Posted in: Star Trek, TV | Tagged: leonard nimoy, star trek, william shatner

Star Trek: Unification Director on Kirk-Spock Sendoff Short "Genesis"

Star Trek 764874 – Unification short director Carlos Baena spoke with Bleeding Cool about the inspiration behind the OTOY Kirk-Spock short.

The Star Trek universe has given fans so much in its near-60-year existence since its premiere in 1966, and as fans, there's always so much more to tell, but the unfortunate reality is there isn't enough time, so we do the best we can with what we're allotted. This was the case when it came to a proper goodbye for The Original Series characters James T. Kirk and Spock, played by William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy. We got Paramount's send-off in 1991's Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country as the TOS's crew's final adventure, but it never felt like a true goodbye as the studio recruited Shatner and Nimoy for separate films to help carry the franchise cinematically with Shatner's final live-action outing as Kirk 1994's Generations and Nimoy becoming the torchbearer to pass to J. J. Abram's Kelvin universe crew of younger TOS counterparts.

Rumors surfaced about a true final moment written by Abrams that would have seen Shatner's Kirk wish Nimoy's Spock a Happy Birthday in a cameo scene, but that would never materialize as he wanted something far more meaningful. There have been several teases on how a Shatner return could happen, but nothing concrete ever surfaced as Nimoy's passing in 2015, combined with their falling out, seemed to be the final nail in that coffin. Even as Shatner remained content in his franchise retirement, his TOS co-stars George Takei (Sulu) and Walter Koenig (Chekov) made appearances in some of the new Paramount+ canon. Director Carlos Baena spoke to Bleeding Cool about opening that door one last time in the Star Trek short 765874 – Unification to see what could have been as actors Sam Witwer and Lawrence Selleck became the digital avatars with Nimoy's estate and Shatner's blessing to provide that closure much of the fanbase thanks to OTOY and the Roddenberry Archive.

Star Trek Unification Director Carlos Baena on Short's Inspiration, Community Response, and Casting

Bleeding Cool: What was the "genesis" behind Star Trek: Unification? How did you get involved with OTOY and the Roddenberry Archive for this?

I started collaborating with OTOY in early 2022, initially directing actors. Soon after, Jules Urbach, OTOY's CEO, wanted to explore short-format content. My first project was directing and editing the initial 30-second '765874' teaser in 2022, followed by co-directing '765874: Memory Wall' with Jules later that year. In 2023 and 2024, I directed '765874: Regeneration' and '765874: Unification.'

The idea for Unification started taking shape months after we finished Regeneration in the summer of 2023. Jules told me he was inspired by an interview with William Shatner for The Roddenberry Archive, which planted the seed for a reunion between two Star Trek icons who never received a proper farewell. Since there was no script or treatment I was given, my conversations with Jules became the foundation for the film for me to start with. Story development began with a bullet-point document and a mood board I created after a conversation I had with Jules in early February last year in Huntington Gardens.

It was clear to me this reunion had to serve as the emotional core of the short. To shape it, I expanded on the previously mentioned bullet point and mood board documents, working closely with storyboard artist Ahmed Nasri and Previs artist Jonathan Roybal, who contributed great ideas along the way. Over a couple of months, I edited multiple story versions, refining the tone and emotional depth long before production began.

What have the responses been from within the Star Trek community and beyond?

Watching people connect emotionally with the film, using it as a way to reflect on their own lives and loved ones, has been an incredible experience. As someone who didn't grow up with Star Trek, hearing from longtime fans that the film brought back a sense of nostalgia they had longed for was truly meaningful. There were many ways this project could have gone wrong, so every decision— from the material and characters to the execution, tone, and vision—was approached with the utmost respect.

We've seen the advances of CG in creating lifelike recreations, and the similarities are uncanny. What made Sam Witwer and Lawrence Selleck perfect stand-ins as Kirk and Spock?

I believe it was a combination of factors. First, their physical features—especially their head and face shapes—played a role in making the face replacements blend seamlessly with the characters. But that alone wouldn't have been enough. What truly set both actors apart was their deep understanding of Kirk and Spock. They studied their personalities, behaviors, body language, and mannerisms with great attention to detail. On top of that, they recognized that significant age gaps bring change, growth, and maturity, and they incorporated that into their performances. Ultimately, they carried much of the film's weight, and its success owed a great deal to their work.

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