all created by the imaginations of us today.

And in the real world, I believe that we’re all universally connected in

several ways, but primarily by the fact that we all share this complex

thing called human emotion.

HFP: And how are they different?

JM: For one, Zyta is much younger and more immature than both Stadi

and S’Tal. But in a way, that could potentially leave so much more room

for unexpected twists in her character development. All three

characters are constantly trying to define themselves as individuals, but

I think Zyta has barely begun the search for her purpose in life, which

means she could believable expand into any direction. Because of her

youth and immaturity, I think she also has more of a tendency to act

before she thinks, which can get her into trouble. One of the most

interesting things about working with any character is helping them

grow and change. And I think Zyta has a lot of growing up to do.

HFP: Where would you like to see your character be taken?

JM: Specifically, I don’t know where I’d like to see Zyta be taken. But

regardless, I know I’d like it to be an intense journey. Based on the few

scripts we’ve worked with already, I imagine Zyta being the most

“human” (for lack of a better term) of all the students. What I mean is

that I think she’s most likely to be the one to exhibit human tendencies

that we’re all familiar with today in real-life such as reacting out of

emotion rather than logic, constantly needing attention and approval

from others, letting her personal life getting in the way of her studies,

being unsure of where the line is between what she wants and what is

right, etc. For example, we’ve already seen hints of rebelliousness and

the need of approval from boys in her character. I would like to see

these aspects of her personality lead to conflict in the storyline. She’s

already begun some sort of romantic relationship with the character of

Rendan. Well, what if her attraction to him led to some dramatic rift in

her relationships with her best friends, Connor and Jacek?

HFP: How do you prepare for playing Zyta, in comparison to Stadi and

S’Tal?

JM: As an actor, the way I prepare for any role remains pretty much

the same. I memorize my lines en rote, meaning I memorize the words

only, running them as fast as I can, without any hint of emotion or

meaning behind them. This way, I prevent myself from getting stuck in

saying my lines a certain way, especially since once I’m on set working

with the other actors, I often find that what I’m saying actually has so

much more meaning and subtext behind it than I originally thought.

Then I identify my objective for each scene and I examine what tactics

the character is using in each line she says. In other words, I have to

know why I’m saying anything in the first place. If necessary, I’ll create

a back story that inevitably leads to a stronger emotional connection

to the character. I often create back stories based on my real life

because I can always dig up something from my own past that in some

way, shape or form helps me relate to the character. And I keep my

preparation mostly to myself because I believe that these are things

that aren’t necessary for the other actors, director, writer, etc. to know

about as long as I give a good performance on tape.

HFP: Is there anything else you can tell us about your character?

JM: Nope. I’m really only exposed to my character’s development as I

receive new scripts. I can share my thoughts and ideas with Rob Caves,

but for the most part, I often don’t know anymore than the audience

does. Of course, we’re actually filming much more than the public can

currently watch. So, I think it’s best for me to stop right here.~

Named for three-pronged spear of ancient Terra, the

opportunity to command a Trident Class Cruiser is the apex of

many a commanding officer's career in the Frontier Guard.

Sometimes called an 'assault carrier' the Trident has, like its

namesake, its own three pronged punch in the form of its long

range antiship missiles, multiple gun batteries, and its

complement of Achilles dropships as well as small squadron of

Peacemaker interceptor fighters.

This cruiser is capable of taking on many opponents in its weight

class or heavier and coming out on top, and in combination with

a squadron or fleet action, these ships can deliver a crippling

hammerblow to an opposing force.

FGS Timmerson

Trident Class Cruiser:

Ton for ton the Aqarii Horde Ship is one of the toughest cruisers

in space and a feared opponent to many a commander.

Recognizable by its distinctive drive pods that make up part of

its antigrav based propulsion systems, the Horde Ship boasts

thick and durable armor, strong defensive screens, even

stronger gun batteries including a rapid fire bow-mounted

cannon array suitable for engaging spacecraft and installations

alike, and a complement of combat drone fighters that acts as a

force multiplier for these ships when engaging an enemy

spacecraft.

These are cruisers not to be underestimated by any Frontier

Guard commanding officer.

Aqarii Horde Ship

Class: Tactical Cruiser


RB: I got an audition through my agency. I came in originally reading

for Conner. Once it became clear that I was much better suited to play

the dorky sidekick, things got rolling.


RB: All I really know is my character and how he relates to the other

characters. I think because the storyline is so intricately tied to Connor

Blake's experiences, my close friendship with Connor Blake is my

involvement in the storyline. I am connected to the story through my

friendship with Connor.


RB: He's smart, or he thinks he's smart. He's Connor's closest friend. He

wishes that he did better with the ladies. He has a very interesting and

mysterious past with his father. And he complains a lot.


RB: I'm interested in seeing his relationship with his father. His father is

a somewhat infamous character. I don't know too much about it but I

know that it has something to do with some political action his father

took or something like that. I could be completely off base but it's

some famous incident that has led Jacek to write his father off. I'm

interested to see where this whole story goes. Also, to see how he

does with the ladies.


RB: Well, he's always taken school maybe a bit too seriously. He's

pretty handy when it comes to machines and things. I don't know too

much else other than things I've made up. And the vague idea I have of

the thing with his father.

HFP: How do you prepare for playing Jacek Tawn?

RB: I sort of change my voice a little bit. I pronounce words just a little

differently. I don't know, it's really the voice. Once I get myself into the

voice I feel comfortable. I guess you could call it like the doorway by

which I enter into Jacek. The voice I mean.


RB: Other than the hot room and costumes and makeup, it's great fun

to shoot. All of the people working on the show are wonderful to be

around and I have a great time every time I show up. I'm just as excited

to see where the show goes as the next guy. I also have a band called

the body parts. myspace.com/thebodyparts if you're interested to

know about anything else I'm working on.~

Confident, assured and able to intimidate! A Doctor with the rank of

Major in the Guard who left for more money! Seconded to the Guard

from her non military employer as a contractor, she is not a member

of the faculty at the Academy, but will be teaching two classes on

xeno-biology.

There may be some mystery around this Doctor with what seems

rumour and innuendo about her part in the curing of a particular

virulent disease, did she help cure it or was she part of the cause?

It seems that she can stand up to questioning with the ease of a

politician, one that can use “spin” to her advantage.

Why is Dr Trem Warrick at Copernicus Station, she seems to be a

person that has firm ideas about who and what she is about. Are

there some underlying ulterior motives? To come from leading

research to teaching classes and general medical duties seems a step

backward in what appears to be an intelligent women’s career!

What does she want and who is she going to push aside in the process

or does she just want to go back to her roots in the guard?

Why does she need to reunite with Conner Blake?

The first thing that can be said of this woman is that she is an enigma!

A major currently teaching navigation at the Academy seems to have a

very secret past. It appears that her records do not hold much

information on her service history. Why? Where has she been and

what has she done? Is she a member of special forces or in fact does

she have a special force. It appears that this major may have some

special skills! Could it be that she is pre-cognisant or even telekinetic?

Does she have other motives for being at the Academy? All we have

are questions about this major. What did she do in the war? Why are

there no records for her during the war? Why is she here? What is

her assignment at the Academy?

Igor Sobel, a human is the Commandant of the Academy and is an

informed and well educated man, confident and self assured. Knows

his place in the world and how important he is! Not easily caught off

guard and able to put someone in their place when required. Versed

in the classics is this a man that knows that to look forward one must

be aware of the past evidenced by the antique diving helmet on his

desk. This man knows how to command and how to give orders

succinctly and to the point. Does he have another agenda? What

about Dr Trem Warrick did he employ her and why? How about

Hemela Strayteb, another intriguing member of his staff! What is his

agenda when it comes to Conner Blake? Is this man just interested in

preparing officers for the guard or is there another set of orders he

must follow?

Commanded by Igor Sobel. only the records of the Frontier Guard can

accurately tell how many cadets have walked the corridors of

Copernicus Academy over its long history. Located in orbit of Luna in

the Sol system, this multimillion ton space station is a self-contained

environment of learning for its many cadets that attend every year. The

station levels contains everything necessary for the cadets various fields

of study and phases of training from their first years to their final years

and eventual graduation for the Academy.

Copernicus has four docking berths on the ends of its long arm

structures, each capable of housing vessels up to the size of a Combat

Scout, as well as shuttlebays, transports of various sizes, numerous

work bees, and fighter launch and recovery bays for its small onboard

complement of Peacemaker fighters.

Despite its role as an institution of higher learning, it would be a

mistake for an aggressor to think that Copernicus is incapable of

defending itself. Its location near Earth would bring the brunt of the

Frontier Guard forces in-system immediately to bear on any attacker,

along with Copernicus' own defensive batteries, her fighters, and - if

needed - the firepower of her training combat scouts and their cadet

crews.

Copernicus Academy is the home port of the oldest ship in the Frontier

Guard fleet, the Polaris.

Copernicus Academy

Class: Newport Class

Station


MS: I actually heard about Hidden Frontier Productions in the LA

Times article. As a fan of the Star Trek canon I was understandably

intrigued and, when auditions were announced, I decided to give it a

whirl. That meeting led to roles in ODYSSEY (Achlys) and HELENA

CHRONICLES (Caeleno), which in turn led to FRONTIER GUARD.


MS: Major Hemela Strayteb is one of the professors at Copernicus

Academy, apparently a teacher of navigation and a very good one.

Strict but fair and determined to mold her students into the best

cadets they can become. Behind the scenes, though...ah, that's

where things get interesting. What else is she? Watch and find out.


MS: Professor Strayteb is yet another enigma in the complex storyline

of FRONTIER GUARD. She is an experienced teacher with the rank of

Major, but her service record is strangely inconsistent and missing

many important facts. Her background is shrouded in mystery, but

the respect accorded to her by her peers indicates that she is far more

than she appears to be - and they know it. Strong and determined,

with a definite personal view of right and wrong, Strayteb is not

someone to cross. She is fair minded but does not suffer fools gladly

and wow - this lady can hold a grudge. She controls her anger well,

but is not of the "forgive and forget" school of philosophy.


MS: I would like more to gradually be revealed about her military

past and special skills. I would also love to see the complicated

history between all of the veteran characters bubble to the surface as

they deal with the current day's threats and the mysteries of the Ark.

What exactly happened between Warrick and Strayteb that makes

their dealings so (to put it mildly) volatile? How did Strayteb come to

teach at the Academy and why? Her long friendship and apparent

respect for the eccentric Professor Kellogg would be another aspect

of the storyline that would be fun to pursue.


MS: I believe that she was quite the intense, badass soldier in her day

who, despite her combat years and injuries, is still quite capable of

killing with cool efficiency when necessary. Beyond that, let's leave

the lady wrapped in mystery and discover her gradually

HFP: How do you prepare for playing Hamela Strayteb?

MS: I channel my anger, for a start. She's got a serious edge and

strong sense of purpose that commands my respect - this is not

someone to take lightly on any level.

On a practical note, she evolved as her

makeup was created and the wig sealed the

deal. The moment I found that wonderful

wig and added the white streak I started to

come to terms with how Strayteb saw

herself. Sometimes a simple discovery like

that can make a character "gel" on a

visceral level. The same with the gloves.

There's something about those gloves...


MS: Keep watching. There are so many

levels to explore as this storyline unfolds

around some very powerful characters who

all have their agendas, some secret - others

less so. Take nothing at face value. Connor

is not the only one with a lot at stake in this

extremely high-risk chess game where the

pieces are everything from individuals to

entire species. Enjoy the journey!

The duty of a Combat Scout in the Frontier Guard is primarily

reconnaissance and patrol functions, as such these ships are one

of the lightest and smallest ships of the line in the Guard

inventory. Many commanding officers in the Frontier Guard

have cut their teeth on a Combat Scout, and their versatility is

one reason why these vessels are in such widespread service in

the Guard and are used as primary training vessels for new

cadets.

The Zodiac Class is an integrated platform expressly designed to

fulfil the role of the Combat Scout, with performance and

electronic sensing and countermeasures capabilities greater

than its predecessors. The Gallant, although no longer a top of

line Combat Scout, is the newest class of training vessel assigned

to Copernicus Academy, as its systems are still in wide use in the

Frontier Guard.

As such, the Gallant is considered an Honor Ship, reserved for

the best and brightest of cadets, and is the most desired posting

and dream for many a cadet attending Copernicus Academy.

FGS Gallant

Class; Zodiac Class

Combat Scout

Cadet Tawn, should he be at the Academy? Not because of his

father’s conviction for treason but because he has researched 97

different “good-luck” charms that he can carry on his person

without breaking uniform code. Not afraid to make outrageous

requests to satisfy his needs. It appears that Tawn is a sensitive

young man, easily goaded into making comment. Does he have an

inferiority complex because of who his father is and does he feel

the need to stand up to this? He does seem to have convictions

and pride in whom he is! But what about his need to cut the feet

off rabbits because of his posting on Polaris and does it mean that

he suffers from a touch of ego-centricity?

Arrogant, sure of himself and his place in the Universe! He is the son

of a very famous Admiral one that has had a distinguished career.

Gribb has a lot to live up to, and as he says himself in his family

“…graduating at the very very top, anything less would be a shame

on the Gribb name.”

Gribb is an accomplished athlete sure of his ability, grappling,

running diving, rope climbing, swimming and making ALL Kytorian by

the age of 13!

Gribb believes that above all the other cadets and thinks that he will

be able to outdo them all! In his eye excellence is mediocre and that

he says that he is held to a higher standard than others and that he

can achieve it. Although his father is famous and he feels that instead

of being in his father’s shadow as he is now that his father will be

able to retire in his.

Conceited, egocentric and egotistic is he who he thinks he is or does

he just have the biggest ego never mind the big mouth?

Human, Antarian, Rheban and Kytorian this Copernicus Academy

Professor is as diverse in his ethnicity as his claimed lack of

knowledge in lots of subjects! He holds the rank of Colonel in the

Frontier Guard.

Manipulative and easily able to make sure that he tells you nothing

at all with the way he uses words. Kellogg is well versed in literature

and history.

A bit of a charlatan with a well developed sense of humour. Cadets

will have to ensure that they get up early to get one over this

Professor.

What does he teach at the academy? One thing that we can say

about him though is that he does have a nice set of canines!

This cadet is prone to embellishing stories and maybe if you said it

then it may happen. Excited and way “over the top” was a grappler

and likes sports such as boar hunting. He has joined the academy

with his best and childhood friend Rico Costas and is from Procyon

VII.

Lots of things get him excited, going to the academy, having Kasper

Gribb on his ship. Talks 20 to the dozen Loves the big bang and is yes

you guest it fascinating with armaments and loves blowing things up

and anything that is on fire!.

Fetch seems to think that he is a shy guy, but from all appearances

has a big personality that likes to be at the centre of attention.

Gossip seems to be a thing that he does without realising it and tells

you secrets about everything and everyone!

Don’t tell him anything that you don’t want others to know!!

From Procyon VII he has joined the guard with his best friend Fetch

Zisser and like him is assigned to the Polaris. He seems to be a

sensitive character with his interests in cooking and music!

Rico was captain of his school grappling team but it seems that he is

more into the arts as he states that he can play 52 instruments

including drums, guitar and the pipes. However can he play them

well?

He loves to cook and seems to know a lot about this field likes to use

flames to cook his food. A trait that he seems to share with his friend

Fetch. Although he says that some of his favourite foods to cook are

things like fire roasted duck, pork flambé and anything that he can

grill! Claims that they are synthetic and that he doesn’t eat meat!

Will this sensitive male have the strength of character to make it

through his cadetship?

Sarah Johnson is Connor Blake’s biological mother, born on earth in

the 1930s and wife of Martin Johnson. It appears that this woman was

profoundly affected by the disappearance of her young son.

She believes that her husband put her in an institution because he

wanted to protect their son but to protect him against what?

But is she just a women from the 1950s and is her planet of origin

really Earth? There appears to be more to her than can be seen!

Why does she think that her husband allowed their son to be taken by

what she believes were alien abductors?

Who is she?

This man is Connor Blake’s biological father and he was born on Earth

in the 1930s and married to Sarah Johnson.

Martin put his wife into a mental institution, why? Sarah seems to

think that it was to protect Connor! Why would Connor need to be

protected from her?

It seems that he does not have the same opinions as his wife and does

not believe or does not admit that aliens took his son! He believes

that he will find him by using the traditional methods of Earth of the

era.

Does Martin know more about his wife that he lets on or is he just a

man of his time?

Investigative reporter with the Public Relations Corp of the Frontier

Guard and not afraid to ask questions!

Jennifer seems to think that “if you ask it they will answer it”! Not

afraid to steam ahead even if the interviewee does not want to

answer the question. Has more gall than most!

Jennifer believes that if it happened then everyone has the right to

know about it. Not afraid to ask questions of even more senior

officers she appears to forget that there is a “chain of command”.

Jennifer though seems to have a little lack of patience because if the

interview does not go the way she wants it too she just moves on!!

Martin Johnson

Jennifer Poulson

Bringing Star Trek: Grissom＇s first audio episode

to life was a task of its own. The plot from the

original prose had to be condensed to a working

60 minutes script, and a huge number of

characters had to be taken care of. All main story

arcs had to be set up, and in big parts it was also

about general introduction. A difficulty with

presenting a Star Trek story in audio format was to

let the audience always know and imagine where

the scenes are taking place. There is a scene in the

first episode that starts in Grissom＇s transporter

room, takes the listener through a corridor into a

turbolift, only to end up on the bridge, where the

next best thing is an intercut dialogue between

the Captain and another crewmember on a

Starbase. It was an experiment none of us knew if

it was going to work, but it did.

The production was also lucky to have immensely

talented voice actors who did a great job. With an

international cast like this, everyone had to record

his/her lines separately, which was also an

experiment. But thanks to such good

performances and an above average recording

quality delivered by everyone, there was no single

scene that had to end up on the cutting room

floor. We requested more than one take of every

line of dialogue, so there was tons of material to

choose from, and therefore always a good take to

fit in.

The sound design for Grissom was another very

unique task. In terms of known Trek sounds, the

show had to be TOS related, but due to the fact

it＇s set between Star Trek II and III, it had also to

be movie era. It allowed lots of additional sounds

to be taken from various affordable FX sound

libraries, as long as they were somewhat

“compatible＂ to canon Trek. Every beep,

door chime or comm signal had to be chosen carefully

to create a familiar and believable setting for the

listener.

Once the rough cut of the episode was complete, it had

to be scored. Sean Teeling＇s wish for the show＇s

main tunes was a piece, or a melody, which was

somewhat reminiscent to “Ilia＇s Theme＂ from Star

Trek: The Motion Picture. The task was not to recycle

known Trek music, so an original Grissom Theme was

composed which ultimately ended up as piece for the

first preview. For the episode, it had to be

deconstructed into its motives, harmonies and musical

lines, which all became the ground base for all the

different settings and characters. Given the fact the

episode contains quite a lot of music, there are always

elements of this single theme piece lurking behind

every spoken line.

All in all, it was a lucky combination, and episode 1

shows that all elements of the production came

together more than nicely. With episode 2 being in

postproduction, we try to keep the style as introduced

in the pilot, and use every potential we can see, be it

the characters, the actors who voice them, as well as

the settings, sound design and music. Working on this

show has been a great experience so far, and we all try

hard to get out the best of it.

On a cold winter night in Britain, with snow

falling outside the window there is an interview

taking place. This is a special interview for me

because it is the first phone interview I have ever

done.

The interview in question is with Star Trek

Grissom creator and executive producer Sean

Paul Teeling, once we finally established a

connection and can actually talk we are both in a

cheerful mood.

Staring the interview off I asked Sean Paul when

did he first become interested in Star Trek? “I

am the youngest of 5 children by 9 years” he

answers “ so I sort of watched it from behind the

armchair in the ‘70’s” he continues.”I then got

the Palitoy or was it Mego Enterprise, and a

Klingon Battle cruiser for my 7th

birthday, and a

Trekkie was born” he then adds that his older

brothers bought him all the Mego Dolls, and his

sis bought me… at which point he coughed…..

Uhura, he also states that he still has them all in

mint condition.

I then continued the interview by asking him when

he chose to produce his own series and why? He

answers this by complementing to of the giants of

Star Trek fan films Rob Caves and Nick Cook by

stating that he was inspired by them and especially

Intrepid because if its locality to Ireland. He also

says that he discovered the world of fan trek via

Hidden Frontier Productions, which he loved, even

though he is a bigger TOS fan. I then went on to

ask why he chose Grissom for his series, to which

he states rather interestingly that he is a huge fan

of Titanic and saw a commonalities between the

two ships. Sean Paul also mentions that he is a

huge continuity buff and that he likes the idea of

having a series that is In Sync with Star Trek III The

Search for Spock which gives it a ultimate

continuity with Grissom. I also asked Sean Paul if

other eras were looked at before he settled on

Star Trek Grissom. To which he answered that The

Wrath of Khan was his favourite movie and that he

also loved the Maritime feel that the movie had

and wanted to replicate that into a fan film. I

mentioned to him that some of the characters

were already established in Star Trek 3 and I asked

him how he went about creating the characters

that would not only fit well but almost seamlessly

into the group. He answered that he wanted Irish

Characters from the start, which were included

with the Irish nurse Murphy, he also states that

the listeners should be warned that none of the

characters are safe from being killed, especially as

two were killed in the first episode. Sean Paul also

wanted to illustrate that the 23rd

Century is a

dangerous place and he has illustrated that within

the build of the characters within the series.

Sean Paul mentioned that the series is recorded in

the Cauldron, located in Dublin, but also stated

that they had no experience in the Sci Fi genre, at

which point he contacted Rob Caves of Hidden

Frontier for advice and help. He also states that

Bodo Hartwig helps out a great deal with not only

being the Composer of the music but also is a

bouncing board for ideas for the series.

I asked Sean Paul if he knew how long the series

was going to run, to which he answered that the

series is going to run for 12 prose and an epilogue

and 6 audio episodes at a release rate of 2 per

year, which he states that they are after quality

and not quantity. Finally I asked Sean Paul what

else he could tell us about the series to which he

answered that Nick Cook will feature in episode 4

playing Cyrano Jones, a character that featured in

The Original Series. Apart from that he says that

viewers should keep listening for some guest stars,

that they will recognise.

TCM Staff

EDITOR RICHARD MILES

ASSISTANT EDITORS HEATHER ASHLEIGH AND ALEX MATTHEWS

HEAD WRITERS GERRI DONALDSON, ALEX MATTHEWS, RICHARD MILES AND EUGENIA STOYPRA

WRITERS HEATHER ASHLEIGH; JENNIFER COLE; GERRI DONALDSON; JOSH EDELGLASS; DANNY LAVENY; GUSTAVO LEAO; ALEX MATTHEWS; RICHARD MILES; EUGENIA

STOYPRA; SEAN-PAUL TEELING and JOHN WHITING.

GRAPHICS ARTIST:

RICHARD MILES

CREATIVE CONSULTANTS

MICHAEL HUDSON AND RICK PIKE

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT RICK PIKE AND RICHARD MILES

WEBSITE STAFF RICHARD MILES

TREKKIE CENTRAL WEBSITE

WEBSITE STAFF LEE GARTELL AND RICHARD MILES

HIDDEN FRONTIER PRODUCTIONS MAGAZINE

PUBLISHERS ROB CAVES AND RICHARD MILES

MANAGING EDITOR ROB CAVES

EDITOR RICHARD MILES

ASSISTANT EDITORS HEATHER ASHLEIGH AND ALEX MATTHEWS

HEAD WRITERS RICHARD MILES, GERRI DONALDSON AND EUGENIA STOYPRA

WRITERS RICHARD MILES, ALEX MATTHEWS, BRIAN CHILDERS, GERRI DONALSON AND EUGENIA STOYPRA

GRAPHICS ARTISTS RICHARD MILES AND LEWIS CRANCHER

WEBSITE STAFF RICHARD MILES

COMMUNICATIONS DEPARTMENT RICK PIKE, ROB CAVES AND RICHARD MILES

LA LIASON Rob Caves

Hidden Frontier Productions Issue 1

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Transcript of Hidden Frontier Productions Issue 1