LEICESTER, U.K.—Director of Photography Philip Lanyon will bring “Star Trek: Discovery” fans further into the story than ever before in Season 4 by shooting in full frame with Cooke Optics 1.8x Anamorphic/i Full frame Plus SF (Special Flare coating) prime lenses.

The new lenses, which supplement the 2x Anamorphic/i SF lenses used since Season 2, can be intercut seamlessly with the existing lenses despite each having a different de-squeeze factor.

“I have a history with the ‘Star Trek’ franchise, and the Cooke Anamorphic/i 2x with the Special Flare coating from when I shot an episode of ‘Discovery’ during Season 2,” said Lanyon.

“I then went on to be the lead director of photography for ‘Star Trek: Picard’ with the Cooke Anamorphic/i Special Flare lenses. I love the Special Flare. They really give me a visual playground in which to convey different emotions through light, color and composition, which is perfect for both ‘Picard’ and ‘Discovery.’ 

“We are in so many interesting and unique environments, with strong lighting sources that interact organically with the glass. When a ship is near a star, or there are space gases or an alien planet, each present a unique flare that gives the environment an authenticity or feeling of being there. Plus, they give me the control to bring in more flare or take flare away just with a simple lighting change. That adds a lot to the ‘Star Trek’ universe.”

Lanyon, who served as Director of Photography along with Franco Tata and Chris Mably for the 13 episodes of “Star Trek: Discovery” Season 4, wanted to shoot in both Super 35 style with the Anamorphic/i 2x SF and add full frame format with the Anamorphic/i Full Frame Plus SF.

“Full frame has some distinct advantages, along with a cleaner image — it allows me to get closer to the subject with a wider field of view without the distortion of a wide-angle lens,” he said. “That allows viewers to feel more of the relationship between the subject and their environment in a close up — not only who or what they are, but where they are.”

Lanyon was the driving force behind using full frame for “Discovery” although the decision to introduce full frame was also somewhat technically driven. “’Discovery’ used virtual production environments in Season 4 and the large format can effectively give you softer backgrounds, which was important to control moiré and other artifacts you can get on a LED wall, but shooting in full frame is what I wanted for the look and feel of Season 4,” he said.

While “Discover”’ was the first “Star Trek” series to adopt the full frame format, it won’t be alone for long. “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” slated for release in 2022, also went with Cooke Anamorphic/i Full Frame Plus SF (as well as Anamorphic/i SF) independent of what Lanyon was doing on “Discovery.” 

Season 4 was shot using ARRI ALEXA Mini, Mini LF, and SXT cameras and a large assortment of Cooke lenses. They included three complete sets of the Anamorphic/i 2x SF primes (25mm, 32mm, 40mm, 50mm, 65mm MACRO, 75mm, 100mm, 135mm, 180mm and 300mm) and one set of the Anamorphic/i Full Frame Plus 1.8x SF (40mm, 50mm, 75mm, 100mm and 135mm). The Anamorphic/i Full Frame Plus SF set was dedicated to the virtual production stage for the first 11 episodes, and used as an A camera on the last two. Director Olatunde Osunsanmi wanted to bring more single shot “oners” to the end of the season and the large format feel was perfect for that.

Sim International provided the cameras and lenses.

More information is available on the Cooke Optics website. 

LEICESTER, U.K.—Flare is nothing new in filmmaking. Directors of photography use it all the time. While for many it’s simply a light reflection from the lens glass, it can become an additional element to the storytelling process.

Cooke Optics has two sets of anamorphic prime lenses (super 35mm and full frame) that have their standard coating. These lens sets are also both available with Cooke’s Special Flare (SF) coating. The lenses are exactly the same, except for the Special Flare coating… and that Special Flare coating is really special. 

I love the Special Flare. If you’ve never seen it or used it, you’re missing out on a great creative tool.

A FLARE FOR 'STAR TREK'

That special coating accentuates flares, bokeh and other anamorphic aberrations. Being able to use different light sources that create a relationship and interaction between the sets and the camera—and control the amount of flare—is one reason I’ve used the Special Flare coated lenses on both “Star Trek: Picard” and, more recently, on “Star Trek: Discovery” season 4, where I served as lead director of photography on both.

Since it’s “Star Trek,” there are technology-lit environments with LEDs and harder light sources: ships, stars, space gases, control surfaces, bright point sources that bloom and glow. I use these different practical sources to create layers of light and contrast that enhance emotional beats in the visual storytelling. It’s not in the viewer’s face, but the impact it delivers is not subtle. That is, unless you want it to be. 

While using the Special Flare lenses, I have always had great control over flare. If I want more flare, I just use a harder light. If I want less flare, I knock down the light until I have what I want.

That’s what made the Special Flare perfect for both “Star Trek: Picard” and “Star Trek: Discovery.” It’s a natural decision for the “Star Trek” universe. So natural, that independent of the work that I was doing with both full frame and Special Flare, my colleague and mentor, Glen Keenan, who is lead DP on the newest series “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” also went with both Cooke Anamorphic/i Full Frame Plus SF and Anamorphic/i SF.

SEE THE DIFFERENCE

As I write this, you can watch “Star Trek: Picard” on Paramount+, where you can see the difference between the series open on a more naturally lit planet Earth and the transition to the more technological lighting of being in space. “Star Trek: Discovery” season 4 will premiere in late 2021, while Keenan’s Special Flare work on “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds” will be released in 2022. In addition, there are a number of other projects that have used Cooke’s Special Flare lenses that you can view at www.shotoncooke.com.

It’s not often that DPs get the opportunity to add to their creative toolkit. Typically, today it’s gadgets—things that the camera gets attached to or that attaches to the camera or lens. But Cooke’s Special Flare coating is part of the lens. It’s integrated and controllable. I hope that you’ll grow to love it as much as I do. l

Philip Lanyon is a multi-award-winning director of photography/ cinematographer working around the globe. With more than 30 years’ experience in the film and television industry, Lanyon works on commercials to feature films, documentaries to some of the largest television shows produced today. He can be reached at philiplanyon@mac.com.

For more information visit www.cookeoptics.com. 

LOS ANGELES—A pair of college students are serving as the inaugural fellows of the TV Academy Foundation's and CBS’ new internship program, the “Star Trek Command Training Program.”

Announced in the fall of 2019, the Star Trek Command Training Program seeks to provide hands-on experience in the TV production industry while also promoting two core values of the famous “Star Trek” TV series, inclusion and diversity.

The first two participants for the Star Trek Command Training Program are Faith Young from McDaniel College and Kevin Ung from the University of Southern California.

Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the plan for the internship had to be adapted. The program offers the students virtual one-on-ones with industry professionals, online panels with TV industry leaders and customized seminars. Both Young and Ung will also receive lifetime alumni memberships to the Television Academy Foundation.

More information for the Star Trek Command Training Program, including how to apply for future sessions, is available online. 

LOS ANGELES—A pair of college students will have the chance to boldly go into the world of “Star Trek” as interns via a new program created by CBS Television Studios and the Television Academy Foundation.

“Television Academy Foundation Internships: ‘Star Trek’ Command Training Program” will get underway in the summer of 2020 and is designed for graduate and undergraduate college students nationwide, echoing two of the core values of Gene Roddenberry’s classic sci-fi series of inclusion and diversity, as well as inspiring and educating the next generation of TV leaders.

The “Star Trek” internship program will go year round and have two interns per semester working on a “Star Trek” series. The interns will get a complete immersion into the production process, experiencing writers’ rooms, wardrobe design, on-set production, animation and postproduction. CBS will also coordinate mentorships and facilitate program curriculum. Interns will also be given lifetime professional support through the TV Academy Foundation’s alumni program.

“This partnership is an extraordinary opportunity to provide students with remarkable on-the-job training and experience in a creative environment that embodies intersectionality on-screen and behind the camera,” said foundation chair Madeline Di Nonno. “The success of our foundation alumni is a testament to the impact of our educational programs, and considering the values inherent in this new program, we have ever greater expectations for the students whose careers will be jumpstarted with this new internship experience.”

Applications for the program are being accepted from now until Jan. 21, 2020. All applicants must be 18 or older. Final selections will be announced at the end of March. More information can be found at TelevisionAcademy.com/internships.

STUDIO CITY, CALIF. and NEW YORK—CBS Television Studios announced today it will launch a totally new “Star Trek” television series in January 2017. The new series will blast off with a special preview broadcast on the CBS Television Network. The premiere episode and all subsequent first-run episodes will then be available exclusively in the United States on CBS All Access, the Network’s digital subscription video on demand and live streaming service.

The next chapter of the “Star Trek” franchise will also be distributed concurrently for television and multiple platforms around the world by CBS Studios International.

The new program will be the first original series developed specifically for U.S. audiences for CBS All Access, a cross-platform streaming service that brings viewers thousands of episodes from CBS’s current and past seasons on demand, plus the ability to stream their local CBS Television station live for $5.99 per month. CBS All Access already offers every episode of all previous “Star Trek” television series.

The new “Star Trek” will introduce new characters seeking imaginative new worlds and new civilizations, while exploring the dramatic contemporary themes that have been a signature of the franchise since its inception in 1966.

Alex Kurtzman will serve as executive producer for the new “Star Trek” TV series. Kurtzman co-wrote and produced the blockbuster films “Star Trek” (2009) with Roberto Orci, and “Star Trek Into Darkness” (2013) with Orci and Damon Lindelof. Both films were produced and directed by J.J. Abrams.

The new series will be produced by CBS Television Studios in association with Kurtzman’s Secret Hideout. Kurtzman and Heather Kadin will serve as executive producers. Kurtzman is also an executive producer for the CBS television series “Scorpion” and “Limitless,” along with Kadin and Orci, and for “Hawaii Five-0” with Orci.

“Star Trek,” which will celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2016, is one of the most successful entertainment franchises of all time. The original “Star Trek” spawned a dozen feature films and five successful television series. Almost half a century later, the “Star Trek” television series are licensed on a variety of different platforms in more than 190 countries, and the franchise still generates more than a billion social media impressions every month.

Born from the mind of Gene Roddenberry, the original ”Star Trek” series debuted on Sept. 8, 1966 and aired for three seasons – a short run that belied the influence it would have for generations. The series also broke new ground in storytelling and cultural mores, providing a progressive look at topics including race relations, global politics and the environment.

“There is no better time to give ‘Star Trek’ fans a new series than on the heels of the original show’s 50th anniversary celebration,” said David Stapf, President, CBS Television Studios. “Everyone here has great respect for this storied franchise, and we’re excited to launch its next television chapter in the creative mind and skilled hands of Alex Kurtzman, someone who knows this world and its audience intimately.”

“This new series will premiere to the national CBS audience, then boldly go where no first-run ‘Star Trek’ series has gone before – directly to its millions of fans through CBS All Access,” said Marc DeBevoise, Executive Vice President/General Manager – CBS Digital Media. “We’ve experienced terrific growth for CBS All Access, expanding the service across affiliates and devices in a very short time. We now have an incredible opportunity to accelerate this growth with the iconic ‘Star Trek,’ and its devoted and passionate fan base, as our first original series.”

“Every day, an episode of the ‘Star Trek’ franchise is seen in almost every country in the world,” said Armando Nunez, President and CEO, CBS Global Distribution Group. “We can’t wait to introduce ‘Star Trek’s’ next voyage on television to its vast global fan base.”

CBS All Access offers its customers more than 7,500 episodes from the current television season, previous seasons and classic shows on demand nationwide, as well as the ability to stream local CBS stations live in more than 110 markets. Subscribers can use the service online and across devices via CBS.com, the CBS App for iOS, Android and Windows 10, as well as on connected devices such as Apple TV, Android TV, Chromecast, Roku players and Roku TV, with more connected devices to come.

The new television series is not related to the upcoming feature film “Star Trek Beyond,” which is scheduled to be distributed by Paramount Pictures in summer 2016.