July 27, 2015

“Torment of Destiny” is the thirteenth episode of Star Trek New Voyages and is written by Rick Chambers. This episode is a sequel to the original series episode “For the World is Hollow and I Have Touched the Sky”. Rivkah Raven Wood guest stars as Natira, the High Priestess of Yonada, Clay Sayre as President Ro’Kail, Rebecca Larken as To’Rya, and special guest star Richard Hatch (Captain Apollo from the original Battlestar Galactica) as Orthros.  The crew painstakingly recreated the Oracle Room set from the original episode. Natira’s wig and dress were also recreated to near perfection.

Production of this latest episode began July 10th and ended July 24th on location and at the Desilu Studios in Ticonderoga, New York. 

Here is a quick synopsis of the episode:

Slightly over a year ago, Doctor McCoy was healed by the ancient medical knowledge of the Fabrini, a long awaited reunion between McCoy and his wife Natira is interrupted, as negotiations with the local government are in process there is a bomb, McCoy missing… Can the crew of the Enterprise solve this mystery and locate McCoy and Natira before it’s too late?

Director's Comments:

Hey folks. So the stats are in: we shot for 14.5 days and a total of 230 hours of a 68 page script which means we did, roughly 4.86 pages a day. A strong contrast to last year which was 11 days (with one entire day lost waiting on wardrobe/sets) on a 72 page script with 175 hours for roughly 6.5 pages a day.

From the minutes after we printed the first shot on the 9th of Kirk’s communicator sliding to a stop in that crazy narrow depth of field shot on the Red One, this shoot was an uphill battle. Brutal. Exhilarating. Filled with victories and horrific defeats. So very different to me than last year…which, while brutal, was victory after victory – BUILDING on victory. Yet, still, I want to declare that with the exception of some simple b-roll bits which can easily be shot anywhere any time, we HAVE THIS IN THE CAN and you’re going to love it!! I also think that it may very well be the best episode yet.

To all of you who were there for any length of time adding your assets, resources, time and efforts to this production, I salute you, and thank you from the bottom of my heart. From PA, interns, assistants, builders, makeup, hair, lighting, electric, camera and producers, you were all valiant heroes.

I now move back to finishing ‘The Holiest Thing,’ and the telling of that story. Thank you all.

Let’s shoot…again soon.

– Mark Edward Lewis

Director, “Torment of Destiny”