Season FOUR OFFICIAL TNG Blu-Ray Discussion Thread

[Jefferies]

Based on that and the trailer comparisons on your site, it looks like Modern Video is following the HTV mantra of recreating the original appearance of the visuals, only in HD. Though this time, they appear to not be cutting corners.

That's in contrast to HTV's work which improves and updates the original appearance, especially in terms of lighting.

I assume u mean CBS-D in your last paragraph. But yes, that seems to be the case. Although there are certainly some parts where you can see they've tried hard to mimic the CBS-D "extra love" with lighting and blending. There is some great work in episodes like "Suddenly Human" and "Reunion" on that front.

I wonder what the difficulty is in improving the lighting? Is it technically very demanding to the degree that most companies can't manage it? If it isn't then it's just a matter of cutting corners and I find that kind of approach very disappointing. I wish they wouldn't out-source this work to all these no-name companies.

 

[NewHorizon]

Yeah, the thing I've noticed in the Season 4 trailer is the lighting. Compositing and overall quality of the work looks better than HTV but the over lit look of some of the shots really makes that 4 foot model look terrible in HD. Modern Video really needed more guidance and time on the lighting.

 

[jimbotron]

Whoops, I meant CBS-D.

I get the feeling I will still be satisfied. I'm glad CBS-D is working on the rest of the show though.

 

[FrontierTrek]

We've got hold of the new trailer for "Redemption" on Blu-ray over at TrekCore with loads of HD stills and analysis

 

[tomalak301]

We've got hold of the new trailer for "Redemption" on Blu-ray over at TrekCore with loads of HD stills and analysis

I love the trailer guy for these sets, but I did not expect the end of the Redemption trailer. That was too funny.

 

[Jefferies]

We've got hold of the new trailer for "Redemption" on Blu-ray over at TrekCore with loads of HD stills and analysis

Once again I am gobsmaked. This is incredible work. Why can't Modern Video do something like this?

 

[Maxwell Everett]

I wish they wouldn't out-source this work to all these no-name companies.

Well, Modern VideoFilm is not a no-name company. They've been around since 1985 and, in fact, they have a history with Trek:

http://www.mvfinc.com/credits/index.htm

Yeah, the thing I've noticed in the Season 4 trailer is the lighting. Compositing and overall quality of the work looks better than HTV but the over lit look of some of the shots really makes that 4 foot model look terrible in HD. Modern Video really needed more guidance and time on the lighting.

Understand that some of that "over lit look" is original to the source and the intent of the VFX Supervisors like Dan Curry -- such as the bright, sun-lit Enterprise from "Half a Life." MVF can't go back in time and tell the lighting guys at Image G to turn down this light or that light, or put it over here instead of over there. They could artificially darken the layers in compositing sure, but their directive isn't to significantly diverge from the original intent.

I think as long as we don't get any geometric distortion or misaligned layers ala HTV, I think everything will be just fine.

 

[jimbotron]

I love the trailer guy for these sets, but I did not expect the end of the Redemption trailer. That was too funny.

Wow, what the heck was that? Nice line to end it with too.

 

[NewHorizon]

Understand that some of that "over lit look" is original to the source and the intent of the VFX Supervisors like Dan Curry -- such as the bright, sun-lit Enterprise from "Half a Life." MVF can't go back in time and tell the lighting guys at Image G to turn down this light or that light, or put it over here instead of over there. They could artificially darken the layers in compositing sure, but their directive isn't to significantly diverge from the original intent.

I think as long as we don't get any geometric distortion or misaligned layers ala HTV, I think everything will be just fine.

Still, CBS-D has worked wonders with a vast majority of the overlit shots. Just look at the Redemption trailer above, outstanding.

I'm hoping that CBS-D had the ability to make some adjustments during the final conform to lessen the issues evident in the Season 4 trailer.

I'm still on the fence as to whether or not I'll buy Season 4 at this point. I haven't seen enough of Modern V's work to know if it's 'close enough'.

THANK GOD CBS-D is doing the rest of the seasons.

 

[Jefferies]

Are they really doing 5, 6 and 7?

If they are that probably doesnt bode well for DS9-R. Unless they are planning for a longer gap between the release of TNG-R season 7 and season 1 of DS9-R?

 

[Dream]

Are they really doing 5, 6 and 7?

If they are that probably doesnt bode well for DS9-R. Unless they are planning for a longer gap between the release of TNG-R season 7 and season 1 of DS9-R?

Maybe CBS got fed up with all the complaints.

The important thing is that CBS-D will be doing "All Good Things".

 

[RAMA]

Just saw the Redemption stills and video...incredible. I always thought it was an epic Shakespearean saga, but now it looks like a movie!

RAMA

 

[Jonesy]

Maybe the reason CBS isn't promoting season 4 is that they feel all the promotion and advertising for the previous seasons was enough to make people aware that season 4 will be out soon. Or they have found advertising isn't increasing their sales sufficiently beyond what they would expect from the hardcore fans?

There really isn't any big standout episodes from that S4, really ("Family" is the closest one I could think of). With S3, CBS promoted the heck out of BOBW.

 

[RAMA]

Season 4 is my favorite season, I think the problem is there are too MANY standouts, and they can use Redemption as their 2 hr movie screening if they wanted. From what I can tell, the BoBW event did very well, they'd be crazy to not keep it going.

RAMA

 

[SpHeRe31459]

Maybe the reason CBS isn't promoting season 4 is that they feel all the promotion and advertising for the previous seasons was enough to make people aware that season 4 will be out soon. Or they have found advertising isn't increasing their sales sufficiently beyond what they would expect from the hardcore fans?

There really isn't any big standout episodes from that S4, really ("Family" is the closest one I could think of). With S3, CBS promoted the heck out of BOBW.

That was my thinking as well. That holds true for the rest of the series until you get to "All Good Things" of course.

All the other 2-parters are either pretty so/so or require you to be a pretty involved fan to watch. BOBW is so widely known and so well liked it was sure thing for CBS and Fathom.

 

[Tosk]

Are they really doing 5, 6 and 7?

If they are that probably doesnt bode well for DS9-R. Unless they are planning for a longer gap between the release of TNG-R season 7 and season 1 of DS9-R?

As much as I want DS9 on BD NOW, I would be happy to have a slower release schedule just for CBSD to do all of DS9 themselves.

 

[SpHeRe31459]

Are they really doing 5, 6 and 7?

Remember the powers-that-be at CBS wanted all seven seasons out in three years (2012, 2013, 2014). So that meant CBS-D needed a little help with at least a couple of seasons. CBS-D is about to prove that they can do two seasons a year (S3 and S5 will be done by them for release in 2013). It's that request for three seasons in 2013 that really seemed to make a need for some extra help.

So when you figure the remastering work on Season 4 is all but done now thanks to Modern Video's help, CBS-D has surely already moved on to Season 5, and then when that's done they have the luxury of doing only two more seasons throughout the entire year of 2014. So for example if the higher-ups allowed it, Season 6 could be mid-2014 (instead of early 2014) and Season 7 could be end of 2014 to give them lots of time.

 

[jimbotron]

They really need to cool it with the hyperbole in these trailers.

Redemption II is a pretty good episode, but it's not "earth-shattering".

 

[FrontierTrek]

Are they really doing 5, 6 and 7?

If they are that probably doesnt bode well for DS9-R. Unless they are planning for a longer gap between the release of TNG-R season 7 and season 1 of DS9-R?

Yes. Thankfully CBS Digital are now streamlined enough that they feel they can manage the final three seasons.

DS9 has not been green lit, so we really shouldn't make any assumptions.

...So when you figure the remastering work on Season 4 is all but done now thanks to Modern Video's help, CBS-D has surely already moved on to Season 5, and then when that's done they have the luxury of doing only two more seasons throughout the entire year of 2014. So for example if the higher-ups allowed it, Season 6 could be mid-2014 (instead of early 2014) and Season 7 could be end of 2014 to give them lots of time.

Season 4 is already finished, it should be being pressed to disc any time now.

CBSD are indeed working through Season 5 now and it's looking damned incredible.

Release dates (and deadlines) are already set, so while CBSD would love to have until late 2014 for S7, that just isn't the reality!

 

[Jefferies]

Release dates (and deadlines) are already set, so while CBSD would love to have until late 2014 for S7, that just isn't the reality!

This is really interesting. So have they simply become more efficient and streamlined as the project has progressed or have they upscaled the teams working on TNG-R? At any rate it's great news that CBSD will be able to do all of the remaining seasons!