Let's start with the high profile groups, shall we? When you think of professionals in Star Trek fan films, who do you think of? Well, that's a no-brainer! Star Trek: Of Gods and Men and Star Trek: New Voyages.

What is Star Trek: Of Gods and Men, though? Is it a fan film? Well it isn't produced by CBS / Paramount or one of it's licensed companies so it would have to be at least technically a fan film as long as it does not attempt to make a profit. There are those who would say that it is a film made by professionals for fans but this is simply elitism to distance it from a perceived lack of quality in the average fan film. There is no getting away from the fact, though, that it is quite simply a Star Trek fan's dream cast! Supporting two of The Original Series big names, Nichelle Nichols and Grace Lee Whitney (Uhura and Rand) there is Celeste Yarnall, and Arlene Martel of The Original Series, Chase Masterson from Deep Space Nine and Crystal Allen from Star Trek Enterprise.

The women of Star Trek: New Voyages.
L-R. Mary Linda, D.C.Fontana, Julienne Irons, Meghan King Johnson.

Star Trek: New Voyages, as a group, has its roots in the fanbase but its aspirations amongst the stars! The amazing array of professionals - household names, to Star Trek fans, legendary names! - that have worked on it is a testimony to the energy and ingenuity of their executive producer, James Cawley.

Arguably the co-stars of their latest episode, "To Serve All My Days", were Walter Koenig and D.C.Fontana's script! Dorothy C. Fontana is an iconic example for screenwriters, breaking into the male dominated industry, moving from Gene Roddenberry's production secretary, right at the start of the production of Star Trek, to his story editor for a year and a half until the end of the second season. Continually building on her screenwriting credits, she went on to stints as the associate producer and story editor of the first year of The Animated Series and the first 13 episodes of The Next Generation! This is, of course, only a small proportion of her full professional output but to a Star Trek fan it is by far the most important.

Imagine, then applying the accumulated experience of the person who had written more Original Series scripts than anyone else to a dramatic vehicle that would define the character of Walter Koenig's character, Pavel Chekov? Imagine having also featured Mary-Linda Rappeleye who played in the 1969 TOS episode, "The Way to Eden" as his ex-girlfriend, as his new leading lady? Mary is another professional who has gone on from Star Trek to make a successful career in TV and movies.

The result was that the production shone! Star Trek fans owe DC, Mary and Walter a great mark of gratitude for contributing their time and effort to give us an amazing Tour-de-force of new Star Trek!

One of the challenges of performing in a New Voyages production is that many of the characters are so well known that they are almost cultural icons in themselves! Take, for example, the role of Lt. Uhura, which was played in the Original Series by Nichelle Nichols. Her role as a black, female bridge officer broke two major cultural taboos of the time and who doesn't know that she and William Shatner shared the first interracial kiss on prime time TV?

Faced with the formidable job of filling those shoes is an attractive young graduate of the Tisch School of the Arts at New York University, Julienne Irons. An alumni of Manhattan's Stonestreet Studios, she has played Nyota Uhura in all the episodes of New Voyages to date.

In Dec 05, Cawley announced that Meghan King Johnson was returning to New Voyages in her original role of Lt. Janice Rand. The character of Janice Rand, the eye-catching young Yeoman of the Original Series, was absent from their last episode, "To Serve All My Days", although the role had been announced as being taken by Katrina Kernodle. Meg is working on her interpretation of the role according to her posts on the NV Forum. Should she follow the common but superficial "eye candy" idea of Rand or, as she has been urged, develop the role and make the character her own? Certainly this is the philosophy that the other major players, Cawley and Quin, have followed and, after all, she is playing a lieutenant, not the young yeoman who we remember from the original series.

The women of Star Trek: Hidden Frontier.
L-R. Rebecca Wood, Jennifer Cole, Risha Denney, Joanne Busch and Barbara Clifford.

Hidden Frontier, on the opposite side of the American continent, is best known for its bold stance on gays in Star Trek. Now, whilst this is a very valid social statement, the publicity this has gathered has tended to overshadow other outstanding aspects of their production, in particular the contributions of a strong female contingent, both in front of and behind the camera.

Now in its seventh and final year under executive producer Rob Caves, HF sprang from earlier work done by the Star Trek fan club, the USS Angeles. One of Rob's major supporters from those early days on the Angeles is producer, director and actor Jennifer Cole. She has played Commodore Cole, the commanding officer of the USS Independance, since at least season 2, in 2001, until this year when her character was killed off in a blaze of glory! More importantly, Jennifer has directed a large number of their episodes, contributing considerably to the success of the series.

Risha Denney is another long term member of the group - right back to Season 1 - who has directed and plays one of the lead roles as Captain Elizabeth Shelby of the starship Excelsior, her character having a back-story extending to the books of Peter David. Risha was given the opportunity to play a romantic duet with James Cawley of New Voyages fame when he guest starred on Hidden Frontier as Mackenzie Calhoun, the great love of Captain Shelby's life from the Peter David books. 

Two of the stand-out performances of previous seasons would have to be Rebecca Wood's deliciously evil villains, Glinn Betras and President Vindenpawl. Recently hired to teach Shakespeare at the Harlequin theatre, a professional theatre company in Washington, she developed her workshop on her experiences in John Barton's 'Playing Shakespeare USA'. "It was a heady experience - playing Olivia opposite Helen Hunt's Viola, coaching by John Barton himself, watching Kevin Kline work on a sonnet!" These are exciting times for Becky: playing Malvolio as a female character in a production of Twelfth Night this summer, a possible artistic (literary) internship with Seattle Rep., a master's degree at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London. Most importantly for us (the fans) she is to guest star in the New Voyages episode, "Blood and Fire" as a villain, with a twist.

When I asked her what she thought of fan films as a way of actors starting out she was enthusiastic. "Fan films are a GREAT step, for anyone, actually, even pros - it's great because you get to keep those muscles working, you get to try new types of roles or just keep honing your work in a less tense and result-oriented environment. I love it!"

The women of Starship Exeter.
L-R. Holly Guess, Elizabeth Wheat.

Starship Exeter, started by Jimm & Josh Johnson in 1995, is the oldest Star Trek action film still going strong today. Their first episode, The Savage Empire, was released in December, 2002 and starred Holly Guess as Commander Jo Harris, their Executive Officer and Chief Science Officer. Laughing, Holly says that the main criterion for her landing the role in the first episode was that she fit the costume that Jimm Johnson had and was willing to bleach her hair! Early in 2006 Holly got married and had a baby but has still returned to co star in Exeter's second episode, The Tressaurian Intersection.

Also in The Tressaurian Intersection, which has been released up to Act 2, is Elizabeth Wheat who plays Ensign Vandi Richards a young ensign trying to get experience in command as the the captain's assistant against his wishes. In an ironic twist of fate, Elizabeth is a blonde who is playing a brunette! Exeter were very lucky to get such a versatile young actress!

Starship Farragut, is the latest Star Trek fan film to release an episode, in February at the Farpoint convention. Farragut is an example of how strategic alliances between organisations can benefit all concerned. Holly Bednar, who plays the ship's engineer, Lt Cmdr Michelle Renata Smithfield, is also the Executive Director of the Chesapeake Bay Floating Theatre, which operates the Black Box Theatre, bringing with here a wealth of acting and theatrical experience. Tonya Bacon a model, actor and former DC beauty pageant runner-up plays Lt Alissa Moretti, and like everyone else on a zero budget fan film has a second job as the production's Media Relations manager.

There are far more hard working cast and crew members than we can adequately represent here in this short article. Tales of the Seventh Fleet, is an inspiring production group that is 100 percent fans - no professionals at all! Michelle Lee Hendricks and Trisha Tunis play important roles on screen and off, not least as the 'significant others' of two of the leading lights on the film production group and the fan club that makes it, the USS Justice. Star Wreck is another film that has drawn strongly on fans and professionals alike. Behind the scenes there was Satu Niemi who created their Costumes whilst on camera was Satu Heliö, Tiina Routamaa and Karoliina Blackburn a well-known Finnish TV personality.

The list goes on. Certain threads stand out for me though, chief of which is that the diversity of women in fan films matches that of men. There are fans, aspiring professionals and some who are recognised as masters at their art. Their motives are just as various, from professional development to just plain having fun!

I find it hard to hide my admiration for them - both men and women - on so many levels. The concept that ordinary people can take part in productions that can involve professionals right up to the highest levels is mind-blowing.

You know, someone should develop on that idea. Perhaps we could get real financing for a major production or series that would involve the fans under the tutelage of high profile professionals. It would have to be original material though and ... oh!

Somebody's already thought of it.