It only took five minutes for the premiere collection of Star Trek non-fungible tokens (NFTs) at the price of $250 apiece to sell out Saturday morning.
Capt. James T. Kirk icon William Shatner, who championed those first official franchise NFTs from RECUR and Paramount in the form of algorithmically generative 1:1 starships on the Star Trek Continuum hub, wasn’t surprised.
The 5,000 starships in the Admiral Pack sold out in minutes. Starships from the Captain Pack, also $250 apiece, were still available as of 11 a.m.
The film and TV icon has made clear on social media that he is fascinated by NFTs — unique digital items owned by a single person — and the metaverse. Still, Shatner admits to The Hollywood Reporter that the space (no pun) is complicated and urges caution when delving into that world.
The Admiral Pack sold out in five minutes on the Star Trek Continuum hub. Are you surprised?
I had an NFT event a few years ago, and they sold out in seven minutes. So, I am not surprised, and I am very happy about it. The NFT space is a whole horizon that is edging up. People presume knowledge, but we really don’t have it because things are changing so rapidly in the metaverse world. I’ve tried to keep up. There is no question it is going to be a world onto its own.
My only concern is keeping human contact because we’re all liable to be staring at television screens for the rest of our lives and never having the warmth of the human hug.
Understandable. But it appears from your Twitter feed you’re a staunch supporter of NFTs and the metaverse. Accurate to assume?
We mustn’t get carried away with “staunch supporter,” rather, I would use terms of caution. [Albert] Einstein said it’s a “spooky” universe, well, it is a spooky metaverse out there in that some people think they know something, and a lot of people know that they know nothing. For example, I know a painter whose done a very complex painting, which he’s offering as an NFT. You have these spaceships being offered as an NFT. I am going to do a musical number that’ll be an NFT. So, we don’t quite know what an NFT is. We know it’s non-fungible, but what does that mean? And what is its future? Is it a work of art, or is it a work of curiosity?
What do you feel is the biggest misconception about NFTs?
I think there are a few people who speak very well about what it is. They know exactly what it is, so they’ll tell you. But most people know so little about it that it’s hard to challenge what they are saying. Only the truth will come out in due time.
What would you like people to understand about NFTs?
What people should understand is what I understand — which is nothing. I understand very little, but I am in the creative joy of finding out. And that is what we all should be doing. Affirmation and comprehension — explore and satisfy our knowledge by doing due diligence.
Beyond the aforementioned song NFT, are you working on any others from your iconic projects?
Yes, I am in the midst of doing NFT projects. We’re trying to choose the right ones and find the right people to do them with.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Source: Hollywood
