production values for XI

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Because I'm also a general sci-fi nerd and a longtime RD fan, I'm pretty impressed with the production values of Series XI. The look is filmic (so was the last series, to some extent; is Doug still using the RED camera?) and so far it feels like there are more sets than X was able to offer.

Any comments on the look of the new series? Sets, lighting, props, FX, costuming - generally just the look and tech of the series?

Comments

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

To invoke another aspect of the new series, I just rewatched Twentica and noticed the bit of score written for the "acquiring suits" and "escaping the club" scenes. Interesting mix of speakeasy and 1950s big musical film scores.

The one thing about this series I'm iffy on is, I felt like the bunkroom was more of a "character" in X, whereas in XI there's not much going on with it so far. I liked it being a character; on the other hand, this series' setup feels less roomy and more intimate, space-wise. It hearkens back to the first several series in some ways. (Oh, man - I wonder if the guys could possibly come across their old quarters at some point in the future, have some excuse to go find an old object or book or something, and just wander their colorful selves into that ocean gray nightmare with the reversible sink/toilet and inflatable banana, LOL ...)

[missflibble.livejournal.com]

The bunkroom is still the same size (new set as the old one got water damaged). If the camera had pulled out and/or turned around in Samsara you'd have seen more of it. It's just that these scenes were shot tightly. You can see Cat in part of the kitchen area in the opening credit sequence.

[rosecathy1.livejournal.com]

The main sets look good so far. They have that clean, modern look, similar to BTE sets in some ways, but with less of (what I perceived as) the sterile feel. The various spaceship shots have looked beautiful too; I could re-watch the Samsara crashing into the ocean all day.

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

*VERY MILD SPOILERS*







"Officer Rimmer" has an extended bunkroom scene with all four main characters present and utilises set furniture, so we should get a good look at it then, although obviously I don't know exactly which takes they went with.

I love that thought, but of course it wouldn't be exactly the same. It would be more like the reconstructed bunkroom in "BITR" Part 1. But I liked that and wish we'd seen more of it.

Someone pointed out that the "Samsara" uniforms were obviously intended to evoke the original uniforms seen in "The End". I did like the spaceship set when it was clean and well lit. It could have worked for RD if they'd had a bigger budget back in Series 1.

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

I loved all the 20s costumes and hairstyles in "Twentica", especially since I've always liked those types of dresses but considered them to only look good on tall, thin supermodel types. But Rebecca Blackstone looked great in her sparkly black outfit. :)

Possibly silly question - given the general climate of the alternate 1952, was Lister's "Uncle Joe?" line intended as an oblique Joe McCarthy reference?

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

Knowing Doug's penchant for wordplay, that's possible, but I wouldn't think so given the boys' situation. I don't know the extent of Doug's knowledge of our history and the subtleties of it, but given McCarthy's reputation for investigating anything and anyone potentially connected to Communism - and in the process, basically curtailing artistic, scientific, and any other kind of progress he could drag through his hearings - I wouldn't think any association with McCarthy would put Lister in good standing with the Lady Be Gooders. I took it as a straightforward wink from Doug acknowledging a connection with the Lister that everybody has heard of. (Also, since modern American mobsters can most notably trace their families' power back to moonshining and liquor provision during Prohibition, I figured it was also a nod to Lister using a "the Family" association as this universe's version of a mobster trading in illegal services.)

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

The FX really are seamlessly done so far in XI. It's like a high-dollar production compared to the very old days.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I know the uniforms were probably meant to evoke Series 1 and 2, but honestly, it put me in mind of the new Ghostbusters.

Between Series X and XI, I'm beginning to want to write RPF of Doug and the set design crew out shopping for desk chairs for scenes, the arguments and gesticulating about the relative merits of executive office chairs vs. IKEA bucket plastic, and why if there's money for $875 executive desk chairs for the drive room, then why can't SOMEBODY rig up a pneumatic piston so one of the lead actors doesn't have to crouch for his scenes, god damn it.

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

I like the tighter shooting. I suppose the wider shots work in some instances, such as when the room is being used by all the characters such as the moose joke, but when it's just one or two, a tighter shot feels better - like a tighter shot would have been better when Lister and Rimmer were sorting the mail in "Dear Dave" for instance.

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

I wasn't clear - I didn't mean an intentional reference on Lister's part, rather a wink on Doug's. Obviously McCarthy wouldn't be a good name to evoke with the Lady Be Gooders given his persecution of intellectuals and free thinkers. But Doug could have put it in to show he was aware how reminiscent of the McCarthy witchhunts the whole situation is.

I suppose it could just as easily be a Stalin reference as he was referred to as Uncle Joe sometimes. But you're right, Joseph Lister the pioneering surgeon combined with a nod to Mob families seems the most likely thing.

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

Oh yes, of course. So who's writing the fic where it turns out Holtzmann was brought up by her grandmother Big Bang Beryl and her lover Harmony? ;)

I'm joking - I still haven't seen it, so I don't know what Holtzmann's upbringing was like. :)

[veronica-rich.livejournal.com]

That's not a bad crossover. There's literally no background on Holtzmann other than some education and a mentor (Sigourney Weaver as a possibly saner, sexier Doc Brown). So it's wide open right now ...

[missflibble.livejournal.com]

Indeed, the range of shots used in the bunk scenes thus far are way better this time round. The Mineopoly scene was shot so tight that it was by freestanding cameramen with chest mounted cameras.

That said, I like the final shot in the 'sorting the mail' scene being a wider one as you can see the huge mountains of mail far better. The rest of those shots could have been tightened though, I agree.

[missflibble.livejournal.com]

**MILD SPOILER TALK**



"Officer Rimmer" sounds like it has a batshit crazy ending! Email discussion?

[janamelie.livejournal.com]

I actually missed the last "one and a half" scenes - that's a quote from Ray Peacock - because I had to rush off and catch a train so I wouldn't be stuck in London overnight.

But I did take notes about what I saw at the time and have kept them to myself, so if you want to discuss what I did see via e-mail, I'm quite happy to. :)

[missflibble.livejournal.com]

Yes please! Would be good to compare notes as t'were.