Ain't it Cool News reveals first details of the long awaited reboot of sci-fi cult classic CAPTAIN POWER AND THE SOLDIERS OF THE FUTURE:
"Goddard Film Group's producing
team of Gary Goddard, Roger Lay Jr and Eric Carnagey are working with
former Paramount Television Senior Executive Jeffrey Hayes, who was
responsible for such television hits as STAR TREK THE NEXT GENERATION,
FAMILY TIES, and CHEERS, to bring back Goddard's Sci-fi Cult classic
CAPTAIN POWER AND THE SOLDIERS OF THE FUTURE in the form of a weekly
one-hour drama series titled PHOENIX RISING.
They have enlisted
writers/producers Judith and Garfield Reeves-Stevens to develop this
next evolution of the series. Recent television credits for the
Reeves-Stevens include creating the new science-fiction drama series
PRIMEVAL: NEW WORLD, the North American spin-off of the UK hit PRIMEVAL.
They also served as writers/producers on STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE for
Paramount and RACE TO MARS for Discovery."
Startrek.com celebrates TNG's 25th anniversary with an exclusive preview of STARDATE REVISITED: The Origins of Star Trek The Next Generation. This all-new feature length documentary was directed by Roger Lay, Jr and features never before seen screen tests, rare behind the scenes footage and images from the early days of the show, as well as new interviews with the entire cast of the show and creative personnel including Executive Producer Rick Berman, Make Up FX maestro Michael Westmore, Producer David Livingston and even the actor who was originally up for the role of Captain Picard. The film was exclusively produced for the Season One release of Star Trek The Next Generation Remastered. The site also has and exclusive Q&A with Roger Lay, Jr in which he discusses his ongoing work on the TNG Blu-Ray production team. TIME Magazine also celebrates the occasion with a look at TNG's impact in pop culture.
From creator John Leekley (SPAWN, KINDRED: THE EMBRACED), the cult hit series that kickstarted the young adult fantasy genre on television finally comes to DVD with all-new special features produced by Urban Archipelago Films.
WOLF LAKE: The Complete Series arrives in stores on November 6, packed with never before seen content including the unaired pilot episode of the series with commentary tracks from creator John Leekley and director Rupert Wainwright (STIGMATA, THE FOG).
Also included in this release is an all-new behind the scenes documentary directed by Roger Lay Jr which sheds new light on the show's origins, the making of the unaired pilot and un-produced episode ideas. The documentary also features new interviews with series creator / executive producer John Leekley and actor Paul Wesley (VAMPIRE DIARIES, 24). The complete series collection is now available for pre-order.
For the first time ever the original orchestral score to the sci-fi cult
classic is available on limited edition CD exclusively through Goddard
Film Group. Produced by Gary Goddard, Roger Lay Jr., and Eric Carnagey this special release includes an exclusive 16 page booklet with extensive liner
notes featuring all-new interview material with composer Gary Guttman,
creator Gary Goddard and recording sessions producer Ted King. The
booklet also includes never before seen concept art from the series. Pre-orders page is now up at Screen Archives and the official Captain Power site.
The new documentary from Urban Archipelago Films had it's World Premiere on August 11 as part of the 2012 edition of the Fantasia International Film Festival. TOY MASTERS played to a packed house in Montreal where the screening was followed by a Q&A with filmmakers Roger Lay Jr, Corey Landis, and Robert Meyer Burnett which was moderated by Fangoria's Editor Emeritus Tony Timpone.
The first review for the film is now up at FILM THREAT:
"The caliber of the interviewees, from people at all levels of Mattel,
to J. Michael Straczyski to Filmation co-founder Lou Scheimer, is
matched only by the astounding frankness of many of those interviewed.
There isn’t an angle to the story that isn’t covered...
The filmmakers’ passion for the subject is evident throughout, making
their decision to unobjectively include themselves in the narrative a
strength rather than a weakness. While on the surface tackling a niche subject, Toy Masters goes
a long way to show how something spawned, and later killed by,
corporate greed can affect the lives of the many for years to come."
Urban Archipelago Films has produced a series of all-new
documentaries along with hours of exclusive special features for CBS Home
Entertainment’s highly anticipated release of TNG in High Definition. The
complete first season is now available on Blu-ray featuring Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek
The Next Generation and Energized:
Taking the Next Generation to the Next level. Both documentaries are
directed by Roger Lay, Jr and feature new interviews with the cast and key
creative personnel of the iconic television drama.
"The work these folks have put into bringing TNG to life in HD is just remarkable. The crew behind this set are not phoning their efforts in, and their work, love and dedication to this series is simply wonderful, not to mention invaluable and inspiring. To be frank, if you're a fan of Trek, you'd be doing yourself a great disservice if you skipped this." - RL Shaffer, IGN
"CBS have clearly gone out of their way to create the “definitive” edition of TNG here. The STARDATE REVISITED series of documentaries covering the creation of the show are unparalleled in their detail – almost no stone is left unturned. I cannot recommend the set highly enough. I can guarantee: you won’t be disappointed!" - Adam Walker, Trek Core
"Also shepherded by Roger lay Jr. and Robert Meyer Burnett, STARDATE REVISITED is brilliantly realized and affectionately approached. It’s a fast paced insight into the creation and execution of TNG, by a team which clearly holds vast appreciation for the source material - one even gets the sense Lay and Burnett love the very process of bringing this documentary to life. SR is touching, honest, fun, quick, and hugely informative. SR manages to be an education unto itself, in addition to being, perhaps, the most enjoyable, comprehensive, and informative documentaries on the making of STAR TREK I’ve ever come across. I’ve already watched it twice, and can’t wait to see what wonders future installments will bring our way." - Glen Oliver, Ain't It Cool News
"There is just so much good stuff in STARDATE REVISITED that I don't want to spoil a moment of it for you. It's a joy and a thrill from start to finish. Lay and Burnett have clearly poured a tremendous amount of love, experience and expertise into these documentaries and they deserve the highest possible thanks for it. They're just a treat - every fan of this series needs to experience them." - Bill Hunt, TheDigitalBits.com
"These are wonderfully candid interviews and don't feel promotional in the least… strikingly amazing!" - Aaron Peck, High Def Digest
"Colorful, concise and casual, STARDATE REVISITED is a fascinating journey that fans will really enjoy, and one that I'll probably return to on several occasions...and what's more, the best is yet to come! Very, very Highly Recommended." - Randy Miller, DVDTalk
"A no-brainer for inclusion near the top of 2012's "best of" list and the release earns my highest recommendation. Paramount's done a great job on this set. The picture quality is superb, the audio excellent, and the supplements unbeatable. Trekkies will want to buy it immediately, fans of great Blu-ray and television should buy it quickly, and anyone who's ever wanted to jump into STAR TREK may as well jump in…" - Martin Liebman, Bluray.com
"Those who like Star Trek, who always wanted to buy a Blu-ray player now have the perfect incentive." - Bernd Schneider, Ex Astris Scientia
The complete first season of Star Trek: The Next Generation Remastered in glorious high definition is now available on blu-ray from CBS Home Entertainment. For an in-depth look at the set and an interview with Roger Lay, Jr visit startrek.com. Also check out this week's episode of Slice of Sci-Fi for an exclusive audio interview celebrating TNG's 25th anniversary.
For Trek fans who couldn't attend San Diego Comic Con 2012 here's some coverage from the Star trek TNG panel and press coference via treknews, movieviral, and startrek.com.
Urban Archipelago Films is proud to bring two very special projects to this year's San Diego Comic Con. First up, Urban Archipelago's Roger Lay, Jr. will be participating in a one-hour panel to talk about his work on the upcoming release of Star Trek: The Next Generation Remastered on blu-ray.
Urban Archipelago Films is producing a series of all-new
documentaries along with hours of exclusive special features for CBS Home
Entertainment’s highly anticipated release of TNG in High Definition. The
complete first season is available on Blu-ray on July 24 featuring Stardate Revisited: The Origin of Star Trek
The Next Generation and Energized:
Taking the Next Generation to the Next level. Both documentaries are
directed by Roger Lay, Jr and feature new interviews with the cast and key
creative personnel of the iconic television drama.
Fans can get a first-hand account of the ongoing and painstaking work to
transfer all seven seasons of the beloved series to high-definition during a special panel:
Before and After: A Behind the Scenes Look at Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Journey Into High Definition. Taking
place on Thursday, July 12 (2:00 pm – 3:00 pm, Room 7AB), the panel
will give fans an insider’s look at how the original film elements were
transferred into high-definition, and how the visual effects were
painstakingly recreated from the source material to look better than
ever. Filmmaker and DVD producer Robert Meyer Burnett will
moderate the panel which includes: Roger Lay, Jr. (Producer/Director,
Blu-Ray), Mike and Denise Okuda (Project Consultants), David S. Grant
(Vice President, Multimedia, CBS Television Distribution), Ryan Adams
(Director, Multimedia, CBS Television Distribution), Craig Weiss
(Creative Director, CBS Digital), Eric Bruno (Lead Compositor) and Wade
Felker (Film Transfer Technician).
Arriving on Blu-ray for the first time ever on July 24th, STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – THE FIRST SEASON will
offer fans unprecedented insight into the iconic and legendary series
with a wealth of brand new, original bonus content created exclusively
for the release. The centerpiece of the new bonus features is a
three-part, original documentary that goes behind the scenes for a look
at the conception, development and creation of the show and features new
interviews with the cast and crew of the popular series. The set also
includes a newly produced documentary – Energized! Taking The Next Generation to the Next Level – featuring interviews with the team that transformed the series into high-definition.
EXCLUSIVE, THREE-PART DOCUMENTARY
The all-new, three-part documentary Stardate Revisited – The Origin of STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION provides
unique insight into the early beginnings of what was soon to become one
of television’s most successful sci-fi series.
The
first part, entitled “Inception,” includes interviews with original
staff writers D.C. Fontana and David Gerrold discussing the early days
of the show and Gene Roddenberry’s mission to create a program that
would live up to the cultural phenomenon of the original Star Trek series.
In addition, executive producer Rick Berman looks back on the crucial
pre-production period including preliminary casting choices and key
creative decisions for year one. Plus, the documentary includes insight
from the entire art department including Star Trek expert Mike
Okuda – who, along with Denise Okuda, served as a consultant throughout
the ongoing Blu-ray project – providing a revealing look at the design
process for such iconic elements of the series as the Starship Enterprise and redesigned Starfleet gear for the 24th century.
Part
two of the documentary, “Launch,” features all-new interviews with cast
members Patrick Stewart (Captain Jean-Luc Picard), Jonathan Frakes
(Commander William T. Riker), LeVar Burton (Lt. Commander Geordi La
Forge), Marina Sirtis (Counselor Deanna Troi), Brent Spiner (Lt.
Commander Data), Michael Dorn (Lieutenant Worf), Gates McFadden (Dr.
Beverly Crusher) and Wil Wheaton (Wesley Crusher). With
never-before-seen makeup and screen test footage of the cast, fans will
have their first look at Burton and Spiner trying multiple versions of
their iconic design elements such as the VISOR and Data’s makeup. Plus,
the cast will walk viewers through their auditioning process, and share
memories of the making of Encounter at Farpoint, the fan-favorite television movie that launched the series.
The
conclusion of the three-part documentary, “The Continuing Mission,”
includes first-hand accounts by Berman and producer David Livingston who
detail the creation of the first season of the series from script to
final edit. Members of the special effects teams also provide a
never-before-seen look at the creation of the groundbreaking effects
from motion control photography to video compositing techniques. Also,
Denise Crosby (Lt. Tasha Yar) joins other cast members to take a look
back on the controversial decision to kill off her character in the
first season episode “Skin Of Evil.” Finally, Eugene Roddenberry shares
memories of his father, series creator Gene Roddenberry, who was
responsible for one of the most enduring and beloved franchises in
history.
ENERGIZED: TAKING THE NEXT GENERATION TO THE NEXT LEVEL
In addition, the set also includes a newly produced documentary titled Energized! Taking The Next Generation to the Next Level,
featuring exclusive behind-the-scenes footage and interviews with the
FX artists and film restoration technicians at CBS Digital, detailing
the philosophy and process behind the restoration.
On Friday July 13 San Diego Comic Con presents a one-hour panel celebrating the upcoming release of Urban Archipelago Film's all-new feature length documentary TOY MASTERS.
Toy Masters is the first ever feature-length documentary about the
worldwide billion-dollar phenomenon that inspired an entire generation
of children: Masters of the Universe (MOTU). Filmmakers Roger Lay Jr. and Corey Landis have tracked down all the key players in
search for the answer to the question: “Who actually created He-Man?”
The filmmakers will be screening exclusive material from the documentary
and participating in a Q&A on Friday, July 13th,
2012, from 8:30pm-9:30pm in room 26AB. Legions of MOTU fans are already buzzing with anticipation. It is
likely the film will reach an even wider audience once released, (a la
King of Kong), for the controversial rivalry between former Preliminary
Designer for Mattel, Roger Sweet, and former Visual Designer for Mattel,
Mark Taylor, (both of whom are claiming bragging rites for the initial
concept behind He-Man), makes for a compelling, and highly entertaining film. During this special one-hour panel fans will get to see exclusive
footage from the epic toy industry smack-down that is
TOY MASTERS. Moderator Robert Meyer Burnett (Director, Free Enterprise,
Femme Fatales) will be joined on stage by Toy Masters producers Roger Lay, Jr and Corey Landis. Joining them on the
panel will be many of the key players from the franchise's 30-year
history including writer J. Michael Straczynski.
The film features interviews with the key creative
personnel behind every version of the best selling toy line and all
incarnations of "Masters of the Universe" on television, film, stage,
and print, tracing the inception and ups and downs of the fantasy
juggernaut. Everyone involved in the 30 year history of this beloved
franchise makes appearances in the film including such genre luminaries
as J. Michael Straczynski (Babylon 5, Marvel’s Thor), Richard Edlund (Star
Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark), William Stout (Conan The Barbarian,
Pan's Labyrinth), Lou Scheimer (Filmation co-founder), Michael Westmore
(Star Trek Franchise), Don Glut (Empire Strikes Back, Transformers
Animated), and Gary Goddard (Terminator 2-3D, Captain Power). For more details visit the San Diego Comic-Con official site: www.comic-con.org
Follow TOY MASTERS on the Facebook group for updates, including
exclusive details on how you can be one of the first to see the film. Or
go to the film’s official site for a first look at the trailer: www.toymastersmovie.com
Also, during the Comic Con panel, the filmmakers will reveal details
on the world premiere of the film, which will be hosted by one of the
most prestigious film festivals in the Science Fiction and Fantasy
genre.
