This past weekend (I know, I’m a few days late here) was the commencement of filming for the STAR TREK: PHOENIX Pilot episode “Redivivus”. I have to say that it was GREAT. And I mean that in every sense of the word.
It was a MASSIVE shoot. We were in the ersatz-studio of Hangar 30 at Sand Point Magnuson Park in Seattle. I spent all day Friday setting up the enormous space with tables and chairs for breaks, makeup, hair, craft service, and green room space as well as tables and areas for the camera, props, our gaffer and his equipment, sound, the director’s monitor, etc. I also managed to gain a hairline fracture of my sternum in the process. Apparently the chair trolleys in that place are the YVH attack models. (if you get that reference, you’re a geek!)
I have to give immense credit to our crew for the eighteen hour day they pulled on Saturday in a giant old hangar with no heat in the 20-30 degreen (F) weather. Tamara Valjean, our intrepid Production Coordinator, had things under control beginning with crew call at 6:30 AM (really!). And our tireless AD, Gale Benning, who is thoughtful and thorough and creative and organized at the same time (I swear he’s got 2 hard drives running at once) kept things rolling no matter what. Leo Roberts, creator and Sr. Exec. Producer also served as director for the shoot and has found a real talent for it. Special thanks goes to Sunshine Whitton and Absolute Technology for all of the help and our ability to shoot on the AMAZING Red One camera.
It was a long day, beginning with interviews with Jim Dever of Evening Magazine which should air in the Seattle market some time in early March. Segments are often available for viewing via their website, so if you’re away from Seattle then you’ll have to settle for seeing us on your computer screen rather than on a big screen TV. Ben Andrews and I were featured in the segment along with Romulan Roy Stanton, and Brian Sipe of Gamut Studios who created the UNBELIEVABLE makeup effects. We couldn’t have aliens without him. Sr. Exec. Producer Leo Roberts and co-Exec. Producer Jön Johnson were also interviewed. The Evening Magazine crew were also provided with access to the set during shooting and footage from “Hollow” Starring Rodrigo DeMederios and three vignettes still in post. I can’t wait to see it when it airs.
The last shot of the last day of filming on a project is known as the “martini” shot. Well, on this project we have now a new tradition that the last shot of the first day of filming is the “cake” shot. I baked THIS CAKE
for the shoot and the cast and crew were more than willing to tear into it once we could get out of wardrobe.
Speaking of which: I have to give a shout out to Merrillee Schedin and Jon Schedin for their incredible and incredibly swift work on the uniform tunics. Bravo for makig us all look fabulous! Bravo also to Darren, Shynn, and co. for makeup and to Shannon for hair. I felt gorgeous. Everyone looked great.
Michelle McNamer did an amazing job at craft services and I hope that any film makers out there reading this who have a budget for such things consider contacting her to work on your set. She was awesome and no one of us went hungry or under-caffienated all day (18+ hours).
And to top it all off, we ended the day with a trailer shoot that will incorporate the entire principal cast and some material from the Pilot script. It was the first time that we have been together as a full cast, in uniform and in character, since we saw the script. We had a blast! It was cold and damp and we didn’t even care we were having so much fun. We even had a surprise attack by the evil bag-head-eans who were out to wreak havoc and get revenge on our Captain for having defeated them as a mere child. We will be doing more and more character work in the next few weeks and I look foward to it immensely.
This is a marvelous group of actors and an exceptional crew. Even the three young ladies who came to play random deck 39-ers (if you got that reference you are a geek AGAIN) were wonderful and we are pleased to welcome them into our world. You will be seeing Lt.s Ayiln and DeSoto and Ensign Kelly in the Pilot as well as in future episodes.
Tonight we have a production meeting where I get to demo some amazing software written by my very own husband (Windows 7 beta is awesome) and discuss what comes next. I can’t wait!!