Topic: Paramount to give TOS starships a Digital "Refit"

[DeepThought]

It's finally happened, it seems.  Here's an article from Startrek.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. For a "first look" at the CGI Enterprise, the magazine's website has this image.

"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.

[ModelsPlease]

Very cool 

[Rod ONeal]

Smells like a whole new batch of TOS models are going to be cooked up soon. 

[exadvent]

Yeah, but are they going to "update" them until they look totally different.  Like they did with "Enterprise".  Maybe they can digitally change the faces of the actors enough so that they can stop paying them royalites.

[DeepThought]

I for one am hopeful that the creative folks will be restrained in their improvements.  TV Guide has an image of the Enterprise on its site at:

http://online.tvguide.com/news/insider/images/060831insider1pop.jpg

Granted, this looks like a publicity still, not a frame from the re-FXed episode.  It's very close to the Connie's we've seen on DS9, and "Enterprise".  I think to an older fan, like my dad, it may not look right.  He's use to the Enterprise being kinda blue on screen, which was a side-effect of the multiple exposure process used in the original special effects.

If that picture is representitive of their changes, there's hope.   All the FX on the show could benefit from a "polishing" IMHO, with the possible exception of the transporter effect.  What I really want to see is a kick-a$$ Doomsday machine.  I just hope they're not tempted to get all "Star Wars Special Edition" and make too many changes to, say, the Gorn. Or start adding too many shout-outs to the other shows... like sticking a Trill in the background, or an NX-Class ship at a Starbase.

[Rod ONeal]

That looks a lot like an Atrahasis model. 

[Starforce2]

yea something looks odd with that pic indeed. Almost 2 clean and too sharp. But if they are indeed going tos with the next trek film or series then they'll need a test run. Besides, nobody whinned about digitaly remastered SW trilogy.

[Wicked Zombie]

Just so long as they don't change it to where the Gorn Captain shot first...

[Chris Johnson]

I must say my feelings are more of a mixed bag... While I like to see what they're doing to TOS to update it, part of me feels it should just be "unofficial" or "non-canon" for the canon freaks just to cause some outrage.  Part of me feels afraid that they'll make it like they did most of contemporary Trek.  While I do enjoy contemporary Trek very much, I would rather prefer TOS be portrayed as TOS, not something post-Star Trek 2 because people want to see the vessels up-close at sublight.

Part of why TOS seems more "advanced" in ways than contemporary Trek is, for example, the regular usage of Warp Speed, even in combat.  It seemed that it was more commonly used than impulse speed, contrast that to DS9, for example.  It'd be odd to see, for example, the (updated) Big E at sublight during a combat that has the diologue suggest she's at warp under the control of M-5 doing a few clever manuvers and going in for the kill on one of her sister ships in a wargame gone wrong.  And didn't she have enough power in her weapons to blast half a continent?

*shrug* Again, I grew up on TNG-era Trek, but I would've liked to see something closer to how Matt Jeffries would've portrayed her today using CG, not how ships were portrayed in huge tight-formation close-up CG battles in DS9 that seemed awe-inspiring when I was a pre-teen.

That doesn't mean, however, that I wouldn't see it or enjoy the eye-candy effects in an updated TOS.  It's something new, at least.  As I said, my feelings are more mixed than one-sided (even though I expressed one side more than another).

[Rod ONeal]

I hope that they don't do anything except add a fresh new "shiny" coat of paint.

[DeepThought]

well said Chris. You never know though they might alter some of the dialog to help reflect what we are used too in Trek. Either way im looking forward to a chance of seeing all the episodes with new graphics and from some of the other pics ive seen they are trying to keep as true to the original as possible

I certainly hope they're not changing the dialogue.  Everyone should be prepared, though, because it looks like this version of TOS will be editied for broadcast syndication...

Remember that there are more commercials in TV shows nowadays then in the 60's.  Also, if you look at Paramount's info site for local TV stations at...

 http://www.paramounttv.com/star_trek_2006_07_basic_information.htm

... you'll see it's being offered as "barter"... which means that show will be fed to local stations with 7 minutes of national commercials, and an *additional* seven minutes of "space" for local commercials.  That would include the commercial time at the end of the episode, after the closing credits.

So these new versions of the classic TOS episodes will editied down from say, the versions that are on the collectors DVDs.  That may not be quite as bad as it sounds, since this happens all the time with movies, etc.  Since this show has been reformatted digitally, they can "time compress" the show so it runs a little faster without being noticed by the viewer.

A few scenes here or there may get trimmed.  For example, in the "Enterprise Incident", some of the dialogue between Spock and the Romuilan commander in the hallway (on the way to see Kirk in the brig) has been trimmed in the past.  Most of the versions that run on cable right now (like on g4, or so soon to be on TV Land) have (likely) already been trimmed to this syndication format.

So my only hope is that when this new, CGI enchanced version of the show is released on DVD or HD-DVD, they restore the entire episodes to their original length and content.

-- DT

[DeepThought]

Part of why TOS seems more "advanced" in ways than contemporary Trek is, for example, the regular usage of Warp Speed, even in combat.  It seemed that it was more commonly used than impulse speed, contrast that to DS9, for example.  It'd be odd to see, for example, the (updated) Big E at sublight during a combat that has the diologue suggest she's at warp under the control of M-5 doing a few clever manuvers and going in for the kill on one of her sister ships in a wargame gone wrong.  And didn't she have enough power in her weapons to blast half a continent?

I suspect the new CGI scenes will show starship combat at sublight speeds, for the most part.  Putting on my fanboy hat for a second... is there a difference between ships fighting at Warp Speed, and using warp power in combat? 

Currently, even when the Enterprise is on impule power, the 60's effects show a lot of starfiield movement in the background.  I suspect the new CGI will follow the visual conventions set by TNG... starfields are static, and only the ship is seen moving at sublight.  At warp, I assume they'll show the starfield moving with the "streaks" of light surrounding the ship (not to be confused with the rainbow-like energy trail seen in TMP-era movies... anyone ever come up with an reason why ships at warp in the movies-- like ST2--  look different?)

-- DT

[Darkseid]

I have been wanting this for YEARS!  I look forward to this!

[Klingon Fanatic]

IIRC wasn't the TOS The Doomsday Machine episode the 'test bed' for this TOS CGI enhancement before ENTERPRISE came out?

The Ultimate Computer and The Doomsday Machine are the episodes I most want to see.

KF

[Chris Johnson]

Well, of all the re-done effects shots I saw when it came to TOS episodes, it seemed as if almost every one of 'em were re-doing "The Doomsday Machine" [TOS].  The first official re-done episode to come from Paramount doesn't seem to be that, but rather "Balance of Terror" [TOS].

[Lieutenant_Q]

Aye, they're doing them in order of popularity, so expect to see 'The Doomsday Machine' and 'The Ultimate Computer' with in the first couple of months.  Also expect to see 'City on the Edge of Forever' and 'Space Seed' relatively quickly.  Eps like 'Spock's Brain' we wont see for two or three years. 

Honestly I think 'Balance of Terror' is a good litmus test for this, considering its one of the best episodes, but was one of the worst in terms of VFX.  If they do it well, Star Trek will have a good (what are we on third now?) run again, possibly leading up to another series...maybe based in the TOS timeline if its very popular.

[DeepThought]

Honestly I think 'Balance of Terror' is a good litmus test for this, considering its one of the best episodes, but was one of the worst in terms of VFX.  If they do it well, Star Trek will have a good (what are we on third now?) run again, possibly leading up to another series...maybe based in the TOS timeline if its very popular.

Indeed.  And what better way to get people excited about a possible TOS-based film?

Someone did a proof-of-concept on the Enchanced TOS idea a few years back.  You can see it at http://www.trekenhanced.com/

[Chris Johnson]

Someone did a proof-of-concept on the Enchanced TOS idea a few years back.  You can see it at http://www.trekenhanced.com/

Digital Stream's 1990s take at it.

Trek Enhanced's take at it (which you already linked to)
TrekBBS's Professor Moriarty's take at it. (The forum thread is 9+ pages and was started on November 2005 but continues recently.  Have a look at the recent pages.)

I like the takes at 'em, but as I said:

...Of all the re-done effects shots I saw when it came to TOS episodes, it seemed as if almost every one of 'em were re-doing "The Doomsday Machine" [TOS].  The first official re-done episode to come from Paramount doesn't seem to be that, but rather "Balance of Terror" [TOS].

[Raven Night]

There is a god.

[Klingon Fanatic]

  Speaking of the Doomsday Machine...

Anybody know if Tracey G has updated her Doomsday Machine sfc: op script?

IIRC its was a multiple race script.

Here's a Klingon take on it in a nebula... mwha ha ha!

KF