HOLLYWOOD, Calif. (July 2, 2012) – 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 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 experts Mike and Denise Okuda, who served as consultants throughout the ongoing Blu-ray project. The Okudas provide revealing looks 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). This segment also features many bloopers and never-before-seen makeup and screen test footage of the cast. Among other things, 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 take viewers through their casting experiences, and share memories of the making of Encounter At Farpoint, the television pilot that launched the series.
The conclusion of the three-part documentary, “The Continuing Mission,” includes first-hand accounts by Berman and producers David Livingston and Peter Lauritson who detail the creation of the first season of the series from script to final edit. Members of the special effects teams also provide never-before-seen looks at the creation of the groundbreaking effects from motion control photography to video compositing techniques. For the first time fans will be able to see a newly found pencil animation of Starfleet officers gathering around the conference table which was composited into the observation lounge viewports of the Enterprise on the last shot of the show’s opening sequence.
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, which features 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.
BLU-RAY DETAILS
The STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION – THE FIRST SEASON six-disc Blu-ray includes all 25 episodes from the inaugural season and is bursting with additional bonus features presented in standard definition such as archival footage, original show and episode promos, mission logs and a gag reel. The set also includes a look at taking the series to the next level in high definition for this highly-anticipated release.
SAN DIEGO COMIC-CON INTERNATIONAL 2012 PANEL
Providing fans with a first-hand account of the ongoing and painstaking work to transfer all seven seasons of the beloved series to high-definition, the team behind the project will participate in a special Before and After: A Behind the Scenes Look at Star Trek: The Next Generation’s Journey Into High Definition panel at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con. 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).
