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Subj:  Answers
Date:  6/30/97 19:52:23
From:  RonDMoore       

<<Any chance we'll see more of Keiko O'Brien this coming season? >>

We haven't scheduled her yet, but I imagine we'll see Keiko again next year.

<<The other day B5 had *ten* trailers on their new upcoming episode. DS9 on
the same channel had a measly *one*(which ran at the end of the latest
episode) Who's skimping on the PR budget and why?>>

Darn fine question and I wish I knew the answer so I could start some
screaming.  As I understand it, the PR is a joint responsibility between
Paramount and the local affiliates, but who provides what $$ and under what
agreement, I don't know.

<<Ron, if the IMAX deal goes through, would you be interested in writing
it?>>

I believe they've already selected a writer for the IMAX -- Hans Tobeason

<<"Time is the fire in which we burn..." ...or so said Dr. Soran. 

Today at work while kicking around ideas for an ad campaign, someone quoted
the above passage, attributing it to a poet by the name of Delmore Schwartz,
but he couldn't remember which poem. It certainly got my attention. Ron, do
you know the name of this poem? And how did you happen to use this in
"Generations." Are you a secret fan of Delmore Schwartz (who, I must admit,
I'd never heard of until today)?>>

We found the quote from Delmore in the trusty Bartlett's Familiar Quotations.
 The poem is called "For Rhoda" and is dated 1938:

"Time is the school in which we learn,
Time is the fire in which we burn"

That's all that's in my copy of Bartlett's.  Another poem is cited for
Schwartz called "The Heavy Bear Who Goes with Me"

<<What characters have changed in ways the various PTB did not intend when
the series started? I was wondering specifically about Garak. When he was
first seen, did he have any background? Was there an intent to develop him
the way he developed? Or did he sort of evolve himself-- the character taking
on his own life, despite what the writers originally intended?  And who had
the biggest hand in his development?>>

Garak was created by Pete Fields and it was he who gave Garak his unique and
ambiguous character attributes.  Most of the character development of Garak
and everyone else has been done episode by episode without a "master plan"
guiding their twists and turns.  It's been fun seeing how they all have
changed over the course of the seasons, and yes, to a certain extent the
character have all more or less guided their own development.
----------------
Subj:  Answers
Date:  6/30/97 19:53:01
From:  RonDMoore       

<<And finally, if Ron is reading this, I wonder how the Defiant's name came
to be selected.>>

I originally wanted to name the ship "Valiant" in "The Search Part I", after
the ship mentioned in "Where No Man Has Gone Before" but it was felt that we
shouldn't have a name that began with V since Voyager was about to premiere.
 I wanted a spunky, in your face kind of name and that led me back to another
ship from TOS -- the Defiant, from "The Tholian Web."

<<So, how about Betazed?  You said that while Voyager got the Borg , DS9 had
all the other cool species.... Betazed, however, appeals to me as the sort of
planet that might have had a matriarchal cultural heritage, despite my
impression that they were originally imagined as just a race of babes.  (Were
they?)  Or perhaps because of that impression, I think it would be a fitting
irony to  discover what's beyond the superficial.  What has already been set
down about their history and customs? Are they of any interest to DS9?>>

It's not a bad idea, but Betazed and Betazoids are not something we're that
interested in.  I'll keep them in mind, however, and maybe we'll find a way
to use them.

<< I heard you guys were facing some budget cuts next season.  Is it true,
and if so, how is it likely to effect the show?  Fewer special effects?  More
eps set on the station?  Quark shown only in profile because you can only
afford to make up half his head?>>

There are no budget cuts that I'm aware of yet.  (It could still happen,
though.)

<<(2) As to the sixth season premiere--are looking at a two hour episode, a
two-parter, or another one hour story?  (Seems you're gonna have a *lot* of
plot threads to resolve in a single hour!)>>

At the moment, the opening episode is a single-hour show, but the war with
the Dominion will take some time to wrap up beyond the first show.

<<Did you do any writing while on holiday (Ooo, I sound so veddy
Continental!..) or did you promise your self/wife to totally check out for a
while? And, if you did promise, did you do it anyway after r are you able to
set it aside and be Vacation Boy or Producer Boy when the need arises?>>

I did NO, repeat, NO writing while on vacation.  I'm not a compulsive writer,
but I do tend to *think* about the show overall, dialog in episodes I'm
writing, stories, etc. all the time -- and yes, I did do a fair about of
mental work over the vacation.  But for the most part, I loafed, golfed,
swam, drank, cuddled with the missus, watched TV, and read books ("Without a
Doubt" by Marcia Clark, "The Far Side of the World" by Patrick O'Brien, "The
Colonels" by W.E.B. Griffin, and "Descent into Darkness" by Edward C.
Raymer).

<<We know, from "Blaze of Glory," that the Jem'Hadar all but exterminated the
Maquis in the DMZ.  But how about the average folks who opted to give up
their Federation citizenship and live under Cardassian rule, and did not turn
to terrorism?  Are these people still around, or were they victims of the
Maquis purges?  If they are still around, are they doing any better or worse
with Vorta and Jem'Hadar overseers than Cardassians?>>

We haven't made any firm decisions about the Maquis non-fighters, and it's
possible that we'll address them this year.
-------------
Subj:  Answers
Date:  6/30/97 19:53:46
From:  RonDMoore       

<<Question for Ron - I notice in the DS9 credits that there are many
producers each with a different producer title.  Can you tell us what each
different "type" of producer does and how the titles tell who pulls the most
rank?>>

The pecking order is as follows:  Executive, Co-Executive, Supervising,
Co-Supervising, Producer, Line Producer (not in use on DS9), Co-Producer, and
Associate Producer -- you'll notice that the rankings on the on-air credits
go UP and that the highest position is actually the first credit at the very
end of the show, that of Rick and Ira, who get Executive Producer billing.
 On our show, Ira, myself, Hans, and Rene are all writer/producers, with
writing as our primary function and producing secondary (except for Ira and
I, who share a more co-equal burden between writing and producing).  Rick is
the overall boss of the entire show along with Voyager.  The other producers
are more strictly production-oriented with some specializing in post
production (Peter Lauritson) and others dealing with the day to day
operations on the set (Steve Oster).  Many of the areas of responsibility
bleed over across the titles and there's no definitive "border" between them.

<<Was Jean-Luc Picard named after Jean Picard, the French astronomer
(1620-1682)?  or is this just a coincidence?>>

I'm not sure, but I think he was.

<<Were the new uniforms now being used for Star Trek designed as such because
they are darker and somewhat gloomier ( with all the grey and black) to match
the state of affairs in the Federation (war with the Dominion, Borg attack on
Earth, etc.)?  I feel as though the uniforms are much more solemn than the
ones used on TNG, and, to my eye, make the whole atmosphere seem darker, more
ominous.  Am I crazy?>>

The grey & black were designed to give the Enterprise-E crew a more military
look that would also have more texture and variations in usage and thus look
better on the big screen.

<<Another Paul interjection- a "Where was I when challenger blew up" thread
got interesting, if you want to add your thoughts.>>

I was in the KA dining room at Cornell eating a bowl of cereal when one of
the guys in the House came upstairs with a shocked look and said "The space
shuttle just blew up."  I went down to the TV room and the first shot I saw
on the screen was a live picture of the ocean.  Debris was still raining down
into the sea and preventing rescue helicopters from reaching the area.  Other
people drifted into the room and I spent several hours watching the replays
and the endless speculation.  It was a very emotional and deeply affecting
moment and I'll never forget it or the brave men and women of the good ship
Challenger.

<<I know Paramount is dedicated to keeping DS9 syndicated, but let's say NBC
(or another major station like CBS or ABC) were to offer to put DS9 in a good
time slot, like Saturday Night at 8:00. Do you think they would go for it?>>

DS9 is committed contractually to the syndication market and it would be
virtually impossible to put it on a network.

<< A while back I asked about Treks 5 and 6. I wanted to know what you
thought of them.  Particularly, on the issue of not communicating with TNG.
 Gene on said they never existed.  What do you think?>>

I disliked Trek V intensely.  I liked Trek VI, but felt that it was a bit
heavy-handed and obvious and that it fell a little short in my opinion.  The
communication between those films and the TNG writing staff was nil, although
I understand they did have a few conversations with Rick to coordinate the
use of our sets and run a few things by him.

<<As you know, Maurice Hurley wrote the very first episode having Q introduce
the TNG crew to the Borg. Since First Contact has been out for awhile, has
Hurley commented to you his thoughts on the First Contact Movie? If so, what
has he said?>>
--------------
Subj:  Answers
Date:  6/30/97 19:54:17
From:  RonDMoore       

<<As you know, Maurice Hurley wrote the very first episode having Q introduce
the TNG crew to the Borg. Since First Contact has been out for awhile, has
Hurley commented to you his thoughts on the First Contact Movie? If so, what
has he said?>>

I've only met Maurice once, several years ago, and I haven't heard from him
since.  I have no idea what he thought of either film.

<<Is there any chance that the producers will rethink Kira's costume for
season six? Especially the high heels?>>

No.  Let's not start the Great Heel Debate again.

<<If you can enlighten us, what plans have you made to address the issues of
racism and sexism which you expounded upon in your last post before your
vacation?>>

I don't recall saying anything about racism, but I have given some thought to
the issue of sexism in the Klingon Empire.  I'm still formulating my notions,
but if all goes well, I'd like to deal with women's role in the Empire a
little differently in the next Klingon show I do (whenever that is -- I'm not
sure yet).  Also, the next new alien race I have a hand in will not be
automatically patriarchal as in the past.

<<If this coming season does end up being the last one,  will there be a
"final episode" like TNG or will there be just another episode like TOS?  If
that decision has not been made yet,  which would be your  personal
preference?>>

If and when we end the show, we'll have a definite finale.

<<Is there any chance of seeing either Ben's brothers or one of Dax's kids
this season?>>

Possibly.
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