On aVFX polaroid reference shot, this funky little example of a kit bashed tug was jokingly labeled USS ERTL. It was seen on DS9 towing the USS Fredrickson. Probably the most unusual of all kludges I’ve come across. There are two more shots on the next page. I look forward to your comments.
Speaking of birds, I thought this sketch was long lost, but just turned it up last night. The off the cuff concept sketch for Gary Hutzel of the Romulan shuttle.
Find photos of the finished shuttle model here: http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2008/12/24/romulan-shuttle/
Undoubtedly one of the most impressive backlit graphics ever, the two and a half story tall centerpiece of Quark’s bar on the DS9 promenade.
A great image from the all time classic space adventure, featuring the all time classic robot, Robby. Robby was not designed to sit down, so for this sequence, the scenic department painted flat cut outs of his legs in a seated position, and painted them to give them 3D relief.
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Remarkable before and after of the Enterprise D docked at starbase 74. The bottom image is the plate provided to illustrator Andy Probert by the visual effects department. Above that, the finished shot with the VFX plate incorporated into Andy’s Matte painting. Evident is additional painting on the plate itself, such as illuminated windows and volumetric light crossing the ship’s hull.
My CG sketch for the library scene in the Enterprise episode “Shockwave”.
After a drawing by John Eaves, the model was built in the art department and shipped to Threshold for the finish. John calls it the “Tiki” face starbase due to the pattern on the big hangar bay skirt.
Addendum – Our friend Pacal sent me several shots of a physical model of this starbase. As far as I know, it is fan built… or is it? A real nice job too! Was this model part of the Vegas exhibit? Extremely accurate. Someone must have had access to the CG model. If anyone else has any info on this item please shout it out! Click to the next page -
Continue reading ‘Borg Invasion – Starbase Copernicus – UPDATED!’
The Defiant’s Johnny-come-lately Chaffee Shuttle was a last minute retro-fit, seen here in the “Little Friend” SOTL offering.
When Gary Hutzel approached me about designing a new larger shuttle for the Defiant, I resisted big-time. I had just, and I mean just finished the interior cutaway for starfleets armored warship. Now Gary was asking me to find a place for this thing. As I rabidly went through all the reasons why it couldn’t be done, I saw it in my head, did a 180, and gushed about how this could be done. Gary looked at me grinning like a little kid, “I knew ya’ could do it! Is it done yet?!”
The Olympia shuttle for The Borg Invasion ride after sketches by madman Johnny Eaves. In a senior moment I incorrectly remembered this as being a version of the spaceplane from “Enterprise”. There IS an unfinished spaceplane model around here, and when I turn it up I’ll post it.
The General Motors pavilion at the ‘64 NY World’s Fairwas a nexus of sci fi extrapolation influencing the look of science fiction films, and in particular Star Trek, to the present day. As a kid on the loose at the fair, I helped myself to all the printed material that I could carry. Some of it ended up on the wall of the Trek art department as a source of inspiration three decades later. The Fair was a major influence on original Trek art director Matt Jefferies, and it continued to be for us as well.
The original blog entry on the Fair’s influence on Star trek can be found here - http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/days-of-future-past-the-treknywf-connection/
(Below) Promotional flyer for the General Motors pavilion at the NYWF. The GM sail was the inspiration for Starfleet HQ in San Francisco, as seen in the DS9 episode “Homefront”.
Built for Mike Okuda by the lengendary Greg Jein. It made it’s only appearance in the Star Trek Chronology by Mike and Denise. Wouldn’t you love to see this realized and in action!
This Klingon space station is a masterpiece of kludge by the King of Kludge himself, Anthony Fredrickson. Built purely from found objects, it’s a marvel of economy. The red circle highlights an object which is like the number 47 in the Star Trek universe, and making it’s one billionth appearance on Trek, a “Buckaroo Banzai” Oscillation Overthruster. I promise a big Buckaroo Banzai entry in the near future.
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