Interview with David Bartis

[neps]

The first part of our interview with David Bartis, Executive Producer, is now online!

http://www.knightrideronline.com/news/2 ... ith_da.php

[whet]

Thanks neps, I enjoyed reading that interview, already looking forward to part 2.

[knightendo_phil]

Fan-tast-ic interview Neil!! I'm getting even more hyped - if that's possible!! I'd love to know what he thought of Knight Rider 2010 though lol.

I was never one of the ones fighting for turbo boost, so its absence was always understood by me. But I have to say if I were fighting for its inclusion I'd be both happy that the door isn't closed on it, and also very understanding as to why they haven't put it in at this stage, if it all. KITT set benchmarks back in the day, and all his capabilities were new capabilities. The same must go for this new KITT, he can't just be pulling off the same old stuff of twenty years ago. The world we live in today has changed a lot since then and the technology that FLAG/Knight Foundations needs will obviously be a lot different too. I'm really looking forward to seeing what KITT can do

(And yes, turbo boosts do look fake nowadays. Models and CGI would still look awful, and the real stunts, well, let's face it we can either see the ramps or it's obvious they're there. Don't get me wrong I love them, but they belong in an eighties show. If they decide to bring it back, it'll be a spectaular new way of hiding the way they've done it.)

[Mango19]

Fan-tast-ic interview Neil!! I'm getting even more hyped - if that's possible!! I'd love to know what he thought of Knight Rider 2010 though lol.

I was never one of the ones fighting for turbo boost, so its absence was always understood by me. But I have to say if I were fighting for its inclusion I'd be both happy that the door isn't closed on it, and also very understanding as to why they haven't put it in at this stage, if it all. KITT set benchmarks back in the day, and all his capabilities were new capabilities. The same must go for this new KITT, he can't just be pulling off the same old stuff of twenty years ago. The world we live in today has changed a lot since then and the technology that FLAG/Knight Foundations needs will obviously be a lot different too. I'm really looking forward to seeing what KITT can do

(And yes, turbo boosts do look fake nowadays. Models and CGI would still look awful, and the real stunts, well, let's face it we can either see the ramps or it's obvious they're there. Don't get me wrong I love them, but they belong in an eighties show. If they decide to bring it back, it'll be a spectaular new way of hiding the way they've done it.)

Really nicely done, Neil. I'm with knightendo_phil on this about turbo boost: if they can't do it in a new and exciting way in the pilot, don't do it. It's easier to put it in later in the series when plot and budget make sense.

I think all the turbo boost fans need to remember that the bar is set pretty high these days for car stunts. To me, turbo boost in 2008 is the Batmobile jumping from rooftop to rooftop in Batman Begins, or Bruce Willis shooting a car into a helicopter in Die Hard 4. Until you can match that stuff, today's audience is gonna yawn. Better to wait and do it right.

[Michael Pajaro]

We've seen a couple other interviews where someone has said there's no turbo boost. But way-to-go Neil for actually pushing the issue a bit and having the executive producer expand his answer. That's the difference between having a fan do an interview and a fluff newsmagazine doing one.

[King2000]

I loved Turbo Boost as a child, but I'm fine with the series going in a different direction as far as 'tricks' go. All the previews seem to have that classic Knight Rider feel, so I'm not worried at all.

[Duster]

That's exactly my opinion, Michael.
I love interviews done by a real fan. The questions are just so much more informed and interesting. So kudos to you, Neil, great job!

Regarding the turbo boost, I concur with the previous statements. When the time is right and the turbo boost is needed plotwise, then do it. Otherwise just let it be.

Looking forward to Monday, to part two of the interview. In fact, I'm looking forward to so much things Knight Rider, it's unbelievable. A great time to be a fan!

[King2000]

So is KITTs voicebox now mounted in the rear? It seems a bit awkward if it is.

[justinbrueningnet]

That was a great interview! Looking forward to reading the second half on Monday.

[PHOENIXZERO]

So is KITTs voicebox now mounted in the rear? It seems a bit awkward if it is.

Huh? Where was that said? I think you're in the wrong topic and still didn't read what was said about it right. Apparently much of the "super computer" that is KITT is in the back but the voice modulator is still in the front, probably going to be in a similar location as the original KITT.

[King2000]

So is KITTs voicebox now mounted in the rear? It seems a bit awkward if it is.

Huh? Where was that said? I think you're in the wrong topic and still didn't read what was said about it right. Apparently much of the "super computer" that is KITT is in the back but the voice modulator is still in the front, probably going to be in a similar location as the original KITT.

OK, cool. Yeah, its off topic. I read that in the Edmunds article. Sorry for the confusion.

[PHOENIXZERO]

No worries, it happens. I kind of hope the new voice modulator is a new color and similar to the LED bars version that KITT and KARR had but of course looks better. For some reason, I see it being blue....

Can't wait for part two of the interview. I was a little amused about his mentioning his friend who wrote for TKR suggesting he NOT watch it. I disagree about KR2000, I don't think it was much like the original series at all. The whole damn thing was just depressing to me not just the awful story and how characters were handled or the tomato on wheels, even down to that music, just everything.. There was nothing fun about it, including the things that I think were supposed to be.

[cloudkitt]

Yeah Neil, thanks for really pushing the issue, when I read the first question you mentioned it I thought "He dodged the question AGAIN."

I am excited and I agree with almost everything he said. I think Turbo Boost can easily be done, the actual act of jumping the car (in-story) isn't super unrealistic. Put four boosters with a decent amount of power, and you could get a car airborne. The landing was the stretch - But KITT was invincible. As for the ramps, I can only think of one standout occasion when you see the ramp (A Nice Indecent Little Town). So that's the first thing I disagree with.

The other - and I promise I'm not just being bitchy - is the earlier comment.

I thought was interesting about the Popular Mechanics article. 'Cause you see the two cars next to each other and you can't look at that trans am and say "Ok, that's cooler than the Mustang Shelby 500GT" it's not!

Yes it is. Let it be noted that I'm okay with the Mustang. It looks nice, I really like the new scanner, what I've heard of the new voice, everything.I'm not saying they should have used the old Trans Am - but it is entirely possible to look at the article and prefer the Trans Am (not to mention that article left out half of the old KITT's abilities). Even removed from Knight Rider I would take a Trans Am. AND it's not a GM over Ford thing, either, it's simply a better looking car to me.

Either way, I'm still really looking forward to the pilot. I think it should be good despite my disagreements with Mr. Bartis.

[Lost Knight]

Great job on the interview, Neil. I now only really have one burning question left, which I was a little disappointed wasn't asked in the interview: Will the Knight 3000 have a Molecular Bonded Shell? From what I've seen and heard, I'm all but certain it won't. I think it would be tough for a car to heal if it were indestructible, among other reasons.

As for the rest of the points brought up about the article, I pretty much agree with most of the things everyone has said, so no point in bringing up those particular points again.

[knightprobe89]

that was a great interview, i'm looking foward to part 2 on monday. im glad that they haven't totally ruled out turbo boost for the future.

[Michael Pajaro]

Will the Knight 3000 have a Molecular Bonded Shell? From what I've seen and heard, I'm all but certain it won't.

Here's a quote from the recent edmonds.com article:

PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER_SHOW PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER:

"In the story, KITT can survive being rammed by a GMC Yukon XL Denali undamaged. In reality, the SUV was run into a massive concrete block at 60 mph and through digital wizardry KITT will replace the concrete block."

Click here to see an image which may be possible spoiler.
http://shadowyflight.com/newnbc/0201/for_article.jpg

More of my commentary about the MBS:

PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER_SHOW PRIME_BBCODE_SPOILER:

Now I don't know if they will call it "MBS" or have some new name for it, but if the SUV gets that much damage and KITT doesn't have a scratch, then he certainly has SOMETHING.

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Fe ... topanel..1.*

[Lost Knight]

Hmm...seemingly definitive, yet still somehow ambiguous. I can accept it until February 17th.

[KITTfan]

Excellent interview It really shows that it is a fan made interview extracting interesting information about the show that Knight Rider fans spesifically wants to know, good work! Looking forward to the second part on monday and the other interviews as well

As for turboboost, realistically speaking if it were a real function in cars, I don't think my back could take the hit when landing so I admit it's not very realistic feature but Knight Rider isn't a reality show. I hope they wont dull the stunts down in a fear of them not being realistic but not doing any too far fetched things either. Whatever stunts they do, I hope they'll be made to look as if they're real. I agree with Mango19, the quality of Turboboost etc. stunts should be something like the Willis shooting the car in the helicopter in Die Hard 4 (Live Free or Die Hard).
If this becomes a tv-series, I also hope there wont be used stock footage for the stunts, Knight Rider deserves big enough budget to be able to do new stunts for each episode

[mads64738]

Hello! Like others have already stated, great work on getting these interviews!

As for turboboost, realistically speaking if it were a real function in cars, I don't think my back could take the hit when landing so I admit it's not very realistic feature but Knight Rider isn't a reality show. I hope they wont dull the stunts down in a fear of them not being realistic but not doing any too far fetched things either.

Given that the co-exec producer worked on the last Bourne film, I'm hoping that there will be 'realistic stunts' in a similar vain. Some of the stunt driving on the Bourne series has been pretty incredible. I'd like to know how they'll utilise the 'cage' car...

Whatever stunts they do, I hope they'll be made to look as if they're real. I agree with Mango19, the quality of Turboboost etc. stunts should be something like the Willis shooting the car in the helicopter in Die Hard 4 (Live Free or Die Hard).

In several interviews, I believe Bartis has said that "you will see stunts that you've never seen on television or the movies" (or words to that effect). Personally, as long as there isn't too much CGI, I think we're likely to be happy.

If this becomes a tv-series, I also hope there wont be used stock footage for the stunts, Knight Rider deserves big enough budget to be able to do new stunts for each episode

Definitely! That was the trouble with the original series. That said, I'd rather reuse stock footage than the horrible use of "Matchbox-type" toys cars!!

[cloudkitt]

They really don't use the toy cars anymore you know. If a stunt was gonna be fake, it would be CGI. And, say what you will about CGI, it's infinitely preferable to that damn model.

[davejames]

They really don't use the toy cars anymore you know. If a stunt was gonna be fake, it would be CGI. And, say what you will about CGI, it's infinitely preferable to that damn model.

I think the problem with the model was that it just didn't LOOK like the full size car. The shape didn't really match that well and there was hardly any detail on the thing. At least with the RC models on Airwolf they took the time to create perfectly exact copies (to the point where you could hardly tell which was which most of the time).

Anyway, as far as turbo-boost in general, I could maybe live without it in the new series if there's lots of OTHER cool car stunts throughout. If we get lots of car chases over dirt roads and crashes through brick walls, that'll be good enough for me. I just don't want a repeat of the KR2000 movie where you not only had a car that didn't turbo boost, it didn't do much of anything ELSE either.

And who knows, maybe this "attack mode" will be just as cool as turbo boost (although I really doubt it ).

[JJSoCrazy]

Nice interview Neil! Can't wait for Part 2, keep up the good work!

[Kram061-1]

Don't get me wrong, I am still looking forward to this show, and I hope it DOES become a series. We already have a Law & Order for every night of the week, AND a CSI for the capital city of EVERY US State, so I think it's time for a show like Knight Rider. I'm not saying I want to see this car jump 6-7 times a show, but a couple of jumps here and there should be a No-Brainer. If you could jump a 69 Dodge Charger over a river in the late 1970's and even that Fall Guy truck, why not a new Mustang? Even if they couldn't get enough new Mustangs, they could get a couple of 05's as stand in jump cars for the time being, OR just jump the cars over nothing, with only a jump+landing ramp, with 5-10 different camera angles, and then green-screen it into a scene, so it looks like a different jump every time. I'm not a special effects guy, but I would think in this day and age, to take the ramps out of the scene of an actual jump......that would look pretty impressive, not having to show the undercarriage of the car...actually seeing it lift off with no ramp? I don't know, I just hope the car doesn't become half it's size to go under and through tight spots.

[mads64738]

They really don't use the toy cars anymore you know. If a stunt was gonna be fake, it would be CGI. And, say what you will about CGI, it's infinitely preferable to that damn model.

True, but I guess it is about balance. As davejames has said, in some of the tv shows, you had real trouble spotting the difference between the real-deal and the model. However, in the original KR series, that wasn't quite the case.

Given that we've only seen limited images from the new pilot, I'm hoping that they use CGI for the 'transitional' effects or to remove the 'tricks of the trade' from the stunt team. I just hope it doesn't go the other way, like in Bond's "Die Another Day" - a poor film ruined by CGI that looked like stuff I knocked up on my Commodore Amiga!

[cloudkitt]

The only real disgusting use of CGI I remember in Die Another Day was when he was para-surfing on the wave. The cloak and all that stuff was very well done. (In fact, the cheesiest part of that movie, the villian's Power Ranger's outfit, wasn't CGI at all, lol)