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

Ro_Laren · December 9 2012, 12:58 PM

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.

lurok · December 9 2012, 01:19 PM

Seconded. I've wondered about that as well

Tosk · December 9 2012, 01:20 PM

They used contact lenses.

Kirk1980 · December 9 2012, 04:13 PM

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.

sbk1234 · December 9 2012, 06:05 PM

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

Dalen Quaice · December 9 2012, 06:52 PM

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.

jayrath · December 9 2012, 06:56 PM

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

Garrovick · December 10 2012, 06:19 PM

Dalen Quaice wrote:

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.

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.

Sector 7 · December 11 2012, 04:53 AM

Kirk1980 wrote:

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.

Thanks, Kirk1980. Like the others, I have always wondered how it was done.

Admiral Buzzkill · December 11 2012, 05:31 AM

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

mos6507 · December 11 2012, 06:06 AM

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.

Bishop76 · December 11 2012, 06:10 AM

They're looking in a mirror in that scene

mos6507 · December 11 2012, 06:37 AM

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.

Maurice · December 14 2012, 05:11 PM

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

Bishop76 · December 14 2012, 05:20 PM

No, seriously, they were looking in a mirror in that scene

December 9 2012, 12:58 PM	#1
Ro_Laren Commodore Location: The Badlands	How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Glow? 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.

December 9 2012, 01:19 PM	#2
lurok Commodore Location: Lost In The EU Expanse	Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl Seconded. I've wondered about that as well

December 9 2012, 01:20 PM	#3
Tosk Rear Admiral Location: On the run.	Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl They used contact lenses.

December 9 2012, 04:13 PM	#4
Kirk1980 Fleet Captain Location: Connecticut	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. __________________ Live in the Connecticut/SW Massachusetts area? Need a tutor for you or your kids? PM me! Let's see what's out there...

December 9 2012, 06:05 PM	#5
sbk1234 Rear Admiral Location: Los Angeles	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... __________________ In all the history of the world, a riot has NEVER broken out at a Sci-Fi convention. "It's a fucking TV show!" - Gary Lockwood

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ABOUT US

December 9 2012, 06:52 PM	#6
Dalen Quaice Lieutenant Commander	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.

December 9 2012, 06:56 PM	#7
jayrath Fleet Captain Location: West Hollywood, Calif., USA	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!

December 11 2012, 05:31 AM	#10
Admiral Buzzkill The Man Location: Defying Gravity	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. __________________ "I think [J.J. Abrams has] done a great thing for Star Trek. I’m very grateful to him. We all owe him a lot. When someone comes along like he has done and picks it up and elevates it, we should be grateful." - Leonard Nimoy

December 11 2012, 06:06 AM	#11
mos6507 Commander	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. __________________ Fem Trekz on Facebook

December 11 2012, 06:10 AM	#12
Bishop76 Fleet Captain Location: Wisconsin	Re: How Did They Make Gary Mitchell's & Dr. Elizabeth Dehner's Eyes Gl They're looking in a mirror in that scene __________________ Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or fucking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back.

December 11 2012, 06:37 AM	#13
mos6507 Commander	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. __________________ Fem Trekz on Facebook

December 14 2012, 05:11 PM	#14
Maurice Rear Admiral Location: Maurice in San Francisco	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. __________________ * * * "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"

December 14 2012, 05:20 PM	#15
Bishop76 Fleet Captain Location: Wisconsin	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 __________________ Pain or damage don't end the world. Or despair, or fucking beatings. The world ends when you're dead. Until then, you got more punishment in store. Stand it like a man... and give some back.