cdhall's Mego Trek Movie idea thread

[cdhall]

OK, I've promised elsewhere to start a thread about my movie idea so I will start it now with this.

Let me state that this idea originated around 1987 with me wanting to do a Stop Motion movie because I thought I could do it with my equipment and my Megos and I thought I could do it myself.

I also wanted or decided to sew up new costumes to preserve what I thought would be my valuable original uniforms.

It is what 22yrs later? I have a degree in Radio-TV-Film. I have built an entire TV Station from scratch (long story but it was also the first one on the Internet. It pre-dates YouTube... it is depressing...) but I still don't know how to edit on a modern system and I don't have access to equipment anymore.

I am going to get to a point where I write my script and solicit help. I will at some point commission costumes and props from some of you here. I will even ask what you want to see in the movie as well, but back to my idea.

My idea evolved to be a resume piece. To showcase my writing skill I was going to write a movie where the cast of Megos wake up and wonder what is going on.

I was then going to have Spock learn that they were a TV show and they got cancelled (I've since learned that John Belushi was Kirk in a skit like this on Saturday Night Live. I saw part of it at least and they had an NBC "suit" in the sketch. I think it was my basic idea but I'd have to see it again).

I was going to have Kirk order Scotty to build the rest of the ship. I wanted to have at least one scene where they went through a hallway as it was being built out in front of them (TNG had a scene were Picard dreams that he steps through a door into space, I wanted an effect like that, the hall is being built and they are walking toward space).

I bought a few toys and models to give me and Enterprise exterior to shoot.

I found this MegoMuseum and realized that my weak attempt at making clothes is now WAAY insufficient. Technology has passed me by and many stop motion videos have been made with toys. I also learned that there were people who could make anything I'd need for my Mego Trek movie. That was and continues to be very exciting to me.

My idea was to at some point have them realize that they were cancelled and have Scotty build the "refit" Enterprise or at least one more like that, and I was also going to have them change into costumes that I felt could have evolved between TOS and STII (STTMP wasn't going to count for me, I thought STII was a Reboot anyway before that was a term).

So my Megos are picture in different posts in my TOS Colored TWOK uniforms and that is why.

At some point they were going to also decide that if they were in a TV show... they could "get" a writer to write them out of the mess they were in.

The writer was going to be me.

I was going to write a story and criticize NBC for canceling them and some of the stuff I didn't like about TNG and so on but now all that is sort of meaningless with the JJ Abrams movie.

I was at the time hoping to graduate around 1991 and use this to start my career. I graduated in 1995, didn't get to do any of this in school and obviously, the rest of my plan didn't happen. Well, I did shoot and edit a 3 second test seeing if I could do a View Screen with the A/B Roll edit system we had and that worked, but I graduated before I could do Anything else with it. I have never had enough money to even try part of this until perhaps this coming Fall.

So I was going to write a story where they found me and I wrote them into a new series.

But as I said, Time has passed and we have Robot Chicken and other stuff.

I have adapted my concept from this original idea and thought I had just this weekend come up with an ORIGINAL idea but I see, No.

Reshooting an episode with Megos might be a new take, but Art Asylum has this clip up of a real TOS Scene with MiniMates! ARGGGG!
http://www.artasylum.com/theater/Zsjhh7EC7fc

But I still have about 4 script ideas I'd like to shoot. They may be 2hrs (yea, right) or 30mins but I have at least 4 ideas that I think will give me some practice.

I decided to post this because at least 2 people had asked me about it and I also want to see if there is any interest in this or if I should abort now. As you can imagine, there are people who know all this and think I'm nuts. My oldest son loves to tease me about my Dolls....

So here are my main ideas:

1. Original idea where Megos realize TOS is canceled and they in "limbo;"
2. Megos do some original time trave/Guardian of Forever thing to establish them as a new series;
3. Reshoot an original Animated or TOS episode so I have real Sound, Voices and FX;
4. Take a poll or something and shoot an original story based on stuff other Trek fans like me might like to see;
5. If I had the time and money I'd like to shoot a more original show based on the FASA Trek Roleplaying Game I ran. One adventure in particular was an epic success. I may detail it later, but it would make a great 2-3 part story. It would take place not on the Enterprise but with the characters we had for the game. I'd need customs made of every character. I have decided I can't cast a head... so I'd have to be able to commission all those characters. It could take many... this idea is unlikely to happen. It would be an epic and probably now way to justify the time/expense even if I had the time and money.

I have one other Surprise in there that I can't mention because it actually hasn't been done yet to my knowledge but it is consistent with what I've outlined.

OH, so one reason this MIGHT interest some of you is this. Even on the first movie. When we transition out of the Mego Uniforms and out of the Enterprise Playset, I would be very, very happy to have a virtual Mego Customizing Showcase. I will be at liberty to make any design/style/prop changes I want so I won't be tied to continuity. Yes, I'm sick that JJ did a movie and accomplished this when I have been "wanting" to do this since '87 but I didn't really try I guess and he did. I have notes on a script I had to change to "ST V" titled "Time and Time Again" where the Romulans find another/the other Guardian of Forever and cause Kirk etc to use the one they know of to correct the timeline.

I wanted this to be the last hurrah for the original crew because it could end with the fate of the crew being unknown. They could legitimately set up the premise that they fixed the Romulan interference and could pick up the show at Season 4 or live forever in their youth/prime...

I have NOT Seen the JJ Abrams movie. So I don't know what he did that I thought of but my original notes I think were "ST III: Forever at the End of Time" and I had to change it to "ST V: Time and Time Again" so it is too bad I didn't just write that and shop it around.

Anyway. If CBS doesn't shut the door, I should have the rights to do a fan film like this and post it online and be safe if I'm not selling it. It is a resume piece anyway, I won't make money off it. As some of you also know, I have 160,000 attorneys on my side so if I did get sued I would not have to spend 1 dime on attorneys to defend myself. That is a part of the reason I'm also currently self-employed.

I have no idea if me using Doc Mego bodies (he's already hooked up anyway with Robot Chicken so I won't give him any type of new boost...), Lasermego props, Don Chisholm Disruptors, Dave McC painted heads, Brady Sculpts or Dida Displays... or anything would appeal to you all. I mean it could be a piece for you guys to show off your Trek Custom skills if you liked this idea as much as I do/did. Naturally aside from having great shots of that work in the project, full credit would be in the credits so people would know who did the sculpts, paint, suits, sets, and that I lit, shot, and edited the video (duh).

That is probably the reason I'm posting this. Does anyone think this is worthwhile? Would anyone else be interested in contributing?

Would anyone be interesting saying "Ooh do this..." and see it happen?

Would anyone want to see such a movie?

I will likely do at least a few minutes to test my idea. If I had time and money I'd do at least that whole list as I presented it.

As it's been 22yrs so far, I don't think I'm risking anything by posting all this. Much of it has already been done as I said. That mini-mates movie really discouraged me. But I still have to try to see what I can do.

Thank you for your attention if you read this whole thing... I'm not asking for money or anything either. I'm just putting an idea up to see what you all think.

Feel free to post on the thread or PM me as you prefer. My email is also in my profile I think. Thanks again for your attention and God bless this website. It is awesome!

Oh, and the other reason I'm interested is this. I also have an idea of relaunching my production company (which has already produced the first TV series to run on the Internet... and it was also broadcast on broadcast TV and cable...) and taking suggestions for movies. So I may have a website for "Film X" with a message board where people say "I want this to happen... I want that to happen... this would be cool..." and I put that into a movie. I would like to put up an outline and see what type of response that gets. But first I have to get something done and this Mego movie could be it. As I'm moving 2 domains right now, I could even start this idea under my production company name.

So chime in if you like. Just don't flame me. I am sensitive and have issues. I've been trying to do this for 22yrs and I'm the middle of a virtual crew. I mean that everyone and everything and every area of expertise I might need I've found here at the museum. If I had a budget for this thing, I could hire everyone I'd need out of museum members because I've met producers, editors and customizers here who have all the skills this project requires. This place is amazing.

Thank you to the founders of the Mego Museum and for all the active posters who keep it alive and well. I'll look forward to feedback. And negative feedback is OK of course, just please be polite. I guess I'm really self-conscious because I feel guilty about writing a "book" here at 7:45am. I hope it isn't embarrassing after I've slept on it.

Edit to add personal note: This was post number 555 for me (I think I was at about 240 1 or 2 weeks ago).

[Captain]

Wow Doug...I think that was the longest post ever! (just kidding!)

If its Mego Trek movies you want to make, you should talk to these guys:
Hoserlu Studios

You might be able to work with them, produce some new segments for them (using your idea even?), or just confab about the whole process?

Good luck with your project!

[cdhall]

Wow. I watched part 2. I will have to catch part 1 later. Lots of work. They know what they are doing. Thanks for the tip.

Now that even that has been done. I can perhaps rest in piece. I may try to shoot part of idea 1 and 2 just to see if I can.

And yes, that may have been the longest post ever. I should retire from the board now...

But I did play an online RPG once which for some reason decided to have a "longest post" contest. I think they were expecting the winner to submit 600-1000 words based on a previous 500 word post by the person who proposed the contest.

I think I won with 4200 words. I think the game was killed shortly thereafter.

[cdhall]

Bump. I totally lost track of this thread. I had been looking for it. I mentioned to others that I'd link to it. I will try to save this for future reference. I may be able to do something about this in the Fall 2010.

[Hector]

Wow Doug...I think that was the longest post ever!

Have you ever read some of Darklord's posts?

[apes3978]

Not a bad idea, but really kind of unnecessary because they're out there already and can be seen in their original form(s)... Unless you'd be going all out and adding new SFX or elaborate sets, I can't see a reason to do it because a "reshoot" really wouldn't do anything to enhance the existing episode...

But, the idea of wanting to have "real sound, voices, and FX" is a good one, and may be obtainable if you look to another form of STAR TREK storytelling: The Power/Peter Pan book and records... There were many of them made, and most run in the 10-12 minute range so it'd be a good (timesaving) way to start as opposed to a 22 minute animated episode or a 50 minute TOS show... And if you're able to get one with the book (comic) included, you could use that as your storyboard...

There was just a thread ( I think in Classic Toys) about the Peter Pan records and people named off what they had so maybe someone there could cut you a tape or CD of them... I think the TREK stories are available on line somewhere too...

So here are my main ideas:[*]Reshoot an original Animated or TOS episode so I have real Sound, Voices and FX

[cdhall]

Thanks

Not a bad idea, but really kind of unnecessary because they're out there already and can be seen in their original form(s)... Unless you'd be going all out and adding new SFX or elaborate sets, I can't see a reason to do it because a "reshoot" really wouldn't do anything to enhance the existing episode...

But, the idea of wanting to have "real sound, voices, and FX" is a good one, and may be obtainable if you look to another form of STAR TREK storytelling: The Power/Peter Pan book and records... There were many of them made, and most run in the 10-12 minute range so it'd be a good (timesaving) way to start as opposed to a 22 minute animated episode or a 50 minute TOS show... And if you're able to get one with the book (comic) included, you could use that as your storyboard...

There was just a thread ( I think in Classic Toys) about the Peter Pan records and people named off what they had so maybe someone there could cut you a tape or CD of them... I think the TREK stories are available on line somewhere too...

Thanks apes, I have a vinyl record or two, not sure who made them, that I considered using. I originally thought it was original cast voices but I think not. I have yet to open them and hear them much less digitize them.

If I can digitize what I have, it could be a good, short script to play with. Thank you.

I will update this thread, now that I've found it, if I do anything about this project.

[Sandman9580]

This doesn't help with the voices but there's a CD that has all the Trek sound effects on it.

[cdhall]

Thanks Sandman,

I bought that CD when it was a Cassette.


And I later bought the CD also.

[apes3978]

If they're on Peter Pan or Power records, then you're correct it's their voice actors doing them and not any of the ST cast...

I have a vinyl record or two, not sure who made them, that I considered using. I originally thought it was original cast voices but I think not.

[Trappy Trek Freak]

I like the idea of all this but I think it should be kept in the Star Trek universe and not they woke up to figure out they are not real, that it's just a show. I love the idea that you could take a role play game and make it into a mego movie, that would be cool. You could just play and see how the story plays out. I would really like to see this happen and I would like to see a 90 minute pilot to maybe have a series on this. I like it Doug, drive on soldier!!!

[cdhall]

Thanks Trappy, I think you are the one that got me to go look for this thread and bump it up.

I will let you know if I can do anything with it. I am hoping to have Final Cut Pro, a MacBookPro and some time to try this in the Fall... 2010, apparently a year after I posted this.