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, California. [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 Official Web Site
- Glenn Campbell
- Mark Cane
- Angela Diamos
- Roger Dorney - Director of Optical Photography
- Dennis Dorney
- Janet Dykstra
- Robert Elswit
- Chuck Embrey - Effects Gaffer
- Leslie Ekker- Animation and Graphics Artist
- Jon Erland
- Joe Garlington
- Bruno George
- Pete Gerard - Model Maker
- Rick Gilligan
- Philip Golden
- Phil Gonzales
- Richie Helmer
- Phil Joanou
- Jack Johnson - Production Illustrator
- 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 - Partner, Mechanical Design
- Susan Turner
- Don Webber
- Gary Weeks
- Greg Wilzbach - Animation and Graphics Artist
- Diane E. Wooten

External links

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@@ Line 8: / Line 8: @@
 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 {{class|D7}} [[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}}'' (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]
+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 {{wt|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)
@@ Line 79: / Line 79: @@
 **[[Doug Smith]] - Effects Camera Man
 **[[David Sosalla]] - Model Sculptor/Maker
-**[[John Sullivan]] - Effects Camera Man
+**{{dis|John Sullivan|special effects}} - Effects Camera Man
 **[[Michael Sweeney]]
 **[[Don Trumbull]] - Partner, Mechanical Design
@@ Line 91: / Line 91: @@
 ==Further reading==
 *"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
+*"John Dykstra, Planning Science-Fiction Illusions", David Hutchison, ''{{dis|Starlog|magazine}}'', issue 103, February 1986, pp. 53-54
 *"Behind the Scenes: Visual Effects-1979", {{STTM|2|8}}, December 2001, pp. 63-69