Intrepid Updates

USS Intrepid · August 21 2011, 06:35 PM

Been a while since we've released anything, and I know this stuff is an acquired taste, but I thought I'd let folks know that the vignette Machinations is now available for viewing on YouTube.

A bit of background to this one. We actually shot this about four years ago, and it was the first thing we shot after finishing Heavy Lies the Crown. At the time, I'd just bought a (new) second hand prosumer camcorder to replace the consumer model we'd used up to that point. Machinations was written as an 'easy' short that we figured we could shoot in a short time, and release fairly quickly.

In fact it turned out to be far more challenging than we'd expected, due to the nature of some of the effects work involved. One particular effect was one of the major delays, and it took us a while to find someone willing to tackle that. I was very grateful when Steve Gilson stepped up to the plate, and I think he did a great job under the circumstances.

The other delay was getting someone who could build the station model for us. We did initially have someone lined up, but after a number of months he was unable to complete the project due to personal reasons. Luckily, Dennis Bailey very kindly stepped in and I absolutely love what he created for us.

There are some shortcomings to Machinations, most of which can be attributed to the fact that it was shot before we learned certain lessons. The rest are just plain incompetence.

So anyway, it can be viewed on YouTube at the following link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vmyXPA0Zs

For those of you who'd rather download and watch at your leisure, we'll have Quicktime and Windows Media versions available within a few days.

Oh, and the sharp-eyed amongst you may spot a couple of Hidden Frontier alumni.

MikeH92467 · August 21 2011, 08:31 PM

Nice to hear that you've been busy. I really appreciate the way you've been so forthcoming about the technical issues that have popped up. I'm sure it's enlightened a lot of people who think that doing a fan film is just getting some people together and saying "Let's put on a show!". The audio production I'm involved with has provided me with quite an education and that's after some 30 years in radio. The very thought of trying to put together a video production is enough to give me the heebie-jeebies!

CorporalCaptain · August 21 2011, 08:35 PM

Very good!

Far too brief!

Please forgive my unfamiliarity with the Intrepid continuity, but the story of the organic aliens will be continued I hope?

Alan Christison turned in a great performance as Commander Navar.

USS Intrepid · August 21 2011, 09:22 PM

Mike believe me, I'd be a fool not to be honest about the difficulties we face. The fact we've released so little material over the years is disappointing to me, but largely due to technical and logistical issues.

And John, glad you enjoyed it. To answer your question, yes, we will be learning more about the Surai.

Admiral Buzzkill · August 22 2011, 02:39 PM

I enjoyed this, especially the effects for the alien critter.

CaptainSerek · August 22 2011, 04:55 PM

I saw your recent vignette Nick and it was a good watch. Thanks for the release.

USS Intrepid · August 22 2011, 05:31 PM

Thanks guys.

doubleohfive · August 22 2011, 06:41 PM

Rock on! I can't watch it right now but will do so when I get home this evening.

Barbreader · August 22 2011, 08:46 PM

Intrepid was my first fan film, and remains tied with a few others for my favorite... OK, it's still my favorite, there's just not ENOUGH!

Captain Randy Hall · August 22 2011, 11:34 PM

I just finished watching "Machinations," and as usual with Intrepid, it was very enjoyable. I know we fans are supposed to be above such things, but the most impressive thing in the film to me is that incredible space station! It might even have a better design than Deep Space Nine, and that's really saying something! And yeah, the character interaction was cool, too.....

Maurice · August 23 2011, 01:36 AM

Realizing you shot this four years ago and prior to your more recent experience I'm going to let you slide on the camera stuff.

The one thing that did bother me was an overuse of dramatic music over relatively mundane dialog. I found that distracting.

Oh, and what was that slightly crumpled looking paper in the first scene?

DestinyCaptain · August 23 2011, 03:30 AM

Nick, you guys always put forth a solid effort. I liked it. Any word on the Picard episode?

USS Intrepid · August 23 2011, 02:41 PM

Thanks for the kind words folks.

DS9Sega wrote:

Realizing you shot this four years ago and prior to your more recent experience I'm going to let you slide on the camera stuff.

Phew!

DS9Sega wrote:

The one thing that did bother me was an overuse of dramatic music over relatively mundane dialog. I found that distracting.

That's not an unfair criticism, though I think there's a degree of different strokes to this as well. I can't really speak as to what the composer was aiming for, and I have to say it didn't really bother me. But, like I say, it's not an unfair criticism. Maybe I'll drag Bodo over here to comment.

DS9Sega wrote:

Oh, and what was that slightly crumpled looking paper in the first scene?

I was hoping you wouldn't spot that.

DestinyCaptain wrote:

Any word on the Picard episode?

Unfortunately no, not yet. We really need to do some ADR on it, and scheduling that is proving difficult.

Hudson_uk · August 23 2011, 10:53 PM

Crumpled paper ? You mean the fact that the station is under construction and suffering from some technical problems ?

MikeH92467 · August 23 2011, 10:55 PM

Hudson_uk wrote:

Crumpled paper ? You mean the fact that the station is under construction and suffering from some technical problems ?

Damn yard monkeys don't know how to use a disposal chute...

August 21 2011, 06:35 PM	#1
USS Intrepid Commodore Location: Dundee, Scotland, UK	Intrepid Updates Been a while since we've released anything, and I know this stuff is an acquired taste, but I thought I'd let folks know that the vignette Machinations is now available for viewing on YouTube. A bit of background to this one. We actually shot this about four years ago, and it was the first thing we shot after finishing Heavy Lies the Crown. At the time, I'd just bought a (new) second hand prosumer camcorder to replace the consumer model we'd used up to that point. Machinations was written as an 'easy' short that we figured we could shoot in a short time, and release fairly quickly. In fact it turned out to be far more challenging than we'd expected, due to the nature of some of the effects work involved. One particular effect was one of the major delays, and it took us a while to find someone willing to tackle that. I was very grateful when Steve Gilson stepped up to the plate, and I think he did a great job under the circumstances. The other delay was getting someone who could build the station model for us. We did initially have someone lined up, but after a number of months he was unable to complete the project due to personal reasons. Luckily, Dennis Bailey very kindly stepped in and I absolutely love what he created for us. There are some shortcomings to Machinations, most of which can be attributed to the fact that it was shot before we learned certain lessons. The rest are just plain incompetence. So anyway, it can be viewed on YouTube at the following link. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R5vmyXPA0Zs For those of you who'd rather download and watch at your leisure, we'll have Quicktime and Windows Media versions available within a few days. Oh, and the sharp-eyed amongst you may spot a couple of Hidden Frontier alumni. __________________ Star Trek: Intrepid

August 21 2011, 08:31 PM	#2
MikeH92467 Vice Admiral Location: Tampa, FL	Re: Intrepid Updates Nice to hear that you've been busy. I really appreciate the way you've been so forthcoming about the technical issues that have popped up. I'm sure it's enlightened a lot of people who think that doing a fan film is just getting some people together and saying "Let's put on a show!". The audio production I'm involved with has provided me with quite an education and that's after some 30 years in radio. The very thought of trying to put together a video production is enough to give me the heebie-jeebies! __________________ "The world is made for people who aren't cursed with self-awareness." Annie Savoy

August 21 2011, 08:35 PM	#3
CorporalCaptain Vice Admiral Location: In pre-production	Re: Intrepid Updates Very good! Far too brief! Please forgive my unfamiliarity with the Intrepid continuity, but the story of the organic aliens will be continued I hope? Alan Christison turned in a great performance as Commander Navar. __________________ John

August 21 2011, 09:22 PM	#4
USS Intrepid Commodore Location: Dundee, Scotland, UK	Re: Intrepid Updates Mike believe me, I'd be a fool not to be honest about the difficulties we face. The fact we've released so little material over the years is disappointing to me, but largely due to technical and logistical issues. And John, glad you enjoyed it. To answer your question, yes, we will be learning more about the Surai. __________________ Star Trek: Intrepid

August 22 2011, 02:39 PM	#5
Admiral Buzzkill The Man Location: Defying Gravity	Re: Intrepid Updates I enjoyed this, especially the effects for the alien critter. __________________ I had steak and a loaded baked potato for dinner on Sunday. As a steak I enjoyed it a lot, but as macaroni and cheese I thought it was disappointing.

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August 22 2011, 04:55 PM	#6
CaptainSerek Commander Location: Sun Valley, California, USA	Re: Intrepid Updates I saw your recent vignette Nick and it was a good watch. Thanks for the release. __________________ I've come a long way for the power of Genesis, and what do I find? A Square Pegs reject, another actress playing Saavik, and Leonard Nimoy's stand-in.

August 22 2011, 05:31 PM	#7
USS Intrepid Commodore Location: Dundee, Scotland, UK	Re: Intrepid Updates Thanks guys. __________________ Star Trek: Intrepid

August 22 2011, 06:41 PM	#8
doubleohfive Fleet Admiral Location: Los Angeles, CA	Re: Intrepid Updates Rock on! I can't watch it right now but will do so when I get home this evening. __________________ "I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: "O Lord make my enemies ridiculous." And God granted it." -Voltaire

August 22 2011, 08:46 PM	#9
Barbreader Captain Location: New York, New York	Re: Intrepid Updates Intrepid was my first fan film, and remains tied with a few others for my favorite... OK, it's still my favorite, there's just not ENOUGH! __________________ Star Trek Reviewed links to hundreds of Star Trek Fan Films and Reviews

August 22 2011, 11:34 PM	#10
Captain Randy Hall Commodore Location: Columbia, Maryland USA	Re: Intrepid Updates I just finished watching "Machinations," and as usual with Intrepid, it was very enjoyable. I know we fans are supposed to be above such things, but the most impressive thing in the film to me is that incredible space station! It might even have a better design than Deep Space Nine, and that's really saying something! And yeah, the character interaction was cool, too..... __________________ Randy Hall Captain of the U.S.S. Chesapeake Star Trek Club http://www.usschesapeake.org

August 23 2011, 01:36 AM	#11
Maurice Rear Admiral Location: Maurice in San Francisco	Re: Intrepid Updates Realizing you shot this four years ago and prior to your more recent experience I'm going to let you slide on the camera stuff. The one thing that did bother me was an overuse of dramatic music over relatively mundane dialog. I found that distracting. Oh, and what was that slightly crumpled looking paper in the first scene? __________________ * * * "Star Trek…at times sparkled with true ingenuity, and pure science fiction approaches, and at other times was more carnival like, and very much more the creature of television than the creature of a legitimate literary form." —Rod Serling, 1970"

August 23 2011, 03:30 AM	#12
DestinyCaptain Commander Location: U.S.S. Destiny NCC-720 Leif Ericson II Class Explorer	Re: Intrepid Updates Nick, you guys always put forth a solid effort. I liked it. Any word on the Picard episode?

August 23 2011, 10:53 PM	#14
Hudson_uk Lieutenant Commander Location: Nr Cambridge, UK	Re: Intrepid Updates Crumpled paper ? You mean the fact that the station is under construction and suffering from some technical problems ?