Jonathan Frakes of Star Trek on Covid-19 and Discovery Season 4

Jonathan Frakes can be known forever Star Trek fans such as Commander William Riker, the Next Generation a role he has been performing to this day Picard and Lower Decks. But it is undoubtedly his most important aid in this regard Star TrekThe new season has been coming from behind, as one of the DiscoverReliable guides. But even recent work can still bring with it serious problems.

Frakes straightened the sections a Discover each season from the first—Including this week’s “Storm Season,” a well known in the period to date-and he has been confirming his love of working behind the camera these days rather than being in front of him. But as much as he loves to improve, going back to the fourth season that is currently airing was a challenge different from his previous experience. Star Trek: the prospect of filming a single group during the covid-19 epidemic. To find out more about his strategy for this week’s episode, with some major set-up challenges like Star Trek as safe as I could, io9 spoke to Frakes on the phone this week. See all of our discussions below.

James Whitbrook, io9: How about going back this season and filming safely, in conditions very different from covid protocols?

Jonathan Frakes: It takes pleasure from the work, to put it bluntly. It’s been ^ changed. But fortunately, Paramount and the Canadian and States studios are very strict with the covid protocol. We tried every day. Covered. At the beginning of the epidemic, we had to put on a mask and then a shield in addition to the mask, after which we left to talk to the actors. It gets in the way. It’s frustrating. It is a constant reminder of the danger we all face and continue to do this, some would say, to do nothing. But people love those entertainment. I look forward to the time when we will work as we always have. Having said that, showing the whole business, I think, has been a good leader in the way we work with these new restrictions. I once worked on an ABC show and Disney has a strict vaccination policy, which caused some people to leave the show. When I went Discover this season, I stayed alone in a hotel room for two weeks. I was not allowed to leave the room. You download a program that sees where you are, every day. It has a bit of a Cold War Communist Russia vibe to it.

So there is nothing exciting about that. It’s very dangerous – and I’ve talked to a number of editors, Michael Pressman and Robert Duncan McNeill, Olatunde Osunsanmi, who is also the director of. [Discovery], and others. And we’ve all shared … we find, with the mask, we’re talking too much now. Because we loved to use our face and body a lot to write. Or better, “attaboy!” or to try something. We can talk a lot about the story and the tone of what we are looking at and the shape of your face and your movements. And because they see a small piece of your face they may misinterpret your notes – or think you are misinterpreting them, or they may look at you with blank eyes. So, the surprising result of all of this has been increasingly common. Without the mask and the shield, communication would be faster, cleaner, and more effective. Sorry you asked this question …

io9: No, it ‘s interesting to see the reality of how the shows are being filmed right now.

Frakes: You feel safe because they take it seriously, but it takes a lot of pleasure in the business.

io9: Something that was very interesting about the “storm” is that it is a necessity Discover-it’s a bottle thing. How was your approach trying to save a lot of events this week, considering that we are focusing more on the bridge and DiscoverNew rest area?

Frakes: Well, at Discover we are encouraged to shoot cinematic and I love the bridge. I like the bridge Discover, especially. That’s why I always have a competition around the bridge with Steadicams and hand-held cameras, at least. We are very competitive in what we can bite in other shots. We always run the camera. And especially, given – if you have seen the section … there is nothing in the pictures. Burnham is commenting, himself, and saying, “put a good look” and Owosekun says, “this is a visual – you look.” It’s kind of a meta and amazing in its own way. And it was my first time in the living room, so I was able to check it out and it had gray in it, so … again, use Steadicam, keep walking, check the area … and because it’s a new set. to the audience, he will find his new pieces. There is a very powerful cure Discover being a movie in some ways is not. Everything Star Trends it is so. So, whatever you want to try, you can. Any tool – any toy, if you want – that you want, will get. So, in a show where they have to find, or find a way to escape, in particular, a black hole … you need toys that you have.

io9: It’s a great week for Ian Alexander’s Gray, he gets a lot of personal work from Annabelle Wallis as Zora’s words. What was it like working with these pictures?

Frakes: I found him to be very professional, ready, intelligent … just like the character, who now has a living body, Ian now has a part in the process, if you can. He’s a leader in this category, of course. And he has embraced it in another way – and a real expert. He may be young, but he’s been doing it for a long time, he’s got a great presence … very smart. Very cohesive. They will try everything on stage and walk and block with choices and goals. And Zora plays the same. It is not unusual inside Star Trek having AI or a lifeless person as part of an experience. It may be strange in some games, but keep going Star Trek… I mean, Burnham and Saru also play with Zora, as well.

io9: As we discussed, this is a great part of Zora and Annabelle Wallis, where we learn a lot about AI and how it differs from the past. Star Trek electronic words. I would like to talk about the high-profile events on the bridge — along with Sonequa Martin-Green and say what the ship has to do with Zora. What was it like preparing for that emotional event?

Frakes: I’m always looking forward to seeing Sonequa, though, and I’m looking forward to the bridge. We have a very strong shorthand like me, as a recovery player, and he — we speak the same language. I am one of those who love him the most. So that was at least two or three days on the bridge — the two of us and the crew. So, we had a clever plan, we wrote an article on where there would be a fire development – we had a useful and unique FX fire, digital fire FX … we had great choices on the helmet plate. It was really impossible, because it shows all the lights and cameras – so, we were able to do all those things without the front plate. What is often the decision is made when you work with people wearing air suits. So, Sonequa and I thought it made sense to shoot in a row, so I closed and locked her up. We talked about shaking, we talked about being beaten, we talked about noise … action. That’s why we agreed with them in a way that I think is a pact – it’s a beautiful form.

And the idea of ​​”Stormy Weather,” in my opinion, is very helpful. Obviously, the two co-creators of his relationship with the Book have pictures and illustrations and I think, very clever. My appreciation for Michelle Paradise and her writing team. I am happy with the results. Once again, speaking of toys, you have a lipstick camera and diopters and things that go into Sonequa’s eyes … designed and designed and photographed. And at the murder, I was Sonequa and I was choosing what one could see. And they give birth. He has surrendered. You could argue that that is why the show is in its fourth season.

io9: What makes you look Discover, and will we ever hope to get even with you?

Frakes: All right, Discover it became mine, for lack of better words, the show of my house. Because when I started with the first season, I was ^ I felt this love. Unfortunately, I eventually admitted that I was old enough. As a result, I was either like a big brother or a plucky uncle. Father. Either way. I came from someone else Star Trek and I am happy to lead the next generation of Star Trek as well Amazing New Worlds and Picard, and to be a part of Lower Decks, so, I feel very blessed to continue the ritual of Star Trek. But I always look forward to coming Discover, because Sonequa is number one. You couldn’t ask for the number one on the phone line … Montreal is so cool, and you know, before covid happened, we weren’t afraid to shoot stupid hours there. As a result, in the middle of the night, one may be present for a spectacular event and some of the actors, including Sonequa and Doug. [Jones] and Mary [Wiseman] and Anthony [Rapp]- most of the theaters – they return wrapped around the house and relaxed. [They’d] return to the studio to help their fellow athletes. This does not happen in most shows.

Star Trek: FindThe fourth season is streaming at Paramount +.

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