Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Subject: ST Con Highlights from San Diego with Brent Spiner
From: trekkie@netlink.cts.com (Bryce Newall)
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 92 20:22:44 PST
Organization: NetLink Online Communications, San Diego CA

I know it's been about 2 weeks since this convention, but I never thought 
of posting this message here.  I posted it on FidoNet, but I have the     
feeling it never got out.  So, here we go...

--- Begin Quote ---

Sunday, November 8, I attended a Creation Convention here in San 
Diego.  The featured guest was Brent Spiner.  Co-producers (writers) 
Ronald D. Moore and Brannon Braga, and script coordinator Lolita 
Fatjo, also made appearances.  I thought I would take a little time
to write about the highlights of the convention.  Since I got all of
the good stuff on tape (audio), I had a source I could go back to and
quote as necessary.
 
(A) Ron Moore & Brannon Braga
 
Ron was up there by himself for most of the time.  Here's what
happened, and what we learned:
 
   - We saw slides of previous episodes.
   - One of the slides had Ronald Reagan with Patrick Stewart in one
     the Paramount offices.  When the slide came up, Ron said, "This
     is the emperor of the Klingon empire."  Lots of laughs on that
     one.
   - Another slide in the same office with Rick Berman (executive
     producer), Ronald Reagan, Michael Piller (another executive
     producer), A.C. Lyles (a Paramount producer), and Patrick
     Stewart.  When that one came up, Ron said, "This is the High
     Council of the Klingon empire."
   - A slide was shown from "Relics", showing Scotty on the old 
     Enterprise Bridge.  Ron told us that they old set does not 
     exist anywhere any more, and Mike Okuda had to rebuild a 
     pie-shaped wedge of it, the part where Scotty's chair was.  
     Mike did everything himself, from the red railing to the 
     computer screens (which Mike created on his Mac).  He even had 
     some of those old style data tapes sitting on his desk, and 
     threw a couple of them onto the set.  The rest of the Bridge 
     was taken from old series footage.
   - When season-ending cliffhangers are done, Part II is not written
     yet by the time Part I is filmed.  They all go on vacation, and
     then according to Ron, come back and ask themselves what they
     have done, and how they'll resolve it... :)
   - TNG will probably do a 7th season, and Ron, being a "betting
     man", thinks they will do an 8th season as well.
   - Marina Sirtis is *not* pregnant.  (Someone in the audience asked
     about this one.)
   - Whoopi Goldberg has an enormously busy schedule.  The TNG staff
     usually find out only one day in advance when Whoopi's going to
     be available, and they usually end up having to write someone
     else out of a scene (like Troi) so that they can write Guinan
     in.
   - As we have pretty much known all along, the Riker/Troi and
     Picard/Crusher relationships will not be explored much further,
     if at all.
   - Lursa and B'Etor, the sisters of Duras from "Redemption", will
     be in Deep Space Nine
   - There will be a 2nd Q show this season.
   - Scotty on Deep Space Nine?  As far as Ron knows, this rumor is 
     *false*.
 
At this point, Ron asked Brannon Braga to join him on the stage.
 
   - Brannon told us about how Joe Menosky, a former co-producer 
     (writer), has never wanted to do conventions.  So, Brannon
     actually called Joe up using his portable phone, told him 
     where he was, and then said that the audience had something to 
     say to him.  Brannon then asked us all to "Booo" Joe on his 
     machine, which we did.  It was pretty funny! :)
   - There will be several Romulan episodes coming up this season.
   - We will see Barclay again this season.
   - Remember Moriarty from 2nd season's "Elementary Dear Data"?  He 
     will be back this season.
   - Moriarty and Barclay will be going head-to-head when they 
     return.
 
(B) Lolita Fatjo
 
Here's what happened, and what we learned, from Lolita:
 
   - If you want info on submitting a script to TNG, call 
     213-956-8301.  That's the 24-hour script hotline.
   - Close-ups of Data's hands are not Brent Spiner's hands, but are
     those of Guy Vardaman.
   - There are no plans to have Kirk on TNG.  (YAY!!!!!!)
   - There will be a Q episode during the first season of Deep Space 
     Nine.
   - Vash will be on Deep Space Nine.  She'll be with Q for the Q 
     episode.
   - Rumors about one of Guinan's children being in jail on Deep 
     Space Nine:  No character has been developed at this point.
   - Someone in the audience asked about Patrick Stewart's mention of 
     being in his Locutus costume on August 27 (3 days before his 
     convention appearance here in San Diego on August 30).  This 
     will be a flashback sequence for the pilot of Deep Space Nine.
   - Lwaxana Troi will be in Deep Space Nine (nothing new here).
   - Lwaxana will also be appearing again this season in TNG.
   - Someone asked about how Patrick Stewart didn't seem to be having 
     much screen time this season.  Lolita said that an upcoming 
     two-parter called "Chain of Command" (not to be confused with 
     the book called "Chains of Command") will be "The ultimate 
     Picard episode".
   - We would all love to know more about the Guinan/Picard 
     relationship.  Unfortunately, since Whoopi is so busy, it's 
     doubtful that she'll be available long enough to do a story like 
     this.
   - Hugh the Borg:  Rene Echevarria, the writer of "I Borg" (and
     "Rascals"), has been hired as a full-time writer.  He would love 
     to bring Hugh back.
   - The afore-mentioned Moriarty episode will be called "Ship in a 
     Bottle".
 
In the middle of answering one of the questions, Ron and Brannon came 
in and carried Lolita off the stage as a gag.  After a few seconds, 
though, she came back up and proceeded to tell us a story from the 
day before:  At the con in LA, Brannon sneaked a little patty of 
butter in the foil wrapper under Lolita's belt (he claimed she had 
something on her back, and slipped the butter in when we went to take 
the something off of her back).  Eric Stillwell's mother found it 
when Lolita was signing people in for the writer's workshop.  So, to 
get even, Lolita snuck the patty inside Brannon's folder, so that 
when he opened it up, it had butter melted all over it.  They have a 
lot of fun, she said. :)
 
   - Lal will not be seen again.
   - Keiko will be a schoolteacher on Deep Space Nine.
   - Michelle Forbes (Ensign Ro) wants to continue on TNG, but not 
     too much, since she's also pursuing a film career.
   - The Traveller will probably not be seen again.
   - I asked if it was true that Robin Williams was originally slated 
     to play Rasmussen in "A Matter of Time", instead of Matt Frewer.  
     Lolita said she wasn't sure, but she also said that Robin 
     Williams was originally going to be the comic in 2nd season's 
     "The Outrageous Okona" instead of Joe Piscopo.
   - Besides Jonathan Frakes and Patrick Stewart, none of the other 
     cast members have any directorial plans.
 
 
(C) Brent Spiner
 
What can I say?  He was great!  He didn't give any info on upcoming 
episodes (he wasn't even asked about it).  He's a real funny guy, 
though, with a quick wit.  It's hard to describe...you'd have to have 
been there. <grin>
 
Well, this post is probably already too long, so I'll call it quits 
here.  The next con in San Diego will be January 9-10, guest TBA.

                                                -- Trekkie

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