The Bjo Awards (formerly The Independent Star Trek Fan Film Awards) is a set of annual awards to recognize achievement in excellence among independent Star Trek fan films released to the Internet during the previous calendar year. Inspired by the Hugo and Nebula Awards and based loosely on the Emmy, Oscar and Tony Awards, the Bjo Awards are presented at the annual Treklanta convention in Atlanta, Georgia. Created and produced by Treklanta founder and chairman Eric L. Watts, the Bjo Awards is a juried competition judged by a panel of industry professionals with established credits in the Star Trek franchise and/or notable Star Trek fans with professional experience in the entertainment industry.The Bjo Awards web page
Bjo Trimble—who coordinated the letter-writing campaigns that successfully saved the original Star Trek series from cancellation at the end of its second seasonThe "Save Star Trek!" letter-writing campaign and petitioned President Gerald R. Ford to rename NASA's first space orbiter "USS Enterprise"NASA space orbiter USS Constitution renamed USS Enterprise and who also wrote The Star Trek Concordance—and her husband John were guests of honor at the 2016 Treklanta and presenters of awards at that year's Independent Star Trek Fan Film Awards ceremony. At the end of the ceremony, Mrs. Trimble told Watts how impressed she was with the awards program, thanked all those who were involved in their creation, production and presentation, and graciously agreed, at Watts' request, to lend her name to them. The announcement of this name change was made at the 2017 awards ceremony and fully implemented by the time of the 2018 ceremony.
The actual award is an 8 x 10 wall plaque on a cherry wood board with a color back plate and sublimated inscription plate. Each plaque includes the award category; series name, episode title and name(s) of the winners; and date of the award inscribed on the inscription plate.
Eligibility requirements
To be eligible for consideration in each year's awards, an independent Star Trek fan film must: Be a live-action dramatic presentation set in the Star Trek universe, not animated or CGI, nor a satire or parody of Star Trek Have "Based upon Star Trek, Created by Gene Roddenberry" (or similar) in the title sequence, opening credits or closing credits Have been released to the Internet (YouTube, Vimeo, etc.) during the previous calendar year, and Have an entry on IMDb.com with full cast and crew credits listed Although not explicitly stated as a requirement, only films in English or with English subtitles have been included in these awards due to the practical matter of judges not speaking the language of foreign-language films which otherwise meet all four eligibility requirements.
2015
Sixteen independent Star Trek fan films released in calendar year 2014 with a total running time of eight hours, five minutes were deemed eligible for consideration for the 2015 Independent Star Trek Fan Film Awards.
Based loosely on the Emmy, Oscar and Tony awards, the original nine categories were Best Production Design; Best Visual Effects; Best Soundtrack; Best Original Story or Screenplay; Best Supporting Actor or Actress; Best Actor or Actress; Best Director; Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form (30 minutes or less); and Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form (31 minutes or longer).
The panel of judges for the 2015 awards included Diana Dru Botsford, Peter David, Keith R. A. DeCandido, Michael DeMeritt and Susan Sackett. The awards ceremony was held at Treklanta on April 26, 2015, hosted by Eric L. Watts and Brian Holloway. Awards presenters included Jason Carter, Keith R. A. DeCandido, Sean Kenney and Anne Lockhart.
Films eligible for consideration Release DateSeries NameEpisode TitleOnline VideoRun Time1/8/2014 Star Trek Continues"Lolani" Star Trek Continues, "Lolani" on YouTube0:50:541/13/2014Project: Potemkin"The Night the Stars Fell from the Sky" Project: Potemkin, "The Night the Stars Fell from the Sky" on YouTube0:54:461/31/2014Star Trek: Rendezvous"The Inquiry" Star Trek: Rendezvous, "The Inquiry" on YouTube0:16:254/5/2014Star Trek: Secret Voyage"Rise of the Gongdea" Star Trek: Secret Voyage, "Rise of the Gongdea" on YouTube0:35:145/1/2014Starship Exeter"The Tressaurian Intersection" Starship Exeter, "The Tressaurian Intersection" on YouTube0:51:465/28/2014Star Trek: Reliant"Supply and Demand" Star Trek: Reliant, "Supply and Demand" on YouTube0:22:236/15/2014Star Trek Continues"Fairest of Them All" Star Trek Continues, "Fairest of Them All" on YouTube0:40:336/22/2014Star Trek Nature's Hunger"Star Trek Encounters Silence of the Lambs" Star Trek Nature's Hunger, "Star Trek Encounters Silence of the Lambs" on YouTube0:09:457/4/2014Starship Valiant"Legacy" Starship Valiant, "Legacy" on YouTube0:19:477/14/2014Project: Potemkin"Command Decision" Project: Potemkin, "Command Decision" on YouTube0:06:148/4/2014Starship Farragut"Conspiracy of Innocence" Starship Farragut, "Conspiracy of Innocence" on YouTube0:37:198/15/2014Star Trek: Axanar"Prelude to Axanar" Star Trek: Axanar, "Prelude to Axanar" on YouTube0:21:099/29/2014Star Trek: Reliant"Stalemate" Star Trek: Reliant, "Stalemate" on YouTube0:06:1710/31/2014Star Trek Nature's Hunger"Dorothy's Awesome Shuttlecraft Adventure" Star Trek Nature's Hunger, "Dorothy's Awesome Shuttlecraft Adventure" on YouTube0:22:2611/11/2014Project: Potemkin"Holding Pattern" Project: Potemkin, "Holding Pattern" on YouTube0:12:1312/24/2014Star Trek New Voyages: Phase II"Mind-Sifter" Star Trek New Voyages: Phase II, "Mind-Sifter" on YouTube1:17:48
Winners & finalists by category Best Production DesignSeries NameProduction Designer(s)ResultStar Trek: AxanarScott CobbWinnerStar Trek ContinuesVic MignognaFinalistStar Trek New Voyages: Phase IIJames CawleyFinalistStarship ExeterJoel Sarchet, David WeibergFinalist Best Visual EffectsSeries NameVisual Effects Designer(s)/Artist(s)ResultStar Trek: AxanarStefan Bellersheim, Al Dinelt, Adam Howard, Tommy Kraft, Koji Kuramura, Thomas Loeder, Chris Martin, Jennifer Marx, Oliver Nikelowski, Tobias Richter, Ali Ries, Arnold Sakowski, Trent Smith, Greg Stitz, Dan Uyeno, Enrico WeinertWinnerStar Trek ContinuesRoland Baron, Matt Boardman, Aurore de Blois, Daniel Dod, Doug Drexler, Brian Q. Kelley, Gary Kerr, Gabriel Köerner, Ali Ries, Roland Shaw, Kenneth Thomson Jr., Juvenal ViqueFinalistStar Trek New Voyages: Phase IIBing Bailey, Ryan Block, Daren Dochterman, Jeff Forsythe, Pony R. Horton, Tobias Richter, Lee StringerFinalistStar Trek: Secret VoyageCraig F. SheelerFinalistStarship ExeterDennis Bailey, Matt Bellemare, Neil Breakwell, Bill Grant, Jimm Johnson, Chet Polo, Art Retallick, Joel Sarchet, Patricia Sasser, Thomas Sasser, Michael Struck, Kenneth Thomson Jr., Mel Vavaroutsos, David Weiberg, Zane YarbroughFinalistStarship ValiantBrady Foster, Craig Frey Jr.Finalist Best SoundtrackSeries NameIndividualsResultStar Trek: AxanarAlexander Bornstein (Composer), Frank Serafine (Supervising Sound Designer/Editor), Jesse Akins (Sound Designer), Ramsey Mellette (Sound Mixer)WinnerStar Trek ContinuesVic Mignogna, Ralph M. Miller, Michelle Siles, Fred SteinerFinalistStar Trek New Voyages: Phase IIGeorge Duning, Gerald Fried, Sol Kaplan, Mark Edward Lewis, Joseph Mullendore, Fred Steiner (Composers); Jeff Bond (Music Editor)FinalistStarship ExeterChristopher Budd, Stephen Cadena, Stan Ginsley, Hetoryn, Graham HutchinsFinalist Best Original Story or ScreenplaySeries NameEpisode TitleAuthors/WritersResultStar Trek: Axanar"Prelude to Axanar"Christian Gossett, Alec PetersWinnerStar Trek Continues"Fairest of Them All"James Kerwin, Vic MignognaFinalistStar Trek Continues"Lolani"Paul Bianchi, Huston Huddleston, Vic MignognaFinalistStar Trek New Voyages: Phase II"Mind-Sifter"Rick Chambers, Shirley MaiewskiFinalistStarship Exeter"The Tressaurian Intersection"Dennis Bailey, Joshua Caleb, Jimm Johnson, Maurice MolyneauxFinalist Best Supporting Actor or ActressActor or ActressCharacterSeries NameResultClay SayreKorStar Trek New Voyages: Phase IIWinnerApril ChamberlainEnsign TorresStarship ValiantFinalistRobert WithrowAdmiral WithrowStar Trek New Voyages: Phase IIFinalistRivkah Raven WoodDr. HamlinStar Trek New Voyages: Phase IIFinalist Best Actor or ActressActor or ActressCharacterSeries NameResultVic MignognaCaptain James T. KirkStar Trek ContinuesWinnerRichard HatchCommander KharnStar Trek: AxanarFinalistJ. G. HertzlerAdmiral Samuel TravisStar Trek: AxanarFinalistTony ToddAdmiral Marcus RamirezStar Trek: AxanarFinalist Best DirectorDirectorSeries NameEpisode TitleResultChristian GossettStar Trek: Axanar"Prelude to Axanar"WinnerJames KerwinStar Trek Continues"Fairest of Them All"FinalistMark Edward LewisStar Trek New Voyages: Phase II"Mind-Sifter"FinalistChris WhiteStar Trek Continues"Lolani"Finalist Best Dramatic Presentation, Short FormSeries NameEpisode TitleResultStar Trek: Axanar"Prelude to Axanar"WinnerProject: Potemkin"Command Decision"FinalistProject: Potemkin"Holding Pattern"FinalistStarship Valiant"Legacy"Finalist Best Dramatic Presentation, Long FormSeries NameEpisode TitleResultStar Trek Continues"Fairest of Them All"WinnerStarship Farragut"Conspiracy of Innocence"FinalistStar Trek Continues"Lolani"FinalistStar Trek New Voyages: Phase II"Mind-Sifter"Finalist
Summary Star Trek: Axanar won six of nine awards (Best Production Design; Best Visual Effects; Best Soundtrack; Best Original Story or Screenplay; Best Director and Best Dramatic Presentation, Short Form), Star Trek Continues won two awards (Best Actor or Actress and Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form) and Star Trek New Voyages: Phase II won one award (Best Supporting Actor or Actress)."The 2015 Independent Star Trek Fan Film Awards Winners" YouTube, 7/28/2018"Independent Star Trek Fan Film Awards Announced" TrekToday, 4/27/2015"And the winners are: The Star Trek Independent Fan Film Awards" TrekMovie, 4/26/2015"The Star Trek Independent Fan Film Awards" The Trek BBS, 2/9/2015
2016 Eighteen independent Star Trek fan films released in calendar year 2015 with a total running time of six hours, fifty minutes were deemed eligible for consideration for the 2016 Independent Star Trek Fan Film Awards.
For 2016, the category of Best Visual Effects was broadened to include Special Effects and renamed Best Special & Visual Effects, and Best Actor or Actress was renamed Best Lead Actor or Actress. Additionally, the Best Soundtrack category was split into Best Original Music and Best Sound Design, Editing & Mixing; and categories for Best Guest Actor or Actress, Best Costuming and Best Makeup & Hairstyling were added, increasing the total number of categories from nine to thirteen.
The panel of judges for the 2016 awards included Diana Dru Botsford, Keith R. A. DeCandido, Ken Feinberg, Matthew M. Foster, Andrew Greenberg, David Orange, Emmett Plant and Rick Sternbach. The awards ceremony was held at Treklanta on April 17, 2016, hosted by Eric L. Watts and Brian Holloway. Awards presenters included Tracee Lee Cocco, Jack Stauffer, Carel Struycken and John & Bjo Trimble.
Films eligible for consideration