Star Trek: New Voyages and DAVE School Partnership

Star Trek: New Voyages and the Digital Animation and Visual Effects (DAVE) School have partnered to present the episode “World Enough and Time.” Working together on this project presented us with the opportunity to get to know the administration, staff, instructors, and students of this exceptional program. We here at Star Trek: New Voyages not only appreciate their contribution to making this extraordinary episode a reality, but support the school in their overall efforts of training artists for the future.

Over 600 visual effects shots were created for “World Enough and Time” by Star Trek: New Voyages Visual Effects team members Joel Bellucci, Dave Berry and the students at the DAVE School. Shots ranging from a blinking light on a communications panel to one of the most visually exciting shots ever produced for a Star Trek episode in any incarnation. The shuttle visit to the Romulan ship is just astounding. To say more would spoil the surprise. From Captain Sulu’s U.S.S. Excelsior to Captain Kirk’s U.S.S. Enterprise, we get are treated to a gambit of visual effects animations and composites that would have cost the production millions of dollars. In September of 2006, during the filming of “World Enough and Time” in New York, Visual Effects Supervisor and DAVE School Special Projects Director Ron Thornton described his vision for the “shuttlecraft” sequence. The scene he described was almost unimaginable, but with the Graduation Ceremony sneak peek of the episode in March 2007, it was clearly possible and much, much more.

This episode contains many views and shots never seen on any Star Trek episode, as well as taking us to many familiar places and in familiar vehicles, but with a bold new visual perspective. The DAVE School students designed a new Romulan ship specifically for this episode. The Imperator Class ship will wreck havoc for the crew of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Speaking of the Enterprise, the students painstakingly recreated the ship from traditional plans and images from the original series, but updated the detailing to reflect a more “fleshed out” and realistic Enterprise than her real-world physical model counterpart. One of the most beautiful creations is that of the shuttle bay, where we get a new and unique view of that familiar location, complete with catwalks and detailed “treknology.”

Again, the production team at Star Trek: New Voyages wishes to thank the DAVE School for helping to make one of the best Star Trek adventures ever. Definately a New Voyages like you've never seen. If you are an aspiring digital animation or effects artist, we encourage you to explore the opportunties provided by the DAVE School. Here is some basic information from their website.

The Dave School offers intensive career training in Computer Animation for Film, Television, Gaming, and More.  Their 1 Year program includes hard surface and organic modeling, character animation, visual effects compositing and more. Employment skills and career building are woven into the entire curriculum.  Their Diploma and Occupational Associates Degree programs are both licensed by the Florida Department of Education and approved for Veterans and International Students.

The program culminates with a 12-week production exercise that puts you on the crew of a fully animated (or visual effects intensive) film, such as the “World Enough and Time” project.  By using the same software, equipment, and pipeline as major studios you can earn the equivalent of over a year of professional work experience while still in school. This is a critical training experience you will not find at any other school.

DAVE School Alumni have worked all over the world at companies such as Digital Domain, Electronic Arts, Café Fx, Activision, Rhythm + Hues, Walt Disney Feature Animation, and on projects such as Meet the Robinsons, BattleStar Galactica, The Barnyard, Ant Bully, The Guardian, Jimmy Neutron, Snakes on a Plane, and more!

Each of the instructors has been hand picked for their expertise in specific areas. Some were hired for their excellence as educators, others for professional experience in production supervision.  The program begins with William “Proton” Vaughan and ends with our 12 week production exercise overseen by Ron Thornton and Lee Stringer. Both have won Visual Effects Emmys and supervised large productions.

Located on the backlot of Universal Studios Florida, the DAVE School’s 9000 square foot facility includes 2 labs, a shooting stage with green screen, and a state of the art motion capture system. 

To make your relocation to Orlando as simple as possible the DAVE School can assist you in finding or providing housing.  They have a variety of furnished houses and condominiums in safe, convenient neighborhoods. You can rent a private bedroom in a unit shared by other students for a flat monthly rate. This includes rent, furniture, utilities, cable TV, and Internet service!  Some of the school’s condo units include pools, fitness centers and more!

For more on the DAVE School visit www.daveschool.com .

Check through the galaries and student demo reels and you will be treated to several sneak peeks at the visual effects for "World Enough and Time."