Archive for December 4th, 2011
04
Dec
11
DTV-05
04
Dec
11
SOTL Flashback – 2009
8472 vs Borg – John Teska
04
Dec
11
Steve Neil And The Big E
Many of you know Steve Neil already. For most of his life he has been a professional makeup artist for motion pictures and television. Steve worked for Fred Phillips in the Star Trek:The Motion Picture makeup department. For the last year, working with Gary Kerr’s definitive plans, Steve has built a six foot, original series Enterprise. At the tail of the article find a video that Steve sent over, and when you’re thru with that, check the blog roll and visit his site. The man is amazing. If you have any questions for Steve, ask away, he’ll be monitoring your comments!
04
Dec
11
One Big Happy Fleet
This shot from VFX’s Eric Alba. It doesn’t get much cooler.
04
Dec
11
VFX Minds
I was on a VFX panel at the Television Academy, in North Hollywood, sponsored by Newtek, and privileged to to sit in with the likes of Ron Thornton, Chuck Comsky, and Eric Hance.
My first day on the job working DS9 – I slid the makeup case under my desk and never looked back.
Mike hired me to design graphics, but as soon as Herman found out I could sketch, he had me designing hand props. Mike had an idea about hand props that would snap into walls or consoles.
04
Dec
11
Unused Pocket Cover
An unused variant of my cover for the Pocket Books Trek novel, Kobayahi Maru. This model of the NX was the original approval model of that ship, which I built in the art department. It had one important difference from the final CG model, the windows were larger. I preferred the larger ports, because it made the ship look smaller, and more vulnerable.
04
Dec
11
SOTL Flashback – 2009
Falling Prey – Fred Pienkos
04
Dec
11
Robert Lansing – 12 O’Clock High
(Left) Lansing in his iconic role as Gary Seven, in the classic double-duty TOS episode, “Assignment Earth”. AE was a backdoor pilot for a new Roddenberry series that was never realized. (Right) Lansing prior to Star Trek, in his arguably quintessential role as General Frank Savage, in Quinn Martin’s WWII epic, “12 O’Clock High”.
Robert Lansing was one of the most underated actors in television during the 1960′s. That may have been because Lansing was known as a hot head. By the end of the first season of 12 O’Clock High, inspite of his stellar performance, Lansing was sacked by QM. He may have been a difficult man on stage, but we are left with an incredible character on screen, that more likely than not, benefited by Lansing’s personal intensity.
One of the great mysteries is why 12 O’Clock has never been released on DVD. Well, you’re in luck. Below find the pilot episode of “12 O’Clock High” in it’s entirety. At least watch Lansing tear up the teaser, and then stick around for the title sequence, with music by the always amazing Dominic Frontiere, who scored the original Outer Limits.
Kudos to the supporting cast, including Paul Burke, Bruce Dern, Frank Overton, and Paul Comi.
Andy Probert has a landmark painting in the works for the Ships of the Line 2014 – The aftermath of Wolf 359, and starfleet’s salvage operation of the monumental battle. One Borg cube left the once mighty Federation fleet an awe-inspiring vista of wreckage. Here are some of Probert’s exploratory sketches of a starfleet tug and salvage vessel. The CG model is a light, and perspective guide. As you work your way down the images, note that we are working our way backward in the design process.
Andy Probert - “This whole idea came about when a fan suggested that I design a new Starfleet Deep SpaceTug & Repair Ship for the calendar a couple of years ago. I already was into another idea at the time but started playing around with the idea because it intrigued me. As time went by, I continued to sketch up various concepts but nothing looked quite right. I eventually expanded it’s roll to lifeboat rescue (the four docking ports on top) added a shuttle bay, a mid-hull cargo section, and more clearly defined the ‘service deck’ (flat area on the “bottom”) which incorporates an inverted gravity field within it’s two decks. That allows those working on repairing & servicing smaller ships that have “landed” on that surface to have a ‘heads-up’ orientation to that surface. Incorporating it’s own exterior gravity plates, ships and personal could use it as an Earth-bound strip of tarmac. With flexible side ‘arms’ extending from the sides, that same surface may also be used to store large (or segments of) ships for transport to a repair base. Two tractor beam emitters are mounted at the rear for towing, with cable winches available as tangible backups. Finally, there are the obligatory phaser strips as a security measure.
When my computer died last year, the name of that fan went with it. If he’s still out there, he should find it interesting that his idea if finally going to be implemented.”
One thing is certain – A lot of us fans are champing at the bit to see Andy’s upcoming painting. It’s bound to be awe inspiring.
04
Dec
11
Bajoran Interceptor Bridge
A few happy snaps I took of the set, in preparation for decking the it out with graphics. I figure at this point we had 1-2 days before they would be shooting in there. Put the spurs to ‘er, Chuck!
Somebody up there likes me – Mikey O gave me the assignment to finish off this set of the Bajoran interceptor bridge on DS9. It’s all about speed, and knowing your topic. The camera waits for no one, and it never blinks. I had designed all of the Bajoran emblems and etc, so I was the man for the job. Bajoran interfaces reflected the culture, and it was all based on the wormhole. Wheels within wheels. I also broke up some of the white ceiling plexi with graphic gingerbread that made use of the Bajoran military emblem.
(Above) Movie posters of the great Frank McCarthy. (Top L-R) The Dirty Dozen, PT-109, On Her Majesty’s Secret Service. (Above L-R) The Blue Max, Around The World Under The Sea.
When I was growing up, movie posters were usually incredibly electrifying paintings that were larger than life. They distilled in one mind blowing image all the excitement that one motion picture could possibly contain. Frank McCarthy was one of the all time greats, and his movie work is seared into my brain. When I get the occasional cover assignment from Pocket Books, and loads of action is called for, I always think of McCarthy.
The way I approach one of these novel covers is not at all the way I approach a shot for a television show. On a show, we go for as real as possible. On a novel I go larger than life, and painterly. Here are two new action covers, one for one for the big Vanguard finale, Storming Heaven, and one for Enterprise: The Romulan Wars.
(Above) Vanguard: Storming Heaven. (Below) Enterprise: The Romulan Wars.
04
Dec
11
Blog Day!
Ready or not, here it comes… a full day of blogging here on the Drex Files! I’ve actually had a few days to relax, and I’ve rounded up a cargo bay full of stuff that I want to share, and hope that you’ll tag along!
Did you see Rod Roddenberry’s Trek Nation on the Science Channel? Bar none, one of the best docs on Star Trek ever. What I miss most about Star Trek, is Gene Roddenberry, and that is what TN is about. Gene died when Rod was only 17 years old. Trek Nation is the journey of a son discovering his father. It’s extraordinarily touching, and you and I are a part of it. Trek Nation is not to be missed.
Now… on with the blog!
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