Things are certainly heating up for the final chapters of Paramount+’s “Star Trek: Starfleet Academy“. After a brief respite in Episode 8, “The Life of the Stars,” the YA sci-fi series zooms into its last pair of episodes that form a two-part arc, starting with director Jonathan Frakes‘ “300th Night.”
Frakes is “Star Trek” royalty and an accomplished director with a career spanning over 35 years. He’s helmed dozens of episodes and films in the franchise, beginning back in 1990 with “Star Trek: The Next Generation,” and since then, his work has been seen in nearly every “Star Trek” show. He even took command for two Hollywood outings, sitting in the director’s chair for “Star Trek: First Contact” and “Star Trek: Insurrection.”
We sat down with Frakes to talk about his impressive legacy behind the camera on “Star Trek” and how it feels to be finishing up with “Starfleet Academy”. Minor spoilers for “Starfleet Academy” Episode 9, “300th Night” ahead!
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“I think the major goal was to make the reunion of the mother and son resonate because it’s complicated, it’s loaded, it’s dense, and it’s confusing,” Frakes tells Space regarding his tense episode.
“For both Tatiana’s [Maslany] and Sandro’s [Rosta] character and for his cadet friends. So that’s at the core of the episode, and I loved that. The motif of shooting this show, as Alex [Kurtzman] established in the pilot, were these tight moving close-ups with these new anamorphic spherical lenses that are up in people’s faces. The emotional stuff in my episodes lends itself to that shooting style.”
One of the keys to making “Star Trek” feel believable is the impressive set dressing, and technology has come a long way since the days of “TNG.”
“It is the coolest Volume set that I’ve ever had the privilege of working on for any of the ‘Star Trek’ stuff there at Toronto,” Frakes enthusiastically explains. “Some of the Ukek salespeople and some of the gak and the food is literally on the set, but all the extensions, all the depth, and the things that are flying in the air is all in the Volume. It’s a really incredible creation. Digitally. Artistically. We learn more and more about how valuable it is.
“It’s complicated to shoot on, but when it works as well as it did there, it heightens the show. In the old days, we were staring at a f ***ing green screen with tape marks on it, and would say, ‘There’s a Romulan ship coming,’ while holding a stick with a tennis ball to move their eyeline. It was so primitive compared to what we have now.”
By directing a total of 31 “Star Trek” TV installments, many of them all-time classics, Frakes has cultivated a particular process and preparation style as a filmmaker to extract the very best from his given screenwriters.
“I have two things that I look for in each script when I’m assigned it,” Frakes reveals. “One is: Is there any levity, where is it, and can I heighten it and make sure I don’t miss it? The other is the emotional connection of the characters. Because the action and the movement of the show defines itself.”
“Starfleet Academy” has certainly led with this philosophy, focusing on characters and the emotional connections between characters over flashy CGI space battles, and it’s something that Frakes is clearly passionate about, too.
“The sets are always going to be spectacular, the costumes are only there to help you,” explains Frakes. “A lot of things are in place already on ‘Star Trek.’ The real success is when you care about the people who’re doing these wonderful things. The shows are huge, and they’ve gotten huger.
“Look, the scope of ‘Starfleet Academy’ in terms of design, art direction, visual effects, practical effects, and graphics is massive. It’s very cinematic. In my particular episode, if you don’t care about the reunion of the mother and son who haven’t seen each other for 15 years, who have a very complicated relationship with each other and with Holly’s character, you have nothing. There’s a lot to mine there.”
Robert Picardo (The Doctor) and Frakes have a longstanding relationship, and the director considers it fortunate to have him involved with “Starfleet Academy,” as well as Oscar-winner Holly Hunter (Captain Nahla Ake).
“Holly is one of our finest actors,” he adds. “I got to know her a little bit before we shot, and we had the privilege of rehearsal time. Her process involves finding herself in space in a really creative way. The character is a wonderful leader. She’s smart and tough and funny.”
With only one episode in the director’s chair, Frakes sadly didn’t get to work with everyone in this season. “I met Giamatti, who I did not have the privilege of having on my show,” he notes. “Picardo introduced us, and we had a couple of wonderful conversations. I said, ‘How do you like it?’ And he said, ‘You know, Frakes, I’m having fun. I might be having too much fun.'”
Frakes and his capable crew steered the penultimate episode of this debut season, only to hand over the finale to accomplished “Star Trek” director Olatunde Osunsanmi, a team-up that they’ve experienced in the past.
“I did this with Tunde before on ‘Discovery,'” Frakes notes. “We did the last two episodes, and there’s something about working with him. I’m passing the baton, and he gets the grand orchestral finale, but if it’s not set up properly, then it’s not going to have the same oomph. We don’t shoot in tandem, but we have very similar styles, very similar passion, and we’re very competitive.”
“Star Trek: Starfleet Academy” Episode 9 is streaming exclusively on Paramount+ now, with the season finale warping into homes on March 12.
