Archive for the 'General Trek' Category
04
Dec
11
DTV-05
Top left – Jerry Quist in the TNG makeup department making pasties for semi nude actresses in “Captain’s Holiday”, as I snap away. Top right – That’s set designer Fritz Zimmerman holding a Voyager phaser rifle, so I can grab some reference for the Star Trek Encyclopedia. Below top – Mike Okuda, the skipper and Gilligan dress a foam core model of an early Ds9 set (Story Teller?). Below bottom – Illustrator Jim Martin bumming around in the early days of DS9 in the Paramount camera building.
15
May
11
Random Memories
(Above) Doug on the last day of shooting for Enterprise. We don’t need no stinking canopy!
(Below) John Billingsley and Jolene Blalock compare notes.
(Below) Dorth and Dom at the wrap party.
(Below) Mike Okuda and I hob nob with one of our most favorite human beings on the planet, The brilliant Bob Justman. Man do I miss him. That’s Neezee in the background chatting with Jackie Justman
14
Apr
11
DREXTV-04 Temporal Sonar
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Here is the latest and fourth D-TV, a time machine if you will, a window looking back to our old school Star Trek roots… the roots which begat new school Galactica. Working on Trek those 17 years was some of the best fun I’ve had. Picture it: A starship right downstairs… calls from Gary Hutzel at Image G to come down and see the D lit up and on the stick, or building a space station out of junk… all as if your life depended on it.
Old school, new school… in show business it pays to be both. At this very moment, a couple of old school guys and a team of CG madmen (who I will be profiling here soon) are pushing that upper right hand corner of the TV VFX envelope. Some of you know we’re working with Gary Hutzel on the upcoming Blood And Chrome, the decidedly new school spinoff of Battlestar Galactica. B&C, except for the actors, has been built in V-World. The leash is off, and if you think BSG was big before… well, let’s just say that we’ve shifted into huge. Gary and I are old school guys who are having a new school blast, and the roots to our metamorphosis are firmly embedded in the firmament of old school Star Trek.
We are in tough economic times. Even the motion picture industry is feeling the pinch. Today, shows with sprawling sets, like BSG and TNG, are a hard sell. The studio doesn’t want to invest millions of dollars in sets for a show that may or may not hit. If you know that you are going to go seven years, then you can amortize the cost over the run of the series. That kind of guarantee rarely happens. Ultimately you get less science fiction happening on television. The fantastic thing is that television science fiction is being saved by a creation that in itself is the very stuff of science fiction: computer generated environments. It is now cost effective to build virtual soundstages, in fact it’s even desirable. No upkeep or storage, infinitely malleable, and no limits.
First up is some lost handycam footage shot at Image G. It was Gary’s task to uncrate the Reliant\Saratoga and see if it still worked since the last time the teamsters tossed it on the back of a truck and bounced it along bumpy roads to the storage facility up north. Naturally, work it doesn’t. In a classic example of roll with the punches, Gary invents another class of ship. Whenever I see old footage like this, I kick myself for not shooting more.
You know that crack about having a starship right downstairs? Second up is a classic illustration of that. Mike Okuda knocked on my door, “…They’ve lit the Voyager sets one last time before they strike ‘em! Grab the cam, and meet me on the bridge!” It’s funny the quiet reverence you experience when saying goodbye to a make believe spaceship. The show over seven years becomes a family, and the starship sets are where that family lives. Sure, it’s the family you see on the screen every week, but even more so the collection of quirky, talented and lovely human beings behind the scenes that you fall in love with, too. Enjoy!
26
Mar
11
He’s The Juggernaut, *itch!
I love this man. How much fun can one guy be?
06
Feb
11
Zee For Yourself!
Thank you, Mike! I still treasure it!
06
Feb
11
Chance Encounters
One of the coolest things about working on Star Trek…. (sound of phonograph needle beeing skidded across record). Don’t you get tired of hearing that? I mean, c’mon… let’s face it, it was all good parts, everything was choice… especially if you are a geek like me.
One of the coolest things about spending your life on Star Trek was never knowing what you would come across just walking to the commissary.
(Above) I trip over the econo car of Star Trek, which we affectionately referred to as the Hyundai. Once upon a time, and very early on in TNG, Andy Probert designed a beautiful shuttlecraft that was all curves like the D itself. Unfortunately, the coolness of the design was just too expensive to build, and this teeny weenie mini was built in a hurry. It’s a spud, but I have a soft spot for it. You can’t help but pat it affectionately.
(Above) Later on, when they were shooting STV and had money, two impressive shuttlecraft were built, inside and out. TNG inherited one of them, and it was chopped to make this short version. I believe it was restyled by Mr. Sternbach. I loved sitting in this shuttle when it was on the D hangar. Worlds within worlds. You could really get lost in it all.
(Above) Although they could never build this curvy shuttle full scale, Greg Jein did make a gorgeous filming miniature. For some crazy reason I always think of a kid in his head to toe pajamas when I look at it. It’s plain to see how labor intensive it would be to build full scale. The full scale Vipers on our version of BSG are masterpieces of challenging curves, I’ll never forget the first time I laid eyes on them in person. Little hearts were popping over my head - (That USS in the corner is a bit of vinyl lettering that came off on the photo).
(Below) Oh fer… must I sit in ANOTHER Captain’s chair!
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I’m hip deep in prep with legendary Trek VXF supervisior Gary Hutzel. Galactica returns to basics, and “Blood And Chrome” is fully upon us. Would anyone like some toast?
So just because I’m intensely busy, that doesn’t mean I forget you guys! No way! Not a chance! The phone rings… and it’s my friends from startrek.com calling to reminded me that another DrexTV is due on the tarmac. I needed a show, I needed it now, and I needed making it to be like falling off a log. I checked the Drex Files Operations Manual and it plainly stated: Step 1 – Grab camera. Step 2 – Grab Jack Marshall to work it. Step 3 – Visit with one of the most interesting men in the world. Step 4 – Tadaaa!
So in this edition of DrexTV we hang out with Mike Westmore. This isn’t an interview, it’s a conversation between two friends.
First some history - This kid – that’d me me – was in heaven. I was working TNG for Michael Westmore. I was working thoroughbred Star Trek. I was working Gene and Bob Star Trek. I’m working STAR TREK- STAR TREK. I had just headed makeup on one of the biggest shows in Hollywood with John Caglione, that being Dick Tracy. The TNG cast and crew was pleased that I was there. “But shouldn’t you be off doing features? ” They would ask. ”Are you kidding?” Came my answer. “This is it! Ground zero! Challenge Central – and no place I’d rather be!” I meant it. I loved that cast and crew, and it was without a doubt some of the most fun set time I’d ever spent. We worked hard, we had some ungodly late nights, and the later it went, the funnier and sillier it got.
Aside from the best cast I ever worked with, Mike Westmore made working on TNG sheer fun. He always wears a smile, and is just a delight. He is a dear, dear man. If you know anything about the Westmores of Hollywood, you know that the family practically invented the movie makeup game. At one time there was a Westmore as head of makeup at every major studio in town. During the golden age, most big stars would not do a film without a Westmore. It’s a fascinating story, and if you are interested find a book called “The Westmores of Hollywood”. Mike told me a funny anecdote about his uncle Bud. Bud was apprenticing on a very early Tarzan movie, and on that particular film Cheetah the chimp was played by a male ape. Bud’s job was to take a wet sponge and burnt cork, and use it to black out the chimps “water works” so that they would not show up on the big screen. After about a week of that, whenever Bud walked on stage, Cheetah would scamper over excitedly, take the cork and sponge out of Bud’s pocket and hand it to him.
The early Next Generation makeup lab was a hole in the wall. It wasn’t even in the wall. It was a shack cobbled together on the stage behind 8 and 9. You know that footage of Persis Khambatta getting her raven locks shorn by Fred Phillips for TMP? That’s the shack… and I loved it. Who would ever guess? Big TV production… the makeup lab would have to be in a flashy setup on the Paramount lot… wouldn’t it? Nope… makeup artists are an interesting breed. Life is a cross between the army, and the circus. You go where the job is, and you set up your camp… wherever that may be. I’ve made people up using the toilet as a makeup chair and with light coming from a single unshaded bulb. I’ve made actors up in the middle of the woods, in a speeding car, in an airplane, a swamp, and a kitchen… so making molds, sculpting, and running foam latex in a shack could be seen as a step up in some cases. You got out, and you got under, and if there are no amenities… like electricity… you made electricity… no water? You brought it with you. You learned to be self contained and self sufficient. You thought ahead and you thought on your feet. A Shack? I love it!
Next time we’ll be concentrating on behind the scenes lost footage. I’ve got Hutzel showing off the motion control stage at “G”, the very last footage of the Voyager sets just hours before the wrecking ball, and more “Active Duty!”.
Doug Drexler
Hollywood, California
25
Dec
10
Drex on Trek Radio
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I’m talking and I can’t shut up…
When Zach Nicodemous of Trek Radio (http://www.trekradio.net/) asked if I would be a guest on his show last weekend, my first thought was what the heck do I have to talk about for over two hours? Apparently plenty! Stream it here: _Doug Drexler on Trek Radio – Part 1 – 18-12-2010
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(Left) Doug surprised by a visit from pal, the ever gorgeous BarBara Luna, on Trek Radio! Get yer ears on!
29
Oct
10
drex-TV 02
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“…All the stuff that you do… the hundreds and hundreds of hours, and the hundreds and hundreds of things, and then there’s a few oddball items that you end up being remembered the most for…”
In my career working in Hollywood, I’ve known many actors. I’ve worked with them as closely as anyone can during my makeup days. The truth is that most of them are crazy. I think you have to be a little crazy. In “The Producers”, Leo Bloom says actors are human beings, when Max Bialystock looks at him incredulously and shouts, “Have you ever eaten with one?!” I’ve seen them at their worst… throwing the lunch tray against the wall of the Winnebago, ripping off their prosthetics and wrecking the makeup room. I remember on “Dick Tracy” when John Caglione asked Bill Forsythe (Flattop) to cut his shoulder length hair. After all, Bill would have endure having it stuffed under a bald cap 56 times. He looked up at us with puppy dog eyes and asked if it would make things easier for us. Yes, we said, absolutely! “Well then *uck you!” he snarled. Don’t judge Bill harshly. It was hilarious… in retrospect. Let’s just say that actors can oft times be challenging. That’s why, when you are fortunate to know and be friends with an actor like Mike Forest, you keep him… and yes, I’ve had lunch with him. We’ve flown B-17s together (http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2010/03/28/a-god-apollo-is-my-co-pilot/). He even gave in to my childish begging and watched my favorite Outer Limits episode with me, “It Crawled Out Of The Woodwork” (That was the Twilight Zone for me, and Luna was there too. How do you beat that?) Meet Mike Forest, a one in a million guy. A terrific actor, artist, and wonderful friend.
(Below) Here is my quintessential Michael Forest\Outer Limits moment. It’s a wonderful pantomime of terror masterfully conceived and shot by genius cinematographer Conrad Hall. Some of his later films include Road to Perdition, American Beauty, Marathon Man, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, In Cold Blood. Incidentally, Mike Forest just KILLS here.
I always liked that Gary Hutzel guy.
From the first moment I met him on stage while shooting TNG, I knew he was special. Not only is he a genius visual effects supervisor, but he is FUNNY, and there is nothing better than that. One day during a grueling Galactica work marathon, Gary brought in a dusty box of old video tapes from early TNG. It was like having a time machine, and peering back through the mists of science fiction history. I was blown away. I’d heard the stories of the Thanksgiving battle for the 4 footer at Greg Jein’s place, and now I was there. Now you will be, too. Thank you, Gary Hutzel. How do I know all the one in a million guys?
Everyday we would get Enterprise dailies in the art department.
Everyday there was something funny. One day I realized I was letting some classic stuff evaporate. I decided to put an end to that sort of wastefulness and began saving them. Cutting them together a la Bob Justman was yet another dream come true for me. I wish we could have injected Enterprise with just ten percent of the fun I see here. Have a couple of my favorites, including an alien football game where Trip gets more than his fair share. Good stuff.
I had the strangest thing happen to me when I was cutting together this shuttle pod footage.
I got all emotional. No kidding. I never expected that. We were shooting the Enterprise pilot on the “Planet Hell” stage. It was that enormous Rigel spaceport set. There was pyro, and environmental effects, and the excitement of a new project. Mike Okuda and I were on stage to give the shuttle pod the once over on its maiden voyage and I just happened to bring the video cam along. I’m a very bad citizen, bringing a video cam on stage and all. Bad Doug! So I came across the footage of that day, and thought it might make a nice peek behind the curtains, if I could cut it together in a way that told a story… except that I couldn’t. Try as I might, it was just a string of not so amazing GNDN moments that came to no culmination. As I struggled to make something of it, I kept having to put aside emo rushes while watching in order to concentrate. Hey, waitaminit! It doesn’t need to go anywhere, it’s there! If I’m getting choked up, stick a fork in it! It’s done! I love this piece because of the sensation of being on stage… the sounds, the activity, the voices of a busy crew, the sound of the bell. The images are reference shots of the pod for our records, but the neighboring environment of distinctly Hollywood sounds and activity make it a moment trapped in amber.
Ships Of The Line: Active Duty! – More of what was a hit last time.
You can’t have too many images of starships. Thanks deg, Richter, Rem, Probert, and Boardman. Guys who still play with spaceships. deg is crazy, and works for bananas. Rivard is passionate… rein that in a little, buddy! Richter makes the new Enterprise look like a Goddess. Probert is a fraking genius. Rem lives in a bunker under the Hollywood sign, and Boardman is out of control. Let’s hope that whatever sickness they have never gets better.
By the way, word has it that there are Romulan spies everywhere. I suggest you put on a tie.
(Above) Mark Rademaker brings an unrealized classic to life. Click for a good rez!
When Andrew Probert suggested to me that I should create the “Ringship” for the calendar I could only say yes. While I’m used to flashy 24th century stuff, I wanted to prove that no matter the shape it still can look futuristic. My goal from that moment on was to bring this almost 50 year old design of Matt Jefferies back in 2010. I collected a lot of reference material and studied the blueprints until I had the general idea and feel, then I started the modeling work:
Phase 1: Modeling the basic shape:
This was pretty straight forward work, this is also the part where I thought: well this is going to be an easy ride. (Ha! I was so wrong there!)
Phase 2: Modeling the Enviropod:
The “Enviropod” or “command module” is probably one of the more complex shapes that I have done. I created a placeholder for it, and later redid it from scratch. I spent as much time on this single part as I did on the entire basic shape. The fact that there is a modular sensor dome on one side added to the challenge.
Phase 3: Modeling the details:
I always love to add details and because this was a rather “small” ship (approx. 120 meters) I felt that I really could push this a bit. When I decided to model the panel lines, I knew that I would also need to model the slots that keep the panels onto the ship.
This is the point where you realize that the “easy ride” is not so valid anymore. I added about 2000 slots all over the ship. They are 1×3 centimeters in size, but still visible on the calendar image. Andrew once again gave lots of feedback on all these tiny parts, and that really helped.
Phase 4: Applying paint and texture:
With the modeling phase done it was time to add paint and textures. I asked Mike Okuda if I could use his XCV-330 insignia on the side of the ship and before I knew it I had a new blue version of it in the mail! Thanks Mike, that really made my day! Doug was kind enough to sent me an early Starfleet pennant that I could add onto the neck, it really is a finishing touch. I wanted the rest of the ship to be mainly white and glossy, like porcelain. I also decided to avoid using too much contrast, with exception of the sub light engine. I made it a very dark color to make it look heavy, that way it could counterbalance the long neck.
Phase 5: Environment and post processing:
I have been experimenting with 2 different idea’s for the calendar. One that actually showed the deflector pushing away a lot of tiny debris or a beauty shot near an asteroid. I picked the second option because it would give a better view of the ship itself. The asteroid is 100% artificial, it’s a challenge to create a piece of rock on a computer and make it look good at the resolution of the calendar. Most rocks loose there sense of “crispness” on these formats. I think I experimented for 8 hours to get it the way I wanted. After the final render was done I added some post effects to boost realism a bit.
(Above) Wireframe view of Enterprise XCV, and the Lord of the Rings.
I loved to work on this ship and I want to dedicate this image to Matt Jefferies because without him our universe would not have been the same.
- Mark
01
Aug
10
drex-TV 01
Full HD! Blow it up full screen!
Finally!
The plan is to make this a monthly thing. Hope you dig! Below is the article that accompanies this V-blog on the relaunched, refitted startrek.com -
Drex Files Video Addendum!
We’ve only explored 2% of the Galaxy!
I was a fan from the first glimmer of black and white cathode ray over forty years ago, and am still hip deep. I’m in the enviable position of having worked on Star Trek for nearly two decades and have probably worked in more capacities than anyone in the history of the show… makeup artist, scenic artist, illustrator, and visual effects artist, and you now what? I’ve never been able to get enough!
We’ve only explored 2% of the Galaxy!
I was a fan from the first glimmer of black and white cathode ray over forty years ago, and am still hip deep. I’m in the enviable position of having worked on Star Trek for nearly two decades and have probably worked in more capacities than anyone in the history of the show… makeup artist, scenic artist, illustrator, and visual effects artist, and you now what? I’ve never been able to get enough!
Many of you know me from my blog, “The Drex Files”. Man, I poured a lot of stuff into that site. When Ian Spellin of suggested my putting together a column for startrek.com, I was dubious. Would a year and a half on Drex Files leave me anything to explore? Watch this!
Andygram!
We look at one of Trek’s sleekest and sexiest unrealized designs, The sphinx shuttle.
Whenever I think of Andy Probert I think of that scene in “The Right Stuff” where a reporter asks Gordo Cooper who’s the best pilot he’s ever seen. I’m one of Andy Probert’s biggest fans, and for me he is the best look for Star Trek. His sense of logic and aesthetics has never been equaled. One of my favorite Probert designs is the unrealized “Sphinx” shuttle, a cousin of the classic workbee. We’ve rustled you up a heapin’ helpin’ of the man himself, and Douglas “Deg” Graves brings it to life with his newly minted 3D version of the fabled conveyance. A classic Trek design. Why would anyone make Star Trek without Probert attached?
They’re the Juggernaut, bitch!
Ode to the Mararthon Mill Construction crew.
One of the most thrilling things about working on Star Trek was watching the construction gang in the Marathon Mill take our sketches and blueprints and make them real… and like magic, sets would seemingly coalesce from thin air.
When Mike Westmore piped me aboard the Enterprise D as a a makeup artist, I got my first closeup look at those classiest of starship sets. Buddy, I was like a kid in a candy store, free to wander the 23rd century and marvel at the magnificent designs and incredible craftsmanship that went into even the smallest detail.
There is a saying in the makeup department… first to get there, last to leave. But there were days when I would finish up at 2am, pack my kit, head across the Paramount lot to the parking structure, and be blown away that the construction guys would still be at it full tilt. Later, when I made the jump from the makeup department to art department, I would learn who this amazing powerhouse of a gang was. Not only would I be privy to their world and particular brand of magic, but I would now be working with them hand in hand. I would not only be wowed by their incredible talent and skill, but by the unique characters and personalities that drove the Trek construction juggernaut. Heady days, my friend.
A rough and tumble world of pneumatic nail guns, saber saws and testosterone. The “Marathon Mill” was a wild and woolly pirate ship that demanded a thick skin and a sense of humor to successfully navigate. Working with construction was one of the funnest, coolest and most satisfying experiences of my widely varied life in Hollywood. Our Star Trek machine was well oiled, and in it’s veins flowed trust, affection, and admiration. I don’t believe that I have ever worked on another show where cooperation between departments was so powerful.
During construction of the NX sets I kept a video record, and this stuff’ll knock your socks off. The first installment makes maximum montage of the construction of the NX warp core and engineering department. Hey you know it, and I know it: A cool engineering department is central to a starship, and we were especially proud of this one. It’s a remarkable document of a very ambitious Star Trek set, and baby you are there!
Le Voyage dans la lune!
When I was thirteen years old, four of the sexiest women on Earth were Raquel Welch, Brigette Bardot, Ursula Andress, and BarBara Luna. When I saw Luna as the Captain’s woman in the classic Trek episode “Mirror, Mirror” she was IT. She still has more of IT than any two women have a right to have of IT. How does she do it? A few weeks back, me, Dorth, Jimmy, and Luna went to see “CHIPs: The Musical” (no, I’m not kidding!) at Gary Marshall’s Eagle Theater in Tolucca Lake (It was hysterical, but that’s another story). I brought my video camera and captured some classic Luna. She’s silly and zany and adorable. Scamp, vixen, brat, comedian, artist, and legend. It’s silly for me to go on and on trying to impart the fun of BarBara Luna. Watch the video already!
Ship’s Of The Line: Active Duty!
This wild idea more than anything else gave me the impetus to create this vid\mag\column for startrek.com
Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered weak and weary… what could I do to make this column special? Then it hit me like a ton of neutronium! Oh you beautiful Galaxy! There were a hundred shots already set up for Ship’s of the Line that were dying to be animated! So I grabbed a bunch of my own pages, talked to Tobias, called Mark, shot up a flare to Rob… and in less than a week we had something special! Check your inertial dampers, fasten your seat belts, and be sure you’ve got your extra heavy reinforced Depends on because this is gold, Jerry! See the launch of the refit NX and Matt Jefferies iconic ringship taking flight! “SOTL: Active Duty” is the kick in the PTC you have been yearning for!
Hey, that was fun! I hope you got a kick out of the Drex Files Video Addendum! Fire a green flare if you’d like to see more, and in the meantime I’ll be fighting killer robots!
In fact I’m working tomorrow, but I’ll be off on Sunday and will be posting! Dugout!
27
Jun
10
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. Continue reading ‘Designing for Science Fiction’
08
Jun
10
Trek Ration Books
Dayton Ward waxes nostalgic about the “Great 70s Trek Drought”, and his monthly ration of fan musings found in our first of it’s kind publication, the Star Trek Poster Book.
GM tagline for the Futurama – “If you’ve only seen it once, you haven’t seen it all”. I went a hundred times, and never saw it all!
While trolling through the General Motors image archive, I came across shot of the architectural model of the GM Futurama. I just about wet my pants. I’m a huge ’64-’65 N.Y. World’s Fair fan, and a student of it’s design impact on Star Trek. We used the Futurama as inspiration for Starfleet HQ in San Francisco. “Venture Brothers” fans will also recognize it as the Venture Industries building. What a sleek work of genius! For more on the NYWF and it’s influence on Star Trek check out these drex files links -
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/starfleet-command-building-san-francisco/
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/01/29/days-of-future-past-the-treknywf-connection/
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/05/03/starfleet-command-building-san-francisco/
25
Apr
10
My Love Has Wings
(Above) 1943 – 1st lieutenant Roddenberry (2nd from left) and crew, somewhere between Guadalcanal, Espiritu Santo, and Nandi, in the South Pacific.
Gene Roddenberry flew B-17s in the Pacific Theater during WWII, assigned to the 394th Bomb Squadron. Suffice it to say that war is a hell, and that young Roddenberry had his share of hair raising, and sometimes tragic experiences. The war time experiences shaped Roddenberry and would be an influence on everything he would do through the course of his life.
Over the last year or so I’ve written a number of entries here on the files, connecting the dots between Star Trek and the B-17 experience (many of you know that TOS art director Matt Jefferies was a flight engineer on a B-17). It struck me that I had never seen an images of Gene in the AAF. I grabbed the official Roddenberry biography off my library shelf, and just as I remembered… nothing. I contacted Rod, who mused about it for a second and then got to work. Here are three unusual pictures from the flying days of Gene Roddenberry. A rare glimpse into the background of a man who knew war firsthand, and therefore promote peaced and understanding in his works.
Special thanks to Rod Roddenberry
(Below) Roddenberry at the controls. This picture appears to be a few years later, and perhaps Gene’s days as a commercial pilot for Pan Am.
(Above) Another view of Roddenberry’s B-17. One wonders if the shadow cast of the photographer is the lanky “first looey”.
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2010/03/28/a-god-apollo-is-my-co-pilot/
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/05/02/rockin-it-old-school/
Tall tales of a time-traveling Tribble – A Tribble Travelogue
As transcribed by Jörg Hillebrand
Whenever I’m on vacation, my owner accompanies me. He’s been to all parts of Germany, London, Rome, Australia, St. Louis and Los Angeles. When I spent some time in Los Angeles (and some other interesting places all around the Milky Way Galaxy) last month, he kindly offered to take some snapshots of me at some pretty famous locations. First, we went to Santa Monica Pier, where Janeway and her crew beamed down in 1996 to find a way back home to the 24th Century.(01) Continue reading ‘Tall Tales of a Time-Traveling Tribble – A Tribble Travelogue’
(Above) George Brozak, who wrote numerous tales for Star Trek, recounts his experience as a Hollywood scribe, and how he broke into the biz.
Breaking into Hollywood always makes for a fascinating story, and George’s adventure is no exception. The odds of “making it” are so stacked up against you, that anyone who actually vaults the wall successfully is a hero to me. Meet George Brozak -
The wonders of Facebook. Though I initially resisted joining a few years ago, it has been a wonderful tool for reconnecting (and in some cases connecting) with friends and colleagues from the Star Trek offices on the Paramount lot. My friendship with Doug Drexler is just such an example. I spent many hours this past weekend pouring-over his wonderful blog, reliving my experience with the incredible production staff, producers and writers.
Understandably, I was very humbled when Doug asked me to recount my experience writing for Star Trek. As I told him, I am merely a small cog in a very large wheel – but I just couldn’t say no to his generous offer. It was another chance to relive those incredible times during Trek’s meteoric rise.
My writing career began with The Next Generation. TNG had created a triumphant presence to the Star Trek universe, taking us places we had never gone before. At the start of its third season, Michael Piller (a producer for shows like Simon and Simon, Cagney & Lacey and Miami Vice) joined the staff in charge of writing. Piller instituted a policy unheard of in episodic television by opening script submissions to un-agented writers. And though we had never met, Michael’s hiring was about to change my life. Continue reading ‘George Brozak – A Trek Writers Journey’
25
Apr
10
Sunday Paper
(Above) Zosho’s incredible Sovereign class paper sculpture.
If anyone’s papers are in order it’s these Trek fans with their remarkable papyrus starships.
That’s right... these starship models are made of paper. Andy Probert brought these to my attention just the other day, and they just blew my socks off. Among the most prolific of these vellum artists are Zosho, Loenf, Martin Sanger, and Marko Härtel, and these examples of fibrous wonderment are theirs.
I think it’s just marvelous that something that began life on a piece of typewriter paper would manifest itself in this way… behold!
(Below) Loenf’s papyrus NX-01
28
Mar
10
My other car’s a…
Quick, Spock! Here comes Mrs. Brown!
In the early New Voyages episode “In Harm’s Way”, I had fun putting Decker’s shuttlecraft in a suburban garage. It was my homage to “My Favorite Martian”. To this day I read comments about it on the Internet. Folks think we built a mockup for the shot. A few even think we restored the original prop. Nope, it was CG. I only wish the original prop were in my garage, and yep, that’s my garage in the episode.
A few days ago, Bink, our beloved Enterprise property master, sent me these shots (below). Some clever company came out with a line of large garage door covers designed to impress your neighbors. If you ask me, I think they missed the boat… er… shuttle!
(Above) Looking rather like a contemporary stealth fighter, with it’s matte black finish and mesh-like pattern, the Devore warship was what we referred to as a “Get Well” design: a recycled ship of the week that helped extend our budget.
We’re back! It’s March 28th, a date near and dear to my heart… my birthday… and I’m gonna to spend it with my compadres! You! Kick the tires and light the fires! Drex Files is on the air!
The Jörg report:
This ship first appeared in the Voyager season 5 episode “Counterpoint”, where it was seen as the Devore warship. The ship has appeared several times after that, usually in the background or as part of a larger fleet shot. In “Counterpoint” it was supposed to be a really big ship (as can be seen in the screenshots from the episode). In later appearances, it was drastically scaled down. It first reappeared in “Alice” as part of Abbadon’s depository of lost treasures. It was then seen again in “Drive” as a vessel taking part in the Antarian Transstellar Rally. In this episode, it was flying backwards and was just a little bigger than the Delta Flyer. The model then reappeared in “The Void” as a stranded alien ship. Finally, it appeared in an episode of Enterprise, as a Sphere builder vessel in “Azati Prime”. It was part of the Sphere builder-Federation battle seen by Archer through a window of the Enterprise-J.
Side
28
Feb
10
Enterprise NC-16A
Enterprise NC-16A – Washington, D.C., circa 1938. “Goodyear Blimp at Washington Air Post.”
31
Jan
10
Go Ahead… Make My Day!
I was delighted to read a review of the Mac iPad on the blog “Geek In The City”, and discover this:
“The iPad is impressive in its marriage of form and function. The design seems to come directly out of the lab of Herman Zimmerman or Doug Drexler, but via Cupertino and Jonathan Ive. The screen looks vibrant and crisp, and the bezel appears to be just the right size to allow one to hold onto the device without activating the touch screen. The ability to use the device at any angle certainly makes it a bit more versatile than its smaller siblings, neither of which allows you to use the screen in the upside-down mode.”
The little catalog put together by FTP founders Chuck and Sandy Weiss that ignited a couple of careers.
I had been meaning to do something on the Federation Trading Post East for some time now. I guess I’ve been waiting to see if any other pictures turn up documenting this bit of Trek fandom history. I’ve finally managed to scrape up enough for a post, so now children you must endure looking at them with me! In 1975 there was no-nuthin’! No movies, episodes, novels, DVDs, VHS… zip, zero, zilch, nada! Star Trek was a failed TV show. Then a little shop sprang up the most unlikely of places, mid-town Manhattan, and located on a chunk of pretty upscale real estate no less. 53rd and Third! The neighborhood merchants were taking bets on how long we would last. They were in for a shock.
No one suspected the militant, aggressive, creative, fandom groundswell that was building. At the time, Star Trek was in syndication and was being shown on the local station at something like eleven at night. A bunch of kids… us… raised the money to run a 30 second commercial on television during Star Trek itself. The next day there was a line down the block, and it stayed that way for a solid year! We had huge amounts of fun for the next two trips around the sun, and it was truly an important ignition point for Star Trek fandom.
(Below) 53rd and Third today. A skyscraper now stands on the spot where the Trading Post once thrived.
The Next Page – DISCLAIMER - Alright now… we’re going back in time a little bit… It’s the 1970s, ok?
27
Dec
09
Miscellaneous Costume Design
Starfleet environmental wardrobe design evolution.
Romulan military garb evolution.
Ferengi wardrobe evolution.
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