[Rear Admiral Nerd]

Starship Ajax
It was suggested by Potemkin_Prod on the "What Happened To Starship Exeter?" thread that I start a Ajax thread so that others can learn more about Starship Ajax. I personally feel premature in going public at this time due to the near raw and minimal embryonic state of pre-production development in characters and story outlines and planning of the Ajax production being developed by a small handful of guys. ( 3 to 5 at most at this post ) I've been involved as producer at John's request since March 2010 so we're just getting started. The story is set ons Frans Joseph technical Manual Destroyer. Some specific ship related designs are being done in CGI by my request of Ken Thomson for the ship that should be delivered soon and will be made public. The ship in the story does not adhere to any specific published blueprints, and John and I seek to make the show as indistiguishable form TOS Trek as possible in it's presentation to be mistaken for a 1968 Desilu / Anderson / Gene Roddenbury production TOS Trek. I certainly would have have felt more comfortable if things were more developed before making Ajax's existence public knowledge. But hearing John Hughes these past couple of days express the pressure he is feeling during and especially after the Exeter bridge move, I felt it necessary to go public so as to get the ball rolling on financial donations. John is also expressed concern that at present we are basically 3 guys in pulling this together and he is wanting as soon as possible people to help in all areas in assistance from Set repair and construction, CGI, storywriting, stage hands, electricians...well basically everything. At present only 3 episode outlines and half of the main characters are flushed out and have had to be put on hold due to devoting full attention on aqquiring what remains of the Exeter sets. I would have wanted all the pre-production planning done first before obtaining sets, but we have to take what oppurtunites that come our way first.

I do not plan on having any of us appear on camera in the finished episode with the exception of John Hughes who may have a brief cameo which has not been determined yet. From the beginning when he approached me with Ajax he wishes to use local professional actors to be cast for the character roles. as of this time I have given the go ahead to bring in for an interview the first actor for our navigator's role, but when that meeting will take place is not known at this time.

To help speed up the process and make easier getting the information out there as much as possible about Ajax I decided to post on Facebook regular video updates to keep everyone interested current with new developments of Ajax, and to answer as many questions and address as many as possible issues in one fell swoop. Video updates for me seemed the best way to move as much information as possible with the least effort without boring people with long text posts that try their patience or bore them with too much detail. As issues come up in asking for help or concerns they will be addressed promptly in the video updates so to keep linkage with the public frequent so there won't be a information vacuum leaving those wanting to know more left hanging wanting to know what's going on at any specific point in time.

I am posting here parts 1 and 2 of the first video update I posted in early mid November in introducing Ajax publically on facebook. It is my desire to get the ball rolling in donations to John to relieve the pressure on him financially since beginning this project, and to toss out an invite to anyone interested in wanting to donate their time and assistance with their particular talents. I also think this thread would be better venue to answer any questions about the production, than answering them on the Exeter thread which i didn't want to highjack and take off topic. Any and all who are interested in contributing as becoming part of the production may private message me here or on the facebook page.

Part 1 of the video update from facebook
http://www.facebook.....69229

Part 2 of the video update from facebook
http://www.facebook.....79656798714441

Address for donations to help fund the Ajax project...

Starship Ajax: Attention John Hughes
9913 South Ross Ave. Oklahoma City, Okla 73159

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

Here is our patches. THey are prototypes and we plan on refiining the design of the stiched patterning. The patch design itself is final as seen here....

A render at my request of Ken Thomson of the Ajax. More specific renderings are in the works and wil be posted when they become available. He has volunteered to assist in doing some CGI. I would like to have as many people as possible to do CGI so that one person is not buried with too much....

The story is set in the end of TOS season 1 and the beginning of season 2.

John is having a prototype made for the away team jackets for cold weather. We were originally planning on the Ajax being a unrefitted FJ destroyer with Cage era CGI model of the ship and sets. When the Exeter sets became avaiable we felt we had to jettison "The Cage" look. John still wants the away team jackets for the first episode since it takes place on a cold planet. This jacket was for working out eh bugs of the fit so that it can fit over a TOS era uniform. The additiona lseams and pocketet and stitches will be on the final versions of the coat. This one is to determine if the cut and shape are correct. John was having the final fitting done right before our trip to Austin this last week. The cut around the neck is too wide and he plans on it being higher in the next fitting.

Attached thumbnail(s)

• 
• 

This post has been edited by Rear Admiral Nerd: 16 December 2010 - 12:27 AM

[Bill]

Welcome to TU, Rear Admiral Nerd.

Very detailed status for your project can't wait to see more.

[barbreader]

Hi! Since you have started to go public, I've given your plan paragraph (G) on my website under (143) Websites and Fan Film Makers working on films but which have no full episodes ready (some may have shorts), vis: http://startrekrevie...009/06/143.html

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

barbreader, on 17 December 2010 - 09:47 AM, said:

Hi! Since you have started to go public, I've given your plan paragraph (G) on my website under (143) Websites and Fan Film Makers working on films but which have no full episodes ready (some may have shorts), vis: http://startrekrevie...009/06/143.html

Thank you barbreader. I'm going public way more early than I am ready for or comfortable with. Any support is gratefullly appreciated.
.
.
.

This post has been edited by Rear Admiral Nerd: 17 December 2010 - 11:00 AM

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

Not quite spoiler alert....but teaser...
Watching "Journey To Babel", "The Doomsday Machine", and "Elann Of Troyius" tonight for background study and research for story development for Ajax episodes #2 and #3...

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

John and I will be heading out to he hanger to begin setting up the platforms for the outer bridge ring. That way we can have the bridge reassembled and in place as we refurbish everything in place. Also by having the bridge in final place we can now determine if the bridge takes as much space as we planned and check if out plans for the rest of the stage layout will work with what's leftover. We're planning on spending several hours Thursday on this. Pics will be taken and posted.

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

My son's two new pets for Christmas. Picked them up a mile from where the bridge set is. Brought them inside cause it was cold. We worked for about 4 hours Thursday morning reassembling and rearranging the outer ring platforms and final spacing along the walls to allow a wolkspace.

We plan to go out Friday morning for 4 hours to do more reassembly. When done restoration and reconstruction can begin.

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

John was not able to go out today since he had to watch the kids. So I headed out alone. I'm pleased with the progress to day...no distractions, no phone calls train wrecking concentrating on the task at hand. I am really grateful that i have my MacBook Pro onhand with all the released parts of the "The Tressarrian Intersection" on hand to reference what went were. It was confusing at times since some of the outer ring displays seem to have been changed and do not agree with the video. I had to play process of elimination as to determine what went where. Often had to resort to looking at the cutout for the lighting on the button panels on the consoles to clinche the locations of the remaining consoles.

[Bill]

A giant jigsaw puzzle, I wish I was closer it would be fun to help pull it all together.

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

A call for all hands on deck....

We are looking for volunteers to assist in restoration work on the Exeter bridge set and construction of additional set pieces to complete it. As well we are also needing volunteers to do carpentry work in new set construction for the corridors and briefing room and other needed sets for the Ajax production. Electrical knowledge is also desired since we need to rewire the bridge for the display and switch lighting.

Much Thanks to anyone even remotely interested. Based off recommendations I get we may set up a monthly work weekend at the hanger in restoration and additional set building. Suggested dates would be welcome.

Robert Simmons

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

I had the day off for New year's and Andy wood called up and wanted to visit the set today. I thought this would be a good time to check on the progress that John and TIm made this week. The cordless drill died on them so they were not able to get the last outer ring platform reassembled. THey did surprise me by using furniture polish and buffing out almost all the consoles to make the look usable. I think if we can put braces beneath the consoles on the outer ring for those that are sagging to make the straight and flush, we may be able to save all the original consoles and use them. Surprising what furniture polish and alot of elbow grease can do. Plus they have out there the new heaters for working in the winter, plus some work benches and table top rotary saw. Most of everything we need is now in place. They even had put up the railings too...but no bolts yet to fasten them together to make them flush. I'm not sure what the row of chairs are on the north wall of the hanger.....

This post has been edited by Rear Admiral Nerd: 31 December 2010 - 05:17 PM

[Fan Producer]

Have you done any estimates on how much this is going to cost? I'm wondering about your cash flow projections, because I have been thinking of doing a fan film, and, from what I've seen, the costs are horrendous.

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

Fan Producer, on 01 January 2011 - 10:04 PM, said:

Have you done any estimates on how much this is going to cost? I'm wondering about your cash flow projections, because I have been thinking of doing a fan film, and, from what I've seen, the costs are horrendous.

I just went over to John's and here is his information for Pay Pal for Starship Ajax donations...



paypal account chug@osuokc.edu

I haven't run a cost projection yet since John is literally throwing thousands of dollars at this and i have having to hit the brakes so we can be more targeted and not sloppily waste our time and money. The move of the Exeter bridge set from Texas cost John $5000 in the cost of the Uhauls and the hotels and gas and food. That's the only real cost I can give you now. John went out with Tim last week and priced lumber and the thin plywood he priced at Home Depot for $320 as full skid of the wood for the wall panels which would almost do all of our set walls that we are planning. When we know more I would be happy to share that information with you.
.
.
.

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

I just went over to John's and got the paypal information. I also took the oppurtunity to get the drawings out of his spiral notebook of the layout I was planning. Those intimately familliar with the Desilu / Paramount stage 9 plan will instantly notice where I have heavily fudged here and there in shortening the length of individual set spaces a few feet individual set each to make this layout work...hopefully not noticable when filmed and in how we stage and block our shots....as in the shortened corridor leading out of engineering so it allows the engine room to barely squeak in inside of the hanger door or the shorter briefing room by a few feet. Given the bridge set may not take more space already that I was planning as seen in the drawing of the 60x60 hanger, I may be able to do some additional minor fudging and still make it all fit. I'll do a more detailed and clean version of this after I map out the measurements on the hanger floor to see if this layout can still be salvaged. Again my worry is the curvature of thew hallway to make it work and how noticable to the eye of your average Trek fan to even notice the tighter radius of the corridor. As well in changing the radius I will need to loose some wall panels along the inside wall of the radius of the corridor. If themeasurements hold I think we can still do a full engine room...BUT the forced perspective build of the window between the impulse vents we will have to loose and will have to do as CGI. As well we would build all the set spaces and rooms first but not finish them and only focus on finishing the ones we need prior to needing to use them to cut down on too much wasted work and target specifically the work when needed for filming over the span of 6 episodes or more.



and the stage 9 plan for comparison...

[Fan Producer]

My concern is that the project will simply run out of money and stop halfway. Any thoughts on how that can be avoided?

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

Fan Producer, on 03 January 2011 - 10:03 PM, said:

My concern is that the project will simply run out of money and stop halfway. Any thoughts on how that can be avoided?

John has set aside another $6000 from his other investments that are now available to spend. It is I who is putting on the brakes till we have clear plan on how best to channel it into the most set and uniforms and props for the money. I was just notified we got our first donation sent to us yesterday. It's a first step. Now to figure out how best to use our limited space.
.
.
.

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

John and I went out the hanger and worked today. Focus was measuring out the spaces to see if the floor plan I made held. With some minor modifications we did on the fly the majority of it seems to work. Recorded the video update and as requested it will be posted in a higher resolution. This evening a video conference getting our effects artist up to speed on the details of from the inside of the production.

I'll try to post the video update sometime late tonight.

So far it has been a good day, and it is still far from over. - RS.
.
.
.

[Kirok]

Rear Admiral Nerd, on 08 January 2011 - 05:44 PM, said:

John and I went out the hanger and worked today. Focus was measuring out the spaces to see if the floor plan I made held. With some minor modifications we did on the fly the majority of it seems to work. Recorded the video update and as requested it will be posted in a higher resolution. This evening a video conference getting our effects artist up to speed on the details of from the inside of the production.

I'll try to post the video update sometime late tonight.

So far it has been a good day, and it is still far from over. - RS.

My apologies for not catching up with you sooner on this - I've been on holidays - you gentlemen are embarking on a major undertaking but seem to have it pretty well under control. I would kill to help but unfortunately I have the International Date Line in the way. Just a couple of things: you've mentioned that you have a page on facebook, that would be THIS page? Also, when you ask for set construction help, I don't think it was clear on this thread that the set location is in the Oklahoma City area. Actually... that rings a bell...

I'll do whatever I can, including a small regular donation, to help. It might only pay the gas bill but...

Cheers

K

[Rear Admiral Nerd]

Yes...that is our page.

Anything is appreciated....

Thank You....
.
.
.