Production staff members considered to work on Star Trek

This is a list of production staff members who were officially considered to work on Star Trek productions, but ultimately did not work on it.
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=== Ray Bradbury ===
Ray Bradbury was a legendary science fiction author and screenwriter, who was asked by the Star Trek production staff to pitch stories for the series. Bradbury visited the sets, bumkkmmt finally said no. (Star Trek: The Original Series Season 1 DVD Special Features) He was mentioned in dialogue in the sixth season episode , and the was named in his honor.
Bradbury is probably most well-known for his dystopian novel Fahrenheit 451, his anthologies The Martian Chronicles and The Illustrated Man, and the horror novel Something Wicked This Way Comes, which all have been made into films or television series. He also wrote the screenplays for the 1956 version of Moby Dick (co-starring Orson Welles) and (1953). He also wrote the teleplay for The Twilight Zone episode "I Sing the Body Electric". Between 1985 and 1992 Bradbury hosted the anthology series The Ray Bradbury Theater, which featured television adaptations based on his short stories. One of the episodes called "The Playground" starred William Shatner.
=== Tom Gries ===
 was a director, mostly working in television, who was originally hired to helm , however he got busy with another project, and had to be replaced by Vincent McEveety. (These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One)
Gries, a former US Marine and newspaper reporter, began his career in the early 1950s and worked on television until his death due to a heart attack. Starting with directing live television shows such as Chevron Hall of Stars and Science Fiction Theatre, he eventually moved to direct several series, including Checkmate, Route 66, The Man from U.N.C.L.E., Batman, and I Spy. In 1971 Gries directed the sci-fi pilot Earth II, which co-starred Gary Lockwood.
=== Earl Hamner, Jr. ===
 was a television writer and producer, best known as the creator of The Waltons (1972-81) and Falcon Crest (1981-90). He also wrote eight episode of the original The Twilight Zone.
Hamner pitched a story for the first season of The Original Series, but his idea did not sell to the producers. (These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One, p. 363)
=== Bernard L. Kowalski ===
 was a film and television director who was originally scheduled to helm , but he had to back down due to another commitment, and was replaced by Marc Daniels. (Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One)
A prolific and always in-demand director, Kowalski was nominated for two Emmy Awards during his career, spanning more than four decades. During this time he directed numerous episodes of Perry Mason, The Untouchables, Mission: Impossible, Banacek, The Rockford Files, Columbo (including "Fade In to Murder", guest starring William Shatner, and featuring Walter Koenig), Baretta, , Airwolf, Magnum P.I., , and ', among others.
=== Harry Stradling, Jr. ===
 was a cinematographer, who was originally considered by Gene Roddenberry as the director of photography on The Original Series. However, Stradling was busy working on Gunsmoke at the time, and didn't want to leave his job in favor of a new, unproven series. After several unsuccessful attempts by Roddenberry to convince Strandling, his father, legendary cinematographer came to Desilu studios with his godson, Jerry Finnerman to recommend him in the place of his son. Roddenberry and associate producer Robert H. Justman eventually hired Finnerman, who turned out to be an excellent choice. (Inside Star Trek: The Real Story, These Are the Voyages: TOS Season One)
After he finished his tenure on Gunsmoke, Stradling became a successful feature film cinematographer, working on films such as Little Big Man (1971, with Jeff Corey and Alan Oppenheimer), 1776 (1972), The Way We Were (1973, with Patrick O'Neal, Diana Ewing, Don Keefer and Roy Jenson), McQ (1974, with Diana Muldaur), (1978, with Madge Sinclair, Seymour Cassel and Robert Herron) and (1987, with John Larroquette, George Coe, Momo Yashima, Armin Shimerman, and Dick Durock).
Stradling died on 17 October 2017 at the age of 92. 
== Star Trek: Planet of the Titans ==
=== Philip Kaufman ===
 is a director and screenwriter who was hired to direct the unmade Star Trek television movie, Planet of the Titans in 1977. (The Star Trek Compendium)
Chicago-born Kaufman wrote and directed many successful films during his career, including the 1978 remake of Invasion of the Body Snatchers, co-starring Leonard Nimoy, The Right Stuff (1983), The Unbearable Lightness of Being (1988), (1990), and (2000). As a writer, he penned films such as The Outlaw Josie Wales (1974) and Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981, co-starring John Rhys-Davies).
== Star Trek: Phase II ==
=== Robert Collins ===
 was a prolific television writer, producer and director, who was, in late-1977, hired to direct the pilot episode, "In Thy Image", for the proposed series Star Trek: Phase II. Collins was released from the project when the studio decided to make a feature film instead of a television series, as he had no experience in helming big screen film projects. Veteran director Robert Wise was hired in Collins' place. (Star Trek Phase II: The Lost Series)
During his career in television, spanning roughly twenty years, Collins had written and directed several episodes of Police Story, Marcus Welby, M.D., Police Woman, and Dan August, as well as television films such as Gideon's Trumpet (1980), which was produced by Robert H. Justman.
=== Bruce Logan ===
 is a cinematographer, visual effects supervisor and occasional director who was hired to serve as director of photography on the proposed series, Star Trek: Phase II in late-1977. (Star Trek Phase II: The Lost Series)
During his career, Logan worked as director of photography on films such as The Incredible Shrinking Woman (1981) and (1982, co-starring David Warner), and also worked as visual effects supervisor on several projects, including Star Wars (1977), Airplane! (1980), Firefox (1982) and Batman Forever (1995, featuring Rene Auberjonois), mostly as an employee of Apogee, Inc.. He also occasionally ventured into directing, mostly helming short films and music videos.
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=== Vanna Bonta ===
 was a writer, actress, poet, and inventor who wrote an undeveloped story, "Somewhen", for TNG's first season. She was best known as the author of Flight: A Quantum Fiction Novel, which posits life as a multi-universe and introduces the adventures of Aira Flight, an amnesiac girl with no navel. 
Her acting credits included an appearance in (1982, starring Tony Epper, Rod Loomis, Diamond Farnsworth, Vince Deadrick, Tom Huff, Eddy Donno, Eddie Hice, Freddie Hice, and Chuck Hicks. 
She was the inventor of the , a garment that facilitates intimacy and stabilizes physical proximity in zero gravity environments, and was featured on the series The Universe in the episode "Sex in Space", which premiered on The History Channel in December 2009. In the documentary, Bonta tested her invention in zero gravity and talked about how her 2suit could be used to achieve intimacy in microgravity, a step towards the colonization of other planets. 
=== Nelson Gidding ===
 was a prolific film and television writer, who was considered by Gene Roddenberry and Robert H. Justman to be hired as a staff writer for the first season of . Gidding wasn't interested in a staff position, but was willing to contribute to either the two-hour pilot episode, or another episode, although neither ultimately materialized. A report from Justman to Roddenberry on outlined the approach to Giddings, along with other writers. 
During his career, Gidding wrote the screenplay for such films as I Want to Live! (1958), The Andromeda Strain (1971) (both directed by Robert Wise), and Lost Command (1966).
=== Walter Grauman ===
 was a stage, television and film director, who was considered by Robert H. Justman to hire for in . 
During his career, Grauman helmed episodes of several television series, including The Twilight Zone ("Miniature", with William Windom), The Untouchables, Burke's Law, Columbo ("Murder in Malibu", with Bill Zuckert), The Streets of San Francisco, Murder, She Wrote, and V: The Series ("The Dissident", with Anthony De Longis).
=== Randa Haines ===
 is a television and film director, who was considered by Robert H. Justman to hire for in . Haines is most famous for directing the Academy Award-winning film Children of a Lesser God (1986). If hired, she would have been the first woman to direct an episode of Star Trek.
=== Lee H. Katzin ===
 was a film and television director, who was considered by Robert H. Justman to hire for in . 
Katzin is best known for directing the pilot episode of Space: 1999 (starring Martin Landau, Clifton Jones, and Nick Tate), and the pilot of The Man from Atlantis (co-created by Herbert F. Solow).
Katzin was considered by Solow to hire as first assistant director on the first pilot in , but eventually Justman was chosen for the job. 
=== Jack Laird ===
 was a writer, producer and director, who was considered by Robert Justman to hire as staff writer and producer in early-. 
Laird was a prolific name in television, with credits on such series as The Lone Ranger, Highway Patrol, Have Gun – Will Travel, The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, Dragnet, Ben Casey, Night Gallery, Kojak, spanning almost four decades. He has been nominated for a Prime Time Emmy Award three times during his career.
=== Jerry Ludwig ===
Jerrold L. "Jerry" Ludwig is a former television writer, producer and editor, who was considered by Robert Justman to hire as writer for the show in . 
Ludwig was a prolific writer for episodic television from the 1960s to the 1990s, working for shows as I Spy, Mission: Impossible, Hawaii Five-O, Police Story, Columbo, , and Murder, She Wrote. He was also an executive producer on MacGyver and a co-producer on Murder, She Wrote, and also worked frequently as editor on numerous television series.
=== Daniel Petrie ===
 was a film and television director, who was originally hired to direct the first season episode . Before he could start work on the episode however, he was offered the chance to direct the theatrical film Cocoon: The Return, and he accepted the offer and left the episode, resulting in his replacement at a very late stage by the inexperienced Rob Bowman. ()
Petrie started his career in television in the late 1940s, and worked in the medium for the next three decades, helming such series as , The Defenders (starring William Shatner), The Nurses, , and Banyon. In the 1980s and 1990s Petrie enjoyed a short career in feature films, directing among others (and apart the previously mentioned Cocoon: The Return): (1981), (1982), Rocket Gibraltar (1988), and (1994).
=== Don Taylor ===
 was an actor and director, working in both television and films, who was considered by Robert H. Justman to hire for in . 
Taylor is best known for directing (1971, starring Roddy McDowall, with William Windom, Ricardo Montalban, Jason Evers, Karl Bruck, Janos Prohaska, James B. Sikking, Robert Hitchcock, and Shep Houghton), Tom Sawyer (1973), and (1978, with Robert Foxworth).
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===Jose Molina===
 is a writer and producer, who was offered a staff writer position by showrunner Brannon Braga on the second season of . However, before Molina would've signed his contract, he was approached by creator with a similar offer for , and chose that job instead of Enterprise. (The Fifty-Year Mission: The Next 25 Years)
Between 2000 and 2002, Molina worked as staff writer / story editor on , which co-starred John Savage and was executive produced by René Echevarria. After his tenure on Firefly, he became writer, producer and executive story editor on Law & Order: Special Victims Unit, followed by Without a Trace (co-starring Enrique Murciano), and Castle (with executive producers Rob Bowman and René Echevarria).
In 2011, he wrote three episodes of the animated series Star Wars: Clone Wars. In the same year, he served as writer and co-executive producer on , working with Brannon Braga and again with René Echevarria. He worked as staff writer / co-executive producer on (2012), (2012-13), (2013, created by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman), and (2015-16).
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=== Vincenzo Natali ===
 is a Canadian writer, producer and director of film and television. He was initially announced as a "producing director" for the first season of Discovery, but left before production on the series began, and was ultimately replaced by Olatunde Osunsanmi.
His early works were as a storyboard artist for Canadian animation studio Nelvana. In the late 1990s he moved into live-action work, his first film being (1997, starring Nicole de Boer and Nicky Guadagni), Cypher (2002) and Splice (2009, with production design by Todd Cherniawsky). The 2010s saw Natali move into television work, collaborating with Discovery creator Bryan Fuller on Hannibal (2013) and American Gods (2017).
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=== Joe Cornish ===
 is a British screenwriter and director, who was Paramount Pictures' initial choice to direct , before the project's writer, Roberto Orci was granted the director's chair. Cornish however, turned down the offer. Eventually, Orci was let go by the studio, and Justin Lin was brought in to direct.
Cornish is probably best known for (2011). He also wrote the screenplay for (2011), and (2015). He also had a cameo role in Hot Fuzz (2007), which was co-written by star Simon Pegg, and director Edgar Wright. His second directorial project, (2019), co-starred Patrick Stewart.
=== Herbie Hancock ===
 is a world-reknowned American jazz pianist, keyboardist, band leader, and composer, who, as a self-proclaimed Star Trek fan, proposed to write the music score for in a letter addressed to Gene Roddenberry by Hancock's agent when the film was still in pre-production phase. However, nothing came out of this offer, and the film was eventually scored by Jerry Goldsmith. 
During his career, Hancock wrote scores for such films as (1966), Death Wish (1974, with Paul Dooley), A Soldier's Story (1984), (1988, starring Craig T. Nelson, with Roger Aaron Brown, Ed O'Ross, Bob Minor, Thomas F. Wilson, Glenn R. Wilder, and Branscombe Richmond), and Harlem Nights (1989, with Mike Genovese and Eddie Smith).
=== Ron Howard ===
 is an award-winning actor, director and producer, who was considered at one point to direct . According to producer Robert Sallin, Howard was very enthusiastic about the project, considering himself a Star Trek fan, and met Sallin and executive producer Harve Bennett to discuss the job. Sallin was impressed with Howard, but Bennett turned him down, claiming he doesn't want to hire "a kid" (Howard was twenty-seven at the time, and already directed a feature film). 
Howard started out in Hollywood as a child actor, best known for playing Opie Taylor, son of Sheriff Andy Taylor in The Andy Griffith Show (which was filmed at the Desilu sound stages and facilities, most notably at the 40 Acres back lot) between 1960 and 1968. He also appeared in guest roles in numerous television series, including The Twilight Zone (with Frank Overton), Land of the Giants (co-starring Don Marshall), Route 66, and The Fugitive. He also appeared in feature films such as The Music Man (1962) and The Courtship of Eddie's Father (1964).
As an adult, Howard's most famous roles were in (1973), John Wayne's (1976), and as Richie Cunningham in (1974-84), which co-starred Anson Williams. From the late-70s onwards, Howard launched a successful directing career, which bloomed in the 1980s, and continues until today. His most well-known directorial projects include (1984, with Lee Delano and Bill Smitrovich), (1986, with Herta Ware), (1988), (1992, with Colm Meaney and Barbara Babcock), (1995), and (2001, with Christopher Plummer and Anthony Rapp, written by Akiva Goldsman), for which Howard won the Academy Award for Best Director.
His later directorial credits include (2005, with Bruce McGill and Ron Canada), (2006), (2008, starring Frank Langella) and (2009, with Anna Katarina). Howard took over directing (2018), after the original directors were fired.
Howard is the older brother of Star Trek actor Clint Howard, whom he cast in many of his directorial projects.
=== Hugh Hudson ===
 was an English director, best known for (1981, starring Ben Cross, with Nigel Havers, Alice Krige and Dennis Christopher). Hudson was considered by producer Robert Sallin as director for . However, when he screened Chariots of Fire for three Paramount Pictures executives, they were less than impressed. Sallin recalled, "I thought I might be in the wrong business because I thought the film was dynamite and it went on to win the Academy Award [for Best Picture]". 
=== Claudio Miranda ===
 is a cinematographer who was announced as Director of Photography on the sequel in October 2014. With Roberto Orci's withdrawal as director and the hiring of Justin Lin, Miranda was no longer DoP and Stephen F. Windon replaced him. Miranda is best known for his work on 's acclaimed film Life of Pi (featuring James Saito), for which he won the 2012 Academy Award for Best Achievement in Cinematography. 
Born in Valparaíso, Chile, Miranda began his film career as a lighting technician and electrician in the 1980s, ultimately becoming chief lighting technician on (1994), which was co-written by John Shirley and featured Tony Todd. He subsequently served as chief lighting technician on three films for director : (1995, featuring Earl Billings, Scott Grimes, art direction by Dianne Wager and Donald B. Woodruff, and set decoration by Mickey S. Michaels), (1996, featuring Earl Billings, Michael Bofshever, Dan Butler, Brad William Henke, Michael Jace, John Carroll Lynch, James MacDonald, and Richard Riehle) and Enemy of the State (1998; featuring Dan Butler, Jacob Chambers, and art direction by Donald B. Woodruff). The latter film was shot by Dan Mindel, who later directed the photography of and .
Miranda also collaborated with director on several films, starting with (1995, featuring Reg E. Cathey, Leland Orser, and Daniel Zacapa), on which Miranda was a gaffer for additional photography. He again served as gaffer on Fincher's next two films, (1997, featuring Elizabeth Dennehy) and (1999, featuring David Andrews, Tim de Zarn, Zach Grenier, David Lee Smith, and Matt Winston). Michael Kaplan was the costume designer for all three of these films. Miranda later served as an uncredited additional photographer on Fincher's Zodiac (2007; featuring Zach Grenier, John Carroll Lynch, David Lee Smith, Matt Winston, and art direction by Keith Cunningham), after which he was enlisted by Fincher to serve as Director of Photography on 2008's The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (featuring Spencer Daniels). It was Miranda's work on this latter film which earned him his first Academy Award nomination for Best Achievement in Cinematography.
In addition to Life of Pi and Benjamin Button, Miranda also shot (2010, with Jeffrey Nordling) and Oblivion (2013), both for director . He also shot (2015, co-written by Damon Lindelof, produced by Lindelof and Jeffrey Chernov, scored by Michael Giacchino and features production design work by Scott Chambliss. 
=== Kim H. Winther ===
 is an Assistant Director and Producer who was considered to work as First Assistant Director on . With the departure of Roberto Orci as the film's director and Claudio Miranda and the director of photography, Winther was replaced by first assistant director Nick Satriano.
Winther started his career in the 1980s when he worked as second assistant director on the television series Anne of Green Gables (1985), (1983, starring Rosalind Chao and Saul Rubinek and with second assistant director Hagan Beggs), and (1986, with Ronny Cox).
Further credits as second assistant director include David Cronenberg's (1986), (1986, with Jack Blessing and Nicholas Guest), (1987, with Harris Yulin), the television drama Hostage (1988, with Leon Russom), (1988, with Lisa Banes, Laurence Luckinbill, and Justin Louis), Leonard Nimoy's (1988, film editing by Peter E. Berger), (1989, with Richard Libertini), (1989, with Wallace Shawn), (1993), (1993), (1994, with Leon Rippy, Erick Avari, Derek Webster, and Kairon John, and casting by April Webster), the television thriller Mortal Fear (1994, directed by Larry Shaw), (1994, with Winona Ryder, Kirsten Dunst, and John Neville), (1996), (1996, with Adam Scott), (1997, with Dean Stockwell, music by Dennis McCarthy, and second unit direction by Glenn R. Wilder), and (1997, with Patrick Kilpatrick).
As first assistant director, Winther worked on projects such as (1986), (1990), (1998), (1999, with Jeremy Roberts, Rif Hutton, Leon Rippy, Brad William Henke, Robert Clendenin, and Darryl Henriques), (2000, with Rene Auberjonois, Jason Isaacs and Leon Rippy), (2002), (2003, with Michael Clarke Duncan, Leland Orser, Erick Avari, Stan Lee, and Kane Hodder) on which he also worked as associate producer, (2004), (2007, with Alec Newman, Daniel Zacapa, Hiro Koda, Jeff Imada, Nick Tate, and Googy Gress), also as co-producer, (2008), (2009), also as co-producer, (2009, with Derek Graf, Elle Alexander, and Michelle Sebek), (2010, with Cary-Hiroyuki, John Pyper-Ferguson, and Gary Ray Stearns), the thriller Fair Game (2010, with Iris Bahr and Bruce McGill), (2010), (2011, with Glenn Morshower and Ray Wise, story and produced by Bryan Singer, executive produced by Stan Lee, and second unit direction by Spiro Razatos), and (2013).
In 2005, Winther worked as first assistant director and co-producer on (2005). In addition, he played the featured role of "Mr. Smith's Father" in the film. The film also features Jennifer Morrison, Greg Ellis, Megan Gallagher, Mark Newsom, and Jeff Yagher, was produced by Akiva Goldsman, costume design by Michael Kaplan, and makeup by Mary Burton, Ginger Damon, Tegan Taylor, Karen Westerfield, and Michael F. Blake.
Winther later worked as first assistant director on the television action movie Exit Strategy (2014, written and produced by Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman and art direction by Lauren E. Polizzi), (2014) on which he also worked as co-producer, (2014) also as co-producer, (2015, with Spencer Garrett and Jim Lau), and (2015, with Jonathan Banks). As Executive Producer he wrapped (2014).
=== Lorin Wood ===
 is a film designer who was attached as a previsualization artist on as part of Persistence of Vision Digital Entertainment. Before production began, however, Wood had to leave the production to pursue a career as a freelance designer in Dallas, Texas. 
Wood lectures at the School of Arts and Technology at the . He became interested in film design after seeing the work of Joe Johnston and Ralph McQuarrie on the original Star Wars films. He has since worked on a number of video games and commercials, as well as such films as (2005), A Scanner Darkly (starring Winona Ryder), and the 2008 remake of Robert Wise's The Day the Earth Stood Still.
== Undeveloped projects ==
=== S.J. Clarkson ===
 is a British film and television director, writer, and producer who was slated to direct , the intended sequel of in 2018, before the project was eventually shelved. 
She has previously directed various TV series, including Ugly Betty (starring Tony Plana and Vanessa Williams), (starring Greg Grunberg, Robert Knepper, and Zachary Quinto, with Todd Stashwick), , Dexter (with Ian Patrick Williams and Monika Spruch), Orange Is the New Black (with Kate Mulgrew), Jessica Jones, and Succession (with Alan Ruck). She went on to direct Netflix' (2022). In 2024, she debuted as a feature film director with (with Michael Papajohn).
=== Noah Hawley ===
 is a film and television director, producer, and writer who was slated to direct , the intended sequel of . However, Paramount Pictures cancelled the development of Hawley's Star Trek film project in late-2020. 
Hawley is best known for creating (2014-) and Legion (2017-19). He also worked as writer and co-producer on the crime series Bones between 2005 and 2008. He created (2009) and (2010).
=== Christopher McQuarrie ===
 is a writer who was in talks with Bryan Singer, Robert Meyer Burnett, and Geoffrey Thorne about the creation of a new Star Trek series, Star Trek: Federation. They decided not to pitch their idea after the announcement of . 
=== Matt Shakman ===
 is a film, television, and theatre director who was slated to direct , the intended sequel of . However, due to the halt of development of the project, Shakman accepted Marvel Studios' offer to direct the upcoming 2023 reboot of Fantastic Four and dropped out of Star Trek. 
Shakman started out as a child actor and appeared in episodes of Night Court (starring John Larroquette), The Facts of Life, Highway to Heaven, Diff'rent Strokes, and Webster. Between 1988 and 1990, he played Graham "J.R." Lubbock, Jr. in the Growing Pains spin-off series Just the Ten of Us.
As a director, he helmed episodes of shows such as (starring Jennifer Morrison), , Boston Legal (starring William Shatner and René Auberjonois), (starring Corbin Bernsen), Mad Men, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, Fargo, The Good Wife, Game of Thrones, and The Boys (starring Karl Urban and Jack Quaid, featuring Simon Pegg). He produced and directed the 2021 Marvel series WandaVision.
=== Quentin Tarantino ===
 is a multiple award-winning director, screenwriter, producer and actor, who successfully pitched the idea of an R-rated Star Trek feature film to J.J. Abrams and Paramount Pictures in . The project has been in stalled development for more than a year, however, it was eventually abandoned, with very little chance to actually get made. 
Category:Production lists
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