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    Well... we've got some more information for you today on   
   CBS/Paramount's effort to upgrade Star Trek: The Original Series in   
   high-definition with new digital effects. This comes from a phone Q&A   
   session with producers John Nogawski, Dave Rossi, and Michael Okuda,   
   held earlier this morning:   
      
   The effort to update The Original Series is a completely independent   
   effort from Paramount's theatrical side of the franchise. This is not   
   related to the J.J. Abrams feature.   
      
   The purpose of this effort is NOT to change the story and plot.   
   They're working rather "to enhance the experience of watching Star   
   Trek." The intent is very much to honor the original.   
      
   The work is painstaking... they're trying to be very faithful to the   
   original effects, right down to the placement of stars. Says Mike   
   Okuda: "Star Trek is a period piece... all the decisions are being   
   made so as to honor and recreate the look and feel of the original   
   style, direction and cinematography."They're confining themselves to   
   the original edit length of the shots, and the dynamics of motion and   
   position within the shots will be the same (so don't look for the   
   Enterprise to do any barrel-rolls, etc).   
      
   There are certain occasions where they are going to do things to   
   correct errors, but they're not going into the live-action footage   
   much. Mostly they're sticking to exterior ship shots and viewscreen   
   shots, and some atmospheric effects are being added to matte paintings   
   of planet exteriors. The aliens will stay the same (no revised Klingon   
   foreheads, etc)!   
      
   In addressing the ways in which the series' classic opening has been   
   changed, it was noted that the re-modeled CG Enterprise was created   
   from measurements taken from the original filming model hanging in the   
   Smithsonian. All the star patterns are being exactly duplicated. The   
   Enterprise motion is simply being smoothed out. The music is being   
   re-scored, but otherwise most of the changes are very subtle.   
      
   Mike Okuda was initially a little reluctant when he first heard that   
   this was bring done, but when he learned the spirit of the effort, his   
   opinion changed. The producers involved in the effort are not   
   concerned about a backlash, because they're "taking every effort to do   
   it appropriately." For example, they've spent hours discussing whether   
   or not to do certain changes, so they're being very careful.   
      
   All 79 episodes are being done, plus the pilot. 35-40 episodes will be   
   done for weekly broadcast syndication airing this year, and another   
   35-40 for next year. The entire length of the episode is being done,   
   not just the 43-minute syndication length (broadcast stations choose   
   how much they wish to show of the episode). There are somewhere   
   between 15-70 effects shots per episode, and the total length of   
   enhanced footage per episode could be as little as a minute and a half   
   (depending on the episode).   
      
   Masters are apparently being created in both 4x3 and 16x9. [Editor's   
   Note: We're working to determine EXACTLY what this means, and how the   
   specific footage is being handled.] Eventually, the producers expect   
   that there will be a DVD release of the new versions [and presumably   
   high-definition HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc versions as well], but not   
   right away, as it's going to take at least a year to get all the work   
   on all the episodes done.   
      
   The original versions of the episodes will continue to be available on   
   TV Land and G4, and the previously-released DVDs will continue to be   
   available. The new versions will be seen only in broadcast syndication   
   for at least the next year or so, and will air as they're completed.   
   The new versions can't be shown on cable until all the episodes are   
   done, as cable syndication deals are made in "strip" packages (meaning   
   entire runs of episodes - complete seasons or entire series). The   
   original film masters of all the episodes will be preserved.   
      
   The episodes will be seen on more than 200 stations around the   
   country, starting on September 19th. In terms of which specific   
   stations will be showing the new versions, The Original Series is   
   apparently replacing Enterprise in syndication. So if your local   
   station has been showing Enterprise in recent months, that station   
   will now be showing the new enhanced Original Series episodes.   
   Enterprise is being moved to strip syndication on Sci-Fi Channel and   
   HDNet. Star Trek.com will be posting a list of every market in the   
   country where you can see the new episodes soon. Promotion/advertising   
   for the newly-enhanced Star Trek is expected to begin this week.   
      
   Not all of the broadcast stations will be able to transmit the   
   episodes in full HD. Regardless, they'll be shown in the original 4x3   
   aspect ratio (presumably with black bars on the sides for digital   
   broadcasts). It's up to the affiliates as to whether they'll show the   
   episodes in true HD. Apparently, many stations don't have the harddisc   
   capacity to store pre-recorded syndicated episodes in full high-def   
   (broadcast stations that do HD mostly just do it live, or simply   
   re-transmit network HD broadcasts). The hope is that will change over   
   time, as stations upgrade their equipment.   
      
   The first few episodes to be shown will include Balance of Terror,   
   Journey to Babel, Mirror, Mirror and The Menagerie, Parts 1 & 2. FYI,   
   Doomsday Machine is scheduled for the "second" broadcast season next   
   year (as we said, there are going to be two 35-40 episode seasons).   
      
   The preliminary decision to enhance The Original Series was made in   
   January. The final decision was made in March, and planning began   
   shortly thereafter. The actual production work began much more   
   recently. FYI, there are no plans at this point to do anything similar   
   with the other Trek series.   
      
   And that's about it for now. We're hoping to ask some more specific   
   follow-up questions - particularly questions related to the eventual   
   DVD, HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc release plans (and the way the aspect   
   ratio is being handled in the production) - in the near future. We'll   
   be sure to keep you up to date.   
      
   You'll find additional information (and another perspective) on what   
   was learned in today's Q&A session over at http://www.trekmovie.com/   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)