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Project: Potemkin, a Star Trek Fan Film

Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

We've been very fortunate that there are three of us responsible for set construction. Van and Randy framed the elevated bridge platform on Sunday afternoon. Randy and Ricky sawed the OSB pieces to cover it on Monday evening. Randy and his son Jeremy secured the OSB with screws on Tuesday. Ricky and Randy built the rear exit from the bridge and our first console frame on Wednesday.

Tonight, we're supposed to build the starboard turbolift platform and steps down so Randy's wife can walk the platform to her truck. We also have to paint the faces of the platform around the lower section, and then we need to examine the framing we did on the first station and probably square it up a little bit.

Whew!
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

Are you using large format prints (on paper) or actual duratrans (on plastic sheets) for your back-lit displays? What's the best deal you've been able to find? I'm almost to that stage and want to start weighing the pros and cons.
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

Our tests so far have been with HP High Gloss Photo Paper and then spray coating it with Clear Acrylic Spray with a Dull finish. The results look good, but we're going to try using a different finish (Satin) on the paper next week. The Photo Paper was easily black lit. We want to know what kind of result we'll get from the Satin. And we also try a transparent film and reverse printing on it.

Honestly, we may not backlight very many of the set pieces. When we did our test of the non-backlit pieces, we were astonished to see the difference doesn't appear to be work the added cost of materials and the additional labor required...
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

I know when I was doing my old movies that the backlighting was VERY effective -- moreso than using real buttons -- which tended to get lost on the consoles entirely.

I was thinking about sandwiching a duratrans (the same stuff they use to put graphics on Coke machines) between a layer of smokey black plexi (outside) and regular plexi (inside). I figured that would make the parts that are not being lit to disappear, but I don't know if I can afford the added expense.

I have an old Duratrans in my garage from another console I built years ago -- I may do some experiments in the next few weeks.
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

Plexiglas was simply too an expensive option for us. If I had my choice, I'd be using non-reflective glass pieces cut out to lay over the appliques. But we're hoping that the satin finish will give us a plasticene look...
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

Potemkin_Prod said:
LOL No, Albany, Georgia. It's about 200 miles South of Atlanta
Click to expand...

Uggh. That's close enough to where I live to be tempting, but far away enough to be too difficult to pull off.

Best of luck, though. It's great to see more of this kind of thing going on in GA.
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

I was very lucky in that department. The head of my department decided one day that all the framed artwork in our office was causing too much of a glare so he had me remove all the Plexiglas from them. He told me to throw out 21 2 x 3 foot panels, but thinking ahead, I asked if I could have them.

When I was designing my set, I tried to make sure all of the consoles were no more than 3 feet wide, so I'm set. If you guys were closer, I totally would donate any leftovers for your production. I wonder if any frame shops or anything in your are would have anything similar? You might also check thrift stores for old plexi poster frames -- I think you'll need something under your consoles or they're going to sag like crazy.

They don't really have to be long continuous pieces, either -- you can always tape together sections with clear packing tape since you're covering everything with the displays, anyway.

Just some ideas to stay on the cheap!

Steve
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

Kelso said:
Potemkin_Prod said:
LOL No, Albany, Georgia. It's about 200 miles South of Atlanta
Click to expand...

Uggh. That's close enough to where I live to be tempting, but far away enough to be too difficult to pull off.

Best of luck, though. It's great to see more of this kind of thing going on in GA.
Click to expand...

You'd be more than welcome, Kelso. You should come down once we get the set completed and filming nearly underway. It's not really that bad of a trip from Atlanta. I head up a couple of times a year (usually for funerals for aunts and uncles these days) as well as visits to my parents in Douglasville.

Melonpool said:
When I was designing my set, I tried to make sure all of the consoles were no more than 3 feet wide, so I'm set. If you guys were closer, I totally would donate any leftovers for your production. I wonder if any frame shops or anything in your are would have anything similar? You might also check thrift stores for old plexi poster frames -- I think you'll need something under your consoles or they're going to sag like crazy.
Click to expand...

We're using 1/4" pegboard-like board that's sitting atop a nice frame with support slats every eight inches or so. It's definitely stable. The hardest part is trying to lay a giant applique on it without any wrinkles appearing. That's one of the reasons I want to try the satiin, too.
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

Potemkin_Prod said:
You'd be more than welcome, Kelso. You should come down once we get the set completed and filming nearly underway. It's not really that bad of a trip from Atlanta. I head up a couple of times a year (usually for funerals for aunts and uncles these days) as well as visits to my parents in Douglasville.
Click to expand...

I'm actually about an hour NW of Atlanta, but I really am tempted to try to get down to Albany to help in some way. I'm absolutely talentless, but maybe I could pass out lemonade or something. :)
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

Kelso said:
I'm actually about an hour NW of Atlanta, but I really am tempted to try to get down to Albany to help in some way. I'm absolutely talentless, but maybe I could pass out lemonade or something. :)
Click to expand...

We will post our shooting schedule, and you'd be more than welcome! Not sure about the lemonade, but we'll have plenty of sweet and unsweet tea on hand. :)

lennier1 said:
In case you haven't already done so make sure to check the following....
The team has augmented their display panels using motion tracking and some other methods to keep the budget manageable and the result is more than worth it....
Click to expand...

I agree that looks really nice, but not sure we'd be able to swing that on our first production. I met with our Director of Photography yesterday, and he's excited about the size of the bridge. When he heard the dimensions (and that we were doing it on a carport), he was less than optimistic. After he walked around the bridge three times yesterday, he was juiced and declared it more than large enough.

We ended up casting three more folks (again, all local actors) yesterday, with another wanting to join us on Monday. Also took on a young man who'll be basically serving as a stage manager (lighting, boom mics, camera work, etc.). Doing a makeup test with one of our Klingons today, and finishing up our to-do list from Thursday. It's clear to Ricky and I that as long as things continue as they are, we will have the bridge finished no later than June.

I've got to begin ordering uniform tops next, and this coming week, Ricky and I have to visit a local used car parts place (i.e. a junkyard) to find our captain's chair. We're going to put Van on a pivot mechanism for it.
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

Tonight, we've updated the website with more pics from our set construction (which is proceeding very nicely) and a CHARACTERS AND CAST MEMBERS page which is pretty self-explanatory.

The bridge is coming along very nicely, and we're hoping to do more tomorrow. We're expecting to film Wednesday evening, and plan to strike the Klingon set on Thursday so we can finish up framing the bridge set Friday. Turbolifts are on the TO DO list for the weekend!
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

This looks more promising with every new update.

Have you already tested some major camera angles? Many Trek productions preferred to choose their camera angles carefully in order to not have to add a ceiling to a set (also allows you to add additional lighting from up there). A good example would be Picard's ready room during TNG.

Looking forward to your choice of actors.
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

Quite right, and funny you should mention that.

Last night, after we hoisted the Security and Tactical stations into place, we were looking at that 8" clearing above the piece and trying to figure if we wanted to do anything with it. We're even considering using 80# white, gray or black cardstock cut into 12" strips and securing it to the ceiling and top of the station. We're also going to be adding an individual accent light over each station to better illuminate the actors on what's going to be a dark set.

One of the reasons we added the scrap board underneath the stations (seen in the picture of the science station) was because when we did some test shots from the forward walkway, over the navigator's station and shoulder, you could see the peach-colored planking from the carport.

Tonight, we're taking a close look at the sides of the panels as well to see if we need to add a plywood panel there. Suggestions would be most welcome!
 
Re: New Star Trek Fan Film

Second Unit Filming took place tonight on our Klingon bridge set. We've updated our website with pictures from the makeup sessions, and will probably post a few clips and vids in the coming days.

Be sure and check out our site's updates:

01/02/2010: "Building the Bridge"
03/05/2010: "The Search for the Right Soundstage"
03/17/2010: "Building the Bridge 2"
03/27/2010: "Building the Klingon Bridge"
04/06/2010: "Props"
04/21/2010: "Building the Bridge 3"
04/28/2010: "Characters and Cast Members" *NEW*
05/02/2010: "Building the Bridge 4"
05/10/2010: "Building the Bridge 5"*NEW*
05/12/2010: "Makeup!!!" *NEW*
 
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