Original Trek To Receive New CG Effects for HDTV and DVD

[Vic 17]

Original series to be retransferred from original film with modern CG effects; other series could follow in high definition.

 

By Michelle

August 28, 2006 - 9:58 PM

The original Star Trek is being remastered for future high defintion television syndication as well as eventual release on HD-DVD with new high-definition CG effects.

 

The Digital Bits reported the story in its Rumor Mill column, which reported previously that CBS Video, which now owns the Star Trek DVDs, was planning to retransfer the original series from film to HD-DVD. All of the Star Trek feature films will be rereleased for HD release as well.

 

Bill Hunt noted that he learned from industry sources that CBS is redoing many of the original series special effects using new CG techniques. "Specifically, they're re-doing all of the spaceship shots," he wrote. "This to me is a very exciting idea...in principle. As anyone who saw the Mirror Universe episodes of Star Trek: Enterprise will tell you, the old TOS ships look awfully damn good in new CG."

 

However, Hunt added, CBS is doing this CG work in-house and it is not yet known whether any of Star Trek's longtime effects wizards have worked on the new versions of the episodes. "I tried contacting CBS and their DVD distributor, Paramount, on this subject last week, but there was basically no comment," stated Hunt.

 

The original story is here.

 

 

 

http://www.trektoday.com/news/280806_04.shtml

[Kor37 9]

This sounds great!

[Stephen of Borg 2]

indeed, here is the link that has a sample

[Kor37 9]

It looks fantastic! ...and it didn't hurt that they used my favorite episode of TOS as an example.. :P

 

I knew that waiting to buy the DVDs would pay off!

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

 

This will be like when the "enhanced" (read "ruined") the Star Wars Trilogy!!

[Data 0]

It loses all classic Sci Fi flavor.

Edited September 2, 2006 by Data

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

EXACTLY!

[gul_nodrog 2]

I find it extremely annoying that Paramount is trying to find another way to squeeze money out of me. I just paid close to $300 for TOS on DVD ... now they're putting out a different version of these classic episodes? I won't buy 'em, I don't care how good they look.

 

And I'm with you YBHYR on that Star Wars thing ... why did Lucas do that? They were perfect the way they were. One might also inquire as to why he went back and made those dreaded prequels?

 

IMO Lucas should have stopped after the first one he made (SW:IV A New Hope ... Luke meets Leia, but she's not his sister ... don't even get me started on that) ... it ended well, it was complete in itself, the bad guys were defeated at the end and everyone was happy. Even though Empire was the best movie, if Lucas was just going to follow it up with that embarrassing Jedi debacle, The Empire Strikes Back should never have been made.

 

Sorry, off on a tangent.

 

I like old Trek just the way it looked originally. There is no need for extravagant special effects in the TOS episodes ... they were extremely well written and very well acted. It's just another avenue for exploiting the fanbase which Paramount does so well.

Edited September 2, 2006 by gul_nodrog

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

For me though, it's not just the ruining and cheapening of a classic. I mean, yeah, in a sense it's like taking a classic song, adding new vocal overdubs, and re-releasing it. It may work for electronica but not for the audiences of the original stuff.

 

But more to the point, CGI just looks bad. It looks fake. Horribly fake. Gunguns. I rest my case. Or Spiderman. That just looked so pathetic, I couldn't buy it, and THAT was just from the promos. The X-Men movies didn't settle for crappier effects. They went for more realistic looking effects, and it looked A MILLION times better than the Gungun scenes. Man, that looked like they ripped off Toy Story.

 

(I liked Toy Story, btw, but that was SUPPOSED to look cartoonish. Phantom Menace wasn't.)

[A l t e r E g o 9]

I'm thrilled at this, as long as the new effects are state of the art and not just slapped on. If they don't knock my socks off, I'll probably pass on them, just be content with the originals.

 

And while they're at it, I hope they spruce up landing party areas; put some nice vistas onto those bland background screens populating almost every away team site. Don't forget to add warp-trails to the star-fields both in space shots and on the view screen!

 

Oh yeah, one more thing; some native life forms (mammals, reptiles, insects and birds) both on the ground and in the sky (where applicable) would be nice.

 

To naysayers: I get the impression you would, if you could, stop this from happening. It's not like you don't have a choice, go buy the series as you like it instead.

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

To naysayers: I get the impression you would, if you could, stop this from happening. It's not like you don't have a choice, go buy the series as you like it instead.

 

That's what I would do, if I could afford to buy Trek on DVD in the first place. However, what I think would be smartest, would be to make it an option on the DVD. Digital Enhancement as an option with "On" and "Off" being your choices. It would most likely eat up a LOT more memory on the disc, and make the collection spread out over more DVDs, but I think it would be a smart business move overall. Two birds with one stone.

 

EDIT: And yeah, my main concern is that they would make the effects look crappy, cuz it seems to be cheaper that way.

Edited September 3, 2006 by youbroughtheryouRiker

[DrWho42 13]

Digital Enhancement as an option with "On" and "Off" being your choices. It would most likely eat up a LOT more memory on the disc, and make the collection spread out over more DVDs, but I think it would be a smart business move overall. Two birds with one stone.

 

EDIT: And yeah, my main concern is that they would make the effects look crappy, cuz it seems to be cheaper that way.

They had that option on this one Doctor Who DVD of "Ark in Space".. Quite frankly, the original models looked way better than the CGI'd versions.. I just hope the CG compliments the original series and keep its 60s-style seeing as the New Voyages space-scenes are pretty plusgood (like the scenes where the Enterprise enters warpspeeds).

[youbroughtheryouRiker 2]

Thank you for replying. Would you happen to know the general consensus of the Dr. Who fan community (at least maybe on a forum or something)? Do they think this is a pretty smart way to go? Just buy one box set, instead of two, and missing out on some profits when some disgruntled fans refuse to buy it a second time around? Or whatever thoughts they have on the subject?

[A l t e r E g o 9]

The full original story from ST.COM:

 

08.31.2006

Remastering Star Trek: TOS FX, Music Enhanced

 

 

Star Trek journeys to the 21st century as the Original Series returns to broadcast syndication for the first time in 16 years with brand-new digitally remastered episodes to celebrate its 40th anniversary.

CBS Paramount Domestic Television has officially announced that they are releasing digitally remastered episodes of Star Trek, with all new special effects and music, to celebrate the groundbreaking series' 40th anniversary, according to John Nogawski, president of CBS Paramount Domestic Television.

 

The Star Trek episodes will begin airing on the more than 200 stations that own the rights to the weekend broadcast syndication window starting September 16. (As always, please check your local listings for station and dates.) The plan is for all 79 episodes of the Original Series to be remastered, with the first batch of episodes chosen from a list of Star Trek fans' favorite shows.

 

With the complete running order to be determined, the syndication schedule won't follow the classic air-date order or production order format familiar to fans. The first episode to air will be the Season One classic "Balance of Terror." "That gives us a chance to really show off the 'new' Enterprise," says Mike Okuda, 18-year veteran of the Star Trek art department and one of the supervisors on this project. His comments and more can be found in next week's TV Guide and online here.

 

"Star Trek redefined science-fiction and constantly pushed the envelope with concepts that were ahead of their time," Nogawski said. "By giving the series a digital upgrade using the best technology available today, it will continue to be a leader in cutting-edge television programming as we introduce the series to a new generation of viewers."

 

The most noticeable change will be redoing many of the special effects, created with 1960s technology, with 21st century computer-generated imagery (CGI). Upgrades include:

*Space ship exteriors – The Enterprise, as well as other starships, will be replaced with state of the art CGI-created ships. The new computer-generated Enterprise is based on the exact measurements of the original model, which now rests in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C.
*Show opening – The Enterprise and planets seen in the main title sequence will be redone, giving them depth and dimension for the first time.
*Galaxy shots – All the graphics of the galaxy, so frequently seen through the viewscreen on the Enterprise's bridge, will be redone.
*Exteriors – The battle scenes, planets and ships from other cultures (notably the Romulan Bird of Prey and Klingon Battle Cruisers) will be updated.
*Background scenes – Some of the iconic, yet flat, matte paintings used as backdrops for the strange, new worlds explored by the Enterprise crew will get a CGI face-lift, adding atmosphere and lighting.

The refurbished episodes also feature higher quality sound for the famous opening theme. The original score by Emmy Award-winning composer Alexander Courage, has been re-recorded in state-of-the-art digital stereo audio with an orchestra and a female singer belting out the famous vocals. A digitally remastered version of William Shatner's classic original recording of the 38-word "Space, the final frontier..." monologue continues to open each episode.

 

The remastered episodes have been converted from the original film into a High-Definition format, which gives viewers a clearer, crisper, more vibrant picture than before, even when viewed in standard definition. Once stations upgrade and start broadcasting HD signals, the episodes will be all ready for viewers to enjoy in HD.

 

We plan to have more information, including Q & A's on this project next week. Be sure to check back then! If you have a question that we can present to the people working on this project, please send us an e-mail to: editor@startrek.com with TOS CGI in the subject line.

 

The first question we can already answer for you: There is no confirmation as yet if, or when, these episodes will eventually appear on DVD, HD-DVD or Blu-Ray. This is likely to change at some point.

 

ST.COM

UPDATE!

 

09.06.2006

Remastering Star Trek: Q & A

 

 

 

The remastering of Star Trek is not a project to be undertaken lightly. There is a history here of some 40 years, a time span long enough that some people are suspicious of using modern digital technology to enhance a show that was considered pretty cutting edge in its day; the quaint appeal of its admittedly now creaky special effects would somehow be lost. But to others, the relic of Star Trek's original visual effects is exactly what needs to be updated to make the show more appealing for repeated viewings and future High Definition media, and to a younger audience already transfixed by the digital chaos that exists in some modern movies.

 

To allay any fears, and to answer your most common questions, we've compiled a list and presented them to the experts, the ones actually overseeing the all-new and improved digital effects while striving to maintain the integrity of the Original Series.

 

Mike Okuda – Former Star Trek (multiple series) scenic art supervisor, technical consultant and author

Denise Okuda – Former Star Trek (multiple series) scenic artist, video supervisor and author

Dave Rossi – Former Star Trek (multiple series) producer, production associate and overseer of special projects.

 

We are using the full-length episodes for our work. They will, however, be cut for syndication airing purposes. [Any future DVDs would most likely be full length. - Ed.]

 

 

Will the episodes be broadcast in 1080i 4:3 HD and 5.1?

At the current time, the majority of affiliate stations cannot handle HD transmission unless they are live events (sports, news, etc.). As stations develop their capacity to air things in HD, CBS/Paramount TV will certainly be working with them towards that goal.

 

Will we see any new items or effects that were maybe mentioned but never seen?

You mean like the U.S.S. Antares from "Charlie X?" Oh wait, that's top secret. We better not say anything!

 

Will all the Original Series episodes be redone?

They are all being remastered in high definition and all 79 episodes will have visual effects work done. The extent of that work depends on the episode.

 

Will there be any enhancements to alien species, as opposed to ships? Like the puppet in "The Corbomite Maneuver"?

Typically, aliens will not be touched, but there may be cases where we add some sparkle.

 

Does the CGI work have anything to do with the next movie, "Star Trek XI"?

No. While CBS and Viacom share rights to Star Trek to some extent, this has nothing to do with what Paramount Pictures is planning.

 

How long does it take to do each episode? Does it depend on the amount of FX?

We have a very tight schedule and we'll be delivering one episode per week (at least) but CBS Digital is working on multiple episodes at once.

 

Will you be doing new models for cases where they simply re-used models, such as the Botany Bay from "Space Seed" being re-used as the Woden in "The Ultimate Computer"?

Where we can without affecting story or dialogue, we'll be generating new models.

 

If this is successful, will we see some re-doing of FX in The Next Generation?

That isn't even a consideration at this point. Let us finish this first! Sheesh!!

 

How are you going to ensure that the new CGI footage blends well with the original filmed shots? Will you be sampling film grain from the original stock and overlaying it on the new footage, like they did with the "Star Trek: The Motion Picture - The Director's Edition"?

Yes we are. Our goal is to never pull you out of the story.

 

In regards to redoing some of the exterior shots, does this only include the background matte work or will some of the foreground sets be touched upon as well?

In general, we're not touching the sets. In a few cases, we're getting to make a few tweaks, but for the most part, CBS Digital has their hands full with everything else we're throwing at them.

 

Will computer displays be upgraded too?

Not generally. The computer displays had a distinct style that we don't want to change. In a very few cases, we are planning on bringing up some shots to the quality of the rest of the show. For example, in "Where No Man Has Gone Before," we are planning on re-setting the text of Gary's book to eliminate the use of typewriter text.

 

Will you be removing hairs, dust and print scratches too?

That process is well underway and the transfers are gorgeous!

 

Will the static viewscreens on the bridge be updated to look more animated?

Again, we want to respect the original art direction. Also, when we did the re-created Enterprise bridge in "In a Mirror, Darkly," we used actual computer video projectors in the upper viewscreens. We tried to change the upper screens to make them cool. But we also discovered that changing them and animating them would draw the viewers' eyes to the point where it was distracting. Obviously, that's something that we don't want to do. So we're pretty much leaving them alone.

 

In "Balance of Terror," Kirk orders the ship to fire phasers, but we see photon torpedoes. Are you going to fix this?

You know, this is the first thing that we wanted to do when we started working on this episode. But then we started studying the episode more closely and discovered a number of things. First, Kirk orders "proximity phasers" to be used. This is the only time in the entire series where he does so. Second, the phasers behave differently than normal. They fire into space, then explode like depth charges. This is clearly the intention of the writer and director [Paul Schneider and Vincent McEveety respectively], since the episode is based on submarine movie metaphors.

Finally, the sound effects clearly dictate the timing of the weapon firing, and we very early decided that we did not want to mess with the soundtrack. As a result, we thought the best approach was to use a different phaser effect than is seen in the rest of the series. The new proximity phasers will have longer bolts than they did in the original "Balance of Terror," but they will still be tied to the original sound effects.

 

And finally...

 

Is there a favorite shot that you have worked on, or are looking forward to working on?

Dave Rossi - The Fesarius!!!!

Denise Okuda - The proximity phasers in "Balance of Terror."

Mike Okuda - The Orion ship in "Journey to Babel."

 

Link to supporting video available at ST.COM

 

My complete wish-list didn't get filled but it sounds great nontheless, they thought to fix some things I hadn't even considered (galaxy shots on monitors) so I'm happy. And in case you missed it; this is all being done for syndication broadcast so get your preferred recording devices prepared!!!

 

[Kor37 9]

I can't wait for this. We can finally see actual ships instead of blobs of light!.. :P