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INTERVIEWS

Interview: Star Trek Screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman

by Alex Billington
May 4, 2009

After finally seeing Star Trek, and in honor of its release this weekend, I sat down with screenwriters Roberto Orci (left) and Alex Kurtzman (right) at their offices on the Universal lot. First things first, yes, that's an actual Tron arcade machine in the background. There's no hiding from the truth, these guys are as big of geeks as everyone else (they had a life-size Han Solo frozen in carbonite statue in the other corner). I've interviewed Bob and Alex before (here), but I was excited to catch up with them again to talk about J.J. Abrams' Star Trek after having seen it and to discuss the plot and the development of their screenplay.

Watch our interview with Star Trek screenwriters Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman:

Warning: There are some spoilers, so please come back after May 8th if you don't want to know anything about any of the story elements. Nothing will be ruined, however, their are minor spoilers we talk about.

This interview was shot using my Flip Mino camera. This was hands down one of my favorite interviews that I've ever done, just because I got to spend so much time delving into the story and the minds behind two of the most prominent writers in Hollywood. As I already mentioned in my review (and this interview), I was quite pleased with their script for Star Trek. I really do enjoy the scripts that these two write, especially because they makes for such great cinematic entertainment, even if they doesn't necessarily win an Oscar. Don't forget that J.J. Abrams' Star Trek hits theaters everywhere on May 8th. It's definitely worth seeing!

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Timothy

Are their spoilers in here or not?
Darunia

There are spoilers.
Trey

this has spoilers....
Trey

You should edit and put *'s indication possible spoliers
Fuelbot

It's a geek explosion! I really like that JJ Abrams and his entire crew at Bad Robot are complete geeks.
Chris

Great interview. Can't wait til Thursday night! I particularly liked when Bob emphasized that they needed a superb actor for the villain because they couldn't afford to give Nero the screentime that they can in the sequel because this is an origin story.
avoidz

I haven't enjoyed any of the scripts these two have written so far, but I'm willing to give Star Trek a chance - on home video.
Trey

#7...what crack cocain are u smoking...why would u want to see this movie on home video?????
http://thetylerhayes.com Tyler Hayes

How about a spoiler warning next time? I stopped after :40 seconds because I'm afraid that everything else might be ruined for me now. Maybe an edited version without spoilers would be good to put up too?
nate

I will watch anything these guys are involved in. They are the best writers in Hollywood. And J.J. Abrams is a genius. @7 You are fucking crazy
avoidz

Whatever, fools.
http://www.kroq.com Jed Fish Gould

I have been an admirer of Roberto Orci and Alex Kurtzman since I found out about Fringe. It sucks that my own job has been chopped down so much that I can't quack about them on the air as much as I would like to. What I really regret is not being able to rave about the genius of avoids, with his own terrific scripts coming out on home video. Wait, that last bit might not make any sense on a couple of levels.
Ryan McCarthy

I have the same TRON arcade game in storage... That's great to see that they have one as well. Good interview as well.. Thanks FS
http://www.cutrush.com Van Nguyen

Robert, like myself, has thick fuzzy, Bert and Ernie-like eyebrows. It makes us look angry, while Alex seems so happy and hug-able I'm excited on their approach regarding focusing on character. I hope, that by the end, I'm so in tune with Kirk that I apply for Star Fleet myself or propelled to work harder on my full length film. Looks like a great film, also, great interview. It was extremely informative about their thoughts on the CLICHE concept to draw in audiences.
Dark Helmet

Awesome.
Trekkie1976

I saw Star Trek yesterday, I was a bit disappointed ,I give it 3 out of 4 stars for a movie that had the potental to be a 4 star flick! but you cant really expect to much out of these writers nowadays , they had to dumb it down a bit for the none Trekkies and for those who didnt really follow the original series, TNG ,or all the rest , but over all it was a good film! All Ill say is Ramulans not Klingons? Really? Why? was the Klingon makeup to much for the multi-million dollar budget??????????? And now that the Volkins are basicly exstict does that mean everything from the movies to all the other series' have to be rewritten?LOL Gene Roddenberry I miss you!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.scott-smith.com Scott Smith

I hope the writers read this: I was born in 1965 and watched ST before I could talk. I want to say that I thought the writing was absolutely brilliant. Great, Great, Great. It blew away my expectation, which were very high. Showing Spock teased for being too human, then provoked because he wasn't human enough - brilliant. So absolutely true to cannon. The way Bones got his name - brilliant. Pike being saved from a fate worse than death in the alternate timeline and in a wheelchair at the end - brilliant. Loved it. You guys rock.