How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Glow?

Discussion in 'Star Trek - The Original & Animated Series' started by Ro_Laren, Dec 9, 2012.

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  1. Ro_Laren

    Ro_Laren Commodore Commodore

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    What "special effect" did they use to make the eyes of the actors playing Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's eyes "glow" in the episode Where No Man Has Gone Before? I'm guess it is some post-production special-effect vs. the actor's wearing the worlds most painful contacts. FYI, it has been a zillion years since I watched this episode.

    [​IMG]
     
  2. lurok

    lurok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    Seconded. I've wondered about that as well :)
     
  3. Tosk

    Tosk Admiral Admiral

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    They used contact lenses.
     
  4. Kirk1980

    Kirk1980 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    Not just any contact lenses.... early 1960s ones. Very hot and uncomfortable. They were scleral lenses which allowed the effects department to get a thin sheet of foil between the layers of the lens. A pinhole was poked in them to allow the actors to see.

    This had the knockon effect that Lockwood had to tilt his head up in order to see properly, giving him that sorta arrogant look. He wasn't being dramatic, he just couldn't see otherwise!

    They were also HIGHLY uncomfortable. Heat built up behind them, driving Lockwood crazy. Kellerman, though, never showed discomfort. Then again, she didn't wear them as much, so who knows.
     
  5. sbk1234

    sbk1234 Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    Well, first they took this spaceship and tried to leave the galaxy...
     
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  6. Dalen Quaice

    Dalen Quaice Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    They also used animation because the contacts didn't work in low light (since they were reflective) -- the scene where Gary is first struck by the barrier on the bridge and his eyes first turn is an example. When the act fades out, his eyes stay illuminated for a little longer before fading out.
     
  7. jayrath

    jayrath Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    More to the point, pairs of contact lenses with aluminum foil sandwiched between. Ow!
     
  8. Garrovick

    Garrovick Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    I always kind of figured the bit during the fade-out where all you can see are two glowing eyes was an artistic decision to really emphasize the glowing eyes... it certainly made a big impression on me when I first saw the episode as a kid and I still think it's a very creepy moment.
     
  9. Sector 7

    Sector 7 Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    Thanks, Kirk1980. Like the others, I have always wondered how it was done.:techman:
     
  10. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    Kellerman told a funny story about Lockwood screaming and cursing about the lenses.
     
  11. mos6507

    mos6507 Commodore Commodore

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    BTW, I hope you know the image posted is horizontally flipped ;)

    Oh, and note that the division symbols on the insignia don't match what eventually became the norm in TOS.
     
  12. Bishop76

    Bishop76 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    They're looking in a mirror in that scene
     
  13. mos6507

    mos6507 Commodore Commodore

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    Hah. Touche'. Good call. There's a famous shot in the TMP teaser where McCoy's flipped horizontally. These things happened now and then, and maybe I jumped the gun.
     
  14. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    Usually a flopped shot is an intentional editorial choice to compensate for a problem with actor eyelines.
     
  15. Bishop76

    Bishop76 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    No, seriously, they were looking in a mirror in that scene
     
  16. Kirk1980

    Kirk1980 Fleet Captain Fleet Captain

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    You are exactly right. Rewatched it the other day.
     
  17. Gov Kodos

    Gov Kodos Admiral Admiral

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    Heck, you can see the edge of the mirror on the left hand side of the image and how Gary's reflection is cut off on the arm on the way down.
     
  18. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    I dunno if that was aimed at me. My comment was a general one about why flopped shots make it into shows, not about this specific instance.
     
  19. lurok

    lurok Rear Admiral Rear Admiral

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    :) Some of us got that.
     
  20. Dalen Quaice

    Dalen Quaice Lieutenant Commander Red Shirt

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    Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl

    There was a flopped shot in the opening of The Enemy Within as the camera booms down the rocks. I think some bright tech fixed it on one of the remastered versions thinking he could do better than the original editors... but it was certainly there when it aired. It was intentional.

    There is another flipped shot on the Bridge when Kirk confronts the evil Kirk.
     
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