slug Posted January 1, 2007 Share Posted January 1, 2007 This straming vid probably works but you are much better off going straight to the site, or getting the vid from this direct link: http://www.auroratrek.com/aurorapt1med288.wmv [stream=475,325]http://www.auroratrek.com/aurorapt1med288.wmv[/stream] Website, with downloadable episode: http://www.auroratrek.com/ I don't usually go for fanfilms but I make an exception in this case. Rather than the usual impressive but slightly dodgy CGI work, interspersed with genuinely dodgy blue screen virtual sets, this flick is completely CGI, and works well. It takes the 'space boomer' idea of freighters in space but actually does a much better job of visualising it than the Mayweather eps of Enterprise. It starts in what appears to be the usually forgotten time period of the first feature film, with flashbacks to TOS era. The character models, camera movement and voice acting are really quite impressive and it ended with me wanting to see more. The 'fanfilm revolution' usually consists of well meaning but ultimately bad attempts at live action on DV, this is a far superior method and I would like to see more in the way of CG fanfilms like this, Star Wars fanfilms in particular could benefit from this style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TFMF Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 I have to agree - some of the CGI stuff is quite good. The voice acting is strong, which makes a nice change to some of the other stuff we've seen previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 Certainly the best find of 2007 ;) Seriously, this is - if for no other reason - an awesome piece of CGI. I have to agree that CGI is probably the way forward for fan films - in terms of money spent, it's always going to beat live action. What was it... Hidden Frontiers? That had some HIGHLARIOUS blue screen stuff - as well as the hideous attempts at plot and script... and the acting, I was pretty much just watching it for the hilarity... but certainly, this could be used to raise the game of fan films - and indeed, any kind of film made by amateurs - to a whole new level. All you need are hot sounding voice actors to go with the hot computer generated characters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slug Posted January 2, 2007 Author Share Posted January 2, 2007 I'm glad you agree. I usually measure fanfilms on the rather shallow level of how many semi-attractive women the people who made them somehow actually managed to get involved. This film manages to avoid the perculiar egotism you get with fanfilms, where they try and make something on the scale of actual proffesional jobs, lightsabre battles etc, and putting their perculiar looking selves in the starring role. This, alongside 'Troops' and 'IMPS: The Relentless,' takes the more mature approach of finding a more obscure and unexplored setting, and not being obsessed with putting their own faces in the production. The design of this film is also appealing, with the stubby looking Constitution class sans saucer ship, but with a nice rounded edge to it, something that can also be applied to the female stars, who looked and sounded impressively hot. Rather than the usual ghastly exposure of lots of repressed individuals, the guy who did this would seem to have shared his inner desires in a way which we can also appreciate. This may be overly psychoanalytic but I think it is a valid point. There also appears to be some BSG influence, the flashback ship would seem to be a hybrid between Trek design and the 'Colonial Movers' ship seen in both versions of BSG. Its also particularly good that the production puts itself in one of the briefest Trek design periods, that of 'Star Trek The Motion Picture,' which had its own goofy unique late 70's design, which is so much more enticeing than a TNG era production, which would have just been a poor second to what has already been overexposed on screen and is generally uninteresting in amateur productions. Lastly, the shot of the Romulan Bird of Prey in the helmet reflection was beautifuly inspired and an excellent piece of filmmaking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabrood Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 Impressive. I don't want to know how much work he (seing that it's just one "coder" so to say) put into the character models and their facial expressions. As for the voices, he just used the whole family - that's the spirit ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted January 2, 2007 Share Posted January 2, 2007 The clear draw of the TOS type era is that it was before everything could be fixed with a bit of hammering at the console and technology wasn't the answer to everything... Although, that was one of the reasons for Enterprise and that was a lead balloon. Still, this seems like an interesting concept. I'm not sure that a two person crew of one woman and one Vulcan is what I'd have put together but then, I guess they've got the makings of a comedy duo (Vulcans do the best deadpan) and we'll just have to see how it goes. It'll also be a nice change to see things from a perspective that ISN'T the high tech, Federation warship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marcroft Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 The clear draw of the TOS type era is that it was before everything could be fixed with a bit of hammering at the console and technology wasn't the answer to everything... Although, that was one of the reasons for Enterprise and that was a lead balloon. Still, this seems like an interesting concept. I'm not sure that a two person crew of one woman and one Vulcan is what I'd have put together but then, I guess they've got the makings of a comedy duo (Vulcans do the best deadpan) and we'll just have to see how it goes. It'll also be a nice change to see things from a perspective that ISN'T the high tech, Federation warship. Interesting how you dont see the Vulcan as a woman though. I mean do only humans have gender - how rather Shinzon of you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted January 3, 2007 Share Posted January 3, 2007 Very nice! I've never cared for CGI stuff before, but I'm beginning to change my mind. If things keep on like this, we won't need actors and actresses anymore... ;D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted January 4, 2007 Share Posted January 4, 2007 Yeah, CGI really has come a long way in the past 10 years and it's fair to say that it's only going to get better. I'm hopeful that the abject failure of Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within, won't keep producers away from releasing "serious" films in CGI... but then I suppose that it's still a LOT easier to knock out a kids film in CGI than it is to do something approaching the kind of realism that people are going to expect from an action film. I hear they're doing a WoW film actually... And for the record, I did think of the Vulcan as female (even if it's somewhat less obvious) I just thought it would be easier to identify the crew as woman and Vulcan. Are there gender emoticons? I'll stick one of those on next time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slug Posted January 4, 2007 Author Share Posted January 4, 2007 Yes, the mb code is (.) (.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Centurion Posted January 7, 2007 Share Posted January 7, 2007 He he he... Yeah, here is the mb code: Anyway, the premise of Aurora is quite interesting, and, apparently, it has less plot holes than Enterprise. So let's see how it works out. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slug Posted January 7, 2007 Author Share Posted January 7, 2007 I am not sure that the graphics engine quite accounts for how natural breasts flatten somewhat when their owner lies down. That said they do appear to have moved to the side somewhat, in accordance with certain laws of gravity. But remember Travis saying that his father always kept the gravity slightly lower than average when on long haul missions. Which makes me consider the enticing implications of what effect reduced gravity would have on the female anatomy. Anyway, what were we talking about? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
subspatial Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 this is actually quite cool, But i never thought i'd hear a star trek title theme music that was worse than Enterprise. The song makes me want to hurt myself with a hammer.... :P Lets hope he changes it to something ....well anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted January 9, 2007 Share Posted January 9, 2007 What I'd really like to see would be a Trek theme tune that was inspired by 90s dance classic "Ebezneer Good". And just when ARE those boffins going to get the software to simulate breasts right, eh? If it's sci-fi, they should be able to simulate zero-g jiggle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dabrood Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Apparently part 2 is finally finished. According to http://www.auroratrek.com/ it's currently being uploaded. I am looking forward to it. EDIT: Alright, I watched it. It's not bad at all. Technically it's very good for a one-man-project. I don't dig the story though, but that's a matter of taste I suppose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Well, about a million times better than any fan project I've seen. I agree the story is... possibly not the best... I mean, we've all heard that kind of tale before but... still, not bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hilander72 Posted July 21, 2007 Share Posted July 21, 2007 Not knowing it's pretty obvious a male wrote the story. I'm hoping part 3 or 4 doesn't involve some gel-rubbing. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tenebrae Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 "I'm so dirty, Vulcan first officer." "Yes, we must both go to the jello wrestling facility to clean ourselves." Boobs could be bigger though. Let's hope there is MYSTERIOUS ENERGY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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