In a visual medium? Nope.
John Eaves Trek Art Book Out Now
- Thread starter JD
- Start date
I look forward to telling people in this forum that they put too much stock in words and letters.
It is odd. I don't understand how visuals can't be important in what is a medium driven by visuals. And no, before the usual suspects jump me, I don't think Discovery should have looked like TOS. But I do think it should have been closely aesthetically. I think a talented artist could have modified the TOS look and hit it out of the park with modern production values and tons of cash.
Here's where I stand. It's obvious that in the year 2017 we weren't getting a faithful recreation fo TOS-era sets and technology. To an extent the fans who say that audiences demand more these days are indeed correct. A backlit display screen with blinking squares that does nothing else isn't going to be enough for a modern audience, even the hardcore old school Trekkies. That said:
You can create an effective hybrid design aesthetic that uses TOS designs for computers and displays and simply upgrades them with interchangeable screens, touch-sensitive icons and the occasional transparent flatscreen displays like we see in both the Kelvin Timeline and DSC. But throw in the blinky buttons and blinking indicator lights with the colors we're used to. Make a few of the corridors on the ships TOS-like in shape and even lighting. There is a comfortable middle ground that could satisfy most fans both young and old if they just tried.
When you create a design aesthetic that is almost completely different from what we already know exists in this decade of Starfleet history but won't even acknowledge the others with visual nods or bones thrown at the fanbase then it does rankle millions of Trekkies to whom visual continuity may not be a begin-all, end-all topic of debate but still remains important. Sure, a rectangular box with blinking buttons that you have to peer down inside of to see a readout of some kind? Yeah, that can be retconned or replaced. But pretending that TOS from a visual design standpoint doesn't exist because of Bryan Fuller or a 25% difference mandate or "the modern kids won't believe it" doesn't help your series expand out and both gain new viewers and keep the core fanbase from deserting the show out of disappointment.
Trek can be both old school and fresh and new if you're creative enough to pull it off and respectful of the fanbase. TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT all managed to pull it off.
You can create an effective hybrid design aesthetic that uses TOS designs for computers and displays and simply upgrades them with interchangeable screens, touch-sensitive icons and the occasional transparent flatscreen displays like we see in both the Kelvin Timeline and DSC. But throw in the blinky buttons and blinking indicator lights with the colors we're used to. Make a few of the corridors on the ships TOS-like in shape and even lighting. There is a comfortable middle ground that could satisfy most fans both young and old if they just tried.
When you create a design aesthetic that is almost completely different from what we already know exists in this decade of Starfleet history but won't even acknowledge the others with visual nods or bones thrown at the fanbase then it does rankle millions of Trekkies to whom visual continuity may not be a begin-all, end-all topic of debate but still remains important. Sure, a rectangular box with blinking buttons that you have to peer down inside of to see a readout of some kind? Yeah, that can be retconned or replaced. But pretending that TOS from a visual design standpoint doesn't exist because of Bryan Fuller or a 25% difference mandate or "the modern kids won't believe it" doesn't help your series expand out and both gain new viewers and keep the core fanbase from deserting the show out of disappointment.
Trek can be both old school and fresh and new if you're creative enough to pull it off and respectful of the fanbase. TNG, DS9, VOY and ENT all managed to pull it off.
That's one of the reasons I usually don't give Zimmerman flack about the production design in Enterprise. I think he worked hard to strike that balance you mention.
And I also agree with Discovery they could probably have done the same thing if they wished too. Now some fans would never be satisfied unless it looked like 'The Cage'. But I think a lot of fans have enough flexibility to give them some leeway in the sense it has to be made futuristic.
One of the things I loved about "In A Mirror, Darkly" is we got to see an original Constitution class starship with updated special effects. And somehow, despite the fact that it was fully based on the 60's design they actually managed to make it look more advanced then the NX class ships. But, I also know that kind of design probably wouldn't work for an entire show. But they probably could have balanced that with an updated feel to it like you said. So a nubie fan wouldn't think it was ridiculous but an older fan would recognize it.
Though I admit I sometimes wonder, what if they went the "In a Mirror Darkly" route? I wonder, had they recreated the sets, but updated the special effects to include those in the previous backlit displays (but kept the sets the same) would that have truly doomed the show? I wonder
Which is an interesting question, considering how big retro stuff currently is. Though I still would've been satisfied with a middle ground between new and what came before in TOS.
Though I think Discovery's biggest problem, is that there is nothing that makes me go "WOW! Futuristic!". If they had accomplished that, then I would've gladly given up what came before. There just doesn't seem to be any kind of vision of what the future will be.
DSC is safe television that tries to be edgy. It wants to be a hip sci-fi series but just tries too hard and in the process fails more frequently than it does succeed at both entertaining and keeping the established fanbase satisfied.
And I got my copy today. Nice piece of collected work.
And it got me thinking - as you do with these shows and movies - what would the glyph for the Federation credit look like? Their version of the dollar sign? Because of those e-wallet designs that got included...
And it got me thinking - as you do with these shows and movies - what would the glyph for the Federation credit look like? Their version of the dollar sign? Because of those e-wallet designs that got included...
A new news article has been published at TrekToday:
Star Trek: The Art of John Eaves by Joe Nazzaro Book Description: “Over the past few decades, John Eaves has had a...
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Star Trek: The Art of John Eaves by Joe Nazzaro Book Description: “Over the past few decades, John Eaves has had a...
Continue reading...
Amazon claims in stock on the 30th.
Have to order it after I am
Done with Designing Enterprises..
Done with Designing Enterprises..
Got to order it. Should start it midweek.
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