The Trek Files: A Roddenberry Star Trek Podcast

Continuing our discussion about Star Trek: The Motion Picture Director's Edition, producer David C. Fein sheds more light on the complications that left TMP unfinished from 1979. In a letter from the period, one of the many contributors to the Enterprise graphics clarifies the work done for Gene Roddenberry. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Want to program your own Enterprise bridge monitor? For the home computer hobbyist in 1980, Softside magazine published a glimpse behind the scenes of Star Trek: The Motion Picture along with the code to create bridge monitor graphics! The Trek Files looks back at the groundbreaking design work of TMP with David C. Fein, producer of the ST:TMP Director's Edition. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Like many of his generation, Gene Roddenberry served in the military. This week, The Trek Files examines a letter of promotion from the War Department which kicks off a discussion about military influence on Star Trek from ship design to organization to writing and themes with our special guest, Thomas Marrone. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

A never-before seen story pitch for the abandoned Star Trek Phase II project! Decker is caught in a two-dimensional world while Kirk and Xon race to get him out. Special guest Ben Robinson returns to The Trek Files to help navigate the roads not taken for Star Trek in the late 1970s! See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

It starts with a simple suggestion from a writer: the Enterprise should have different armaments than what was seen in 1966. That kicks off a round of discussions that lead to the designer to bring the idea to life, keeping in mind all the requirements of production. This week, John Eaves returns to The Trek Files to reveal more details about his work on Star Trek. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The question in 1986 was how to make a Star Trek show for the next generation that still had familiar concepts and characters. Producer Bob Justman sent a flurry of memos with some ideas that stuck and others that didn't see the light of day. Larry Nemecek and John Champion discuss those creative decisions and how they affect the modern Trek landscape on this week's episode of The Trek Files. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The Riker walk. The Riker sit. They all had an origin that took the character from "a little smarmy" to a "Gary Cooper" type to being fully inhabited by our special guest: Jonathan Frakes. The Trek Files goes back to the origins with a special reading of the very audition sides that landed Frakes the role of the iconic William Riker. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

What changes and what stays the same? That was the core question for the earliest steps in shaping Star Trek: The Next Generation. Star Trek illustrator/designer John Eaves stops by The Trek Files to help us chart the many ways that sequel series need to carry off that difficult balancing act. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Looking back again at Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas, Gary Goddard joins The Trek Files to discuss the changes that occurred along the long development path as well as the joys of (and complicated tech behind) "beaming up." See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

"Star Trek: Picard" production designer Dave Blass joins us again, this time to look at a document from the first attempt to bring Star Trek back to TV. Familiar refrains from 1977 ring true today about Trek's "perfect" characters and the realism of the story's drama. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

The Trek Files returns for season 10 with special guest Jonathan Frakes! We look at two call sheets, one from TNG "The Offspring" and the other from "Star Trek: Picard," to kick off a conversation about Jonathan's directing career and how it stacks up against playing William Riker. Sponsored by - TOYNK.com - take 15% off your order with code "RODDENBERRY" at checkout! See the documents - Facebook.com/TheTrekFiles Visit Dr. Trek - larrynemecek.com

The closer we get to the start of "Star Trek: Picard" season 3, it's the perfect time to look back at one of TNG's founding documents with Terry Matalas. We look back at early discussions of altering the Star Trek format for a new generation and what it means to "take good care of Star Trek" on The Trek Files' 9th season finale! Sponsored by Toynk.com - take 15% off your order with checkout code "RODDENBERRY" See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Production design overlaps with creative decisions on Star Trek in unique ways. Writers may have ideas about who is on the bridge of a starship, but the producers and designers have their say in making it all come together. "Star Trek: Picard" Production Designer Dave Blass joins The Trek Files again to discuss a 1987 memo about who occupies the center seats and who really is flying the ship. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

As we celebrate the 25th anniversary year of "Star Trek The Experience," we return to the roots of the attraction: from a Korean expo to a dazzling transporter effect to a proposed full-scale Enterprise in downtown Las Vegas. Hear the story from one of the show's chief architects, Gary Goddard, on this week's episode of The Trek Files! See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

A look back at Star Trek: The Next Generation's early development reveals a lot about how the current crop of Star Trek shows are produced. On the verge of "Star Trek: Picard" season 3, we are happy to welcome showrunner Terry Matalas to discuss creating Trek stories for a whole new generation. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Fred Frieberger made the case to Gene Roddenberry in 1968 that the lower budget for "Spectre of the Gun" could work to their creative advantage by enhancing the horror. Today, we welcome Star Trek: Picard's Dave Blass to share tricks of the trade by making some shortcuts elevate the art of production design. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Bob Justman spelled out some of the possible terminology and ranks to be used aboard the new Enterprise for Star Trek: The Next Generation. We welcome back "Enterprise" Assistant Director Mike Demerrit to talk about creative development and the little details on this week's The Trek Files. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

In one of Gene Roddenberry's many speeches, he "reveals" the Star Trek formula... which may or may not have been entirely truthful. In this week's The Trek Files, we examine the details of a ca. 1975 speech that shares the audience's optimism for quality stories and the secret that makes Star Trek tick. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

Harlan Ellison's tumultuous history with Star Trek has been well documented. What is not known to most people is how he almost came back to the franchise with a story for The Next Generation. We look at Ellison's pitch for "The Crypt," and its unlikely origin, with special guest Ben Robinson on this week's The Trek Files. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.

When "Star Trek: Planet of the Titans" was in development, legendary designer Ken Adam was briefly employed to reinvent the Enterprise along with other conceptual pieces for the big screen. This week, The Trek Files welcomes longtime Trek expert Ben Robinson to discuss the rocky development cycle for "...Titans" and the lasting legacy of Adams' designs. See the documents: facebook.com/thetrekfiles Visit the Trekland site for behind-the-scenes access and exclusive merchandise.