Rene Echevarria, Co-Supervising Producer from Star Trek: Deep Space Nine. Mr. Echevarria will discuss his work as writer and producer on Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, and Star Trek: The Next Generation.

Question: How far are you going to take the relationship between Worf & Dax?
Gayle

Rene Echevarria: We'll follow it where it takes us. Just like a real relationship.

Q: In future movies, will Capt. Picard meet a changeling?
John

RE: It's possible but unlikely. Considering that Michael Piller is writing the next film and that he co-created DS9, you never know where his imagination will lead.

Q: Any truth to the rumor next year will be the last for DS9. Hope not. It's the best incarnation since the original Trek.
Jerry

RE: It's possible that it will be the last year, but there are a lot of considerations that go into that decision, including the actor's willingness to continue, the increasingly crowded television market place, and of course, ratings.

Q: What is your favorite character on DS9?
Robert

RE: My favorite character on DS9 is Sisko. I'm particularly interested in further exploring his role as Emissary to the Bajoran people.

Q: With Voyager it seems that stories of earlier Star Trek episodes are being retold 90's style? Have the writers ran out of ideas or is this just a safer path to take??When will we see a revisit to Earth of 1997 ? or even an earlier time period ?? and how about that visit actually doing some damage to time itself??
Robert

RE: Well, I don't work on Voyager, so it's hard to say, but I doubt we'll every time-travel again to Earth's history... that was a unique situation that led to it. As for stories seeming to be reworkings of earlier episodes, I think the writers do their best to avoid that. But there's something to be said for bringing in new viewers who might not have seen the hundreds of hours of Star Trek that have already aired.

Q: Is there any chance of seeing a Wesley Crusher/Traveler episode on DS9?
Jeff

RE: I think it's pretty unlikely. We have lots of stories in our own universe and with our own characters that we still want to tell.

Q: Rene, DS9 has darker feel to it than other Star Trek shows, do you feel this has helped set it apart for the rest?
Greg

RE: Absolutely! We're interested in challenging our characters at their most fundamental level. Finding out what they're capable of.

Q: Can you tell us some humorous anecdotes from the set of DS9 or TNG?
Greg

RE: Recently, we got the bad news that Robert Hewitt Wolfe has decided to leave DS9 to pursue his growing career in features. As a going away present, we asked the actors to film a scene while they were already in the ward room together. But we changed the dialogue so they were all talking about Robert leaving, and how depressed they were, and how it was all their fault. We surprised him with it the other day at dailies.

Q: My whole family is looking forward to Star Trek: The Experience. When will it open, and what can you tell us about what we'll see there?
Tonto

RE: It's scheduled to open July 20th but I wouldn't book reservations to Vegas, there may be further delays. During the Experience you get to board the Enterprise D, and then leave the ship aboard a shuttle that takes you to DS9.

Q: What is you most enduring memory of Gene Roddenberry?
Greg

RE: I only met him once, when I was out here in LA working on my second episode. I'd been told he really loved "The Offspring" so I went up to him and introduced myself, and he shook my hand and it was a big thrill to meet the man who started it all.

Q: What does a Supervising Producer do? What are your daily responsibilities?
Sharky

RE: There are two kinds of producers in television: writer/producers, and hand-on producers who put together the nuts and bolts of the shows. If we need a horse next week, they find a horse.

Writer/Producers write scripts and are generally only involved in the production of shows that they write. This includes casting, approving sets and costume designs, and making sure the show as written is on budget. The writer follows the show through shooting and fields calls from the actors who may have questions about their motivation or are requesting changes in dialogue that sound more natural to them.

Q: Where did you go to school? What was your major? How did your education prepare you for the job you have today?
DrB

RE: I went to Duke University. I graduated in 1984 with a degree in history. Before I settled on history, I was pre-med, so I took a lot of science courses which obviously has helped in writing science fiction. History may have helped, too, in that it gives you an appreciation for the dynamics of how societies and cultures interact.

Q: Is there any plans to bring characters from the original series or TNG onto DS9 in guest roles?
Greg

RE: There's a slim chance. As I said before, we have a lot of stories in our own universe that we still want to tell.

Q: If someone wanted to become a Producer on a television show, what advice would you give them about how to get started?
Sparky

RE: For a writer/producer, it starts with the blank page. You might go to film school, you might just dig in and start writing yourself. If you're interested in writing for Star Trek, the show's open submission policy is a great opportunity. That's how I got into writing for the show; my spec. script, "The Offspring" was my first professional sale.

Q: How did you first get your start in Hollywood? Is it something you've always wanted to do?
Greg

RE: I started out wanting to be a doctor, like my daddy. But I was always a big reader, and a few of the books I read I used to fantasize about how I'd like to turn them into films. The Tarzan novels were the first because I'd never really seen a good Tarzan film. When I got to college, I auditioned for a play on a lark, and got the part. And I got the bug. I realized that I wanted to be in "The Business."

Q: Rene: will Sisko ever show emotion?
gleknar

RE: Probably when he comes over to your house to kick your butt.

Q: Hi Rene, I enjoy DS9 very much and love the way the show has evolved....can you give us an idea as to which direction you would like to see the stories go next year....more dramatic?.....more action?
LANDRU-1-ONE

RE: We're staying the course. We want to continue exploring our characters. Finding out what makes them tick.

Q: Is there plans to move to films after DS9 has ended its run on t.v.?
barbadillo

RE: I haven't heard anything about a DS9 film... but anything's possible.

Q: STAR TREK.com lists nearly 30 episodes with you as a writer, both TNG and DS9. Of the ones you've written, which is your favorite?
Plotto

RE: The truth is, the episodes I'm most proud of don't necessarily have my name on them because I did an uncredited rewrite of another writer's first draft. "The Visitor" is probably my favorite DS9. "The Quickening" is a close second. As for TNG, "The Offspring" will always have a special place in my heart since it was my first baby.

Q: Any predictions on what kind of ST9 we can expect with Michael Piller at the writing helm?
gleknar

RE: I think it will be a Picard story. Probably an examination of where he is in his life and his career. I'm looking forward to seeing it myself. Michael's been away from Star Trek for over a year now, and I'm sure he'll come back with a lot of things to say and a fresh perspective.

Q: hi Rene....It seems that the character of Jadzia Dax has not evolved much...I think the viewers have not learned much on this character since the early episodes....is there a reason for that?...is she a difficult character to write about?
DaxFan

RE: I'm not sure I'd agree. The one thing we have learned is that we've done too many stories about something going wrong with her Trill nature. We're more interested in finding out who she is now... who she is today.

Q: What was the first big break you got and who gave it to you?
JoeJoe-57

RE: Michael Piller is the man who picked up the phone and called me to say he liked my spec. script and could I get on a plane tomorrow and get out here to do some rewrites.

Q: It was once said that Whoopi Goldberg would show up on DS9. Will that ever happen?
FLAtRich

RE: I think it's unlikely.

Q: Will Warf's son return to DS9? Will you be expanding the Klingon storylines?
FLAtRich

RE: We want to touch on where Alexander is and what he's up to. But we don't plan to have him come and live with Worf. The Klingon stories are just part of the mix. Don't expect to see more or less of them.

Q: Have you ever been in an episode as an extra or in a small role?
barbadillo

RE: No. Our general policy is that we don't want to take jobs away from aspiring actors. But watch for one of our writers during the final episode of the season. Since he was leaving the show, we made an exception.

Q: You co-wrote "Trials and Tribble-ations" - a very special episode. How did you and the other writers decide which episode of the original series to adapt? How did the new storyline come about?
Darvin

RE: We knew we wanted to do a romp. A comedy. So 'Tribbles' was high on our list. I think it was Ron Moore who,off the top of his head, said that we could put some of our people in the bar fight, and have them in the lineup when Kirk tries to find out who started the fight. He also tossed out the image of our people in the storage compartment, and we all thought what a funny explanation of why all those tribbles kept falling out and hitting Kirk in the head.

Q: What is your favorite Star Trek episode and why?
Ariadni

RE: I'd have to say, "Trials and Tribble-ations". For an old Star Trek fan like me, it was a real treat to essentially write a new episode featuring Kirk and the original cast.

Q: "Investigations" was absolutely *tops* -- I've watched it at least 6 times already!! What gave you the idea? Or, rather, where did it come from?
Meribor

RE: If you're talking about "A Simple Investigation," we set out to do a film noir with Odo meeting a femme fatale. The actual notion that she wasn't who she seemed to be was an idea that Robert Wolfe tossed out.

Q: Do you really enjoy your job?
DanDevine

RE: I love my job. The writing staff are all good friends. We have lunch together almost every day. The fact that I get to write many different types of stories, not just a cop show or a doctor show every week, keeps it fresh.

Q: Three of the episodes you wrote were "Part II". How do you pick up the story begun by another writer and complete it? Do you work with the writer of the first part, and does he/she have an outline of what Part II should contain?
KopyKat

RE: All the two-parters I worked on were done with fellow-staff writers. I was involved in structuring both parts one and two.

Q: Are there any plans to reintroduce some of the original alien races such as Andorians or Tellerites that we haven't seen in awhile?
Greg

RE: There are no plans but anything's possible.

Q: Are there any plans to make additions to the show? Like a new character?
DanDevine

RE: No. We think our characters have many untold stories that we want to explore.

Q: When DS9 completes its successful run, will there be another Trek show to take its place? If there was, would you want to be involved?
TrekFan

RE: I think that when DS9 goes off the air, Paramount will let Voyager be the only Star Trek until it completes its run. After that, I think there probably will be a new show.

Q: Rene: Do you ever have writers-block? If so, how do you overcome it?
Greg

RE: You can't really afford to have 'writer's block' on a television schedule. If you're stuck, you just go find one of your colleagues and hash things out with them. Since we're all involved in structuring stories together, it's easy for them to pick up on what the problem is and help you out. We'll pace around and do the voices of the characters until we come up with something. Ron Moore was always very good at doing Picard.

Q: Do you have a favorite character you like to write for? If so, who might that be? And why?
Meribor

RE: I like writing O'Brien and Bashir scenes, Odo and Quark scenes... and Garak is fun too. These pairings have a lot of chemistry and sparkle between them. Sometimes you'll sit down to write a scene that's only supposed to be one or two pages, and by the time you've finished you realize you've got 8. That's how much fun they are to write.

Q: What kinds of changes are made during story conferences? Are there any memorable ones that dramatically improved an episode? Or made it worse than the original idea?
Tuvok74656

RE: We structure the stories as a staff, then one of us goes off and writes the first draft. If you're lucky, you have about two weeks. When you turn it in, and get your colleagues' reactions, you might find yourself sitting down and completely restructuring it if the story doesn't work. This almost always makes the show better. You have to trust your colleagues' instincts and realize that when you're writing on such a close deadline, you're not always going to get it right the first time.

Q: Do you interact with the director and/or cast in the interpretation of your scripts? Are there any amusing stories about how a story/character/line was interpreted differently than you envisioned?
TrekWritr

RE: During the week before shooting, you'll often meet with the director to discuss the intent of the scenes. If she has any good ideas that aren't going to cost more money, we'll often try to work them in. When Rene Auberjonois directed "The Quickening" he felt that the ad I'd written for Quark was too long, and suggested we replace it with a jingle. And off the top of his head, he sort of hummed, "Come to Quark's... Quark's is fun." I finished out the rhyme and got all the credit.

Q: Rene, thanks for doing a kick-ass job!
gleknar

Q: Any plans to work with Majel on her new show next season?
FLAtRich

RE: I am exclusively the property of Paramount Pictures. I can't even write letters without their approval.

Q: What are the relative roles of Rick and Ira with respect to shaping stories you develop and scribe?
gleknar

RE: Ira's the head writer and he's in all the story meetings with his staff. We decide as a team what direction we want to take the show, and then we run things by Rick Berman for his approval.

Q: <<Ron Moore was always very good at doing Picard.>> And who is Rene good at doing?
Meribor

RE: Troi.

Q: Is the best yet to come for DS9?
gleknar

RE: We hope so. There are a lot of storylines we'd like to wrap up.

Q: Are there directors that you enjoy working with? Who interpret your work particularly well
HowardH

RE: Yes. Alan Kroeker comes to mind. Les Landau.

Q: Idle question....was all of Rene's inspired growling in "A Simple Investigation" scripted? ;)
Meribor

RE: No, that was improv.

Q: Is it true that the station will get destroyed in the season finale?
barbadillo

RE: Yes. But we'll get another station from the alternate universe, complete with the Intendent's Bondage Chamber.

I'd like to thank Rene Echevarria for joining us here tonight. Good luck with your future projects!

RE: Thanks for having me. Thanks for tuning in!