Cylons Above Libya

http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2011/03/actual-cylons-roam-the-skies-above-libya/

Damn, It’s Good To Be A Cylon!

You can judge a show by how lively and hilarious it’s gag reel is. We had FUN working on Battlestar Galactica. See for yourself.

World’s Tiniest DRADIS

My pals at Quantum Mechanix just sent me the DRADIS screen for their upcoming and mind-blowing 18″ Viper Mk II miniature. These guys do the best stuff out there. Be sure to visit their web site!

This DRADIS screen is an enhanced OLED display that measures just .79″ wide (20mm) and can display 65K colors at 96×64 pixel resolution.

http://www.quantummechanix.com/HOME.html

Designing for Science Fiction

(Above) Caprica City at dusk from Graystone Industries.

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A few months after Caprica premiered, we caught the attention of “Rum”,  Sweden’s leading design and architectural magazine. Writer Nicklas Alicki was fascinated with the science fiction mindset that it takes to design shows like Trek, Galactica, and Caprica. What follows are our thoughts on the subject, illustrated with stunning matte paintings created by our genius Davey Morton.

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Gary Hutzel – Visual Effects Supervisior – Battlestar Galactica\Caprica\Star Trek

What were the biggest influences in the design of the starships in Battlestar Galactica?

For the Cylon ships such as the Resurrection ship, the Hub, and now (in Caprica), Greystone Industries headquarters, Santiago Calatrava was a principle inspiration. The colonial fleet was obviously very strongly based on the original series designs from the 70′s, and in some cases, were exact duplicates of the originals.

New designs such as the Basestars, Raiders, and Mark 7 Vipers had their own unique heritage each stemming from a different source. The Basestars were based on two idea’s – one was that the ship’s shape should be an easily recognized “logo” representing the Cylon millitary. In this case an “X” and “Y”. As originally conceived by the Mini-Series Director (Michael Rymer), the Cylons represented the feminine aspect of the conflict (sensitive and artistic), while the Colonists represented the male (war like and brutish). My idea was that the Basestar is the military symbol of the X and Y chromosomes.

BSG In House VFX Poster #1

2007-2008 BSG Visual Effects Department Swag

Gary loves to hand out posters and stuff to visitors. It’s almost impossible to find anything BSG oriented out there, so folks are always delighted. Here is a poster I put together using one of Pierre’s cool renders of the “Razor” original Cylon, facing off with it’s towering descendant.

Click for the full deal.

BSG In House VFX Poster #2

We just can’t help it.

Voyager always drove us nuts. At the end of 7 years of hell, the ship always looked it just pulled out of dry dock. On BSG, Gary and the team were given a lot of latitude by Ron Moore and David Eick, so Galactica wore every scar of every battle. The ship, just like the characters, was ground down without mercy. What we’re looking at here is the Galactica at the end of the third season. We always thought that the Voyager should have sprung apart like the “Bluesmobile” at the end of the “Blues Brothers”… just holding on long enough to complete it’s mission. We got to do that on Galactica. When the ship makes it’s final jump it nearly comes apart at the seams… sexytime.

BSG VFX 2008 -2009 Primetime Emmy Presentation Book II

BSG VFX supervisor Gary Hutzel  submitted the BSG series finale for Emmy consideration for the 2008 – 2009 season. It was just this side of epic . We missed it by that much! No gold for us that year!

In an upcoming blog I’ll do closeups on our incredible crew, and put the spotlight on their particular brand of madness. In the meantime, here for your enjoyment is the Emmy submission book that Gary asked me to put together for the series finale, “Daybreak”. Bon Apetit!

BSG VFX 2007-08 Primetime Emmy Presentation Book

Whenever Gary Hutzel and the team submit an episode for Emmy Award consideration, a reel of effects is edited together for the Academy membership. I always prepare a booklet to go with that, and have a lot of fun doing it. I’ve printed it here in it’s entirety, and I’m sure you’ll find it fascinating

“Razor” was an epic extended episode of BSG that had more visual effects in it than we could possibly include in our reel due to time constraints. Seven minutes is the max, so Gary and our VFX editor Eric Lee had their job cut out for them whittling it down. Incredibly, Razor didn’t make the nominations. We won anyway for a different episode (“He That Believeth in Me”). Amazing work, one and all - Gary Hutzel, Mike Gibson, Dave Takemura, Pierre Drolet, Sean Jackson, Kyle Toucher, Aurore Deblois, Michael Davidson, Jose Perez, Heather McAuliffe, Derek Ledbetter, and Jeremy Lang.

Cylon Watchtowers Over New Caprica

People ask me if I get to sketch anymore. They figure that with the computer, that’s where you stay. Every once in  a while it pays to make the brain to hand connection. These are quick sketches I made for Gary Hutzel. When New Caprica becomes a Cylon concentration camp, Gary wanted Cylon watchtowers. We ended up using number three.

MMMM….MMMM…Toasty!

BSG BBQ – Gary in action.

A few months back, Gary and I appropriated Dorth’s patio to shoot elements for the BSG direct to DVD movie “The Plan”. Since Gary had made the decision to more graphically drive home the destruction of the colonies this time around, we called our good pals at KNB Makeup Effects for a hand. Greg Nicotero, head honcho at KNB joyfully allowed us all the crispy critters we could carry from his football field sized makeup lab in the Valley. Note the sweet little  family unit we set up. Heart warming!

Honey? I’d like to have a few friends over for a cook out. Dorth looks on, as Gary tip-toes through the terror.

BSG Ring Ship

Lord of the Rings.

One of the single most distinctive designs in the rag-tag fleet is the “Ring Ship”. This concept embodies many classic designs from over the years. The Bonnestell\Von Braun 1950′s space station, the big wheel from” 2001: A Space Odyssey”, and Matt Jefferies ring ship from the unrealized TV series “Starship!”. The first two years of BSG saw a lower rez version of the ringship being used in effects shots. Since the design begged to be seen better,  our VFX supervisor Gary Hutzel asked  internationally handsome 3D modeler Pierre Drolet to build a higher rez version, and to not spare the horses. Fraking amazing.

Richard Livingston – BSG Ship Illustrator – Colonial One

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.

Scar

People ask me if I miss makeup. Truth is, I still get to do it once in a while.  In the BSG episode “Scar”, we he had a mad Raider that had overcome it’s programming. The episode was akin to to a film noir monster tale. Gary asked me to design a horror mask for the marauding Cylon. We discussed it and saw it as a three way split between Frankenstein, a battered old tom, and Mickey Rourke in Sin City.

No one has ever seen Scar’s face clearly before now. I imagine it illuminated by a crack of lightning outside it’s victim’s bedroom window. Classic horror.

Three Sisters

An early concept sketch I did for Gary Hutzel of a Cylon resurrection pod. They grew like sausages in a butcher’s case at the meat market, and could be perceived through the glass walls of the Resurrection Ship.

BSG VFX Poster 2006-2007

As soon as I joined BSG, Gary asked me to restyle a small, never seen Cylon hovercraft from the mini, into something more formidable. The result was the Cylon Heavy Raider. Check out the array of cannons up front, and the “ram horn” round conveyor feeding them.

When Mr. Hutzel asked for a poster we could use as swag for visitors to the department. This was it. Click for a better look.

Sometimes You Gotta

One of the fun home made posters from the VFX dept wall.

Well What Do You Know!

 

http://goldderby.latimes.com/awards_goldderby/2009/08/tca-awards-television-critics-association-news-.html

Olmos at the United Nations

And while we’re at it, check out Edward James Olmos on “Attack of the Show”. What a cool guy!

http://g4tv.com/attackoftheshow/moviesandtv/67903/Edward-James-Olmos-Visits.html

Admiral Adama–er, Edward James Olmos–stops by the studio to talk about Battlestar Galactica: The Plan and breaking news about how the Battlestar Galactica cast’s visit to the UN inspired the organization to change its language on “race.”

 

BSG – “Unfinished Business”.

When BSG finished up, they gave us a beautiful hardbound book with incredible behind the scenes shots of day to day life on the show. One of my favorite pages are on set shots from the episode “Unfinished Business.” I thought it was an incredible out of character show.

Even when the crew of the “G” gets a chance to let their guard down,  it’s painful.

BSG Composer Bear McCreary with Katee Sackhoff “All Along The Watchtower” Live

This just in from John Pearse:

Doug, wasn’t sure where to post this. The BSG fans are bound to enjoy these recordings of Bear McCreary’s June concert, also featuring Katie Sackhoff on the piano. The rendition of All Along the Watchtower rocks so much.

Shot at the Grand Performances Series in Downtown Los Angeles.

Note from Bear McCreary “Kara Thrace herself, Katee Sackhoff, joined me on stage at the grand piano to play Kara Remembers I played the left hand part, and she plucked out the Final Four Theme, just as she did in the climax of Someone to Watch Over Me. Once we had the Final Four Theme going on the piano, the band snuck in, building to Heeding the Call and finally All Along the Watchtower.

More here http://www.filmsinfocus.com/BSG.htm

God Speed Harvey Frand

Battlestar Galactica’s “beloved” line producer for all of its 5 years on the air died suddenly due to multiple health complications. He was 68. A 2008 Emmy winner, “Harvey as a producer had an ability to protect the writers and the most critical creative aspects of the production. He never allowed money or limited resources to be an excuse for not doing whatever was necessary to make the best picture,” a colleague praises. ‘My stock line about Harvey was always: ‘The guy just handles everything. I never hear from him.’ (And when I do, I KNOW the shit must’ve really hit the fan.) He truly made everything — and everyone — involved in Battlestar Galactica better than they deserved to be.”

By Nikki Finke on Fri, Jul 24th, 2009 at 09:31PM http://www.deadlinehollywooddaily.com/

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BSG VFX Gets The Emmy Nom Again!

Congratulations to our team members who are going to the Emmys this year!

Gary Hutzel. Michael Gibson, Jesse Toves, Sean Jackson, Kyle Toucher, Pierre Drolet, Greg Behrens, Heather McAuliff, and Dave Morton.

BSG received a total of five Emmy nom nods. Congrats one and all!

Viper MK VII Cockpit

 Do you feel the need for speed?

This is the very impressive full dress Viper cockpit from BSG. It was completely “wildable”: they came apart in just about any direction you can think of to facilitate filming. Although we had this incredible mock-up for when the actors where buttoned up, anytime you saw the console in an episode it was a CG model that we built. I know there are a few guys out there who say they can always tell CG. Did we trip you up on that one? Although the copy on the page says it’s a Viper MK II, it is actually a MK VII.  Be sure to click on the image to be able to appreciate the beautiful detail.

Images  are from the Propworx BSG auction book –

http://www.battlestarprops.com/about-propworx/

The BSG CIC

The Combat Information Center.

Here is a change of pace. You’re looking at Galactica’s Combat Information Center, or CIC. What an impressive set to explore with it’s many levels and stations! It is a  sexy conglomeration of newly fabricated items and cleverly implemented WWII-ish surplus, and It really took my breath away the first time that I stood there.

I’ll never forget getting the bad news about Enterprise. We had just gotten the word it had been cancelled. It had been a remarkable run for me.  Constant employment for nearly 17 years! Unheard of in this business. I drove home thinking that maybe this was it. That maybe I wouldn’t work again for years… maybe never. Who knows in this game?