Changes: Apogee, Inc.

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Apogee Productions, Inc., originally known as Apogee, Inc., was a full service visual effects (VFX) company (at the time still called "special effects" company), created by John Dykstra on 14 November 1977, after he left ILM, and had its office located in Van Nuys, CA. [1] It was formed during the production of the Battlestar Galactica movie, which became the Universal Studios' original series pilot. Apogee was primarily formed out of former ILM employees working on the project before the move to Universal Studios. While they were working on the production, the newly formed company was already approached several days after its formation by Star Trek: Phase II Post-production Supervisor Paul Rabwin for the effects work on its motion picture successor upgrade in November 1977, which Dykstra had to decline. (The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture, p. 202)

Epsilon IX station studio model filmed on stage at Apogee Inc by Michael Lawler — Michael Lawler preparing the Epsilon IX model for filming

As it turned out, Star Trek: The Motion Picture was yet to become the company's first major movie project, tasked with models and miniatures manufacturing as well as designing, shooting, and editing key VFX scenes, after the company was brought in by VFX Director Douglas Trumbull in March 1979 in order to alleviate the work pressure on his own VFX company, Future General Corporation (FGC), and help out with the troublesome production of that film. Especially for the production, Apogee rented a facility in the San Fernando Valley. The VFX scenes Apogee was entrusted with were the opening Klingon scene, the digitizing of Epsilon IX station scene, the wormhole mishap sequence, the exterior V'Ger approach sequences (the interior scenes were done by FGC, as were all the other VFX scenes) and the V'ger-probe on the bridge scene.

Part of their responsibility was, under the supervision of Grant McCune, having their model shop build a number of studio models for the film, including a two-foot articulated thruster suit puppet, three models of the Epsilon IX station (an entirely original Apogee design), all the exterior sections of V'Ger, as well as extensively modifying Magicam's D7 class model for it to become the K't'inga-class model.

The company nearly ceased its existence in the fall of 1982, when Dykstra dismantled the company due to the lack of commercial projects. However business picked up shortly afterwards, beginning with Clint Eastwood's movie Firefox (1982), and the company was revitalized (as Apogee Productions, Inc. from 1989 onward). [2] Ten years later, however, in late 1992, Dykstra closed down the company permanently when he left to join Los Angeles-based Eggers Films. [3]

Grant McCune took possession of some of the equipment as well as the lease on the property, and restarted the company as his own under the name "Grant McCune Design". (Star Trek: The Next Generation Sketchbook: The Movies, p. 79)

Staff

People employed at Apogee, Inc. at the time of the production of The Motion Picture included:

Staff
- Dick Alexander
- Chuck Barbee - Effects Camera Man
- David Bartholomew
- Deborah Baxter
- David Beasley
- Mat Beck
- Cosmos Bolger
- Stephen Brooks
- Glenn Campbell
- Mark Cane
- Angela Diamos
- Roger Dorney - Director of Optical Photography
- Dennis Dorney
- Janet Dykstra
- Robert Elswit
- Chuck Embrey - Effects Gaffer
- Jon Erland
- Joe Garlington
- Bruno George
- Pete Gerard - Model Maker
- Rick Gilligan
- Philip Golden
- Phil Gonzales
- Richie Helmer
- Phil Joanou
- Jack Johnson
- Paul Johnson
- Proctor Jones - Assistant Effects Camera Man
- Michael Joyce - Model Maker
- Denny Kelly
- Deborah Kendall
- Greg Kimble - Effects Camera Man
- Steve Klein
- Mark Kline
- Martin Kline
- Don Kurtz
- Michael Lawler - Effects Camera Man
- Steve Mark
- Pat McClung
- Grant McCune - Model Shop Supervisor
- Syd Mead - Concept Production Illustrator
- Mike Middleton
- Alvah J. Miller - Electronics Supervisor
- John Millerburg
- Harry Moreau
- Erik Nash
- Ron Nathan
- Debbi Nikkel - Production Accountant
- Jerry Pooler
- John Ramsay
- Gary Rhodaback
- Steve Sass
- Dennis Schultz
- David Scott - Model Maker
- Robert Shepherd
- Bill Shourt
- John Shourt
- Tutt Shurtleff
- Dick Singleton
- Richard Smiley - Model Maker
- Doug Smith - Effects Camera Man
- David Sosalla - Model Sculptor/Maker
- John Sullivan - Effects Camera Man
- Michael Sweeney
- Don Trumbull
- Susan Turner
- Don Webber
- Gary Weeks
- Diane E. Wooten

External links

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Template:IMDb-link

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{realworld}}
+[[File:Apogee, Inc. company logo.jpg|right|250px|Apogee, Inc. company logo]]
-[[File:Uss Enterprise 1foot model under construction at Apogee.jpg|thumb|A model of the {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701}} under construction by Apogee]]
-'''Apogee Productions, Inc.''' (originally known as '''Apogee, Inc.''') was a full service special effects company created by [[John Dykstra]] in 1978 after he left [[ILM]], and had its office located in Van Nuys, CA. [http://www.corporationwiki.com/California/Van-Nuys/apogee-productions-inc/40312619.aspx] It was formed after the ''Battlestar Galactica'' movie (which became the series pilot) moved to Universal Studios. Apogee was primarily formed out of ILM employees working on the project before the move. The first major project for the company was models and miniatures manufacturing as well as shooting and editing key effects scenes for {{film|1}}, as the company was brought in by [[Douglas Trumbull]] to help out with the troublesome production of that film.
+'''Apogee Productions, Inc.''', originally known as '''Apogee, Inc.''', was a full service [[:Category:Visual effects companies|visual effects (VFX) company]] (at the time still called [[:Category:Special effects companies|"special effects" company]]), created by [[John Dykstra]] on 14 November 1977, after he left [[ILM]], and had its office located in Van Nuys, CA. [http://www.corporationwiki.com/California/Van-Nuys/apogee-productions-inc/40312619.aspx] It was formed during the production of the ''Battlestar Galactica'' movie, which became the [[Universal Studios]]' original series pilot. Apogee was primarily formed out of former ILM employees working on the project before the move to Universal Studios. While they were working on the production, the newly formed company was already approached several days after its formation by ''[[Star Trek: Phase II]]'' Post-production Supervisor [[Paul Rabwin]] for the effects work on its motion picture successor upgrade in November 1977, which Dykstra had to decline. (''[[The Making of Star Trek: The Motion Picture]]'', p. 202)
+[[File:Epsilon IX station studio model filmed on stage at Apogee Inc by Michael Lawler.jpg|thumb|left|Michael Lawler preparing the Epsilon IX model for filming]]
-The company's model shop built a number of [[studio model]]s for the film, including a one-foot version [[Constitution class model|model of the ''Enterprise'']], the [[Epsilon IX station]], interior and exterior sections of [[V'Ger]] (for which [[Gregory Jein]] was brought in) as well as extensively modifying [[Magicam]]'s {{Class|D7}} model for it to become the {{Class|K't'inga}} model.
+As it turned out, {{film|1}} was yet to become the company's first major movie project, tasked with models and miniatures manufacturing as well as designing, shooting, and editing key VFX scenes, after the company was brought in by VFX Director [[Douglas Trumbull]] in March 1979 in order to alleviate the work pressure on his own VFX company, [[Future General Corporation]] (FGC), and help out with the troublesome production of that film. Especially for the production, Apogee rented a facility in the San Fernando Valley. The VFX scenes Apogee was entrusted with were the opening [[Klingon]] scene, the digitizing of [[Epsilon IX station]] scene, the [[wormhole]] mishap sequence, the exterior ''[[V'Ger]]'' approach sequences (the interior scenes were done by FGC, as were all the other VFX scenes) and the ''V'ger''-probe on the [[bridge]] scene.
+Part of their responsibility was, under the supervision of [[Grant McCune]], having their model shop build a number of [[studio model]]s for the film, including a two-foot articulated [[EV suit#Thruster suit|thruster suit]] puppet, three models of the  [[Epsilon IX station]] (an entirely original Apogee design), all the exterior sections of ''V'Ger'', as well as extensively modifying [[Magicam]]'s [[D7 class]] [[D7 class model|model]] for it to become the {{Class|K't'inga}} model.
-The company nearly ceased its existence in the fall of 1982, when Dykstra dismantled the company due to the lack of commercial projects. However business picked up shortly afterwards, beginning with {{w|Clint Eastwood}}'s movie, ''{{w|Firefox (film)|Firefox}}'',  and the company was revitalized (as "Apogee Productions, Inc." from 1989 onward) [http://www.filmreference.com/Writers-and-Production-Artists-De-Edo/Dykstra-John.html] Ten years later however, late 1992, Dykstra closed down the company permanently, when he left to join Los Angeles based "Eggers Films". [http://business.highbeam.com/1081/article-1G1-95928459/10-years]
+The company nearly ceased its existence in the fall of 1982, when Dykstra dismantled the company due to the lack of commercial projects. However business picked up shortly afterwards, beginning with {{w|Clint Eastwood}}'s movie ''{{w|Firefox (film)|Firefox}}'' (1982),  and the company was revitalized (as Apogee Productions, Inc. from 1989 onward). [http://www.filmreference.com/Writers-and-Production-Artists-De-Edo/Dykstra-John.html] Ten years later, however, in late 1992, Dykstra closed down the company permanently when he left to join Los Angeles-based Eggers Films. [http://business.highbeam.com/1081/article-1G1-95928459/10-years]
+Grant McCune took possession of some of the equipment as well as the lease on the property, and restarted the company as his own under the name "Grant McCune Design". (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation Sketchbook: The Movies]]'', p. 79)
+==Staff==
+People employed at Apogee, Inc. at the time of the production of ''The Motion Picture'' included:
+<div class="appear">
+*Staff
+**[[Dick Alexander]]
+**[[Chuck Barbee]] - Effects Camera Man
+**[[David Bartholomew]]
+**[[Deborah Baxter]]
+**[[David Beasley]]
+**[[Mat Beck]]
+**[[Cosmos Bolger]]
+**[[Stephen Brooks]]
+**[[Glenn Campbell]]
+**[[Mark Cane]]
+**[[Angela Diamos]]
+**[[Roger Dorney]] - Director of Optical Photography
+**[[Dennis Dorney]]
+**[[Janet Dykstra]]
+**[[Robert Elswit]]
+**[[Chuck Embrey]] - Effects Gaffer
+**[[Jon Erland]]
+**[[Joe Garlington]]
+**[[Bruno George]]
+**[[Pete Gerard]] - Model Maker
+**[[Rick Gilligan]]
+**[[Philip Golden]]
+**[[Phil Gonzales]]
+**[[Richie Helmer]]
+**[[Phil Joanou]]
+**[[Jack Johnson]]
+**[[Paul Johnson]]
+**[[Proctor Jones]] - Assistant Effects Camera Man
+**[[Michael Joyce]] - Model Maker
+**[[Denny Kelly]]
+**[[Deborah Kendall]]
+**[[Greg Kimble]] - Effects Camera Man
+**[[Steve Klein]]
+**[[Mark Kline]]
+**[[Martin Kline]]
+**[[Don Kurtz]]
+**[[Michael Lawler]] - Effects Camera Man
+**[[Steve Mark]]
+**[[Pat McClung]]
+**[[Grant McCune]] - Model Shop Supervisor
+**[[Syd Mead]] - Concept Production Illustrator
+**[[Mike Middleton]]
+**[[Alvah J. Miller]] - Electronics Supervisor
+**[[John Millerburg]]
+**[[Harry Moreau]]
+**[[Erik Nash]]
+**[[Ron Nathan]]
+**[[Debbi Nikkel]] - Production Accountant
+**[[Jerry Pooler]]
+**[[John Ramsay]]
+**[[Gary Rhodaback]]
+**[[Steve Sass]]
+**[[Dennis Schultz]]
+**[[David Scott]] - Model Maker
+**[[Robert Shepherd]]
+**[[Bill Shourt]]
+**[[John Shourt]]
+**[[Tutt Shurtleff]]
+**[[Dick Singleton]]
+**[[Richard Smiley]] - Model Maker
+**[[Doug Smith]] - Effects Camera Man
+**[[David Sosalla]] - Model Sculptor/Maker
+**[[John Sullivan]] - Effects Camera Man
+**[[Michael Sweeney]]
+**[[Don Trumbull]]
+**[[Susan Turner]]
+**[[Don Webber]]
+**[[Gary Weeks (visual effects artist)|Gary Weeks]]
+**[[Diane E. Wooten]]
+</div>
-==Employees on ''The Motion Picture''==
-* [[Dick Alexander]]
-* [[Chuck Barbee]]
-* [[David Bartholomew]]
-* [[Deborah Baxter]]
-* [[David Beasley]]
-* [[Mat Beck]]
-* [[Cosmos Bolger]]
-* [[Mark Cane]]
-* [[Angela Diamos]]
-* [[Roger Dorney]]
-* [[Dennis Dorney]]
-* [[Janet Dykstra]]
-* [[Robert Elswit]]
-* [[Chuck Embrey]]
-* [[Jon Erland]]
-* [[Joe Garlington]]
-* [[Bruno George]]
-* [[Pete Gerard]]
-* [[Rick Gilligan]]
-* [[Philip Golden]]
-* [[Phil Gonzales]]
-* [[Richie Helmer]]
-* [[Gregory Jein]]
-* [[Phil Joanou]]
-* [[Jack Johnson]]
-* [[Paul Johnson]]
-* [[Proctor Jones]]
-* [[Michael Joyce]]
-* [[Denny Kelly]]
-* [[Deborah Kendall]]
-* [[Greg Kimble]]
-* [[Steve Klein]]
-* [[Mark Kline]]
-* [[Martin Kline]]
-* [[Don Kurtz]]
-* [[Michael Lawler]]
-* [[Steve Mark]]
-* [[Pat McClung]]
-* [[Grant McCune]]
-* [[Syd Mead]]
-* [[Mike Middleton]]
-* [[Alvah J. Miller]]
-* [[John Millerburg]]
-* [[Harry Moreau]]
-* [[Harry Moreau]]
-* [[Erik Nash]]
-* [[Ron Nathan]]
-* [[Debbi Nikkel]] - Production Accountant
-* [[Jerry Pooler]]
-* [[John Ramsay]]
-* [[Gary Rhodaback]]
-* [[Steve Sass]]
-* [[Dennis Schultz]]
-* [[David Scott]]
-* [[Robert Shepherd]]
-* [[Bill Shourt]]
-* [[John Shourt]]
-* [[Tutt Shurtleff]]
-* [[Dick Singleton]]
-* [[Richard Smiley]]
-* [[Doug Smith]]
-* [[David Sosalla]]
-* [[John Sullivan]]
-* [[Michael Sweeney]]
-* [[Don Trumbull]]
-* [[Susan Turner]]
-* [[Don Webber]]
-* [[Gary Weeks (visual effects artist)|Gary Weeks]]
-* [[Diane E. Wooten]]
 ==Further reading==
-*Don Shay, ''Star Trekking at Apogee with John Dykstra'', [[Cinefex]], Issue 2, August 1980, pp.50-71
+*"Star Trekking at Apogee with John Dykstra", Don Shay, ''[[Cinefex]]'', issue 2, August 1980, pp. 50-71
+*"John Dykstra, Planning Science-Fiction Illusions", David Hutchison, ''[[Starlog (magazine)|Starlog]]'', issue 103, February 1986, pp. 53-54
+*"Behind the Scenes: Visual Effects-1979", {{STTM|2|8}}, December 2001, pp. 63-69
-==External link==
+==External links==
 * {{IMDb-link|type=company|page=co0191122}}
-* {{IMDb-link|type=company|page=co0002617}} (as Apogee Productions, Inc.)
+* {{IMDb-link|type=company|page=co0002617|name=Apogee Productions, Inc.}}
 [[Category:Model and miniature effects companies]]
+[[Category:Visual effects companies]]
+[[fr:Apogee, Inc.]]