master_q 0 Posted July 30, 2004 Frakes talks w/ IGN FilmForce Here are some excerpts: IGNFF: I can't really think of a way to phrase this delicately - what, in your view, went wrong with INSURRECTION ? FRAKES: The script. I don't think that an ideal society - the Ba'ku - should have been all blonde people walking around in sandals. IGNFF: I've heard numerous stories about clashes you had behind the scenes with Rick [berman] … That both you and Patrick had with Rick… FRAKES: Yeah. One of the great things that Rick did with NEMESIS was go outside of the family and hire a proper A-level movie writer in John Logan. There's a certain safety that I think… I don't know… I think that the studio and Rick felt like having writers that we knew, or we worked with… IGNFF: So the familiarity factor worked against it… FRAKES: Yes. Because it certainly worked with Deep Space, which I loved. Which was Piller. And I think half of INSURRECTION worked - which was the F. Murray Abraham story. I thought it was a very clever character. IGNFF: But a majority of the direction of DEEP SPACE NINE was due to Ira Behr… FRAKES: Ira Behr as well, yeah. But the concept in the pilot was good… It was different from the other STAR TREKs - which VOYAGER, frankly, wasn't. IGNFF: To its detriment. FRAKES: Yeah, I'm afraid so. IGNFF: And the same flaw is even more manifest with ENTERPRISE… FRAKES: Yeah, I don't know what has happened there. IGNFF: Within INSURRECTION, was there a frustration level that you reached with the conflicts you had - and again, I've heard the stories about you trying to say, "Listen, this really isn't up to snuff. We need to change this. We need to be more dynamic." I have heard stories about you wanting to be more dynamic with the kind of camera techniques you used, and you were tamped down by Rick about that. FRAKES: Yeah. IGNFF: What was your frustration level in dealing with that? And was that also part of deciding, "I want to move on to other films besides STAR TREK" ? FRAKES: Well, I had always wanted to do other things. I think that FIRST CONTACT was a tough act to follow, and I think that ultimately - I said, "We're only as good as what's in the script." You only have there to grow from, and I think that script had - in a weird way, not unlike Generations - it was half of a good film. IGNFF: It seemed to me to be a decent episode. FRAKES: Yeah. That's horrible to say, but probably true… Because you spend a year of your f***in' life on it. It's so sad! (laughing) IGNFF: It might have been a decent two-parter on the series, but it just wasn't film material. FRAKES: I know. IGNFF: But was it frustrating for you as a director, obviously wanting to be artistic on certain things, and having to work within what people have described as the shackles of some people's view of what Star Trek should and shouldn't do, stylistically? FRAKES: I'm not quite sure that I felt shackled. I know others do feel that way - and I know Rick has a very strong opinion about what can and can't be done with the camera and with cutting - but he's not as dogmatic as some people paint him. I mean, I ultimately moved the camera much more than he would of liked me, and I cut from moving shot to moving shot, which he wasn't crazy about… and I used handheld more than he would have liked… but "it's a collaboration," they say. IGNFF: You said that with such conviction… FRAKES: (laughing) It's also, he's a friend. IGNFF: But did it sour you on TREK at all? FRAKES: No. I'm sure you've heard this before, but it's the best job in the world. IGNFF: So, if offered, you would have done another film… but who knows, after what happened with NEMESIS ? FRAKES: Absolutely. And what happened to NEMESIS ? IGNFF: Well, I wouldn't say it was the franchise's finest journey… It seemed to me that far too many of the elements were familiar to anyone who had seen previous films to play as something that was a worthy venture for a brand new film… FRAKES: Yeah. IGNFF: And there was a high hope that it would be something that could make up for INSURRECTION… And unfortunately, that familiarity breed contempt. FRAKES: Yeah. No that show felt to me like a fabulous episode. "Let's do the episode about cloning Patrick [stewart]…" Haven't we done that episode somewhere down the line? IGNFF: I was hoping they'd have the sequence where Riker went into the engine core and he shut it down in order to save the ship, and you'd die tragically and be fired off in a torpedo… FRAKES: Yeah… IGNFF: But I guess they didn't get to that part of the film before they stopped writing the script. FRAKES: Yeah. IGNFF: Like I said, it had a been there, done that feel to it. FRAKES: Yeah. And I know the marching orders were to go back to action blow-em-up, because that's what the core fans missed. IGNFF: But what I think one of the great things that you and the script for FIRST CONTACT accomplished was addressing the one thing NEXT GEN the series never bred that well, which were sustainable villains. Because there was peace everywhere… FRAKES: Right… IGNFF: Peace with the Romulans, peace with the Klingons, peace with this, peace with that… FRAKES: And also, Picard was a diplomat, as opposed to Kirk… IGNFF: So you really couldn't get conflict going easily, unless you went somewhat out-of-character, like FIRST CONTACT did. FRAKES: Yes. And the Borg were a brilliant invention, too. IGNFF: And they were the only real villains that the show bred. Besides trying to do a film with Q, which would be more of an intellectual study… FRAKES: Yeah. I always thought that it was a missed opportunity not to put Q in the films. IGNFF: Was there ever talks about that? FRAKES: Every time I talked about it! IGNFF: It makes no sense to have such a strong character and strong actor, and not use them… FRAKES: Yep. I couldn't agree more. And it was not for not asking. IGNFF: At this point, where do talks stand? Have there been any talks since Nemesis? FRAKES: I haven't heard any talk of another film, and I've seen all of the parties involved. IGNFF: Obviously Rick is in a bit of an embattled position right now with what's going on with ENTERPRISE… FRAKES: I understand that ENTERPRISE is on thin ice to even continue to get its full seven seasons in. For more Click Here! Master Q StarTrek_Master_Q@yahoo.com Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gdog243 0 Posted September 1, 2004 No one has commented on this great interview? That's surprising. Other than the fact that the interviewer was baiting him the entire time, the interview was very candid. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
