KINGSLAND, Ga. — Hearing the word "UFO" in the news may have gotten you thinking about extraterrestrials, but if the news wasn't exactly what you were expecting, there is somewhere on the First Coast you can go for your spaceship fix.
Kingsland, Georgia, is where you can get the ultimate Star trek experience. The Neutral Zone Studios is home to dozens of fan films and hosts fan weekends and filmmaking opportunities.
"People who have been Star Trek fans, whether they're young or old, this means something in their lives," said Owner Ray Tesi.
Trekkies and Trekkers, unite! The Neutral Zone may just inspire your earthly existence in a new way. First Coast News visited during filming. It's the set for "Star Trek Continues" and "Tales from the Neutral Zone."
"Star Trek was like nothing I'd ever seen and I immediately got hooked," Tesi said.
Nowadays Tesi owns the Starship Enterprise, which is in a warehouse and includes about a dozen replicated rooms based off original blueprints. As the film industry lives long and prospers in Georgia, the volunteer-run film studio is here for any generation.
"Anybody who wants to get involved in filmmaking, whether it's in front of or behind the camera, we offer them an opportunity," Tesi said.
Tesi says he wasn't prepared for how emotional people sometimes get coming in. More than a career or an interest, The Neutral Zone does what sci-fi may do best and inspires you to think outside your corner of the galaxy, where your mind may not have boldly gone before.
"Aside from having fun, the takeaway is people get an opportunity to do something or see something that they never thought they would see in their lifetime," said Tesi.
The Neutral Zone does fan appreciation weekends and Tesi says he's working with local tourism officials to start a sci-fi festival. He says they're also starting a nonprofit based for filmmaking education.