Project: Potemkin, a Star Trek Fan Film

Discussion in 'Fan Productions' started by Potemkin_Prod, Jan 11, 2010.

  1. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    From Bill Walker, our SPFX guy for "The Old Guys":

     
  2. Melonpool

    Melonpool Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    How's this coming along? I've been thinking about writing up an article on my blog about this production (since their practically sibling productions), but was wondering if I should hold off until you're about to release the first vignette. Are you close?

    Super excited!

    Steve
     
  3. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    We've got one more special effect shot to complete, then we send it for music/scoring, then we turn it over to Ralph for sound, and we're done with "The Old Guys." I hope it'll be ready in December, but don't hold me to that.

    Right now, I'm working on the ready room set. It's been an adventure to say the least. I'm hoping to have it completed within a couple of weeks. If anyone is in the South Georgia area, I'd love to have some additional help.

    Last week, we opted to begin coming up with the shooting schedule for our first full length episode, "The Void." As of this afternoon, we finalized the schedule. Shooting will take place on our bridge set on Thursday, Nov 18 - Sat - Nov 20. As our cast is comprised of local actors (as opposed to Star Trek fans) we've had to work around their acting schedules for Darton College, Georgia Southwestern University, Albany State University, and Theater Albany. It's terrific working with such talented people, but scheduling a time they're ALL available has been a challenge.

    Anyway, we're still undecided as to how to release the episode, "The Void." If we release it one act at a time, it's bound to have some people irate if real-life causes delays in production (as they have since we began it). If we wait and release it as a whole, then folks are going to be complaining about the time between episodes. Fortunately, our plan is to shoot a number of vignettes that are set between episodes, and releasing these are bound to mollify some of that criticism.

    Lastly, I think we're going to attend TrekTrax in Atlanta in February. I've put Ricky on it, and he's eager to handle it.
     
  4. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Ooops: CAST MEMBERS NEEDED!

    We need two additional cast members to replace Junius Stone at the HELM (Stoney got transferred overseas with the US Army) and to replace Bill Walker at ENGINEERING (Bill will still be the chief engineer -- but we need a warm body at that spot on the bridge). We cannot provide lodging or travel, but we are feeding our cast.

    Our upcoming shooting schedule:

    Thursday 8pm-10pm: Teaser
    Friday 7pm - 11pm: Act I
    Saturday 1pm - 8pm: Act II & III

    Shooting will take place at the bridge set on Saddleleaf Avenue in Albany, Georgia.

    If this is something you'd be interested in, please contact me asap.
     
  5. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    This just in from Bill Walker (SPFX for "The Old Guys"):

    Scene 42 [the last scene] will be completed tomorrow! Work is proceeding on the final sequence, Scene 0a, the opening credits and the initial view of the Potemkin. And if time allows, I will also try to get the last of the console effects done tomorrow as well.
    Bill Walker
    _________
     
  6. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Which puts you ahead of a few productions I know!
     
  7. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    :guffaw: Well, to be honest, we get catering from The Crowbar in Albany (150 wings and ranch dip), two or three $5 footlongs, two or three $10 pizzas from whomever is cheaper (Pizza Hut or Dominoes), and the only thing Linda has to actually buy is the soda.
     
  8. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    A couple of significant things today:

    1) We've turned over the edited vignette to Steve Gallant for scoring and music.
    2) Jon Carling, our SPFX guy for "The Void," turned in a number of completed (and OUTSTANDING) SPFX shot for this episode which goes before the cameras next month.

    Honestly, I'm STOKED. :)
     
  9. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    This week's update:

    1) The final SPFX shot was submitted today, and after one change in one credit, we're ready to go there.

    2) Construction continues on the ready room. Got a lot accomplished with that, including the triangular supports, a fake wall, and we've cut through a wall to make our corridor. The cut-through was costly. Had to have a plumber to re-route the plumbing which should NOT have been in that wall. Had to have an electrician do the same for some wiring. But in the coming week, I expect the ready room to be finished. Got a while to go on the corridor.

    3) We're thinking of a November Internet release for "The Old Guys." We're thinking of premiering it and possibly the vignette, "Care for a Lift?" at TrekTraxAtlanta in February, along with the teaser for "The Void." Both Producer Ricky Thompson and Bill "Chief Engineer Barton" Walker (who also did the SPFX for "The Old Guys") will be in attendance. I'm hoping to see about taking two or three of the actors (none of which are Star Trek fans) to the convention to promote the film as well. Details to be ironed out and will be forthcoming as we get nearer to the convention.

    4) Our series bible is on-line, but not sure if we're going to be open to submissions for much longer. We have quite a few vignettes (short films) on-hand now along with a full length episode and another in the works.

    5) We're still looking for cast members: Helm Officer, Bridge Engineer (for when Bill Walker's not available), Environmental Officer. If you're interested, please contact us at your earliest convenience. Our next episode will be "filmed" in November, and we need actors for these roles.
     
  10. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Quick update:

    This afternoon, continued work on the triangular supports for the wall with the window. The door walls are ready to go.

    This evening, updated the website with short synopses of planned episodes. Most of what we're going to be doing are vignettes. Presently, we have seven vignettes planned (two of which are already filmed) and two episodes for this "season."
     
  11. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Really shouldn't post at 12:21 AM. Got an error to fix on the description for "The Void," so bear with me, and thanks for those who emailed me with the error. ;)
     
  12. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Have posted a page on "Raising the Ready Room." Got a football game across the state (literally!) this evening, so we'll not be working on it today, but should have it completed by this time next week.

    "The Old Guys" continues to be scored by Steve Gallant. Total running time of the vignette is 6 mins.

    The second vignette, "Care for a Lift?," has been digitized, and is now officially in post-production.

    We're hoping that "The Old Guys" will be ready before the end of the year. No clue about "Care for a Lift?" yet since it was shot with our lower quality camera.

    "The Void" goes before the cameras on November 18 - 20 & 22. Anyone interested in appearing in this episode should contact us ASAP. We still have a few minor positions remaining to be filled.
     
  13. lennier1

    lennier1 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Looking forward to the vignettes. What I've seen of the first one looks like a step in the right direction.

    BTW: Do you have any plans for one in a "Lower Decks" style (story shown from an outside perspective, like regular crew members or visitors)?
     
  14. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Thanks, Lennier1! We received Steve Gallant's music today, and it's perfect! We've assembled the files and are in the process of turning them over to Ralph Miller. Tom Scott, our editor, has done a remarkable job, as has our SPFX guy for this episode, Bill Walker.

    Bill is already at work on "Care for a Lift?" (our second vignette which has already been videotaped). He's working on cleaning up the images considerably.

    Right now, the upcoming vignettes concentrate on assorted pairs of the characters, while the episodes concentrate on four or more of the characters. Once we've got things more established in terms of characters, we might concentrate on even more obscure characters. One of our upcoming vignettes takes a look at Yeoman Hodges.
     
  15. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Ready room construction continues. Hung the service board. Patched it and the opposite wall. Hung the extensions on the opposite wall. Now I've got to decide whether to use clear crystal (like in overhead fluorescent lights) or go with some more service board. Suggestions would be welcome!
     
  16. Melonpool

    Melonpool Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Didn't you guys have some issues with the crystal light fixture material cracking?
     
  17. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Yeah, it didn't stand up to the heat on the carport. The ready room set is in an air-conditioned retail office space. Still, I thought about it a bit, and with some similar input such as yours, this afternoon I went with the vinyl soffit again.

    Today I sanded the patches and primed them with Kilz. Tomorrow, we're going to start painting Starfleet gray!

    One minor setback: the countertop we were planning to use for Captain Grigory's desk was found to be mouldy underneath, so we're going to have to head to Lowes tonight.
     
  18. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Just a quick update on things:

    1) The ready room construction is complete. It's a very nice set, and we'll be spending this week decorating it. I should have some pics up on our website by Tuesday. We did obtain an Apollo/Soyuz model which will be on display in the ready room. We've also got a nice print of the Potemkin battleship which will be hanging there as well. We have to build a desk for it, and then we'll be ready.

    2) Our first vignette is now in the final stages of post-production. Once Ralph gets back from vacation, he'll be starting work on it. Sound design is the last step we have to complete, and then the episode will be available.

    3) Next weekend, we'll be working on the traverse rod system for the turbolift doors when Linda's dad comes to town.

    4) Bill Walker is already at work on "Care for a Lift?" -- our second vignette.

    5) Filming is scheduled to begin Thursday, November 20th, for "The Void," our first episode. Its running time is estimated to be 35 mins, so we expect the shooting to take three and a half days. We've already got a number of special effects already prepared for the episode.

    6) Lastly, we hope to begin reprinting the control panel appliques this week. While the first appliques are still usable, there's a few things we want to try with these. We also sent the CDR files to Bill Walker to facilitate additional display animation as he did for "The Old Guys." We still have to pick up the mainviewer chase lights and the red alert indicator for the helm.
     
  19. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Have updated the Potemkin website with pictures from the construction of the ready room.

    Also updated the planned production vignettes and episodes for Season 1: seven vignettes and three episodes.

    Should be working on the traverse rod turbolift door system this weekend.

    Filming of Episode 1 "The Void" begins November 18th, Thursday. We'll have plenty of photos from it.
     
  20. FalTorPan

    FalTorPan Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

    Awesome!