TNG getting the blu-ray treatment

[Stofsk]

http://trekmovie.com/2011/07/26/report- ... g-in-2012/

Considering next year is TNG's 25th anniversary, I hope they go through with it.

[Stark]

Given how much no-budget guys can clean up something as rats as Doctor Who, and how cheap modern replacement effects are, I hope they try to add content.

Just replacing every awful model shot with decent cgi = worth buying, without even touching the crappy in-shot effects.

[Darth Tedious]

If the models were reasonably detailed, they might not have to...
I recently saw 2001 in hi-def for the first time and blew chunks over how well-greeblied the Discovery actually was.

True, some of the TNG studio models sucked, but I'd at least love to get a good look at the original Borg cube.

[Skylon]

TNG always seemed like it could use a CGI update even more than TOS. Thanks to pacing, music and everything TOS space battles always seemed more fast paced and exciting - even with crappy 60's effects. TNG battles just seem slow, and I'd love to see the effects redone so the Ent-D isn't just sitting around like a beached whale.

[Stark]

If the models were reasonably detailed, they might not have to...
I recently saw 2001 in hi-def for the first time and blew chunks over how well-greeblied the Discovery actually was.

True, some of the TNG studio models sucked, but I'd at least love to get a good look at the original Borg cube.

I think an issue would be the original recording media (ie shit) and the cost:benefit of trying to improve some of TNGs bad CG/model compositing. Fixing matte lines is one thing, but fixing scales or phasers from torpedo tubes? It'd probably be cheaper to just throw many of them.

[JME2]

I'd love to see the effects redone so the Ent-D isn't just sitting around like a beached whale.

An perfect summation of why I've never liked the Galaxy-class design.

I'd love to see the battles remastered, too.

[Alyeska]

Early season TNG special effects were deliberately run on TV resolutions of 480. They cannot upscale. Some of the models were wonderful for detail, but they were not filmed on Movie level camera equipment. Everything was filmed in standard definition. The TNG DVDs run through DVD upscaling look like absolute shit. DS9 wasn't nearly so bad because they started to run more detail and by season 5 were actually putting out tremendous detail. They have to do a CGI treatment on TNG.

[JME2]

They have to do a CGI treatment on TNG.

Yeah, they don't have much of a choice.

[Alyeska]

Details on the challenges to remastering TNG. Link

Last summer Van Citter stated that there were significant technical issues that made remastering TNG in HD more problematic than remastering the original Star Trek series. One of the main issues is that the special effects for TNG were done in video, and redoing all the effects would be much more expensive than with the TOS Remastered project. Mike Okuda, who was one of the producers for 2006-2008 project to remastered the original Star Trek series, once told TrekMovie a particularly problematic issue is with the USS Enterprise D bridge screen. Unlike the original series, characters often stood or walked in front of the screen and so to swap out new digital effects, they would have to manually rotoscope out all the moving actors. However, last summer CBS’ Van Citers also noted that he was "optimistic" CBS would eventually figure out how to deliver Star Trek: The Next Generation in HD.

TNG was produced at a time when the only quality that was ever expected of it was standard definition TV resolution. And with traditional CRT TVs of the day, they could use more lazy special effects. Apparently their filming style would make the work even more difficult. At least their actual film for the live action appears to have been in higher resolution quality.

[Stofsk]

I'd love to see the effects redone so the Ent-D isn't just sitting around like a beached whale.

An perfect summation of why I've never liked the Galaxy-class design.

The Enterprise-D is one of my favourites really, in the general aesthetic of the model and gracefulness of it, but yeah I hate how in many of the space shots she's just sitting there like a beached whale. (in TOS the Enterprise was often manoeuvring at warp speeds during battles) There were several scenes where she could move quickly, like when she's manoeuvring around to go to warp for example, but many of the battles she's just sitting there. On the other hand, in 'Survivors' and 'Best of Both Worlds' she opens up with all her weapons at once which kinda makes up for it.

It's the battles where she's slowly wallowing around firing a little burst of the phasers that get me. Like in Generations for example, where they spent a fucking ton of money on showing the saucer section crash land on a planet for what seemed like a million years, but for the battle they had just one phaser blast and one photon torpedo. I blame the writers.

[Uraniun235]

Early season TNG special effects were deliberately run on TV resolutions of 480. They cannot upscale. Some of the models were wonderful for detail, but they were not filmed on Movie level camera equipment. Everything was filmed in standard definition. The TNG DVDs run through DVD upscaling look like absolute shit. DS9 wasn't nearly so bad because they started to run more detail and by season 5 were actually putting out tremendous detail. They have to do a CGI treatment on TNG.

My understanding was that the actual model passes were shot on 35mm film, but the editing and optical effects were done on videotape - so theoretically if the film was still around you could reuse some of the model shots, but the amount of effort necessary to re-edit the footage together and re-create the effects would make it more practical to simply redo the whole shot in CGI anyway. I just hope the CGI doesn't turn out looking bland and dull.


In my opinion one of the bigger problems will be some of the bridge shots - the lighting they used in the first couple of seasons was so harsh that they would tape panels of black cardboard onto some of the rear bridge display panels. You can sometimes see it on DVD, and I have to wonder how apparent it will be in HD. Trying to 'fix' that would probably be very expensive though. Someone speculated on another forum that instead of doing a complete set, they might try to make a "best of" list of TNG episodes and only redo those in HD.

[JME2]

In my opinion one of the bigger problems will be some of the bridge shots - the lighting they used in the first couple of seasons was so harsh that they would tape panels of black cardboard onto some of the rear bridge display panels. You can sometimes see it on DVD, and I have to wonder how apparent it will be in HD. Trying to 'fix' that would probably be very expensive though. Someone speculated on another forum that instead of doing a complete set, they might try to make a "best of" list of TNG episodes and only redo those in HD.

This is probably going to be more likely and cheaper for Paramount.

Then again, they've spared no expense for their cash cow in the past, so I could be wrong.

[Alyeska]

Considering that TNG and DS9 DVD seasons are still obscenely priced, I bet they do the Blu-Ray treatment and then charge $200 a season.

[Stark]

My understanding was that the actual model passes were shot on 35mm film, but the editing and optical effects were done on videotape - so theoretically if the film was still around you could reuse some of the model shots, but the amount of effort necessary to re-edit the footage together and re-create the effects would make it more practical to simply redo the whole shot in CGI anyway. I just hope the CGI doesn't turn out looking bland and dull.

You'd be surprised; when the original components still exist, even shitty DW serials have had effects replaced for little cost. Model shots in particular should be easier to spruce up, but from what I've seen in other shows if they decide to replace them, there's both the possibility for movie-quality shots and the possibility for amazingly amateurish garbage.

[MKSheppard]

2012 will be the 25th Anniversary of Encounter at Farpoint.

In a way the above makes me feel old; I'm old enough to remember (and watch) the Star Trek 25th Anniversary specials floating around in 1991/92.

One of the rumors is that Paramount is using the sale rights of selling the streaming rights of Star Trek episodes to every digital streaming format known to man to fund the remastering of TNG into 4K.

As one of the guys at the Forums at blu-ray.com said:

"This will be very expensive, as Star Trek: The Next Generation was mastered only on video tape. This means all the special FX, green screen, and matte work were only done in standard definition. In order for the series to make the transition to HD, they would have to go back to raw film footage, do all the editing from scratch. It's like producing the show all over again."

Thing is; I'm not really worried about the re-edited TNG episodes not matching up 100% to each millisecond, because unlike Lucasfilm, Paramount aren't world class dicks, and won't stop the sales or transmission of the original SD episodes. Look at how they had the original FX and new FX neatly coexist on the TOS Blu Rays.

It seems this year's comic con, there was this update from the DigitalBits guys:

Multiple sources I spoke with at Comic-Con have also confirmed our report from earlier this year that CBS is hard at work on Star Trek: The Next Generation - Remastered for Blu-ray release starting sometime in 2012. The latest word is that 4 test episodes are currently being worked on for release as a sampler/demo BD disc of the project, and that sampler disc will somehow be available to fans by the end of this year. Watch for additional news in the months ahead.

According to the Germanoids at bluray-disc.de the Disc will come out on December 15th and contain the episodes:

Encouter at Farpoint 1 & 2
Sins of the Father
The Inner Light

[Uraniun235]

At first I thought Encounter at Farpoint was a bit of an odd choice (series opener, yes, although it seems like most people don't particularly care for it), but then I realized that as the only effects-heavy episode of the lot, it made a lot of sense: it's the one episode where all the effects had been done by ILM, and from which so many effects shots were re-used again and again as stock shots throughout the series.

[Stofsk]

I haven't seen 'Encounter at Farpoint' for a long time, but I remember liking it. It's not as good as later TNG, but for season 1 and 2? Pretty solid.

Anyway I love the news, and can't wait to see it.

[Elheru Aran]

At first I thought Encounter at Farpoint was a bit of an odd choice (series opener, yes, although it seems like most people don't particularly care for it), but then I realized that as the only effects-heavy episode of the lot, it made a lot of sense: it's the one episode where all the effects had been done by ILM, and from which so many effects shots were re-used again and again as stock shots throughout the series.

Exactly; for example, the saucer separation is only in this episode mainly because Gene Roddenberry had come up with it for TOS or one of the movies (can't remember which). However, that was in the middle of the original series, and Paramount was unwilling to cooperate with him on spending more money to make new FX shots.

Enter TNG, and he decided to get it out of the way first thing so the FX would be there for later episodes...

Re TNG on BR: Cool idea, but at the prices they charge for plain-jane DVDs to start with? No. Not going to happen for me until it's a generation or two old... and by then I'll be able to stream it for free or something. Sorry.

[Uraniun235]

I'm skeptical about it having been Gene who invented it. He loved to take the credit for other people's work. I also can't think of an episode where separating the saucer would have made sense. There was a proposed separation sequence for TMP, but that one was devised by Andrew Probert.

What I did hear was that there were two throwaway shots in Engineering written into Farpoint specifically to get the set built.

[StarSword]

I also can't think of an episode where separating the saucer would have made sense.

When was the last time you saw "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 2"? It made reasonable sense there, as it forced the Borg to deal with two targets at once. (Based on that episode and First Contact, the Borg don't seem to be able to aim at multiple targets simultaneously.)

[Uraniun235]

I also can't think of an episode where separating the saucer would have made sense.

When was the last time you saw "The Best of Both Worlds, Part 2"? It made reasonable sense there, as it forced the Borg to deal with two targets at once. (Based on that episode and First Contact, the Borg don't seem to be able to aim at multiple targets simultaneously.)

I meant an episode of TOS, when Gene allegedly invented the concept.

[Uraniun235]

Official confirmation:

http://www.startrek.com/article/the-nex ... ch-in-2012

CBS is, in fact, returning to the original film negatives, a mother lode of material encompassing 25,000-plus reels of footage, and editing the episodes together precisely as they were when they originally aired between 1987 and 1994. Visual effects will not be upconverted from videotape, but instead will be recompositioned. The freshly cut film will ultimately be transferred to high definition with 7.1 DTS Master Audio. And all of the work is being done in conjunction with respected, longtime Star Trek figures Denise and Michael Okuda, who are on board as consultants.

As for that sampler, it will be called Star Trek: The Next Generation -- The Next Level. CBS Home Entertainment has set a January 31, 2012, release date for the single disc, which will include the feature-length version of the series pilot, "Encounter at Farpoint," as well the fan-favorite episodes "Sins of the Father" and "The Inner Light," the former from season three and the latter from season five. The Next Level will sell for the suggested retail price of $21.99.

[Anguirus]

Ok, THIS might make me buy a Blu-Ray player. I grew up with this show, in the most literal sense.

[Alyeska]

Official confirmation:

http://www.startrek.com/article/the-nex ... ch-in-2012

CBS is, in fact, returning to the original film negatives, a mother lode of material encompassing 25,000-plus reels of footage, and editing the episodes together precisely as they were when they originally aired between 1987 and 1994. Visual effects will not be upconverted from videotape, but instead will be recompositioned. The freshly cut film will ultimately be transferred to high definition with 7.1 DTS Master Audio. And all of the work is being done in conjunction with respected, longtime Star Trek figures Denise and Michael Okuda, who are on board as consultants.

As for that sampler, it will be called Star Trek: The Next Generation -- The Next Level. CBS Home Entertainment has set a January 31, 2012, release date for the single disc, which will include the feature-length version of the series pilot, "Encounter at Farpoint," as well the fan-favorite episodes "Sins of the Father" and "The Inner Light," the former from season three and the latter from season five. The Next Level will sell for the suggested retail price of $21.99.

Very cool. We might even see a handful of goofs fixed. Like the phasers from the torpedo launcher.

[Vympel]

I haven't seen 'Encounter at Farpoint' for a long time, but I remember liking it. It's not as good as later TNG, but for season 1 and 2? Pretty solid.

Anyway I love the news, and can't wait to see it.

All I remember about Encounter at Farpoint was the goofy man-skirts and Marina Sirtis' overacting (Pain ... loneliness .... pain). I didn't like it, personally.