InFast, I tried to push physics, and here I get to have a lot more leeway!

Its interesting, having grown up withTrek.

[The Enterprise] has been in so many episodes and movies.

That ships been such a part of my life.

And I realised that its been photographed beautifully from every angle.

Whats your approach, then, to designing some of these shots?

In space, its what you make of it.

I really wanted to bring that direction.

That was something I built in very early on.

I think that was the goal going in.

Theres an interesting use of digital editing in this, where your camera flowing seamlessly into another.

Whats your process of designing those?

I wanted this film to have much more of a tactile feel.

So that was very much by design.

This movies very much harking back to the past; its honoring that tripod I had.

I feel it brings more humanity, in a very subtle way.

Its to service every moment, and really be there with the characters.

Theres a danger in the digital age that films can become too pristine, I guess.

That and also, in a CG environment, theres no right and wrong its very subjective.

So you dont have to do the classic TV series camera shake any more.

Im proud of that!

I couldnt believe that in 50 years, were the first to do it.

It must mean they did it [camera shake] very well in the past.

So I wanted to go back to the tactile feel.

Its amazing how, even on a ten degree tilt, the way your body moves is different.

Especially with all the sequences in the Enterprise, and also the chase in the middle of the film.

The wholeStar Trekfranchise has always been about unity and humanity, equality all these positive themes.

Do you think thats why its endured so well for 50 years?

That was the first thing I thought about when the potential to take over came up.

It became very interesting to me to venture to deconstruct that.

Its been around for 50 years and you see this crew, and you see the Federation utopia.

And sometimes thats assumed, you know?

I grew up watching the original series on reruns, and it was very unique.

I saw people from very diverse backgrounds together on a shared journey.

That was my first sense that family doesnt have to be by blood; its about a shared journey.

Hopefully, again, it reaffirms [Star Trek] and propels it for another 50 years.

And it comes with a responsibility, because its there, and you have to be conscious of it.

Great sci-fi, great Trek is always an allegory for something thats happening to us as a society.

On every level, on every scene, were conscious that were exploring those things.

Sometimes theyre so subtle that you might not notice it, but hopefully youll feel something.

One of the thingsStar Trekbrought with it 50 years ago was this utopian vision of the future.

Do you think were closer to that vision in the 21st century?

I think were closer than we were in 1966.

But there are always going to be growing pains.

Especially now, theres always stuff thats happening, but you have to have hope.

Some great character moments in this movie, too.

Were seeing characters interacting in ways we havent seen before.

Is that something you discussed early on?

That was a personal goal.

I started watchingStar Trekwith my family when I was eight, and it was a rerun.

It got to a point for me, as a kid, where Id think about what happens off-screen.

I see every episode where theres a huge challenge and the crew has to go through something intense.

But then Id think, What happens when Sulu and Chekov leave the bridge?

Do they hang out or do they go their separate ways because they cant stand each other?

Thats the relationship vibe Ive had with these characters ever since I was a kid.

Just to get to be with these characters in situations theyre not used to.

But I read that it was partly funded by MC Hammer; is that correct?

[Chuckles] It was a credit card movie.

I had 10 credit cards, I was in crazy debt.

I got to the point where I hadnt got the minimum raised, and I didnt know anybody.

Id met MC Hammer a few years before, and he was just a nice guy.

He gave me his number and said, What do you do?

I said, I hope to be a filmmaker one day.

He said, Call me if you need anything.

So I had [MC Hammers] phone number, and I thought Id call him.

He wired the money the next day and saved the movie, so Im forever grateful to Hammer.

Filmmaking is such a crazy journey.

Its such a tough industry to break into.

Sometimes you need people like that who can act as patrons.

Thats the thing I learned, especially coming from the independent scene.

Money is currency I get it.

But really, when you make an indie movie, its about passion.

That was the biggest challenge for a while.

Thats something Im very proud of.

How did you adapt to that world of big studio movies?

How can a filmmaker adapt to it, psychologically?

My approach is the same.

So with success, we had a partnership where if it worked once [it could work again].

All I can ask for as a filmmaker is accountability.

I just want to be accountable.

Thats very important to me, because making films is a privilege.

Even doing sequels theyre not a given, theyre a privilege.

I wouldnt want to work in any other way.

Are you signed up to make anotherStar Trek?

No, we havent talked about it.

I signed up to do one, and I had a great time.

But it was a detour in many ways.

I didnt plan on doing it, and so Im just kind of enjoying it.

Do you think youll do something smaller and more indie next?

Thats what I was doing when JJ [Abrams] called me!

Its become the greatest detour in my career.

But Ive been trying TV, all these different things I havent done before.

Im ready to start doing that.

Justin Lin, thank you very much.

Star Trek Beyondis out in UK cinemas now.