I have signed with IDT Entertainment to write the screenplay for a new GR theatrical project, "Gene Roddenberry's 'Starpoint Academy.'" An original Gene Roddenberry concept in conjunction with Majel Roddenberry, "Starpoint Academy" is intended as a full length animated CGI film. IDT exec and Silver Bullet contributor Clifford Meth will be acting as story editor on the project, which is also being seen as a potential springboard for graphic novels and other venues.
I'll be making more story details and other information public as the script moves further along.
PAD
Posted by Peter David at November 18, 2004 12:26 PM | TrackBack | Other blogs commentingWow!
If it were anyone else I'd be underwhelmed, having long since lost my passion for Trek related material...but I find myself excited by this. You have a great feel for the characters in your previous Trek work.
Congratulations!
This is great news. I really enjoyed your past scripts for CRUSADES B5 et al.
By the way, Bill, this is not STAR TREK. It is STARPOINT. No connection but for their creator.
"Academy" suggests teenage or college age characters. Not that I'd tell you how to do your job, but this is what I'd like to see:
* No "boldly going." Shows like "Space Academy" had teenagers and grade-schoolers doing the exploration and surveys that only qualified adults should do. There are plenty of ways to create suspenseful situations without this stupid tradition in science fiction.
* Genuine suffering, pain and death when it's called for. People get squeamish with "family dramas." These same people get killed in accidents, drive-bys and overdoses every day in every high school in the country. There's no need to be sadistic, but there's no need to sugarcoat life.
* Genuine neurosis, emotional and mental problems among the kids. Too often, the kid with no self-esteem, the kid on drugs, the kid who brings a gun to school is "cured" or "disappears" at the end of an episode. This might keep a series fresh for new "problems of the week," but it gives a false impression of the real struggle to overcome these problems. It also eliminates the potential for these problems to flare up with each new episode's crisis.
* Adults with problems, too. These kids are undoubtedly taught by someone, and those someones are flawed human beings too. There are no Mr. Kotters in real life. Have them confused, troubled, and faced with failure too.
Glad to see Cliff's involved as well. IDT looks like a real up-and-comer...
I suppose Paramount's lawyers are drawing up legal drafts as we speak...
No Tribune involvement? Hey, this may actually have a shot at not being totally destroyed....
Congrats. I have always believed that animated CGI films were underused for adult audiences. Like comic books, it allows a portrayal of things that is difficult or impossible in live action films. I hope it does well.
Jim in Iowa
I'd love to see a PAD script based on a Gene Roddenberry idea. That would flat-out rule. But internet scuttlebutt has said that Paramount wants to fire up a Starfleet Accademy franchise for the next Trek flick. This could get sticky.
Hopefully not, I'd love to see the project, but anyway..
"I'd love to see a PAD script based on a Gene Roddenberry idea. That would flat-out rule. But internet scuttlebutt has said that Paramount wants to fire up a Starfleet Accademy franchise for the next Trek flick. This could get sticky."
They can fire it up all they want. The basic concept of "Starpoint Academy" has nothing to do with the Star Trek universe. What are they going to claim a right to? Space Academy stories? Hello? Co-creator of "Space Cases" talkin' here.
PAD
A quick Google shows this concept's sale in March of 2003. Whether or not that predates Paramount's Starfleet Academy, I don't know.
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Starpoint Academy
Genre: Children
Author: Gene Roddenberry
Buyer: Digitsal Production Studios
Logline: The best and brightest galactic teens are recruited and trained as elite Astro Rangers on Starpoint Pharos, an artificial planet that's a cosmic United Nations and solves problems around the universe.
Side Note: Digital Production Solutions, is a division of telecommunications company IDT Media. This will be either a 3D animated feature or a TV show. Eric Gardner, Karen Corbin from Panacea Ent. will exec produce along with Majel Roddenberry, Roddenberry's widow.
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Maybe (I can only hope) PAD'll slip a Photon parody into a story.
Congratulations. I can't wait to see the completed product.
Congratulations PAD. I guess writing a animation screenplay like this should be second nature to you. I've often wondered why I haven't seen your name on any of the Justice League, Teen Titans or Static stuff for the WB.
"What are they going to claim a right to? Space Academy stories?"
That might lead to some difficulty with the Heinlein estate. Anyone here ever hear of a little book called "Space Cadet", published in 1949? Or "Tunnel in the Sky", from 1955? Or even "Starship Troopers", circa 1961?
:-)
isn't just the titles "Starfleet Academy" and "Starpoint Academy" really really REALLY similar? Couldn't somebody make a fuss about that in leagal-ese and Lawyers Possessed by Satan if they wanted to? Somebody throw me a frickin bone here, please.
Anyway I'm assuming this is going to be a more comedic story, though that's just a flat-out guess.
Hmmm.
Captain Kotter comes back to teach the Spacehogs.
Was there a movie in the 80s called "Space Academy"? Does anyone remember it? I was just a kid when I saw it but I think I remember it sucking. I could IMDB it but live feedback is always more fun.
Wow - congratulations and good luck with this project!!
"Congratulations PAD. I guess writing a animation screenplay like this should be second nature to you. I've often wondered why I haven't seen your name on any of the Justice League, Teen Titans or Static stuff for the WB."
Seconded.
TFE-
Are you thinking of the Saturday Morning TV live action TV series called "Space Academy" which starred Jonathan Harris as Comander Issac Gampu?
Jeez it scares me that I could pull that out of my head.
When I was charged with finding the "perfect writer" for this project, I didn't have to stretch. Peter was the first one who leaped to mind.
"I've often wondered why I haven't seen your name on any of the Justice League, Teen Titans or Static stuff for the WB."
Oh, I can answer that: It's because I haven't written any of them. The Titans one is particularly frustrating since I did early work on the series. To then have a group of people come in and just cut me out of it completely...that kinda hurt.
PAD
Congrats, Peter, feels good when, oh, EVERYONE UNDER THE SUN wants you fer stuff, don't it? I've had that feeling lately myself between my videos and telling everyone ELSE what to do on their videos...but no one cares about my problems. All I can say, though, seeing as how you'll be too busy with everything to, say, breathe...
Get some rest. If you don't have your health, you don't have anything.
Man, why does that sound so familiar?
And why do I have this extra finger?
Hope all goes well with this and I am looking forward to seeing the finished film. I just wonder what trademark Peter David 'touches' we'll see ... a request for plenty of deadpan humour please.
Cool congratulations.
one thing I keep wanting to call it Starfleet Acaddemey.
Cant wait for this I'm really looking forward to this.
will there be books too?
Let me add a heartfelt (if slightly belated) note of congratulations to you, PAD.
As for any possible problems with Paramount, well if they concentrated on actually doing decent material (by letting writers like PAD and others write some screenplays and teleplays) as they were in pushing subpar product, they and the Trek franchise would be a heck of a lot better off.
PAD, please update us on this project. It sounds like a lot of fun.
This wont be for children (family film), right? Hope so ...
btw congratz
Congratulations
A quick search found this site:
www.starpointacademy.net
you guys wanna know something really interesting? Majel Roddenberry is great pals with Karen Corbin (formerly of Tribune) who manages gifted unknown writer Jose A. Fernandez who just happened to come up with the concept for both Starpoint Academy & Char (I was there when he created them) and has a dozen script outlines for each. So I just love it when it's touted by IDT (of course relying on Majels word) that they came "from the vaults of Gene Roddenberry". H-wood once again makes me want to puke. Keep your ears and eyes open for Mr. Fernandez as he is cooking up a hot one in a deal with Michael Davis. Good luck with Starpoint, Peter.
Marshal
Not that it matters but Starpoint Academy is not an original Roddenberry concept as advertised. The original concept was introduced by ME to Majel Roddenberry over lunch then created and developed by ME. I have the original treatment and concept drawings stored and dated in my hard drive. I was promised created/developed by credits, more money and at least one script per season should Starpoint Academy be adapted to a television series. That was 4 years ago. So far, I have not seen my name associated with this film anywhere, I have not received monies I was promised and I have no reason to believe that IDT will honor its commitments. I blame no one but myself. I was stupid and trusting, an unknown writer trying to break into the business, a way of getting a credit. It's not the first time in Hollywood history that ideas were stolen or that "little people" were lied to. Just in case anyone was interested.
I also created and developed CHAR. My agent at the time, Karen Corbin (who co-produced Andromeda with Majel Roddenberry), came up with the name and I developed and created the story. Again, doesn't mean anything and I truly don't expect you to post this but I came across your site and felt compelled to write the truth.