NEUTRAL ZONE STUDIOS is finally on the move…to a new location! The home of the amazing Star Trek TOS set recreations—originally constructed beginning back in 2009 by Farragut Films—has lived in the small town of Kingsland, GA since moving there from the nearby coastal hamlet of St. Marys, GA in 2012. The sets were initially used for shooting episodes of the STARSHIP FARRAGUT fan series and, later, STAR TREK CONTINUES.
In 2018, Boca Raton, FL resident RAY TESI purchased the sets from STC showrunner VIC MIGNOGNA. A fan film showrunner, Ray had previously released the short fan film STARSHIP REPUBLIC: SERPENT OF YESTERDAY in 2017. Ray used his retirement savings to not only purchase the sets but to pay thousands of dollars a month in rent and utilities for the facility that housed them. Crowd-funders and an ongoing Patreon helped to offset some of those monthly costs, but Ray’s savings have been steadily drained for the past six years.
Ray decided to open up the sets to any fan production that wanted to shoot there in exchange for a low day-use fee to cover the costs of electricity and maintenance. This allowed a parade of several dozen fan productions to use these amazing set recreations that included the bridge, sickbay, transporter, briefing room, quarters, auxiliary control, corridors, a two-story engineering set, and even a Jeffries tube that one could actually film inside. Ray himself launched a fanthology series called TALES FROM THE NEUTRAL ZONE that has released seven fan films so far.
But it wasn’t only fan films that got to experience these sets. Ray would regularly open the renamed Neutral Zone Studios to the general public for free walkthroughs and photo-ops, with optional donations collected but not required. Over the years, thousands of fans came to admire the sets, often getting guided walktthroughs from Ray and members of the STC cast, including Vic Mignogna himself.
Unfortunately, the building began to fall into a state of disrepair, with issues like burst pipes and leaky roofs requiring ever-more-expensive remediation efforts. Ray himself had to cover the costs of a team to remove and replace drywall that had developed mold from exposure to power-washing from the egg-roll manufacturer that spent years occupying the other half of the building.
Earlier this year, the landlord informed Ray that he, the owner, needed to finally sell the building instead of continuing to repair it. Rather than abandoning the sets to the dumpster and being thankful for “a good run,” Ray decided to look for another location.
Many fans expected a move to central Florida—so Ray himself wouldn’t need to make the 350-mile, 5-hour drive each way from his home to the sets. This past July, fan filmmaker JOSH IRWIN gave a 2-part interview where he discussed the impending move. But at the time, it wasn’t known where Neutral Zone Studios would be moving to.
But now, for the first time, Ray Tesi publicly reveals the new location…
You can donate to help Ray cover moving expenses here:
There’s an Amtrak station in Sandusky, OH….Lake Short Limited and Capital Limited…
So so limited? 🙂
“limited” is an old passenger rail term for long distance trains – many Amtrak routes predate Amtrak… 🙂 “Lake” runs To/From Boston MA and New York City with several stops in each state, meets up in Albany, combined into one train, runs several stops in NY State, Then Erie PA, Through Ohio with several stops (Sandusky is the 3rd Ohio Stop), then though Indiana with several stops, ending in Chicago.
“Capital” Runs from To/From Washington DC, with stops in WV, Pittsburg PA, Ohio, and then basicly runs the same route as “Lake” (Which includes Sandusky) right to Chicago.
With connecting trains in Chicago, New York and Washington, Rail is a good way to get to Sandusky. Both routes run daily (To allow for connections in Chicago to/from the South, Northwest, and West…)
Greyhound also has a depot in Sandusky…Nearest airport is in Cleveland, which is 45 miles away.
I actually did know what a “limited” was (at least in terms of rail travel). I grew up on the East Coast and took trains out of Grand Central and Penn Station quite often. Never to Sandusky, OH, though!
This Douglas Williamson. I want to say to Ray. Boo. But I understand. We thank you for your time here in The South Georgia & North Florida area.
I do not like the Ohio location because of the set in New York state. Maybe I will make it up there one day. We do know what the future holds.
Good luck my friend. Douglas E Williamson/ Hampton Florida
“I do not like the Ohio location because of the set in New York state.”
I’m not sure I get the connection there, Douglas. Northern Ohio and Upstate New York are still 600 miles apart…almost as far apart as Atlanta, GA and Washington, DC.
Personally, I’m looking forward to visiting the new location, even though I never saw the location in Kingsland. At the age of 57, I’ve grown to appreciate the comfort of air conditioning and central heating. 🙂
Hey, I always had to fly from Dallas to get there, so where I land really doesn’t bother me! I hope to meet you there some day, Jonathan. Hey – great interview! I enjoy your stuff!
Thanks. Next interview on deck: Euderion – Infinity out of Germany! 🙂