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Monday, August 1, 2016

A Story That Needed to be Told

By day, he’s a character sculptor and designer.  Born in the Midwest, but interested in robots, molding, casting, and camera work, Greg Dykstra’s busy creative background seems like the perfect environment to formulate a story for STAR TREK CONTINUES.

Early in his career, Dykstra worked in a photo lab and made Super 8 films.  But it was the lure of the film industry that brought him from rural Indiana to California.

This Dykstra is not related to John Dykstra, who did special effects work on STAR WARS and STAR TREK:  The Motion Picture.  But Greg Dykstra admits that it didn’t hurt to have a famous name in the small circle of Hollywood. 

“’Oh, he’s the Dykstra who isn’t John’ is what I heard,” said Greg, whose own work can be seen in “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids,” “Ghostbusters II,” and “Nightmare before Christmas,” and more recently in a host of animated films including  Brave,” “Up,” and “Finding Nemo.”

Greg and his wife Cherri became fans of STAR TREK CONTINUES and he contacted Vic Mignogna to express their love for the show. A meeting with Mignogna led to a discussion about the stories that propelled the original series, and the sorts of stories that were needed for future STC episodes.

“One of the biggest challenges we have as a production is developing good stories – not just scripts that include all of the gadgetry and villains of STAR TREK.  We really want our episodes to have a message and to have something that you remember.  We want stories that make you think.  Greg proposed an idea, and I asked him to develop a treatment,” Mignogna explained.

“This story comes out of things in my personal experience.  My grandfather was like the father figure in this episode.  I witnessed, firsthand, the effect that this had on our family.  One of the things I looked at was how a lot of abusers feel like there’s a better person inside that they wish they were.  But they are controlled by a monster, a paranoia.  They think that everyone is trying to undermine them.  It plays out as fear, and anger that is released blindly.  Some people overcome it.  Some people grow up in an abusive household – and some become abusers themselves,” Dykstra said. 

“My grandfather has been dead for some time, but I know that my grandmother had been through a lot.  I was talking to her once, and she gave me a lot of detail.  I was interviewing her for a genealogy project.  So I know all this stuff had gone on, and she revealed the details.  It was just horrifying.  But I still loved him.  And that’s often the case with children who go through this.  I did have a very hard time forgiving him.

“And that was the idea that I wanted to start talking about in this episode.  I wanted to explore the reason that these people love -- the reason that a child loves a father and the reason a wife loves a husband (even as an abuser.)  And abusers may not know how much they children or loved ones care about them.
 
“Certainly, this is a heavy subject and giving it classic STAR TREK action adventure element help a lot.  You have a monster that comes in and turns out to be a child.  His dad is a monster in space,” Dykstra said.

Before writing Episode Six, Dykstra helped behind the scenes on a previous episode. 


“STC is such a family kind of operation.  We eat lunch together, and we go out to dinner at night.  We don’t disperse like a lot of productions do.  We can’t make a profit, and nobody is here for the money."

9 comments:

Unknown said...

Thank you to the whole cast and crew, you have lifted my spirits and my heart. I live in the UK and to find such a gem of a show with fantastic production and great direction and acting, I love this entire series. Shame to see it die from our view. Love you guys.
Your fan forever.
Bill Gurney

louis R. said...

The worldwide following that STC has acquired is amazing! A shame to know it'll end but so grateful to have been lucky enough to have witnessed the best Star Trek series made. After it's final docking I sincerely hope that Vic M. will come up with yet another great show-whatever it may be- for us to enjoy!God Bless!

Unknown said...

these shows are so good, thank you for making them

Unknown said...

these shows are so good, thank you for making them

Mike Jones said...

Truly a liberal look at the future, and I say that with good intent. As the original series was embracing the non-conformist views of it's day, so too is this continuation. It is good to see the challenge to question continue, as the show does. It is also good to see the fairness of mind to not simply discount opposing views, a lesson we could all take to heart in our own time. The production values, lighting and sets are astonishing. Watching the show now it would be easy to believe I was an 8 year old all over again. Thank you, most sincerely.

Mike Jones said...

Truly a liberal look at the future, and I say that with good intent. As the original series was embracing the non-conformist views of it's day, so too is this continuation. It is good to see the challenge to question continue, as the show does. It is also good to see the fairness of mind to not simply discount opposing views, a lesson we could all take to heart in our own time. The production values, lighting and sets are astonishing. Watching the show now it would be easy to believe I was an 8 year old all over again. Thank you, most sincerely.

robert001 said...

Don't give up.

Unknown said...

you spent all this time, effort, money in creating the perfect set, only to make 6 episodes and quit? let alone, give into the politicaly correct bullshit pro female dominate role episode? man, what a waste

Allan said...

Many thanks to you, Vic and all those involved in making STC! I have always enjoyed TOS. I believe my first viewing of TOS was in 1971. I was 5 years old! I watched it as often as I could! My friends and I and school would try to act out the episodes on our recess break at school! I particularly enjoyed Captain Kirk. I seen him as a role model for leadership, decision making and compassion. Which brings me to thank you Vic for continuing on these traits of the original Kirk!
Thank you everyone for a great STC series. All the best in your future endeavours!
Allan

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