“Uneasy Truce” – Rob Bonchune – SOTL – 2009
SOTL 2010 – On Sale Now – From Simon & Schuster
Archive for September, 2009
27
Sep
09
SOTL Flashback – 02
27
Sep
09
Steve Canyon-25
When you need a fourth wall in a three wall set, and you have no money, who ya’ gonna’ call?
The yard long fourth wall miniature stands by to take it’s turn in front of the camera.
The story called for a Cardassian war room, and the plan as to redress the DS9 cargo bay. Gary Hutzel approached us about building a miniature fourth wall with an enormous view screen to display tactical information. We had been working hand in hand with VFX for so long, and it had been such a fruitful relationship, that it prompted Jim Vanover to post a sign in the graphics room that read: “…making life easier for visual effects.” Whenever Gary, Dan, Ron, or Dave came to us with a problem and asked if we could help, we would simply point to the sign. I remember another sign that quoted Gary, prompted while I was building a CG model for him. I warned him that the poly count was getting on the heavy side to which he responded, “…polygons don’t frighten me!” Laughing, Jimmy V quick made a sign out of that one, certain Gary would rue the day.
I’m here to tell you that after five years of working CG with Gary on some mighty huge TV, that polygons still don’t frighten him. Not one bit.
Screen caps courtesy Matt Boardman.
27
Sep
09
Calling Dick Tracy! 87
Click for a better look.
27
Sep
09
Joltin’ Joe Longo
One of my favorite characters on Star Trek was not a cast member, but the prop master, Joe Longo. Here is Joe holding a bust of Kahless I sculpted for use in Worf’s quarters.
Joe told me an amusing anecdote about his first job at Universal where he started out with craft services in the 60’s. Not sure what to do with the the young Longo on his first day at work, his boss handed him a broom and told to clean up the soundstage. Joe was determined to make a good impression, and cleaned that danged stage from top to bottom. It was very dusty, and literally filled with cobwebs, but Joe made it sparkle. Unfortunately it was the Munster house, and was supposed to be dusty and full of cob webs! 40 years later and we are still laughing about it! Here’s to Joe, one of the most fun guys I got to work with!
More Joe -
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/tales-of-suspense-the-approval-process/
The Snow crash as it appeared on TV. Thanks to Suricata for the link.
Everyone remembers the incredible CG crash sequence on Voyager, but not everyone knows that brilliant illustrator Steve Burg designed that sequence on paper first.
Steve is one of those unassuming geniuses whose modesty belies the raging talent below the surface. I first met Steve when he visited the Star Trek art department many years ago. We were blown away that he would want to visit US! After he left, John and I taped off a square of floor where he first landed. It became a holy spot in the department. When I met Steve I was delighted by the child-like innocence he radiates. One of the most genuine and nicest guys on the planet. I was lucky to get to know him better when I moved on to Foundation Imaging. We always enjoyed one another, and I stil lhold out hope that one day we will work together. One day when Steve dropped by my desk for a chat, I noticed that he was holding a stack of bond paper upon which were a number of dynamic Steve Burg sketches. I was geeking out, as Steve explained that they were the storyboards for the Voyager snow crash. “I’m keeping these, ok Steve?” I joked. “Great” said Steve, “I was hoping you wouldn’t mind holding on to them!” They’ve been in my collection ever since. As far as I know, they have never been reproduced anywhere… enjoy!
Steve Burg has worked on such notable films as The Abyss, Totall Recall, Terminator 2, Contact, Buckeroo Banzai, The Matrix, and X-Men, to name but a few. Be sure to check out his blog -
http://www.steveburg.blogspot.com/
27
Sep
09
Jem Hadar Battlecruiser
This Jem Hadar behemoth rattled teacups on Federation starships across the AQ.
Welcome back to another Sunday at the files! You can count on me to be at the keyboard every seventh day at 5:30am, and after a long stimulating week at work I find that delving into past adventures renews me for the campaign ahead. By the way, our pal Jörg is presently in L.A. and doing the Trek tour. His man on the move schedule has him checking out the Tillman Water Reclamation facility (Starfleet), the amazing rocks of Vasquez (“Arena”), possibly Chateau Drex, and last but not least, the Art Directors Guild showing of TMP, complete with panel of past Trek art directors. That event will be moderated by keeper of the flame Daren Dochterman. I’m hoping that when Jörg gets back home he’ll put together an Away Team report for us, right here on the drex files.
The drex files continues in it’s quest to close the starship intel gap with the CG version of the mighty Jem Hadar Battlecruiser. A goliath of a starship. It started life on DS9 as a physical model,and made a welcome transition to CG. An entry displayed a few shots Mike and I took when we visited the Image G stages. It appeared hastily built, and was unwieldy to photograph.
20
Sep
09
SOTL Flashback
“Top Secret” – Pierre Drolet – SOTL – 2009
SOTL 2010 – On Sale Now – From Simon & Schuster
20
Sep
09
Calling Dick Tracy! 86
Click for a better look.
20
Sep
09
Steve Canyon – 24
BSG’s version of Air Force One. Colonial One, transient home to the President of the Colonies, Laura Roslyn.
This is just one kick-ass design. The minute I saw it I was impressed. It’s just plain cool to look at. The design has a wonderful sense of reality about it, an absolute imperative on an absolutely grim show like BSG. I remember Gary telling me that the spaceliners which speckle the fleet were originally a design for Colonial One. They would have served well, but I think this final version of the erstwhile seat of Colonial government is the winner. It’s strong distinctive design sense resonates with fans of the show. It’s a hall of famer for sure.
Another smart decision on Gary Hutzel’s part: enlisting the services of illustrator Richard Livingston. BSG craved designs that didn’t look like Star Trek, or Star Wars, and that was Richard’s knack. Richard’s designs have a solid utilitarian form follows function feel. Gary wanted to shed what he referred to as “pixie-dust” technology, and he found that in Richard.
Richard has generously dug up some of his early design sketches for BSG. Fairly rare stuff, as BSG did not get the publishing treatment that Trek got. Over the coming weeks I’ll ration out a revealing helping of some more of Richard’s designs, including some comments from the man himself.
These are two of Pierre Drolet’s test renders of his aging down of Colonial One for the start of season three. You may recall the third season opening revealing that two years had passed on New Caprica under Cylon rule. Gary wanted to be sure that the land locked Colonial One reflected it’s two year tenure in the elements. The weathering job is masterful.
20
Sep
09
Decker Lives!
We actually shot William Windom’s scenes for the New Voyages episode “In Harm’s way in our living room.
I loved the whole idea that Decker never died in the Doomsday Machine incident, and that he ended up alive, happy, and living with Captain’s woman BarBara Luna. When Dorothy was a kid, she had a crushed on Windom from watching him in a television show called “The Farmer’s Daughter”. When Bill arrived in his well worn jeep at our house in North Hollywood, I snitched, telling him my wife had a crush on him from the 60’s. He replied, “WELL, we’ll fix THAT!” Everyone agrees that William Windom stole the show in “The Doomsday Machine”, and Windom knows it, too…. “That was MY show” he chortles with devilish satisfaction.
We also had a huge ginormous amount of fun with all-time great Malachi Throne. The man was a bundle of high spirited humor. I had some of my most favorite moments watching episodes of “Lancelot Link” with him. It was Malachi who taught me that there were “Actors, and then there were performers” , and that “the best all around attitude, was gratitude.”
Recent Comments