Episode 2: Jonathan Frakes Behind The Scenes Interview

0:01 Voyage. Hi everyone, this is Nat Mundell, founder and CEO Voyage and one of the producers of this show an episode. I'm here today with Jonathan Frakes of our true crime anthology episode Money Supply. Very excited to connect with you, sir. Mister Frakes as an award winning actor and director and of course known for his role as Commander Will Richer in the Star Trek universe. Jonathan's also a director of television in films including Star Trek First Contact. He's also an accomplished voice actor, notably providing the voice of David in the Disney animated series Gargoyles. Maybe you didn't know that, but that's cool and exciting, and sir, it's a great honor. I'm a huge fan and just couldn't be more excited to get to know you. Oh, I'm very happy to be here. Glad we got through all the technical mumbo jumbo. Yeah, we should have done that as a behind the scenes well thanks for you know, participating in Money Supply. I revealed what a true ludyte I am.

1:14 Yeah, exactly. We just had to, you know, go behind the scenes of this futuristic Star Trek guy and learn how tech savvy. You know, that of course is the that's the irony, It's not Oh my gosh, so funny. All right, so money supply? What an interesting story. Um, you know, what was your initial reaction when you read the concept and story in script? I was surprised that the character who I'm about to record where I have recorded, the character that I'm playing in the show originally plays as a kind of a republican peckerhead asphul thoughts, rude, narcissist, and turns out to be Robin Hood. Yeah. What an incredible sort of tournament events. And I was really very surprised, pleasantly surprised actually that the the the density and the and the depth of the of the character, of the variety of what he's been through is not revealed until this story is completed, which is the spite of good writing. Congratulations, no spoilers here. Um, you know, so you know, going back in time too, when you hosted Beyond Belief Factor fiction, Um, you know, in much the same way, this episode lets the audience decide, you know, did it happen, did it not happen, is it true? Is it not true? And where do you you know? Having now you know,

2:46 sort of read it and uh and learned about it. Where do you fall on the spectrum? I feel like it. It could easily be true. I'll tell you something interesting. I hope it's interesting about beyond belief factor fiction. Al Schwartz was our director and Barry Adelman wrote it, and those puns at the end of each segment or at the end of the episodes we used to call the Aidelman's And when I was asked to break down whether this one's true or this one's false, which had become these wonderful memes. Abelman and Schwartz both made her decision early on, and we did this for a few years, never tell me which was fact and which was fiction. And therefore my read, if you will, or my wrap around or whatever we like to call these things at the beginning and end would not be influenced by my personal knowledge of what was fact and what was fiction. And I think it served the show. It was a wonderful decision on their part, I thought, and served the show brilliantly, so that my delivery of the Adelman's and of the information was on the same timber, on the same tone, whether it was fact or fiction. End. As families gathered to watch that show, they uh, they really did argue about what they was factor fiction.

4:03 They often were as surprised as as I was. Yeah, well that's an interesting theme. And it's actually a theme as we're kicking off this anthology show and sort of creating it in real time and getting to know it through the through the act of production. It's a theme we're considering bringing forward into multiple episodes or in fact, potentially the whole series. So maybe we'll have you back the idea of the idea of factor fiction. Correct. Oh, and are you going to tell me which this is never of course not. I don't even know. I mean, it's a it's such an incredulous story.

4:45 Um. You know, I've been working with you know, the quote unquote creator or you know, son of the Father for for quite a few years. Um, you know, because we're we're considering a movie about the project too, or a series, and you know, I don't even know, and I'm not sure I care to know if it's true or not. It's such an interesting, like you know, amalgam of so many different things. It's to me that's fascinating in and of itself. Well, if the intention was so good for mankind as it feels like it is. It's the way the story is told. Weaved it and wonderfully complicated and a much more interesting story than a linear Do you know what I mean? I do, And you know I'll take that as a compliment to our to our writer and director and creative behind this approach, and so you know, I'll make sure to pass that on to him. I'm sure he'll appreciate knowing that. So you know, on that note, as you were reading the role, did you was there something specific that that has led you into the character and how you're going to be approaching it. I think the the narcissism of the man and the the sort of that superiority that we've seen in people, that's the character that is in in uh In there. They're sort of flashbacks in the

6:15 story because his son paints him as his son sees him through a different light than scenes themselves imply if you know what I mean, absolutely, yeah, I've I've spoken to the son several times and you know, hearing his point of view is also you know part, so you know it made this story about his dad where if this you don't know if it's true or not? No sir, No, sir, And what's that happened? You don't know if you don't know if his story is true or not for real? No sir, Yeah, no, sir. And that's part of the joy of of you know, going into this story is it's so inciting what happens when you get to post by the Supreme Court and they asked you if it's true or I'm gonna just avoid that question for now and stick my head in the sands, sir um like an honorable man, I don't think that you want to be lying to the Supreme Court. Well, that's true and uh and certainly I wouldn't, but it sounds like maybe you're an agent of the Supreme Court deposing me right now. So I'm gonna I'm gonna plead the fifth at this point. Excellent. You know, is this Have you done podcasts before?

7:32 Is this your first? And a lot of podcasts? I have not done a lot of scripted podcasts. I've done I've recorded novels and audio books and that sort of thing. So this is a new and I gotta say, as my kids said, what are you doing today? Is it a regular party? I said, no, this one's scripted because I was. I was rereading the script before I came into our Shark Tech meeting, and they too thought it was a very idea. They I asked, because everybody as what we said earlier in off camera. People now ask what podcasts are you into? In the same way they ask what show are you watching? What show are you streaming? Are you are you into Queen's gambit? And and uh, it's it has that same sort of judgmental but also informative.

8:18 I know I have a list on my notes on my phone of people whose opinions I respect, who are watching a show that I would like to watch. And now that is also happening with with podcasts, and I'm thinking scripted is the future. And I think you've I think you you're going to ride a big wave into some big success with this. Well, thank you. I appreciate that vote of confidence. The wave is already sort of swelling up. And uh, and yeah, we're we're gearing up to really, you know, go for a double overhead barrel. I hope you know, So tell me, um, you know, what are you up to? What do you want your listeners and audience to know what's the next thing you're you're doing in your life and your work. Well, I just I just finished editing a block of episodes on Piccard Start Creek Piccard. I'm a regular director on. I also have helped to reboot a show I worked on for many years called Leverage, which is now called Leverage Redemption. But now I'm currently happily with both my kids and they're significant others, and my wonderful wife in Maine altogether for the first time since the kids were in high school. For so I'm fishing and swimming and voting and looking for the best lobster roll into the Maine. So that's my What a sweet, What a sweet moment.

9:41 I'm from the Northeast and have spent I'm from Boston and spent a lot of time in Vermont, and I've spent some quality time in Maine. So I'm I'm happy to hear what you're up to. Yeah, I know what it's like on a sunny day like today. It's gorgeous out here today, spectacular. Well, um, you know, as as I mentioned earlier when we first met, I'm just so grateful to have you, you know, play with us in this new space this podcast Money Supply just couldn't be more excited and and also I've just really enjoyed talking to you and getting to know you. Likewise, I'm glad we finally got the kinks work out. I'm I'm looking forward to as Actually, I appreciate your I like your style, and I like your philosophy and high shared so I'm in. I hope we can do more well. Listeners, you can find Money Supply in our true crime anthology series on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or anywhere you listen. I want to thank our star Jonathan Franks for joining us today for Voyage Media. I'm Nat mun Bill signing off Voyage Hi. Listeners, this is Dan Benamore, head of Podcasts for Voyage Media. I hope you really enjoyed that interview with Jonathan Freakes, and I just wanted to tell you about the next episod so of Allegedly, which is going to be coming out in two weeks. The episode is called Love Gone Wrong in the Philippines. It's about a man who went to the Philippines in search of new love, thought he had found it in this very dramatic way, and it went so bad. It went so

11:16 wrong in so many ways. It cost him pretty much everything, cost him money, cost him time, cost him prisoner, and ultimately even almost cost him his life. So it's really a pretty incredible story and the gentleman who lived it is going to tell it to you, and he's also going to be played by Australian actor Charlie Clawson. So we're very excited to bring you that episode in two weeks. Keep an eye out for it on the allegedly Feed. Thanks for listening.