valoise

The actions of espionage are often referred to as covert ops. That is, operations that are covert or secret. They don't call them secret agents for nothing. In its Star Trek past Section 31 has epitomized that. The Section 31 movie is the polar opposite of covert. The action scenes are large and in your face and demand attention. And the plot, dialogue and characters, not so great either. Could have been a generic SF action film, but didn't feel like Star Trek of any generation.

As part of my commitment to make 50 fannish posts this year I thought I'd start with two books about fannish subjects that I really enjoyed in 2022.

Phasers on Stun by Ryan Britt

I'm old enough to have watched TOS when it was originally broadcast. Through the years I've loved many of the series and some of the movies and continue to be an avid fan. Britt's book explores the making of Star Trek up to the present, finishing his book just before Picard 2 and Strange New Worlds aired in 2022. Based on research and interviews, his love of the franchise is evident throughout the book.

Vidding: A Historyby Francesca Coppa

My academic background is in Public History and Archival Management and this book hits both those buttons in a big way. The study and preservation of popular culture means a lot. In this book Coppa traces the history of vidding, delving into the people, the technology, the methods and interpretive instincts that have motivated vidders since those first slide shows were set to taped music at Star Trek conventions.

I would highly encourage anyone who loves watching and/or making vids to read download the free ebook version of this book. When she talks about a some groundbreaking element of a specific work, you can watch the actual vid in the online supplemental material.