The S&V Interview

Dochterman: A lot of the project files that we worked from on the 2001 version had simply gone obsolete, or in some cases, became unreadable. We actually had to create representations of much older computers in order to make things work. And Foundation Imaging, the company that did the original work, doesn't exist anymore.

Matessino: The technical challenges, and the mind-boggling amount of data. But Bob wouldn't want fans to spend their time pondering the difficulty, although it's always nice when the work is appreciated.

S&V: What aspect of this new version are you most proud of?

Fein: That the film works! It is resonating with audiences of all ages: I've had teens, twenty-somethings, thirties… people who have never seen the film say that they really love it and it made them think. That's really the best feeling in the world.

Dochterman: We were able to give the film a new lease on life. It has never looked better, even in its initial release. We have been able to, for the most part, go from original camera negative sources and the latest technology in scanning and image cleanup. It just looks stunning.

Matessino: I'd have to say I'm proudest of being caught completely by surprise by just how great the completed movie plays, particularly on the big screen. That's absolutely what we were going for but I was stunned by just how much I was captivated by it.

S&V: Daren, what can you tell us about the new special effects?

Dochterman: We've been able to replace some of the computer-generated elements we created for the DVD with the actual elements that were shot for the film, such as Spock walking up to the elders in the Vulcan temple, which had to be done with a CG surrogate back in 2001. We now had access to the original negative of Leonard Nimoy for the same scene. It's really wonderful to be able to make it even more genuine. Several things in the film are like this: I want people to try and see if they can tell where!

Fein: It was a mammoth endeavor and Daren did a remarkable job managing the effects and the VFX team. In addition to the hundred Director's Edition shots, there were approximately 85 new shots that were assembled from the original VFX photography. Paramount's archive did an incredible job locating and transferring all of the footage we needed to recomposite many of the effect shots from the first-generation negative.

Matessino: The goal with the visual effects was to realize what was planned in 1979 but abandoned because of the time crunch. But the purpose of the updated effects was to make sure the narrative was clear and focused and that the emotional impact was coming through as intended.

S&V: How have 4K resolution and HDR impacted the final result?

Dochterman: The new 4K scans of the original camera negative are glorious. The additional benefit of having everything in HDR is spectacular. The home theater experience actually surpasses the color and latitude of a conventional theater presentation.

Fein: Since 4K is video standard for theatrical exhibition, completing the film in 4K as we did means it could be released alongside any other 2022 film.

Matessino: The process really bears no resemblance to where we were two or three decades ago, but I do know that Bob Wise and cinematographer Dick Kline would both be embracing the full potential of 4K.

S&V: The new Atmos soundtrack is pretty special as well.

Matessino: Goldsmith's original recordist/mixer Bruce Botnick and I actually transferred the 16-track music scoring masters back in 2012, but in the intervening decade, Dolby Atmos arrived and that opened up a whole new world of possibilities. The original sound effects libraries, ADR dialogue and Foley masters, by some miracle, still existed in the archives, so we could go much farther, with incredible clarity. We also had Michael Babcock, one of the best rerecording mixers in town, do our final mix.

Dochterman: This modern mix can stand next to the most recent big-budget studio sound mixes, and it is simply amazing.

Fein: Again, the goal was to use the latest tools to bring the film to the best standards of today. It's exhilarating and powerful. In a proper home theater, it helps to transport you into the experience.