It always bugged me that one of the Klingon ships was dispatched by V'ger offscreen in the final cut (and the DE for that matter). Knowing what I know now I'm guessing it was a cost or time saving move to avoid another elaborate "digitization" effect, but Abel test footage or even Abel-era script pages or storyboards might indicate how the sequence was supposed to play out.
I know this thread is about footage, but is it me or isn't there a curious shortage of Abel / ASTRA storyboards that would show original V'ger designs, etc. and how they would appear from shot to shot in relation to Enterprise? I've seen the stuff compiled on the great OTTENS Forgotten Trek site, but that's mostly set design sketches and concept art, and of course we have Richard Taylor and David Negron's detailed recollections and descriptions. It would be great to be able to compare the storyboards and script pages for certain key sequences shot by shot; that along with dates and timelines could provide some fascinating insight into the troubled TMP production.
I know for a fact Richard Taylor has a lot more than he gave me. In my 2001 interview with him he said he had books of storyboards for the film that Ed Verreaux illustrated. So, such boards exist...they just haven't seen print or the web yet.
Maybe some, uh..."enterprising" person might try again to gain access to those?
TGT bought a set of boards from Taylor a long time back, one that apparently was packed in storage somewhere. Do you know if that might be the Verreaux set?
This really pisses me off. I interviewed Verreaux twice in the 90s, about CONTACT and MISSION TO MARS. I mentioned TREK in passing the first time, just to see if he had much to say about it, but if I knew he'd done THAT much work, I'd've lobbied a lot harder to see if he had any files. on M2M, he sent us two whole disks full of concept art for that movie, so it could be he is a hoarder. Lemme see if I can find some mag that might want to interview him ... if so, that'd justify a heavy-duty investigation.
I had no idea Taylor sold any boards at all. That's news to me. If you go over to Forgotten Trek the 2001 interview is there....and you'll see RTs reference to the boards. I tried to get him to send them to me so I could take some digital photos of the pages, but always said "I'll dig them up after I do this or that..." but he never came through with the boards. He said they were bound in books. So, maybe TGT can clear up whether or not this is what he bought?
I want to make clear: that's absolutely no criticism of RT -- I was ecstatic to get what he provided and he went above and beyond on that. But still...you know what they say happens when you give an inch....of course I wanted to get it all! LOL!!! Well, of course I did...any fan would! Taylor did say the boards were in storage...that I distinctly recall. At the time, he was going through a move, I believe and was not sure exactly where it was but knew he had it. However, I do remember him mentioning he was going to put some artwork up for auction for some Trek collectible thing that was going on. I just assumed it was stuff I had already seen.
Oh well...why doesn't TGT cough up the goods? If he's bought something...why not share it with the fans?
Verreaux worked for Abel, so I assume he was no longer working on Trek after they were dismissed (unlike David Negron). I get tired of people mixing Abel stuff with Trumbull/Dykstra stuff...and even worse, mixing Mike Minor's work with ALL of it!
Taylor was very complimentary of Verreaux's work on Trek and talked about how great the art was. What I originally wanted to do, was get ALL the artwork for the film out there (Maybe eventually in book form) -- storyboards, concept art, set blueprints, props...all of it. And then sort through it all and separate out who worked on what and at what point in the film's production.
As I said, there's a lot of misperceptions of who did what...and when. So, what I wanted to see (either on the web or in a coffee-table book -- a' la the hardback books on ILM that came out during the late 80's) was a Paramount-sanctioned book called "Star Trek: The Motion Picture -- Designing the Future" or "Star Trek: Parallel Visions". It would have been a definitive and ACCURATE book/website on the subject of the alternate production design and artwork resulting from that. Unlike The Art of Star Trek, this would focus on the early and unseen Trek productions -- and Star Trek:The Motion Picture. And you know, I really don't care WHO ends up doing it, but I think it would be a worthwhile book. Optionally, the first chapter could be on Planet of the Titans and there could be a Phase II chapter as well featuring the art of Mike Minor (because I believe there's a lot more of his artwork from ST:PII that we have not seen; storyboards for example that I saw hanging up on a wall in Minor's studio in an issue of Starlog that has never been released to the public).
Then again, maybe Simon and Schuster would balk at it and say there's not enough interest. The way I envisioned it, it would not be a cheap book. Hardback for sure.
Anyway, I digress. I don't see why anyone would hoard this stuff. It should be shared with the fans...and trust me, every stitch of art I have ever gotten my hands on I have put out there for viewing (with the artist's permission of course!) or given to Nick Ottens to put on his site.
An interview with Verreaux would be coup (and not just with regard to his Trek work) -- second only to an interview with Con Pederson (who flat out ignored all attempts at a Trek interview). Verreaux may not have had any of the boards though. I got the impression Taylor had them. However, I could be wrong...no way to know for sure without asking one of the parties involved.
The last time I tried to talk to RT, he said he'd get right back to me...and never did. So...I don't know. Any efforts to pursue any outstanding artwork will have to be done by another fan...not I.
