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Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
05
May
12
Thanks Steve!
05
May
12
Like Us On Facebook!
Click for a real good look, and don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/spacecommandmovie
04
May
12
SPACE COMMAND – Early Rumblings!
The Space Command Kickstarter page will open on the 16th of this month, coinciding with our appearance on radio’s Coast To Coast! We’ll also be premiering a promo video for Space Command, so save the date!
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We need and appreciate you, and ask for your help! No one in television right now has any interest in making a space show. It’s in our DNA, and it won’t be denied! We can’t help ourselves! So please help us!
Doug
A message from the amazing Marc Zicree -
Yay! At last we can announce the nature of the Secret Science Fiction Project! The official title of the project is SPACE COMMAND, and it’s inspired by great science fiction films, TV shows and books of the 50s including Space Patrol, Forbidden Planet, The Martian Chronicles and more. What follows is our first official press release, and you can see one of Doug Drexler’s brilliant images.
For more, check out our Facebook Page. We launch our Kickstarter campaign May 16th on Coast to Coast. More details soon! FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Hollywood CA. May 3rd, 2012 ATTENTION SCI-FI FANS: Sci-Fi Legends set to launch fundraising campaign on Kickstarter.com for new Feature Film Franchise. SPACE COMMAND will be a series of new and original feature films by STAR TREK writer Marc Zicree, GALACTICA FX whiz Doug Drexler, director Neil Johnson and other Sci-Fi luminaries. Inspired by classic science fiction TV & Film of the 1950s, this dream team is set to bring to life “Bold Adventures in the Far Reaches of Space.” Beginning May 16th, the filmmakers will bypass the Studios and Networks, going straight to the fans for funding to greenlight their project. Since Kickstarter’s launch in April 2009, more than 20,000 creative projects have been successfully funded by more than 1.8 Million individual contributors. Fans who contribute to SPACE COMMAND’s Kickstarter campaign are eligible to receive exclusive rewards in exchange for individual pledges ranging from $5 to $10,000. Contributions of $5000 or greater include rewards of Associate Producer Credit and even an Appearance in the Film. http://www.facebook.com/SpaceCommandMovie
Marc Scott Zicree has written for virtually every major network and studio, with hundreds of hours of produced credits including Star Trek – The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Babylon 5 and Sliders, and bestsellers including The Twilight Zone Companion and Magic Time trilogy of novels. He has been nominated for the American Book Award, Hugo Award, Nebula Award, Humanitas Prize and Diane Thomas A ward, and won the Saturn Award, TV Guide A ward, Rondo Award and prestigious Hamptons Prize.
Doug Drexler is an Oscar and Emmy award winner. His credits include Star Trek — The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager, Enterprise, four Star Trek feature films, Battlestar Galactica, and currently Defiance. He has also won the British Academy Award, a Saturn Award, a Visual Effects Society Award and is also a Peabody Award recipient.
Neil Johnson’s credits include 8 Sci-Fi films including Alien Armageddon, Battlespace and Humanity’s End. He has directed over 500 music videos for such bands as U2 and Manowar. Neil’s feature film debut in 1997 is reputed to be the first digital film ever made. – Marc Zicree
Ralph Miller’s wonderful congratulatory video to Walter Koenig.
Luke leaning against a CG Viper.
Okaaaaaay… so that was not an official release, and was pulled off of YouTube by Uni legal.
Anyway, it’s great to get AICN love:
From Ain’t It Cool News -
Behold A Very Badass Reel For BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD AND CHROME!!
Published at: Mar 20, 2012 9:43:34 PM CDT
Merrick here…
Apparently, over the weekend, a trailer for BATTLESTAR GALACTICA: BLOOD AND CHROME was screened at Wondercon (details HERE).
From what I’ve heard of the trailer…which is cut to “Immigrant Song” and styled after the famously awesome GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO promo…the embed below represents the same material screened at that convention.
BLOOD & CHROME is set in the years preceding the famously revamped BATTLESTAR GALACTICA series from Ron Moore and David Eick, chronicling the adventures of young William Adama (played by Edward James Olmos in the recent series – but portrayed by Luke Pasqualino here) during the Cylon War. Fans of BG may recall that the Cylon War was a significant back story component for that series. B&C has been characterized as much more of a “war” and “action” series than its progenitor/successor…an assertion apparently borne out by the pacing and content of of this trailer.
BLOOD & CHROME has been said to utilize a significantly different production model from BATTLESTAR GALACTICA, employing a staggering array of virtual sets and environments as opposed to physically constructing costly locations (details HERE). The results? See for yourself below…but keep in mind that much of the physicality surrounding the actors here isn’t even real.
Pretty great as far as I’m concerned. I want to see more NOW!
Original post: http://www.aintitcool.com/node/54428
Craig Frey recounts creating the cover art for the 2012 Ship Of The Line calendar.
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.
04
Dec
11
SOTL Flashback – 2009
Falling Prey – Fred Pienkos
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Battlestar Galactica: Blood And Chrome is finished, and I have some free time to get back to the Drex Files!
I’m in the midst of organizing a massive post day that is guaranteed to curl your synapses, AND I’m guaranteeing a rock solid date, Sunday Dec 04 (although it is not out of the question that I may be ready earlier. If that happens, you’ll be the first to know!). There will be previously unseen goodies from the past, brand spankin new artwork from upcoming Pocket novels, and a rockin’ new Drex-TV video blog! Even as we speak, the Ships Of The Line posse is preparing retina scorching animations for a new edition of SOTL: ACTIVE DUTY! More lost VFX home video from Gary Hutzel, and new interviews with folks who have made Star Trek more than a TV show. So thrusters at station keeping, and standby to receive transmission!
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With the near completion of “Blood And Chrome”, I’ll finally have time to get back to posting on the Drex Files. Hang in there, and I’ll be back with more stuff that I know you’re gonna like!
By the way, “Chrome” is hugely awesome, and I have to say that I have never been prouder of anything that I have ever been involved in. The show is all adrenaline, and I think that fans will be elated.
I also wanted to mention Ben Alpi’s indie film “Cowboy Creed”, where yours truly will be putting his 1870s six guns and leather to good use later this year. The film will reunite me with my pal John Carrigan, of “New Voyages” fame. When you get a minute check it out, and maybe even contribute so that we can effectively “drawdown”, pardner!
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/runicfilms/cowboy-creed-short-film
And while you’re at, you can check out my fancy gunslinging progress here:
http://maxrem.wordpress.com/2011/09/26/gunslinging-progress-video-02/
At any rate, as we race to button the last bits of “Chrome”, I’ll be rounding up some interesting stuff for the Drex Files, including more Ships: Active Duty See you then!
27
Sep
11
SOTL:ACTIVE DUTY!
Just in from my good buddy, and workmate, Matt Boardman. Awesome job editing the animated work of our calendar artists together. Thanks to all the gang who put so much into their pages, and now into these animations… Wilde, Rem, Richter, Rademaker, Rivard, Graves, Probert, and that Drexler guy.
Full blog day soon, and with more ACTIVE DUTY!
13
Aug
11
Butt Of The Joke
Do things really turn out this way? Yeah, they do!
Howdy gang, this is me touching base with you. Don’t mind the the singed clothing and smoke coming off my hair, I had to write this while brachiating at warp speed. Life is combat, as we race toward finishing some 2000 or so effects shots for Galactica: Blood & Chrome. I can’t say anything about it, but I will say that this show is something that the last incarnation of Galactica was not able to be due to it’s grim nature – it’s fun.
Ian over at startrek.com was looking for a column from me this month (it’s running now). Since all of my auxiliary power is going to the shields at the moment, I wasn’t able to do my usual D-TV video blog. Instead I expanded on a favorite story of mine, and I’m posting it for you below.
So I’m crazed, and hope this will prove that I haven’t forgotten. Look for a big post day in about a month, including a fresh baked Drex-TV with more stuff you’ve never seen before. Extra exciting is a 2012 SOTL: ACTIVE DUTY! in the works. It will be the first time we dedicate that popular venue to the latest Ships calendar. In the meantime, I got to get back to where the bullets are flying. Have fun, and smoke me a kipper, I’ll be back for breakfast! -
Since September of 1966, and especially after reading a new book called “The Making of Star Trek”, by Stephen E. Whitfield, my impossible dream was to work on this TV show that nearly every adult I knew, and most of the kids as well, sneered at. That’s right, back then, science fiction was for idiots and fools. I remember a story I had read about Gene Roddenberry’s father apologizing to the neighbors for Star Trek. Since I didn’t seem to fit in either, Star Trek and I were kindred spirits and I saw Gene Roddenberry as a grown up version of myself… a guy who knew the same secret that I did. When NBC planned to cancel the series at the end of its second season, I was one furious 14 year old. I organized my friends and wrote thousands (that’s right, thousands) of letters to NBC at 30 Rock. I even ended up in two prominent New York newspapers, with a full spread article by a senior editor for Newsday named Harvey Aronson (who incidentally was a cousin of Isaac Asimov). I remember Mr. Aronson opened the article by saying, “There is the new left, and the new right, and then there is the Centereach Save Star Trek Committee headed by Doug Drexler, a 14 year old idealist”. Continue reading ‘Butt Of The Joke’
Reprovisioning At Sea
Dan Uyeno
No kidding, this gentleman has an understanding of the starfleet design ethic that would give Leah Brahms hot flashes, Geordi La Forge an inferiority complex, and cause Scotty to wet his pants. That’s bowlin’ it right down the center, sonny. Join us as the Mad Koi himself takes us through the numbers -
This image came from a real round about way. I started out using the cargo ship in a Kobayashi Maru like scenario with the classic face off view. I moved on because it was to flat and quite static. Many very dissimilar ideas and much feedback later I return to that cargo ship, fate. This time it is a more dynamic composition that depicts an everyday task of re-supplying a deep space explorer. I like this more than any of the other ideas I presented because it is different.
I quite enjoy working with these unseen eras of Star Trek. I keep finding I always return to them after exploring existing eras. I can explore ideas and mix known elements within the adjoining eras. These two ships allowed me to meld two ends of known design, but keep them very different in over all appearance. The cargo ship would be more of the TMP end of the spectrum, where as the Balmung falls closer to the Ambassador class in detail and time frame. But each has details that interrelate as well, depicting a continuous renewal of the fleet through the passage of time. The cargo ship should lend a feeling of a ship that was slowly updated over a long period of time utilizing older repurposed elements. The thought being cargo ships wouldn’t be the first to get all the new technology, but get what works and is reliable.
(Above) The U.S.S. Balmung with her new materials and warp coil elements. This image is still WIP so some of the smaller detail elements are missing from this image.
(Above) This is one of the work bees for the cargo ship. Since these would be small elements I did not add a lot of detail to them. The crates are all made to fit in spaces on deck and in the slots for the cargo pods.
A detail view of the inside of one of the cargo pods. It shows how they slot into the pod and are arranged on the deck of each pod. The pods are modular and can just be detached as a whole or even reconfigured internally.
A rough render of the arboretum that is located in the upper rear right side of the saucer.
A close up of the rear mess hall/bar, large room with tables and chairs, and a bit of a peek into the upper shuttle bay. You can just see the observation interior at the top of the bay. The slots for more work bees can be seen in the upper right.
This shows the cargo ship without the crate pontoons. This is part of a modular system so that other items can be mounted to the struts.
A test render of the underside view of the U.S.S. Balmung.
I hope that the viewer can find new details with each viewing of my image and can read past the visual story to a story untold. It was a joy to work with Doug on this and his simple right to the point crits really helped me decide a direction to take, to solidify my wayward attention. I apologize for not be as entertaining as other guests on the blog! Hopefully this gives a small insight into the image.
-MKF
U.S.S. Planck – Shakedown
Mark Rademaker
Mark has an eye for detail and an understanding of tech that goes far beyond those of mortal men. His realization of the ring ship Enterprise last year created a real stir. Thanks Mark for another demo of “starfleet clean”. Here now he details how this new ship design came to be -
U.S.S. Planck, Merian Class.
When I was reading Kirsten Beyer’s novel “Full Circle” I noticed that an expedition fleet of ships (9 in total) where outfitted with Quantum slipstream drives. Two of these where Vesta class ships. It got me thinking about the other ships. After emailing with Kirsten, we decided to put some primary specs on paper. Crewsize, class names, registry numbers and their respective role within the fleet.
For my SOTL 2012 project, I picked the U.S.S. Planck. (1 of 3 Merian class ships in this fleet.) Merian, the name rings slightly like Miranda, was meant as a replacement for this aging class.
I wanted it to be Quantum Slipstream compatible, modular to fit different mission profiles, and very easy to produce. The latter to quickly fill the gaps within the fleet, after the Destiny events.
A mild issue (for me) on the original Miranda was that the pylons where kind of “stuck” into the primary hull. I searched for a more valid solution that would provide more structural strength to the ship. It is now based on a central spine that connects the pylons and the “roll bar”.
(Above) Early 2010: Creation of the superstructure as a test for the look and feel of the overall model.
(Above) Autumn 2010: The primary hull is almost done, nacelles are still work in progress.
(Above) January 2011: Texturing/Coloring and detailing of nacelles. (98% finished) Because the crew compliment isn’t that large, I wanted to reflect a logical layout for rooms, labs and engineering on the exterior. Living/Recreation sections are on the higher decks, the lower decks are labs, research, storage etc. The rear features the double shuttle bay layout, like on the Miranda. The Planck does not use traditional thrusters, but a graviton manipulation system designed by Coridan engineers. Because of the ships small size, this maintenance friendly (but experimental) system could be used. Dimensions: Length: 218 Meters Width: 113.5 Meters Height: 47 Meters
In the future I hope to create the other 8 ships of this fleet as well. Some are simple modifications, others have to be created from scratch. It’s a lot of fun to do. The 2380 era is by far my favorite era, from there on things are mainly unexplored, both in design and near the borders of known space. I would like to thank everybody (especially Doug) for their support and I hope to see you all in 2013! 
26
May
11
Be Still My Heart
If you know much about Gene Roddenberry, you know that before Star Trek he was a leading writer on the phenomenally popular and quintessential western, “Have Gun – Will Travel”. Not so ironically perhaps, HGWT was one of my earliest favorite shows as a child. I had the toy gunbelt and hat, and I can even be seen wearing a “Have Gun” bolo tie in my first grade class picture.
It’s easy to see why this Western series was an overnight success. Making its debut on September 14, 1957, the half-hour show ranked at the top of the ratings charts during all six years of its run. Richard Boone was perfectly cast in the lead role of Paladin, a cultured gunslinger. A polyglot, whose West Point education, impeccable style, literate sophistication, and distinguished Civil War service made him unique among Western heroes, and the prototype for many dashing figures to follow. Based in San Francisco’s ritzy Carlton Hotel, he scans newspapers to locate trouble throughout the wild west, then cagily markets his services (via his legendary calling card, “Have Gun–Will Travel”) as a hired gun, moral arbiter, voice of reason, and reluctant killer of badmen. Understanding the complexities of frontier justice, Paladin (whose full name is never revealed) could turn on those who hired him if he suspected dubious motivations. He wore black, but he traveled in an ethical gray zone. It doesn’t take long to see that if you you squeezed KIrk, Spock and McCoy into one guy, they would be Paladin… the leader, the polyglot, the human being.
With the release of all six seasons of HGWT, we have been given an amazing opportunity to understand the roots of Star Trek, and watch Gene Roddenberry’s evolution as a television writer as never before. Gene wrote a prolific 24 episodes of “Have Gun”. It’s interesting to note that there are only a handfull of Trek episodes with Gene’s name on them, but when you realize that Roddenberry rewrote nearly every episode of the first season of TOS without credit, you understand why. If you want a real education in writing teleplays, and wish to add another brick to your understanding of Gene Roddenberry, and the genesis of Star Trek, watching Gene’s 24 episodes of this classic show is a must. At the end of the entry I’ll run a list of GR’s “Have Gun – Will Travel” writing credits.
In the meantime I have a real treat for you Roddenberry lovers out there. Here are five selected clips from the episode “Maggie O’Bannon” that are pure Roddenberry. You could drop Kirk into everyone of these clips, and the fit would be perfect.
The setup – When crossing over open country, Paladin is bushwacked by a bad gang of cattlemen. Knocking him out, they steal his horse, gun, gear and clothing. When Paladin comes to, he finds that he has been left with a flithy and stinking set of clothing worn by the man who stole his own trademarked black oufit. He makes his way to a ranch house and discovers that it is the origin of the bushwackers, gone on a cattle drive, and will not be back for a week. There Paladin makes the acquaintance of two woman, Maggie O’Bannon and her housekeeper. O’Bannon decides she doesn’t like Paladin, but needs an extra hand and hires him against her better judgement. Over the next week, Paladin wins the affection of the two women even more deftly than Kirk ever could, while waiting for the return of the men who left him for dead.
(Below) In a scene reminiscent of “The City on the Edge of Forever”, Maggie, who has made up her mind that Paladin is nothing but a down and out saddle tramp, begins to suspect there is something more to this guy. She is moved by his charm, making her most uncomfortable.
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(Below) In a scene that foreshadows “The Cage”, Paladin charms Maggie like she has never been charmed in her life. This is distilled Roddenberry wine, served at the peak of perfection. The male-female dynamic seen so often on Star Trek can be seen here in spades.
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(Below) And where would TOS be without a good old fashioned fist fight? The bad men return, amazed to find that Paladin has won over their boss and is practically running the ranch. This culminates in the classic Roddenberry TOS knock down drag out mano-a-mano rumble.
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(Below) And here is the genesis of that classic wrap up where the goo goo eyed gals say goodbye to Jim Kirk. I will watch the the lights in the sky, James Kirk… and I will remember. It’s actually done better here than I’ve ever seen it done on Trek. What a sweet scene.
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(Below) Had to post this as well. It is the title sequence of HGWT, which every week used a different quote from the upcoming episode. The music for the sequence was composed by the immortal Bernard Hermann, who scored so many classic films… Citizen Kane, The Day the Earth Stood Still, Psycho, North by Northwest, The Twilight Zone… the list goes on and on.
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“Have Gun – Will Travel” 24 episodes By Gene Roddenberry
- The Great Mojave Chase (28 September 1957) – Writer (written by)
- The Yuma Treasure (14 December 1957) – Writer (written by)
- The Hanging Cross (21 December 1957) – Writer (written by)
- Helen of Abajinian (28 December 1957) – Writer (written by)
- Ella West (4 January 1958) – Writer (written by)
- The Hanging of Roy Carter (4 October 1958) – Writer (written by)
- The Road to Wickenberg (25 October 1958) – Writer (written by)
- Juliet (31 January 1959) – Writer (written by)
- The Monster of Moon Ridge (28 February 1959) – Writer (written by)
- Maggie O’Bannion (4 April 1959) – Writer (written by)
- Return of Roy Carter (2 May 1959) – Writer (written by)
- Episode in Laredo (19 September 1959) – Writer (written by)
- Les Girls (26 September 1959) – Writer (written by)
- The Posse (3 October 1959) – Writer (written by)
- The Golden Toad (21 November 1959) – Writer (written by)
- Tiger (28 November 1959) – Writer (written by)
- Charley Red Dog (12 December 1959) – Writer (written by)
- El Paso Stage (15 April 1961) – Writer (writer)
- Alice (17 March 1962) – Writer (written by)
- Taylor’s Woman (22 September 1962) – Writer (writer)
- Marshal of Sweetwater (24 November 1962) – Writer (writer)
- Trial at Tablerock (15 December 1962) – Writer (writer)
- Cage at McNaab (16 February 1963) – Writer (writer)
- The Savages (16 March 1963) – Writer (writer)
The episodes are available from Amazon http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_ss_i_1_20?url=search-alias%3Ddvd&field-keywords=have+gun+will+travel&sprefix=have+gun+will+travel and can also be streamed to your computer on Netflix at http://movies.netflix.com
Have fun. You’re in for a great ride!
29
Mar
11
Beautiful : )
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Got the sweetest note from makeup artist Jill Rockow about makeup master Dick Smith. This made my day. Thank you Jill!
>>Also wanted to tell you…. On St. Patty’s day I went over to see Dick at the residence. They had this Irish band there playing music. A guitar and a fiddle. Green wine. All of a sudden, Dick starts singing all these songs!! REALLY singing his heart out!!
I called David, (his son) the next day and asked him about how in the world did his dad know those songs?!? He told me that Doug Drexler taught his Dad how to sing “Sea shanties”. That Dad was so stuffy, to make him have some fun, Doug would teach him the songs!!!
Thank you SOOOO much for teaching him those so many years ago. Dick had a great St. Patrick’s day…. Because of…. YOU!!!!
That is my birthday gift to you.
Best to you…. Jill<<
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/06/21/dick-smith-retrospect/
29
Mar
11
Dorth and Luna At The PDS Awards
29
Mar
11
Discovery Taken Apart
26
Mar
11
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.
Enterprise “I”?
This was actually my first choice for the “J”.
26
Mar
11
More Lost Banzai
Another piece of the Buckaroo Banzai sequel puzzle – I took this picture in the DS9 art department. That’s (from left to right) Jimmy Vanover, Denise Okuda, Mikey O, and Anthony Fredrickson. Anthony built the fantastic Banzai Jet Car miniature.
Of interest -
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2008/12/14/the-buckeroo-banzai-that-never-was/
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2008/12/30/the-banzai-trek-connection/
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/05/20/buckaroo-banzais-complex-88/
http://drexfiles.wordpress.com/2009/06/18/foundation-imagings-banzai-reel/
22
Feb
11
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