Features: Articles & Interviews
Interview with Éric Bernard
I really hesitated a long time before doing it. I knew that with all the modification,
the story would still be bad. But the challenge was stronger.
It was also the first time I worked with someone else. I had met Richard Kenny
who was also a big Space: 1999 fan and also a CGI expert. He helped me
in a great way for that episode. He created a new Triton Eye and a new CGI moon
(picture 35-36). With his help we manage to give a new look for that episode
while keeping it close to the original. I also decided to change the title of
the episode. (They were so many changes anyway, it was almost another episode.)
I find the title "Ring Around the Moon" very beautiful, but not really appropriate.
So I have changed it to "The Eyes of Triton."
Here are a few pics from the remastered episode (pictures 37-38-39-40-41-42-43-44).
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It took me about three years to remaster those episodes. I wasn't spending all my time on it, just a few nights here and there and a few weekends. That is why it took so long. But I didn't have that much time for the next one.
Richard Kenny found out that MainMission:2000 was looking for amateur video for the convention in September 2000. He thought I should send a few episodes so he contacted them and made all the arrangements. If we are talking about the remastered episodes today, it is in part because of Richard.
I was supposed to bring five episodes at the con. But I had something in mind. In "Eyes of Triton," I changed the look of the show, but kept the story as it was. Now, my new challenge was to create almost a new episode with an existing story.
I wanted to make a link between Year One and Year Two. That absence of continuity always bothered me (and I am sure I am not the only one).
The best episode to do it was "War Games." It could explain the change of Main Mission to the Command Center and the absence of some characters. Like the other ones, I didn't made a storyboard. I did try, but there was so many obstacle that it was easier to face it one at a time, while working on it. So, I started at the beginning. One night I had this crazy idea of starting the episode not by its beginning, but by a dramatic moment taken in the middle of the show. Like some episode of the X-Files, you are asking yourself, what is happening? and after the ending of the opening credit, you are finding yourself in another moment in time, having to wait to understand what we saw earlier.
I will skip a lot of the difficulties I had in the process of that episode. It would take too long and also I would need to look at it while I am writing this to remember them all. (I should do a commentary track on my tapes while it still fresh in my memory... hum... maybe as a next project.)
I did like the episode "War Games," but I never understood why Koenig fires on those Earth ships, even if they were war machines! It could have been the only way those on Earth to have found and reached the moon or something. Anyway, I have read a lot of explaination and still find it to complicated for me. I still consider it a great episode with a bad ending.
So after the opening credit...the first scene is from "The Last Enemy" (let's forget the Hawks) and then we are coming back in the "War Games" episode. I have used what I had to change the spaceship, which are scenes from Buck Rogers (picture 45) using their Draconian Marauder fighters. I began to work on it in July -- and the MainMission:2000 con was in September (2000) -- so I didn't have time for new CGI effects. This episode (that I decided to call "God's Will") was going to be a surprise at the con.
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By cutting the sound, I changed the number of death of 128 to 28 (I think those
are the numbers.) I have saved the life of Mathias by erasing his death as he
was still alive in year two. (picture 46). I also introduced the new character
of Tony and Fraser by adding them into the departure of the Eagle from the base.
(picture 47-48)
I have killed Victor, Paul and Kano while they were trying to penetrate the
force field. (I wish I could have saved their lives) The base was less damaged
than in "War Games." And at the end, the aliens killed themselves due to the
fear of being contaminated by the humans. On a shot of Koenig (unused in my
version of "Breakaway") a voiceover (made by a friend) briefly explained what
happened. (It would have been nice to have the voice of Martin Landau.)
I do not explain why they have change Main Mission to Command Center. After
what happened, it almost seemed obvious. But that could be explained at the
beginning of Year Two's "The Metamorph" in an entry log by Helena.
You were gracious to air the episodes at "MainMission:2000" the 25th Anniversary
event for "Space: 1999" during September 2000 in New York City. What was the
initial feedback you received?
Since it was not intended to be shown to anyone but me and some friends, I was
very nervous to show my work to real fans. I felt like someone who had played
with a toy that wasn't his, I was expecting the worst. It turned out to be the
opposite. Fans were coming at me after each presentation, asking me question,
like you did Michael :) and congratulating me on my work.
The respond was amazing! Since the videos were presented late at night, I often
talked to other fans for hours, up to 3 o'clock in the morning. I came to the
convention without knowing anybody. I left with dozens of contact and new friends.
Were some people apprehensive about the re-edited episodes?
I think I was the most apprehensive person before each show. Even if the response
was positive, I almost did not show the episode "God's Will." I was afraid of
the reaction. I thought that maybe I had gone too far this time, playing with
the story.
But, at the con I met Richard Bendell, who was amazed by the episode and wanted
to help me promote the episode to other fans at the con. With all the activities,
not everyone knew about the episode. So Richard Bendell took care of that. When
he learned that another episode was made and not in the convention agenda, he
convinced me to show it. I think he was right. It has been one of the most talked
episodes with "Eyes of Triton."
A Big Thanks to Richard Bendell!
It's definitely my favorite of your work. What comments were the most memorable?
Someone told me that "Ring around the Moon" was now watchable. Many others told
me that I had kept the feel of the show and That I have helped the episode a
lot by upgrading the effects.
Very true. Your editing was perfect, too. It added focus to the episode.
Also, many thought that "God's Will" was the perfect link to Year Two and that
the message from Victor at the end had a new meaning and was more touching.
I have received so many positive e-mails and read many of the feedback e-mails
on the Space: 1999 mailing list. So many good things were said that I
printed them to keep as a souvenir.
Do you have plans to work on re-editing/remastering/enhancing any other Space:
1999 episodes?
Many, many months ago I did start a new episode. Unfortunately, I didn't have
much time to work on it since. The past few weeks however have been more quiet
at work, so I did some new editing for Space: 1999. You are the first
to see some frames of the newly created remastered opening sequence of Space:
1999.
Made entirely with a DVD master and with new digital input on my computer, I
was able to keep an amazing quality. My new master editing are also now on digital
Betacam, so no quality is lost. I used DVDs from Carlton, A&E and TF1. (The
latter provided me with textless picture.) (Pictures 49-50-51-52-53.)
The latest episode I am working on is "Matter of Life and Death." I have begun
to work on it mostly because of one scene: On the planet Terra Nova, Koenig
is talking to Carter with HIS commlock. The effect of the commlock is so horrible
that it makes you wonder what is going on! So here is now the new effect (picture
54). It is more impressive in action. Also the music is in stereo, the moon
looks more realistic (picture 55) and the 1:85 effect is working well again
(picture 56).
Is there any chance Carlton would consider re-issuing your episodes as a special
set for sale? (I know there's some issues since, in a couple of cases, you mix
footage from other properties, like Deep Impact and Apollo 13.)
I have previously contacted someone there with such an offer. Unfortunately,
it is not in the company's interest right now. Maybe someone there will read
this and find interest after all. (Note: Please contact Space1999.org
if you're serious and wish to reach Eric on this subject.)
OFF-TOPIC: On a side note, you should know that your work has actually, literally
inspired some people to do remastered episodes of their own, including the old
television series Battlestar Galactica (which is celebrating a 25th anniversary
in 2003).
Wow, I find it great that I could have inspired others to do the same...
I have just one advice:
Don't do it for the money. (There is no money to make anyway.) And don't
do it expecting a series revival. Do it for FUN! That's the only reason I am
still doing it.
I want to thank you, Michael, for giving me the opportunity to talk about the
remastered episodes. It's been fun to go back in time and somehow relive those
moment. But do not worry, those moments are not over yet. And if time permits,
I will do more new episodes.
Thanks, Eric!
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