Just as many new stars have been created by joining the world of Star Trek on screen from respected actors becoming international sensations to young new talents having their moment to shine, there have been just as many stars have also been made behind the scenes. For every story told and new star made in the Star Trek Universe it takes an army of talent behind the scenes to make sure that universe comes to life.
From production designers to lighting technicians and the artists behind every ship, creature and corner of a set, there are many who have helped shape the Star Trek Universe, and more than a few who’s careers have started thanks to it’s existence.
Between 1987 and 2005 Star Trek properly became a franchise of connected universes and stories with the launch of the Next Generation leading to two direct spin offs in it’s era before the launch of prequel series Enterprise. Thanks to longer seasons and a more open door policy, this era would invite many upcoming talents to pitch episodes as well as bring on new interns to learn the ways of TV production.
In 1990 one of those interns would find themselves working for the producers of the Next Generation and within just fifteen years, close off the era as one of he most prolific and vital producers of the era.
Joining the production team in his first industry role, a then twenty five year old Brannon Braga was one of several interns under the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. Picked out from the group to join the Next Generation by Michael Piller, who was working on the second installment of the now legendary Best of Both Worlds episode of the series,Braga would spend eight weeks as an intern before being hired to the writing staff on a full term basis.
Gaining his first official credit on Reunion, an episode introducing Worf’s son which was written alongside Ron Moore, Braga would later gain his first sole script writing credit later in the fourth season in Geordie focused episode Identity Crisis. The fourth season was one of The Next Generations highlights, offering Braga a chance to learn at the peak of Star Trek’s resurgence in television and one of the most unique times for the franchise.
Turning down a chance to move to the creative team of Deep Space Nine with Pillar to focus on the Next Generation, Brag would gain substantial acclaim as part of the team and win a Hugo award alongside collaborator Ron Moore for All Good Things, the TNG finale.
Continuing the partnership with Moore on First Contact and Generations while working on another new project. While Moore would move to Deep Space Nine, Braga would end up being part of the Voyager production. By 1997 he was elevated to co-executive producer before replacing the retiring Jeri Taylor the following year as executive producer.
While over the years he has been very self critical about elements he added and didn’t like, he’s said on record more than once that the best episodes came from times when he was having the most fun writing them. The spirit and work on Voyager led to him being picked to be the next in line at the time, working alongside the primary executive producer of all Trek at the time Rick Berman to oversee and later produce Star Trek Enterprise.
Beyond Star Trek Braga’s first foot outside the universe was co-writing a draft of Mission Impossible 2 with Ron Moore, though it was when Enterprise ended and Star Trek went into hibernation mode that he had a chance to spread his wings as a producer. Staying within the realm of sci fi at first with Threshold and in creating the short lived time trave show Flash Forward.
In more recent years Braga has been attached to supernatural horror series Salem, adapting Carl Sagan’s Cosmos series and as executive producer of the Orville. Much like former writing partner Ron Moore, Braga’s not yet returned to Star Trek as a creative force but has become heavily involved in fan events while always on the hunt for a new and exciting project to tell new stories thanks to one producer taking the chance on a 25 year old intern to bring the next generation of talent.
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