‘This Amazing Gift’: The Creatives Talk About Making ‘Unification’
Those who made the groundbreaking short film pull back curtain on the Hollywood magic
765854 Unification, the new short film released by OTOY and the Roddenberry Archives, has captured the imaginations — and hearts — of fans everywhere.
But no one is impressed with this tribute to classic Star Trek more than the creative team that produced it.
In interviews, social media posts and more, folks both in front of, and behind, the cameras talked about the creative and technical magic that they collectively conjured to bring back Captain Kirk, Spock, Saavik, and other old friends.
They weren’t patting themselves on the back; rather, they were generous in their praise and admiration for colleagues and teammates on the project.
Dave Blass, who served as production designer on Unification, after having served in the same role for Star Trek: Picard, was particularly fulsome in his commentary.
He thanked fans for the love they’ve shown the project, and credited the approach that the team made to making such a unique film.
And he thanked OTOY, the company behind the making of Unification, the Roddenberry Archives, director Carlos Baena and others for “giving Star Trek fans this amazing gift.”
“Ok, I just spent 20 mins reading comments on YouTube and welling up with tears. Had no idea that #Unification would impact folks as much as it did. The whole team was so respectful of the ground we were treading on. To see it so well received is wonderful. Thanks @JulesUrbach” he posted.
The head of OTOY, Urbach also wrote its script.
Blass also was effusive in his praise for director Baena, who like Nicholas Meyer — director of Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan and Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country — was a newcomer to the franchise, Blass noted.
“Nicholas Meyer also didn't grow up watching Star Trek, and yet he, like Carlos looked at the core of what Star Trek was, it's the characters, and said that's what the audience wants. Connection. Two guys who weren't Trek fans, saw the best in Star Trek, and gave us gifts,” Blass posted.
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Baena, in return, thanked his many colleagues, as well.
Everyone on the project was quick to point out that Unification is no simple example of “deep fake” technology, but rather a carefully crafted mix of technology and artistry.
“CAN NOT stress enough that this is not [artificial intelligence] as you think of it.
“@SamWitwer studied the movement, the inflections, the facial expressions of @WilliamShatner down to the minutia. Then he had to move his face in ways that didn't make sense, so that the digital makeup would do what what he wanted,” Blass posted.
In another post, he said, “With the @OTOY tech, we were looking at KIRK on the monitor with @SamWitwer doing his performance. When he did the iconic ‘turn and look’ I almost lost it. It was done so perfectly and I was seeing it live, it's hard to explain the feeling but I felt like I was on the set of the original series].”
And Blass was hardly the only one to profusely praise Witwer’s work body-doubling William Shatner and portraying the iconic James T Kirk.
“You absolutely nailed the performance Sam, just like you did back then on #TheForceUnleashed
“I got to watch my bestie @SamWitwer lovingly craft a Kirk performance over the course of almost two years.
Of all the performances I’ve ever known, his is the most… human,” posted David W Collins, another of the creative professionals behind Unification.
And, in turn, Witwer gave tribute to Shatner:
“My eternal gratitude to @WilliamShatner for, well, giving us the word.
The word is given.
Warp Speed.
#LLAP”
Lawrence Selleck, likewise, was praised for the attention to detail he brought to playing Spock.
Actor Gordon Tarpley portrayed the character of Yor, the Betelgeusian time soldier originated in the series Star Trek: Discovery.
Tarpley released his own 23-plus-minute video on YouTube to talk about his work in Unification.
You can watch it here:
He went in-depth not only on the technical details of how the film was made, but what he thinks of it, as well.
“It’s really beautifully done, and I watched a lot of reaction videos this — and watch everyone’s takes on it — and couldn't be happier with how it came out.”
Like others, the success of the film really comes down to the respect with which OTOY, Baena, and everyone else treated the source material, Tarpley said.
“It’s such a sensitive topic, especially when you’re bringing back someone who’s passed away,” he said, referring to the likeness of the late Leonard Nimoy. “De-aging somebody is one thing, but bringing back the dead is another.
“So it’s really good that they did this so thoughtfully and carefully from the [Nimoy] family. The family was onboard with the whole thing,” Tarpley added. “And William Shatner … is a big proponent of this. He really likes the idea of this technology of being able to keep your characters alive and do things.
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