Star Trek: Hidden Frontier

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Star Trek: Hidden Frontier
Format science fiction / fan series
Created by Rob Caves
Developed by Rob Caves
Risha Denney
J.T. Tepnapa
Jennifer Cole
Carlos Pedraza
Starring David Dial
Risha Denney
Larry LaVerne
John Whiting
Joanne Busch
Wayne Webb
Barbara Clifford
Bobby Rice
J.T. Tepnapa
Adam Browne
Country of origin USA
No. of episodes 50 total
Production
Running time 35-40 minutes approx.
Broadcast
Original channel none
Original run 2000 – 2007
External links
IMDb profile

Star Trek: Hidden Frontier (HF) was one of the longest-running of the Star Trek fan film projects that have become an increasingly common fixture of the internet video scene. Although fan films have been produced for almost as long as there have been film fans, they were generally few and far between before the advent of home video. Produced on digital video, the show's sets are almost completely virtual, using a green-screen chroma keyed process to place performers into virtual settings.

The series is set during the era of the Star Trek: The Next Generation series. Episodes revolve around the starship USS Excelsior, and its home base, Deep Space 12, which is located in the Briar Patch, a region of space introduced in the film Star Trek: Insurrection.

Hidden Frontier has produced 50 episodes, and focuses on character relationships, including, gay and lesbian characters and subplots.1

Produced by Rob Caves, Hidden Frontier ran for seven seasons and was produced by volunteers in Southern California. The final episode of the series aired in May 2007. Two new spin-offs, Star Trek: Odyssey and Star Trek: The Helena Chronicles, also produced by Rob Caves, take place shortly after the end of Hidden Frontier.

Contents

[edit] Plot

Based in the Briar Patch (Tikrit Expanse) introduced in Star Trek: Insurrection, on Deep Space 12, a space station in orbit of the planet Ba'ku. It follows the daily life of several officers serving onboard the station and a few of the ships stationed there. Early in the series, an advanced species, the Grey, are introduced and become the primary villain, with a story arc that spans the entire series. Later, secondary villains are introduced including an Andorian trader and later the Tholians along with a man named Siroc. Mysterious ancient alien artifacts become a key focus of the series.

The crew interacts with many established species from Star Trek, including Andorians, Ba'ku, Klingons, Romulans, Son'a, and Tzenkethi.

[edit] Cast and Crew

[edit] Main Cast

Character Actor(s) Rank Position
Ian Quincy Knapp David Dial Rear Admiral Commander of Deep Space 12 (former Commanding Officer, USS Excelsior)
Elizabeth Shelby Risha Denney Captain Commanding Officer (former Executive Officer), USS Excelsior
Tolian Naros Larry LaVerne Captain Commanding Officer, USS Helena (formerly Executive Officer, USS Excelsior)
Dr. Henglaar John Whiting Lieutenant Commander Chief Medical Officer, USS Excelsior
Robin Lefler Kelly Jamison, Joanne Busch Commander Executive Officer (former Chief Engineer), USS Excelsior
Matt McCabe Wayne Webb Lieutenant Tactical Officer/Security Chief, USS Excelsior
Myra Elbrey Barbara Clifford Lieutenant Commander Counselor, USS Excelsior
Ro Nevin Arthur Bosserman, Bobby Rice Lieutenant Chief Science Officer, USS Excelsior
Corey Aster J.T. Tepnapa Lieutenant Commander Chief Engineer (former Assistant Chief Engineer), USS Excelsior
Jorian Zen/Dao Adam Browne Lieutenant Tactical Officer, USS Helena (former Helmsman, USS Excelsior)

[edit] Notable Recurring Characters

Character Actor(s) Rank Position
Glinn Betras Rebecca Wood Glinn, Cardassian military Renegade Cardassian officer in Siroc's employ
Jennifer Cole Jennifer Cole Rear Admiral Commanding Officer, USS Independence
James Darwin Cliff Gardner Commander Executive Officer, Deep Space 12
Artim Ibanya Beau Christian Williams Ensign Junior Science Officer, USS Excelsior
Joseph Johns Mike Johns Commander Executive Officer, USS Independence
Traya Knapp Crystal Huerta, Noora Hadden, Leanna Spear, Jessica Lyons None Admiral Knapp's daughter
Korg Karl Puder General, Klingon Defense Forces Commander of Klingon forces in the Briar Patch
Malek Jonathan Connor-Foertsch, John Nelson, Travis Sentell Gul, Cardassian military Ambassador to the Federation
William Martinez Anthony Diaz, Dan Crout Commander Head of the Grey Research Facility
Jenna McFarland Adrianne Lange, Rebecca Wood Lieutenant Helmsman, USS Excelsior
Alynna Nechayev Reneé Huberstock Admiral Commander of Operations in the Briar Patch
Siroc Jim Fox-Davis None Enemy of Tolian Naros, instigator of the Tholian War
Milo Surgant Brandon Stacy, Lorenzo Leonard Lieutenant Renegade Starfleet officer in Siroc's employ
Vorina Suzy Kaplan, Julie Anne Gardner None Member of the Orion Syndicate in Siroc's employ
Jason Munoz Jason Munoz Lieutenant Commander Executive Officer, USS Excelsior –

[edit] Background Information

Star Trek: Hidden Frontier premiered in 2000, an offshoot of the fan series Voyages of the USS Angeles, produced by the Star Trek fan club of that starship name in Southern California, and for legal reasons only circulated among the cast and crew; no copies of the earlier series are available to the public and no reference to the show is even made on the club's web site. Hidden Frontier inherited the setting, Deep Space 12, and several of the characters from the Angeles series, but quickly went on to establish its own identity. Two later HF episodes made use of footage originally shot for Angeles episodes that were never produced.

Because of the expense involved in building and storing the sets required for all the locations used in the series, the series is filmed in a spare room of the executive producer's home and utilizes a green screen matting technique to place actors into "virtual" sets. As a result, there is often a slight green halo around the actors, which some viewers decry, while others apparently have little trouble with. And, while from a technique and technical standpoint the show is behind some other fan films, it shows how far fan film has come in that it is an amateur web based series, with a multi-arc plot and which manages to produce at least six episodes per year, whereas most fan films are either one-offs or are released at a much slower rate.

Because of the risk that the episodes are burnt to DVD and sold, endangering the legal position of the show's producers, most episodes are released in low resolution. At this point only five (originally six) episodes have been released in high quality, those being a special edition of Season 1's fourth episode, "Two Hours," Season 6's premiere and finale, "Countermeasures" and "Her Battle Lanterns Lit," (which is originally released both low and high resolutions, but it has been later regularized into a single regular episode) and also Season 7's premiere, "Heavy Losses" and the two-part series finale.

Several key roles had replacements during the seven year run. The character of Lefler was originally played by Kelly Jamison, but because of work obligations, she had to pass the role on to Joanne Busch. The character of Ro Nevin was originally played by Arthur Bosserman, but he decided to leave the cast after five seasons to pursue professional interests in music. The role was passed to Bobby Rice.

For Seasons 2 and 3, nine episodes were produced each season. The later seasons were reduced to six, as nine episodes were too much work for the volunteer cast and crew. Nonetheless, Season 7, the final season, consists of eight episodes.

Hidden Frontier's theme music is taken from the film Galaxy Quest. Because of the crew's short production schedule and low budget, the music for most of HF's episodes was inherited from Paramount-owned soundtracks (both Star Trek and non-Star Trek), possibly to confine copyright issues to a single studio which generally owns Star Trek properties. Original scores were created for the last four episodes, when several fans of the series, who were also composers, volunteered to create the music, and also to improve the series to become enjoyable and better.

[edit] Episode Listing

For a key to the abbreviations and additional notes, shown thus <1>, see the end of this section. The ratings for "Best of Season" come from a series of polls done on the Hidden Frontier forum in January 2006. A synopsis of each season is included, as well as a first air date, when known.

Season 1

From the ashes of the Dominion War, the Federation meets the Grey, a powerful confederacy of alien races. The U.S.S. Excelsior is assigned to a new starbase, Deep Space 12, which serves to protect the healing planet Ba'ku and the hidden frontier of the mysterious Briar Patch.

  • HF1.01 – 2000-__-__ "Enemy Unknown, Part 1"
  • HF1.02 – 2000-__-__ "Enemy Unknown, Part 2"
  • HF1.03 – 2000-__-__ "Enemy Unknown, Part 3"
  • HF1.04 – 2000-__-__ "Two Hours"
  • HF1.05 – 2000-__-__ "Perihelion" - Voted best of season
  • HF1.06 – 2001-04-29 "Echoes"
Season 2

Conflicts with the Grey escalate as the Excelsior begins to explore the Briar Patch. Old enemies, like the Dominion, resurface and new enemies, like the Orion Syndicate, appear amid ancient mysteries.

  • HF2.01 – 2001-__-__ "Refugees"
  • HF2.02 – 2001-__-__ "Yesterday's Excelsior" - Voted best of season - Act 1 only available as a Graphic novel
  • HF2.03 – 2001-__-__ "Old Wound"
  • HF2.04 – 2001-__-__ "Great Starship Robbery"
  • HF2.05 – 2001-__-__ "Encke"
  • HF2.06 – 2001-__-__ "To the Stars"
  • HF2.07 – 2001-__-__ "Fire in the Heart"
  • HF2.08 – 2001-__-__ "Coward's Death"
  • HF2.09 – 2001-__-__ "Worst Fears, Part 1"
Season 3

Deep Space 12 tries to repel a major Grey attack, political tensions rise among galactic powers in the Briar Patch, and a centuries-old antagonist appears at the center of a growing conspiracy.

  • HF3.01 – 2002-__-__ "Worst Fears, Part 2"
  • HF3.02 – 2002-__-__ "Worst Fears, Part 3"
  • HF3.03 – 2002-__-__ "Heroes"
  • HF3.04 – 2002-__-__ "In Memory Of"
  • HF3.05 – 2002-__-__ "Modus Operandi"
  • HF3.06 – 2002-__-__ "Santa Q"
  • HF3.07 – 2003-__-__ "Ashes"
  • HF3.08 – 2003-__-__ "Voyage of the Defiant" - Voted best of season
  • HF3.09 – 2003-__-__ "Hell's Gate, Part 1"
Season 4

Ancient and powerful artifacts are at the center of new conflicts among the Federation, Cardassians, Bajorans and Tholians in the Briar Patch. The crew of the Excelsior face their own personal tragedies.

  • HF4.01 – 2003-__-__ "Hell's Gate, Part 2"
  • HF4.02 – 2003-__-__ "Piracy of the Noble" - Voted best of season
  • HF4.03 – 2003-09-11 "Addictions"
  • HF4.04 – 2003-10-28 "Grave Matters"
  • HF4.05 – 2003-12-03 "Crossroads"
  • HF4.06 – 2004-03-26 "Entanglement, Part 1"
Season 5

For five years the Grey have stalked the Federation as Starfleet has plumbed the depths of the Briar Patch, discovering the powerful and ancient tetrahedrons. Meanwhile, the inscrutable Tholians have stepped up their own incursions in the Patch, bringing them to the verge of war with the Federation.

  • HF5.01 – 2004-05-02 "Entanglement, Part 2"
  • HF5.02 – 2004-06-13 "Imminent Danger"
  • HF5.03 – 2004-07-07 "Darkest Night"
  • HF5.04 – 2004-08-04 "Security Counsel" - Voted best of season
  • HF5.05 – 2004-10-24 "Epitaph"
  • HF5.06 – 2004-12-01 "The Battle is Joined"
Season 6

The Tholians make their move, and the galaxy will never be the same. New villains emerge, and new threats entangle the crew of the Excelsior in unexpected danger.

  • HF6.01 – 2005-02-27 "Countermeasures" - Tied in vote for best overall episode
  • HF6.02 – 2005-04-12 "Dancing in the Dark"
  • HF6.03 – 2005-06-__ "Homeport"
  • HF6.04 – 2005-08-12 "Beachhead"
  • HF6.05 – 2005-09-28 "Vigil" - Voted best of season; tied for best overall episode
  • HF6.06 – 2005-11-24 "Her Battle Lanterns Lit"
Season 7

Thrown into a war with sinister enemies, Starfleet and the members of the fleet attached to Deep Space Twelve fight for the safety of the Briar Patch and Federation. Shrouded by mystery and circled by villains with no remorse, the war is just beginning.

  • HF7.01 – 2006-03-17 "Heavy Losses"
  • HF7.02 – 2006-04-29 "Bound"
  • HF7.03 – 2006-06-23 "Past Sins"
  • HF7.04 – 2006-09-01 "Hearts And Minds"
  • HF7.05 – 2006-11-23 "The Widening Gyre" - Music composed by Patrick Vogler
  • HF7.06 – 2007-01-19 "Things Fall Apart"
  • HF7.07 – 2007-03-17 "The Center Cannot Hold" - Music composed by Dex Craig
  • HF7.08 – 2007-05-19 "Its Hour Come Round At Last" (series finale)

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

Media

Official websites

Star Trek fan productions

Starship Exeter · Helena Chronicles · Hidden Frontier · Intrepid · Odyssey · Phase II
Of Gods and Men · The Pepsi Generation · Star Wreck · Stone Trek
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