Memory Alpha:AOL chats/Ronald D. Moore/ron016.txt

Subj:  Answers
Date:  4/8/97 5:42:49 PM
From:  RonDMoore       

<<how BIG is Deep Space Nine?  Is it actually broken down into decks or is it
composed of various areas?  If so, how many?>>

It is broken down into decks, but I'm not sure how many there are.  We've
never really spelled it out on camera and everyone I ask around here seems to
have a different answer.  I've been told the actual number is somewhere in
"The Making of Deep Space Nine."

<<I know its been asked many times before but, will we see a return to the
Mirror Unvierse next season?>>

I think so.

<<Not Brunt again.  I can't *stand* that character.  Please tell me that
Quark will be make a bid on his remains by the end of this episode.  I beg of
you, please don't bring this character back anymore.  >>

Brace yourself, Brunt is one of our favorite characters.

<<Did you deliberately schedule a "light" episode to air before the season
finale, which I'm guessing will have a darker tone?  Or is this just the way
the stories come in?>>

We did want a light episode 25, but there will be darker elements of this
story too.

<<Will we ever hear about the ship the Federation got in "The SHip"?  That
was a big find, you know.>>

I think we'll hear more about it next season.

<<What ever happened to the Andorians, Tellarites, Tholians, and Gorns. The
Andorians and the Tellarites were founding members of the Federation. The
Gorns & the Tholians were interesting enemies.  Any chance on seeing them on
DS9?>>

The only candidate among that group that has any real support around here is
the Tholian race.  I'd like to see them again and maybe we'll do one next
year.  

<<Didn't the actress who played Worf's human mother pass away not too long
ago?  Will that ever be mentioned in the show? >>

Georgia Brown played Worf's mother and she did pass away within the last year
or so.  I think we'll deal with this next year as well.

<<Ro is such a fascinating character and though I would love to see her
interact with the Next Generation charcters an appreance on DS9 would be just
as good.  I could picture some interesting scenes with Kira, O'Brien, and
Worf. Any possibilites of this occuring in the future, and if not, why?>>

She was an interesting character, but her last appearance was so long ago
(seventh season TNG) that I don't think we'll ever bring her back again
unless we were just bowled over by a great story that centered around Ro.

<<would the baseball card Jake and Nog are looking for be one of Buck Bokai,
by any chance?>>

Not this time.  They're after a real one.

<<Does one need to be a WGA member to hire a WGA agent?  Does one pay the
agent a flat fee to hire, or pay a percentage of work produced, or both?  How
much better are one's chances of having their work produced if they submit
through an agent?>>

You do not need to be a member in order to hire an agent accredited with the
Guild.  Agent fees are 10% of any fees you receive for "writing services"
which includes both employment and actual writing.  BEWARE of any agent who
asks you for a "reading fee" before they'll read your script or any "xeroxing
fees" or "office overhead" fees.  An agent gets 10% of a SALE, period.  If
they're hitting you up for other money, take your business elsewhere.  You
have a MUCH better chance of getting your material read through an agent.  In
fact, Trek is one of the only shops in town that will read unagented
material; everyone else will send back your script unread.  Get the agent
list from the WGA and you'll see that agents open to new writers are
specifically identified.  Start with "A" and send them your script until you
find someone who'll represent you.  And if that doesn't work, write another
script and start again.
----------------------
Subj:  Answers
Date:  4/8/97 6:00:07 PM
From:  RonDMoore       

<<What happens if the producers like any or all of the stories pitched?  Do
they ask the person pitching to write the story, or is it written in-house?
 Also, do pitching sessions take place in person, over the phone, in an
online chat session, via e-mail, or all of the above, depending on
circumstances?>>

Depending on the experience level of the writer, s/he will be asked to write
at least the story and maybe the teleplay.  A first-timer will probably only
get the story unless they do an outstanding job with the story and we've
judged their spec script work to be exceptional.  Sometimes we will also just
buy a premise from a writer, which is just a notion, an idea for a story --
someone  is suspended in a transporter beam for 75 years, for example.  Pitch
sessions take place in person here at Paramount, or over the phone.  We do
NOT accept pitches, story ideas, scripts, or anything else via e-mail.

<<How do you and the rest of the staff blow off steam? Sports, games,
practical jokes, etc?
Do you or any of the other writers feel tempted to write spoofs of your own
story lines for your own enjoyment? >>

We're a very close bunch and we get along exceptionally well.  We spend many,
many lunch hours together and that's sort of our time to work and play --
we're a bunch of foodies at this point.  The occasional practical joke makes
its way around the halls -- we once hid tiny alarm clocks throughout Rene's
office, in his car, and even in his apartment, which were all set to go off
at random times over a 24 hour period.  If you knew Rene, you'd know that
he's always "hearing" odd noises and is notorious for walking around his
office "adjusting" things that are rattling or humming too loudly for him, so
24 hours of muffled alarm clock bells was nearly enough to send him over the
edge.

<< <I do have something I kept as a souvenir, and I'd rather not say what it
was, but it's 
WAY COOL.>

It's Q's throne.  It's Data's head.  It's Picard's borg headpiece or arm.  Am
I getting warm?>>

This is as far as I'll go:  there are six of them.

<<In "The Ascent" Quark suggests that he and Odo play a game of cards called
"fizzbin", was this an intentional reference to TOS's "A Piece of The Action"
in which Kirk creates a card game with the same name to confuse a couple of
gangsters?>>

Yes.  Kirk evidently marketed this game after he brought the original
Enterprise home.

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