OT: The original Star Trek getting a CG makeover

[Black_Knyght]

Found this over at Animation World Network -


ORIGINAL STAR TREK SERIES TO GET CG MAKEOVER.
STAR TREK is getting a 21st century makeover. CBS Paramount Domestic
Television is releasing digitally remastered HD episodes of the iconic
1960s sci-fi series, with all new vfx and music, to celebrate the
groundbreaking series' 40th anniversary, it was announced by John
Nogawski,
president of CBS Paramount Domestic Television.

The new episodes also mark the first time in 16 years that the original
STAR TREK series can be seen in broadcast syndication. The episodes
will
begin airing on the more than 200 stations that own the rights to the
weekend broadcast syndication window starting Sept. 16 (check local
listings for station and dates). All 79 episodes of the original STAR
TREK
series will eventually be remastered, with the first batch of episodes
chosen from a list of STAR TREK fans' favorite shows. TV GUIDE reports
that
“BALANCE OF TERROR” will be the first upgraded episode to air.
Meanwhile,
THE DIGITAL BITS reports that CBS Digital will do the CG work in-house.

"STAR TREK redefined science-fiction and constantly pushed the envelope
with concepts that were ahead of their time," Nogawski said. "By giving
the
series a digital upgrade using the best technology available today, it
will
continue to be a leader in cutting-edge television programming as we
introduce the series to a new generation of viewers."

The most noticeable change will be redoing many of the special effects,
created with 1960s technology, with cutting edge CGI:

* Space ship exteriors -— The space ship Enterprise, as well as other
Starships, will be replaced with state-of-the-art CG ships. The new
computer-generated Enterprise is based on the exact measurements of the
original model, which now rests in the Smithsonian Institution in
Washington D.C.

* Show opening — The Enterprise and planets seen in the main title
sequence
will be redone, giving them depth and dimension for the first time.

* Galaxy shots — All the graphics of the galaxy, so frequently seen
through
the window on the Enterprise's bridge, will be redone.

* Exteriors — The battle scenes, planets and ships from other cultures
(notably the Romulan Bird of Prey and Klingon Battle Cruisers) will be
updated.

* Background scenes — Some of the iconic, yet flat, matte paintings
used as
backdrops for the strange, new worlds explored by the Enterprise crew
will
get a CGI face-lift, adding atmosphere and lighting.

The refurbished episodes also feature higher quality sound for the
famous
opening theme. The original score by Emmy Award-winning composer
Alexander
Courage has been re-recorded in state-of-the-art digital stereo audio
with
an orchestra and a female singer belting out the famous vocals. A
digitally
remastered version of William Shatner's classic original recording of
the
38-word "Space, the final frontier…" monologue continues to open each
episode.

The remastered episodes have been converted from the original film into
a
High-Definition format, which gives viewers a clearer, crisper, more
vibrant picture than before, even when viewed in standard definition.
Once
stations upgrade and start broadcasting HD signals, the episodes will
be
all ready for viewers to enjoy in HD."

[AMF]

Yes...but will the klingons still look like angry humans?

http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Atrocities]

Well if this isn't a joke, then all I have to say is "Well f**king alright!!!!!!!!!!"

[narf poit chez BOOM]

It sounds like they may not mess it up, either.

[TurinTurambar]

narf poit chez BOOM said:
It sounds like they may not mess it up, either.



My initial fear was the same, Narf. But you're right, it looks like they're going at it respectfully.

[dogscoff]

Yes, but can they digitally remaster Shatner's acting?

[geoschmo]

dogscoff said:
Yes, but can they digitally remaster Shatner's acting?

Probably not, but maybe they can make his rug look a little more realistic. And they could morph his face onto his stunt double during those god aweful fight scenes. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

[Renegade 13]

The new episodes also mark the first time in 16 years that the original STAR TREK series can be seen in broadcast syndication.

This isn't exactly true. Up here in Canada, you could watch the original Star Trek series every weekday on the SPACE channel.

[Captain Kwok]

But SPACE isn't a broadcast station. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Hugh Manatee]

Will the Gorn fire first this time?

[Combat Wombat]

Hugh Manatee said:
Will the Gorn fire first this time?



ROFL

[Atrocities]

You know when Lucas changed that scene with Han Solo, he ruined the entire movie. That was just a bad bad bad call on his part. We all know that when some green dude speaking hutties points a blaster at your face, its a live or die situation and you had better be the one to fire the first shot. And besides, HOW IN THE HELL COULD HE HAVE MISSED? Solo's face was RIGHT IN FRONT OF HIM! Lucas, lucas, lucas... if only someone could have saved Star Wars from Lucas.

[Renegade 13]

Captain Kwok said:
But SPACE isn't a broadcast station. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

Whoops, you are indeed correct. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[PvK]

Personally, I hope they show the Gorn ship, and use the Star Fleet Battles model for it. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

And ya, good one - I'm with you. Lucas showed he was part of the Thought Police when he covered up for Han Solo. And that he had bad taste, when he sprinkled lots of pointless CGI extras into the originals.

[Atrocities]

Hey I read once that Lucas even wanted to replace the guns in Star Wars with non gun looking "tools." HE hates guns and felt that he didn't want any one but evil people to use them in his movies.

At least in Star Trek, they have guns, and they used them whenever diplomacy failed and tougher tactics were required. However, I do not believe that I have ever seen an episode where any federation ship or crew man has had to fire the first shot. Thats cool. (Those that did, like Commander Tracy, and the captain of the Equinox paid the price.)

[Kamog]

Hopefully they'll have better phaser disintegration effects. In the old series, you shoot someone with a phaser and their whole body glows for a moment and then just disappears. The wall or any objects behind the person are totally untouched.

And when the Enterprise fires phasers, you see these two beams diverging out an angle from the ship. Then the view changes to the beams hitting the target, like an asteroid or whatever, and the two beams converge at the target, which doesn't make sense. Also, in some of the episodes, the phasers from the Enterprise look like these glowing balls instead of beams for some reason.

New graphics for the planets would be nice, too. They re-used the same generic footage of the Enterprise orbiting a planet for many different episodes that are supposed to be different planets.

[Black_Knyght]

Atrocities said:
Well if this isn't a joke, then all I have to say is "Well f**king alright!!!!!!!!!!"



No, I double checked this with a few other sites, and it appears to be the real McCoy !

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Kamog said:
Also, in some of the episodes, the phasers from the Enterprise look like these glowing balls instead of beams for some reason.


Er, photon torpedos?

[Black_Knyght]

dogscoff said:
Yes, but can they digitally remaster Shatner's acting?



<font color="blue"> R...OTF...LMA...O...!!! </font>

[Kamog]

Yeah, they look like photon torpedoes but Captain Kirk's voice says "fire phasers".

[Black_Knyght]

I noticed that, too. YEARS ago....

God, I just scared myself. I just realized I actually watched the original series, first run.

Damn I'm getting old......

[Atrocities]

Balance of terror is one of the best episodes of Star Trek OS.

Too bad there are only a handful of equal episodes in STNG, DS9, and Voyager. None for Enterprise.. which is a real shame. They could have done so much with the show but they pissed it away on crappy episodes, borning adventures, and dumb political statements that had no meaning in the present. Man talk about a bunch of bunglers. Ent could have been great. They should have called it by another name though. Enterprise was a bad call, a really really bad call. It should have been named Frontier or Constitution. Hell even Constillation or even Bold Frontiers or New Frontiers as was originally planned.

[Fyron]

The best part about Enterprise was that half of the episodes had the exact same plot as corresponding episodes in previous ST series... (at least in the first season or two I watched) It gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling to know exactly what would happen next!

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Imperator Fyron said:
The best part about Enterprise was that half of the episodes had the exact same plot as corresponding episodes in previous ST series... (at least in the first season or two I watched) It gave me a warm, fuzzy feeling to know exactly what would happen next!



I bet the screenwriters had warm, fuzzy stuff inside their craniums when they decided to re-use episode plots from an older series..... again.

[Baron Munchausen]

Kamog said:
Hopefully they'll have better phaser disintegration effects. In the old series, you shoot someone with a phaser and their whole body glows for a moment and then just disappears. The wall or any objects behind the person are totally untouched.

And when the Enterprise fires phasers, you see these two beams diverging out an angle from the ship. Then the view changes to the beams hitting the target, like an asteroid or whatever, and the two beams converge at the target, which doesn't make sense. Also, in some of the episodes, the phasers from the Enterprise look like these glowing balls instead of beams for some reason.

New graphics for the planets would be nice, too. They re-used the same generic footage of the Enterprise orbiting a planet for many different episodes that are supposed to be different planets.



In "The Balance of Terror" phasors function something like depth charges. You see these glowing pulses go out and then they just explode in space without actually hitting anything. Seems more like photon torpedoes. Cut to inside the Romulan vessel where they bounce around as the phasors 'detonate' around them just like the crews in the old submarine movies.

And then in another show where photon torpedoes would have been extremely useful they aren't mentioned once. Why did they have to drop the wrecked Constellation down the throat of the planet killer in "The Doomsday Machine"? Apparently because photon torpedoes don't exist when they interfere with a plot line. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif

The inconsistency of the technology is one of the most (in)famous features of the Star Trek franchise.

[Randallw]

Such as when the episode revolved around having to fix the transporters so they could save the crewmwmbers freezing on the planet. why?. The shuttle hadn't been invented http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[DarkHorse]

more info (http://www.thedigitalbits.com/#mytwocents)

[DarkHorse]

Randallw said:
Such as when the episode revolved around having to fix the transporters so they could save the crewmwmbers freezing on the planet. why?. The shuttle hadn't been invented http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif



If you watch that episode on the DVD with the pop up info-thingies turned on, it mentions why there were no shuttles in that episode. Something about the models weren't finished yet during the filming of the first six episodes or some such, I don't remember exactly.

[PvK]

Kamog said:
Yeah, they look like photon torpedoes but Captain Kirk's voice says "fire phasers".


Maybe Chekov pushed the wrong button.

[PvK]

Baron Munchausen said:
...
And then in another show where photon torpedoes would have been extremely useful they aren't mentioned once. Why did they have to drop the wrecked Constellation down the throat of the planet killer in "The Doomsday Machine"? Apparently because photon torpedoes don't exist when they interfere with a plot line. http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/laugh.gif ...


My suspect is Chekov again. I think he used all the photon torpedoes joy-firing at stuff when others had left him in command, so they happened to be all out when they encountered the Doomsday Machine.

[narf poit chez BOOM]

Or maybe photon torpedoes wouldn't have made a big enough explosion.

[Kamog]

Chekhov the trouble maker...

Why did the Romulans start using Klingon ship design? Did they not have the model of the Romulan ship when they filmed that episode? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif

[Black_Knyght]

Remember the scene in the "Wrath of Khan" where Khan, who'd never actually met Chekov, say he remembers him?

Like maybe he remembered hearing, during his short stay on the Enterprise, all about Chekov's rep for screwing things up......?

[narf poit chez BOOM]

How do you know they just didn't show the meeting?

'Hi, I'm Chekov.'
'Hi, I'm Khan.'

Not exactly noteworthy.

[Azselendor]

For chekov, they'll most like insert him into a scene with kahn as a background thing.

[Combat Wombat]

The transporters were "invented" because they didn't have the cash in the first few episodes to make more models or at least have them done quick enough, so they thought up a way to move people between the ship and the planet that didn't involve making anything expensive.

[Possum]

Pfft, all you scoffers say what you will. For me the Original Star Trek is still the spirit of ST, and Captain Kirk is still The Man http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

I remember being in 1st grade when it was new, and the hottest topic of conversation at first recess the next day was always last night's episode of Star Trek. Except, LOL, at the age of 6, the word "trek" was not in our vocabulary, and we were all convinced they were saying "Star Track" http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

And yes, I'll be 47 in early October http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/tongue.gif

[Randallw]

Black_Knyght said:
Remember the scene in the "Wrath of Khan" where Khan, who'd never actually met Chekov, say he remembers him?

Like maybe he remembered hearing, during his short stay on the Enterprise, all about Chekov's rep for screwing things up......?



While Khan was on the Enterprise he went to the toilet. Chekov was on the Enterprise, he just didn't work on the bridge yet, and Khan had to wait for Chekov to finish in the toilet. I think as the story goes, when Chekov came out and Khan rushed in he glared at Chekov with a "I'll remember you" look. This is I believe a common explanation.

[Black_Knyght]

ROFLMAO !!!

Man, I hear that ! I can't tell you HOW MANY times I've Chekov'd like that...

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

narf poit chez BOOM said:
Or maybe photon torpedoes wouldn't have made a big enough explosion.



Pho-torps = small amount of antimatter packed inside a warhead.
Warp core = a heck of a lot more antimatter packed inside storage tanks that can be blown up.

It's kinda like comparing a stick of dynamite to an ammo dump..... or a nuclear powerplant http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif


Kamog said:
Chekhov the trouble maker...

Why did the Romulans start using Klingon ship design? Did they not have the model of the Romulan ship when they filmed that episode? http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/wink.gif



RL: They had the Klingon ships on-hand, and used them because they didn't have more than one Romulan ship - IIRC. But I wouldn't put much stock in the "more-than-one-model" explanation. Its merely a conjecture.
In-Character: The Romulans traded several of their cloaking devices with the Klingons in exchange for a number of their battlecruisers. Very logical, considering the fact that those two races are at each others' throats in other series http://forum.shrapnelgames.com/images/smilies/happy.gif

[Kamog]

Thanks for the explaination.

Another thing about that planet killer episode that was funny is when the planet killer comes in to attack the Enterprise, there's the view on the main screen where it comes closer and closer - but only when you're looking at it. Every time the scene switches to a view of the crew, and then switches back to the main screen again, the planet killer has actually moved further away while you weren't looking at it. Then it continues to approach closer while you're looking at it, and so on. The distance between the planet killer and the Enterprise resets to the beginning every time you look away.

[Black_Knyght]

The on-screen (of the bridge) view may well be due Kirk's "magnify" order, though god only knows why you'd want to look closer at the maw of that behemoth.

On the other hand, maybe Chekov was messing around with the zoom lens, and Chekov'd things again....

[Strategia_In_Ultima]

Stuff like that happens so often, not only in ST. The distance resetting, or just going back a bit; "Impact in two seconds", and judging from the viewscreen (and the screen time) it CLEARLY hits in six; stuff like that.

[gregebowman]

Black_Knyght said:
Remember the scene in the "Wrath of Khan" where Khan, who'd never actually met Chekov, say he remembers him?

Like maybe he remembered hearing, during his short stay on the Enterprise, all about Chekov's rep for screwing things up......?



I was at my one and only Star Trek convention in Phoenix a few years ago when George Takei explained that, in a joking matter, that the reason Khan remembers Chekov is that Khan had to go to the bathroom and Chekov happened to be the one who was making him wait. That's why he remembers him.

[gregebowman]

I can't make a habit of watching this new CGI version of ST, but I did watch the Balance of Terror episode. Since this came on at midnight on Sunday night here in Tampa, I think I dozed off a couple of times during it. But from what I saw of it, it was a little different as far as the ships and some other special effects. The comet tail they were trying to use to see the Romulan ship looked much better, and the ships definitely had been touched up. But it's been awhile since I've seen this episode, so I don't know everything that might have been touched up. Because of the late hour that it's on, and not having Tivo or DVR, I'll probably be missing most of these new &amp; improved episodes.