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Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Sun Apr 27, 2008 11:51 pm
by neps
Hey All!

Check out Part two of our exclusive interview with Gary Scott Thompson!

http://shadowyflight.com/news/2008/04/e ... ompson.php

Neil

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:38 am
by sarfraz
Thanks Neil & Mike and to Gary for his time. Its starting to sound very promising. He seems to understand the probklems raised in the 2-hour pilot and what the fans want.

Heres hoping.....and when on earth will it air in the UK is anyones guess!

Sarfraz

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:38 am
by Sue
Wow! that sure answered a lot of questions!!! Good Job Neil! Sounds like he is really eager to please us fans. I’m glad to hear he has kids in mind too; we all saw the original when we were kids and I think it’s that young innocent adventurous spirit that we all want to see in the new show. Well I’m appeased.

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:45 am
by Victor Kros
KRO: If there's anything we can do for you as a site, we're at your service.

- Interesting choice of words there Neil. Regardless, nice work with the interview.

I think the interview itself is interesting and I think that Gary Scott Thompson has his work cut out for him but he clearly has a greater grasp of the importance of Knight Rider's mythology then Andron did. Hopefully viewing this (as a fan of Knight Rider in general), he'll steer this opportunity in the right direction and avoid the pitfalls of Bionic Woman.

Not really sure about his vision of Turbo Boost (at least he wants to do it), I picture the car jumping with trails of green or blue flames shooting out the back or under the chassis but I guess we'll see what develops. The first Fast and the Furious movie was excellent and well made, but I don't know if it really fits in with the Knight Rider mold of a buddy cop show. I'd like to see Mike Traceur actually be the one man who can make a difference instead of the pretty boy former army ranger with the "hot" car. Knight Rider at it's core was always so much more then what was on the surface.

At least he recognizes the things that let people down in the backdoor pilot and is prepared to address them head on, even if he has to contridict what was established to do so. Sounds like he's on the right track to turning things around. Let's hope now that the car will finally get that "wow" factor it desperately needs.

I'm curiously optimistic to say the least.

=VK=
:dash:

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:49 am
by Shapeshifter
I just want to say a word about Turbo Boost.

I realize that it's the holy grail of KR abilities. I'm also sure that doing it today presents challenges that the original never had to deal with, mainly, the economics involved. The the 80's they could buy a trans-am for a few thousand bucks. You read what GST had to say about the cost of a mustang, and the problems with the cgi approach.

But a larger issue is the turbo boost concept itself and how that translates in today's sensibilities. A jumping car was very cool back then. Is it cool today? Yes, to those who want to see the original KR universe intact. But is it cool to the new casual viewer? If not, what would be? What would be their 'turbo boost''? I think these are the questions the the current writing staff is wrestling with. Maybe they can come up with their own 'turbo boost--something that is a transcendental ability that would resonate with the 12 year old of today. Let's wait and see.

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 12:38 pm
by Judd
It was a very good interview. I think he's the right man for the job. I hope NBC doesn't interfere too much with the series like they did on Bionic Woman.

As for the turbo boost. It's a part of what KR is about. I watched the Talladega race yesterday and they mentioned the turbo boost. Two cars were drafting together and one announcer said, "It's like they hit the turbo." Another announcer replied, "Its liked they hit the turbo boost." It's a feature that casual viewers associate with KR.

This new series isn't going to please everybody. Some of the fans of the original series just won't care for this new version. I think the show is in good hands and as long as the network keeps out of the creative process it has a good chance of being succesful.

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 3:57 pm
by pheonix_knight
how expensive would it be to send a stripped mustang shell over a 'bridge' (for want of a better word) with the jumped object underneath, then remove the 'bridge' by CGI (if the bridge was an obviously different colour to the background it would be easy to remove in post production CGI.

the mustang would still be going over the object in reality which would in theory give a much better look than using a CGI mustang (and also be quicker to do achieve the effect in post prod)

and no mustang would be harmed as it would only be going over a ramp to a frame platform then driving down the other side....

we could actually see turbo boost in a single shot, take off, airbourne and landing over any object (depending on bridge size...) which is something the original could never do...

how difficult would that be??

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 4:04 pm
by PHOENIXZERO
Yeah, I know the problem with CGI is making it look good and how it can clash with the real world around it. I expect the effect to be more elaborate than how it was done in the original series and an idea for it but I think I'll just save it and see what they come up with.

Good part two, glad even he admitted the FatF sequels sucked. :lol:

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:09 pm
by Michael Pajaro
A car in mid-flight looks different than a car driving over a ramp. The way the shocks and wheels interact with the frame are very different and it would look pretty odd if they simply removed the bridge. Also, you'd have to build a 50-100 foot bridge every time? That's a LOT of labor. I think it's more complicated than you might think.

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:32 pm
by pheonix_knight
depends how they do it,

just as a concept, the bridge could be 2 ramps and then adjustable struts between.... (no one said using a fully laiden car so strength wouldnt be paramount) and why coulnt the 'shocks' extend as they go up the ramp to give the illusion of gravity, that tech is in every late 90s RnB video...

the idea would be cheaper than wrecking mustangs... (and no real need for stunt drivers, so get to see the reaction on the face...)

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 5:35 pm
by Kram061-1
I am VERY happy to hear he's going to bring back Turbo Boost (as long as it doesn't make KITT fly or something). He sounds like he really does want to make the car jump, and what better way than to combine CGI with reality.. They could by a lesser model of Mustang, and just enhance it and use it only as a stand in as a jump car, maybe use a landing ramp to sooth the hit on the other side of the jump. I think it would help the show a whole lot, because, there aren't any TV shows left with alot of car jumps in them. The original Knight Rider was a hit, and to name a few other shows that jumped cars alot around the same time fram: The Dukes of Hazzard, The Fall Guy,and to a somewhat lesser extend The A-Team and Hardcastle and McCormick. There isn't anything now that has car stunts, so if KR 08 does, then it will be the only one...... I am almost under the impression he want to explain Turbo Boost better than the original show......I hope he considers throwing in an occasional Ski Mode, that is a stunt that still impresses me to this day, and it doesn't look like it hurts the car so much as a jump.

Now they just need to add the pre-commercial freeze frame, fix the dash and the voice-box, and everything will be right.

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 6:24 pm
by Lost Knight
You know, honestly I don't know how real you can expect Turbo Boost to be in today's world. It's a wonder Michael Knight isn't in a wheelchair from the years of whiplash he endured (I know stuntman Jack Gill has a plate in his back or something to that effect from the years of whiplash). Turbo Boost was great to watch as a child and exciting, but I have to agree with Gary Scott Thompson's idea of using a variation of it this time around. I don't know if I want to see the same old tricks being used over again. Besides, Turbo Boost will be included in Glen Larson's feature film, anyway. And don't get me wrong, the series certainly needs something as exciting and/or similar, because things like that were sorely missed in the backdoor pilot.

For the time being, Turbo Boost afficionados will have this Ford commercial to enjoy if they have the first airing of the pilot on tape:

Image

They made it work for this commercial, at least.

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Mon Apr 28, 2008 10:36 pm
by Kram061-1
maybe what he's saying is Turbo Boost will be the classic Turbo Boost, just with other undetermined features. I see no reason why the car shouldn't jump, at least from time to time. And with the new CGI Technology that is out there, they could probably use the green screen effect to use the same jump from different camera angles, and just different obsticles, and get away with the same 2-3-4 jumps at different viewing angles for an entire season. I wonder if they could jump a cheaper model of car, and then superimpose with CGI the KITT car over the stunt car? :mrgreen:

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 1:25 pm
by whet
If there is to be turbo boost, maybe with CGI these days, Kitt could change direction mid air?
Or even turbo boost sideways, be diffrent.

I'm optimatic, I was one that liked the 2008 pilot, you have to give them grace they where up agianst the writers strike and Justin's accident.

Of course your never going to please evreybody, someone will have something bad to say about it.

Roll on September.

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 3:13 pm
by KRAvengerII
About having mike and dalinda cameo- I never watched las vegas, but wasn't mike a soldier before he came to the Montecito? What was his story? Maybe he could be a pal of mike Tracer's that needs his help on something. It's just a thought- I'd just like to see the two former AMC actors work together on an episode. as for the rest, well, all i can do is what i've always done, go in with no expectations, and take it for what it is. Find an aspect i enjoy, and appreciate the show for that, rather than complain about no Turbo boosts or whatever. I did it with Bionic woman, and TKR, and I found myself enjoying them more towards the end.

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:34 pm
by DrWho2005
So did anyone ask Gary if RealKITT was going to be showing up??

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 10:15 am
by neps
DrWho2005 wrote:So did anyone ask Gary if RealKITT was going to be showing up??
Alas, I did not. It's on my list of followup questions, I hope to get another chance to talk with him closer to the premier.

What would others like to ask, btw?

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 11:46 am
by Victor Kros
Ask him what he thinks about Glen A. Larson's vision of Knight Rider and if he plans to make more credible connections to the original series on a visual level just as much as a verbal character level.

In other words, perhaps showing old Knight Foundation/FLAG emblems, photos of the original cast, maybe a Wilton Knight memorial with a likeness of Richard Basehart. These sort of things that would really help establish what came before as factual historical reference branching into what we have evolved to today.

=VK=
:dash:

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 12:48 pm
by ANDREWHEARNE
Hey Neps.

My friend in California was puzzled why the car needed fuel when the Knight 2000 was fuel efficent? Is there any chance you could ask him if they will explain that, thanks..

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 10:36 pm
by Sue
ANDREWHEARNE wrote:Hey Neps.
My friend in California was puzzled why the car needed fuel when the Knight 2000 was fuel efficent? Is there any chance you could ask him if they will explain that, thanks..
-Just ask my hybrid here, fuel efficient still means you need gas... eventually.
neps wrote: I hope to get another chance to talk with him closer to the premier.
What would others like to ask, btw?
Okay Neil, I’m sure I have a thousand questions, but here are some he might actually answer….Ask him if he is keeping the new intro. Is he thinking of changing the song, visuals or both? And ask him about the minor characters like Dylan and Carrie, have their rolls changed any? And what about KITT? What’s changed? Is his scanner or interior changing? How about his personality? And of course when will we fans get to see attack KITT? Oh, here is an important one. Are they worried about the possibility of an actors strike in June postponing their September 10th air date??

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Wed May 21, 2008 11:01 pm
by KRAvengerII
I'd like to know the answer to that last question, but as to the rest, do you think he'll really give Us that much inside information? Maybe you should ask him, if Knight rider will have a prescence at the san diego comic con this summer...

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:36 am
by March2875
Ask him if David Hasselhoff will have any more appearances. That's the one the world wants to know. Also if they can bring back original Kitt in any form at all. We all want to see Michael Knight and classic Kitt working together with Mike Traceur and New Kitt. David's appearances is my most important question. So if you only let one suggestion of mine make it through please let it be that one.

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Thu May 22, 2008 8:36 am
by Knight316
I'd like to know if they're planning on doing anything with Kilmers voice to make it sound more computerized and not just like some guy who's narrating the story. That's one thing i really didn't like about the movie was Kilmers delivery and sound.

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 6:38 am
by Kram061-1
how about that stupid voice box that looks like a cartoon. If he has changed the scanner, like i saw somewhere, he should change the voicebox. Thats also a main reason as to why we believe KITT was speaking, and for some reason, this voice box and the Knight 4000 Voicebox looked catoonish and unbelievable. Also ask him, if you want to, if there will be anymore of the old school KITT Knight 2000 tricks/functions, other than Turbo Boost, such as ejection seats, ski mode, and also the Knight 3000 was supposed to have a mini KITT Drone and other stuff we didn't see in the movie. Maybe he'll hint at some of the new KNIGHT 3000 functions :wink: :wink:

Re: Gary Scott Thompson Interview - Part 2

Posted: Fri May 23, 2008 8:30 am
by PHOENIXZERO
God no... No drone....... I thought that was a joke thing referring to Viper? I doubt they'll be doing the ejector seat thing since the car has a solid roof, unless they do it with some morphing to have the roof open up.

I do hope they change the VM's look and position though.