"Polaris"

Discussion in 'Fan Productions' started by Admiral Buzzkill, Jan 7, 2009.

  1. tobiasrichter

    tobiasrichter Lieutenant Red Shirt

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    Looks like a great location. Are you doing set extensions or alterations to make it an alien planet (I assume it´s not going to play on earth)?
     
  2. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Yep.

    In the end, though, it will still be somewhat more "Earthlike" than Trona Pinnacles and somewhat less so than most of Stargate SG-1. :lol:
     
  3. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    You mean these babies:

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]
    The one on the left is what I call a "Handheld Interocitor", and is a sort of Geiger Counter for Nielsen Generator energy (don't ask). The one of the right is an energy scanner as carried by scientists.

    The thing in between is a...Cricket Maser. yeah, that's what it is.

    Both of the main props are greenscreen equipped so that VFX can be added. The prop on the right has working blinkies. The rubber-band is not part of the finished prop, futuristic as it looks.
     
    Last edited: Apr 10, 2021
  4. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Looking great these on location and on the props!
     
  5. USS Intrepid

    USS Intrepid Commodore Commodore

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    Maurice, those props are fantastic.
     
  6. Gepard

    Gepard Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Those rock, especially the one with the little light-up keys. What are they made from and how can I get my hands on some?

    ETA: I'm tempted to say the screen on the "interocetor" is a portable hazard sign of some kind, and those flaps originally folded open to reveal a reflective orange triangle. But Google hasn't turned up anything.
     
    Last edited: Mar 7, 2011
  7. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    The two props are made from found objects. The "Interocitor" is actually a Spy Gear Kids Satellite Listener. Here's a pic of one unaltered.

    The scanner is a Beat Blenders gizmo, which I disassembled in order to put in custom interface art. I also removed the speaker cover and replaced it with the plastic end-cap of an art tube, allowing a flat area for the screen.

    I found both of these at a place called Scrap in San Francisco. Total cost for the two devices: $1. The paint cost more than the props!

    When making props like this I recommend basically picking up anything that has an interesting shape and seeing what you might make from it. Don't look for things that look like a tricorder or whatnot. The Beat Blender thing appealed to me precisely because the off-center speaker broke up the boxy shape. The Spy Gear thing just looked really cool when all folded up, and being triangular didn't look like anything else I could recall seeing as a prop.

    Go through Goodwill type stores and just look at the toys and electronics. You can often find great shapes for practically nothing.
     
  8. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Last edited: Mar 10, 2011
  9. Tom

    Tom Vice Admiral Admiral

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    Looking good, seems like you got a great team working on this.
     
  10. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    They're the best. :)
     
  11. DestinyCaptain

    DestinyCaptain Commander Red Shirt

    Don't forget those cheep blister packages that EVERYTHING comes in now. They are great for wall and console detail. There was a vid somewhere on the net from the set of 2010 way back in the 80's where the set designer takes you through some of the sets and shows you where things camefrom and what they used to be it awesome.

    here it is...

    http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6ddnw_lights-camera-action-on-2010-the-y_shortfilms
     
  12. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Thanks for the update. My favorite bit is from the random child's voice: "Is that a real gun?"
     
  13. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    That was our big fear - having a guy dressed as a commando up on a rock in a public place with a BMFG aiming it around at distant targets - and near DC, you know?

    One of our producers said something about the park police using helicopter patrols, and my reaction was "Yet another thing that could have been brought to my attention sooner!"
     
  14. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    Yeah, the helicopter patrol would bother us immensely.

    Did you need a permit to shoot the video there? Did you have a problem with gawkers other than the kid who was concerned with your weaponry?

    While scouting locations, I was recently approached by the Dougherty County Parks and Recreation Dept. who were quite inquisitive about what sort of film we would be shooting, limiting our parking to two blocks away, not filming in a manner that would disrupt wildlife nor the lifeforms in the aquifer and underwater caves, and filming had to be concluded by no later than 5pm. Oh, and lights cannot be brought in. But there's no permit required.
     
  15. CorporalCaptain

    CorporalCaptain Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Looks, great, so far Dennis. Can't wait to see it!

    This is a hoot:
    :eek:

    But I hope this doesn't screw things up:
     
  16. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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    Well, the answer is somewhat a matter of semantics.

    A permit was required.

    Turned out a permit wasn't needed.

    [yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0PV5Aguo_xo[/yt]
     
  17. chardman

    chardman Vice Admiral In Memoriam

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    Professional filmmakers often don't need the required permits either.

    Turns out that the occasional fine one incurs for shooting without a permit is often cheaper than the cost of the permit itself. Even if the fine is greater than the permit, it still can work out cheaper, depending on how often you get caught in relation to the number of locations your production utilizes.

    Fact is, unless you're in a part of the country where film production is a major industry, chances are very good that there aren't any local film production ordinances in play at all. Even if there is a local film commission, which supposedly regulates film production and issues film permits and the like, many of these commissions lack any legal authority whatsoever. Their rules, regulations, licenses, permits, etc simply have no legal basis, and there's absolutely no enforceable legal consequence for violating them.
     
  18. Admiral Buzzkill

    Admiral Buzzkill Fleet Admiral Admiral

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  19. Potemkin_Prod

    Potemkin_Prod Commodore Commodore

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    And it's indeed some awesome work, too.
     
  20. Maurice

    Maurice Snagglepussed Admiral

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    I posted these pix in the Fan Filmmaker Primer thread, but I know not everyone here reads that, so I thought I'd cross-post these frame grabs from the show here.

    [​IMG]


    [​IMG]

    I loved this set. I think these control stations were fantastic and looked functional.