Doug Drexler has
announced on his blog that he will be joining others from the original production team of
TNG to work on the remastering project, and also gave an insight into the modus operandi of the remastering project:
Tomorrow I start work with Dan Curry, David Takemura, and Mike and Denise Okuda on the Star Trek: The Next Generation Remastered.
You heard right, this time around Paramount is bringing in a team that lived TNG as it happened. Dan, as I’m sure you know, was the visual effects supervisor on Next Gen. Unlike the remastering of TOS, this job will be 100% true to the original. Visual effects shots will not be reinvented, pulling you out of the show. What’s about to happen is truly extraordinary. The studio has saved all the original footage, and VFX elements from the good old days.. We will be recompositing them, and then outputting them in high definition. Here and there, elements have been lost, and we will recreate only those missing pieces, and with this promise: aside from looking like you had your windshield cleaned, you won’t know the difference. Star Trek:The Next Generation is Gene Roddenberry’s legacy, it is culturally significant, and we will rejuvenate the show with curatorial eyes only. Paramount Picture deserves a round of applause, and I can’t wait to dig in with my friends.
This echoes Mike Okuda’s recent comments in response to readers of his blog when
he posted about TNG remastered:
The good folks at CBS are working very hard to make their work fit in with the original versions, except sharper and clearer. Very occasionally there are a few small aspects (like the green planet in "Sins of the Father," shown above) that are tweaked a little for HD. We don't doubt that sharp-eyed fans (and VFX professionals) will notice some differences, but for the most part, the idea is for CBS to re-create HD versions of the effects that everyone has been so familiar with for so many years.
TrekCore meanwhile have added a
new comparison feature for the footage so far released, demonstrating what a remarkable improvement is being made. Go
check it out.
Actually this is a bit of a bummer in some ways. Don't get me wrong I'm a diehard for authenticity but just like TOS, for budgetary reasons TNG had to resort to stock footage and reusing the exact same matte paintings for different totally different planets on more than one occasion. This is one aspect I loved about the Remastered TOS, not only were they kind and respectful to the original intent of the material but the added judiciously where it was needed. Requiem for Methuselah comes immediately to mind.
ReplyDeleteOh I agree; I was looking forward to some new angles on the Enterprise, maybe the odd new ship or enhanced matt painting like TOS remastered. Fingers crossed at least a few new treats get added depsite what they've said.
ReplyDeletealas its a half job unlike the tos version
ReplyDelete