STARSHIP EXETER: The Making of a Fan Film

Project Initiated: January 1, 2003
Project Completed: June 15, 2003

Project Availability: "STARSHIP EXETER: The Making of a Fan Film" DVD-R is now available as a free thank-you gift to supporters who donate $30.00 or more to the current STARSHIP EXETER project.

For Jimm and Josh Johnson, the STARSHIP EXETER project began on Christmas Eve 1995 with a question: Could they, in their spare time, and with their extra money, write and film a pilot episode for a new series that would come close to the look and spirit of the original 1960's Star Trek television show? They conducted much research, wrote a number of possible story lines and chose "The Savage Empire" for budgetary reasons. The action sequences were all storyboarded, and they created all the costumes and most of the props from scratch. A warehouse studio space in Minneapolis, Minnesota was rented for two years where Jimm and Josh built sets and shot much of the production. They carefully picked friends and acquaintances to work on a voluntary basis both as actors and crew. Once the live action was completed came the long and tedious task of editing and creating visual effects true to the look of the "Original Series." It took seven years, but on December 19, 2002, STARSHIP EXETER made its internet debut.

Produced by Joel Sarchet and EXETER STUDIO, "STARSHIP EXETER: The Making of a Fan Film" is a series of eight featurettes documenting the creation and internet release of STARSHIP EXETER "The Savage Empire." "The Making of a Fan Film" is loaded with extensive behind-the-scenes footage, in-depth interviews with the cast, crew, and creators of STARSHIP EXETER, and information on how the props, costumes, sets, and special effects were created.

The DVD-R contains eight documentary featurettes: The Origin of Starship Exeter Filming Locations and Sets Costumes, Make Up, and Props The Cast Shooting the Episode The Fight Scene Special Effects and Editing Capturing the Imagination and Looking to the Future

STARSHIP EXETER "The Savage Empire"

The U.S.S. Exeter, freshly recrewed and commanded by Captain John Garrovick, is on a mission to save a ship infected with the deadly Canopus Plague. The Exeter must travel to the homeworld of Andorian Lieutenant B'fuselek to find the cure. But Andorian rebels have other plans . . . and so do the Klingons!

STARSHIP EXETER "The Savage Empire" is an original self-produced pilot intended as a concept for a new television serial based on the look and feel of the 'Original Series.' With an eye for detail, the sets, props, costumes, and visual effects were all painstakingly reproduced by amatuers on a shoestring budget in exacting 1960's style.