Ski Mode??

KOPP · Post by **KOPP** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 9:16 pm

We all know this awesome stunt, and frankly, it's always been my favorite stunt from KR (I like it even more than Turbo Boost). But the question that always haunts me is:

Why is it called "Ski Mode?"

"Ski Mode" makes you think of skis that pop out of the sides for use on snowy ground. People always ask me why it's called "Ski Mode," but I never know the answer!! Is "skiing" the name of the actual stunt or something?

snafu · Post by **snafu** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:11 pm

I'm interested in the answer, too. A quick Google on "ski mode" turned up ski services and a bunch of pages in German.

KOPP · Post by **KOPP** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:13 pm

SD_Chick wrote:I'm interested in the answer, too. A quick Google on "ski mode" turned up ski services and a bunch of pages in German.

Exactly!! Why is it called Ski Mode...

FuzzieDice · Post by **FuzzieDice** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:18 pm

This should shine some light on the subject.

http://tinyurl.com/2zycmy

NOTE this is a TinyURL link to a WikiPedia Site. The original Wiki URL doesn't work good if posted in forums so I did it this way.

Also note at the bottom of the Wiki article it mentions that this was used in Knight Rider.

KOPP · Post by **KOPP** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:20 pm

FuzzieDice wrote:This should shine some light on the subject.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ski_(driving_stunt)

The link only took me to the page on snow skiing...lol!!

FuzzieDice · Post by **FuzzieDice** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:21 pm

You posted that while I was editing it to a URL that worked. Refresh your page and try again.

KOPP · Post by **KOPP** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:22 pm

LOL k, thanks!!

And thanks for answering our question!!

FuzzieDice · Post by **FuzzieDice** » Wed Mar 07, 2007 10:54 pm

No probs. Ah the great, immediate, real-time internet... catches you editing every time.

Crumbling Down · Post by **Crumbling Down** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 8:41 am

Not to get completely off topic but all the stunts seen on KR were actually happening. There was no computer animation or anything was there?

FuzzieDice · Post by **FuzzieDice** » Fri Mar 09, 2007 5:10 pm

Nope. Back in the early 80s, they couldn't do computer animation convincingly enough. Instead, some stunts were done using model cars filmed in models of some of the scenes. Like the explosion of KARR in KITT vs. KARR at the end, for example. Those were done using model cars, not real ones.

Akaihiryuu · Post by **Akaihiryuu** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 6:24 pm

A lot of the car jumps were real, especially in season 1. They used specially equipped stunt cars that were fitted with rubber shells/body panels that could be easily switched out. These stunt cars look *terrible* when seen up close, they are heavily modified to be able (to an extent) withstand jumps and protect the stunt drivers. Regardless, a lot of the time they were still totaled upon landing...do a freeze frame during car jumps sometime, there's one where KITT did a jump in an alley, if you run it slowly, you can see a couple frames when the car hit where the entire thing buckled and looked like it was going to fall apart. I'm pretty sure the stunt coordinator was the same one that worked on Dukes of Hazzard. Starting in season 2, more and more towards the end of the series, they started doing a lot of the stunt work with miniatures. In some places it's really obvious (like KITT sinking into the acid pit in Junk Yard Dog, that is a very poorly done miniature that doesn't look much like KITT at all, in other places the miniature work is done well. Nowadays they would probably use a lot of CG for the stunts.

snafu · Post by **snafu** » Mon Mar 12, 2007 8:21 pm

The one where KITT was in the ocean was a poorly done miniature, too. It looked like a modified toy boat.

Kaine · Post by **Kaine** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 12:14 pm

i always believed it is "sky mode", as one side of the car is lifted into the sky...

nice plate · Post by **nice plate** » Tue Mar 13, 2007 1:07 pm

To be honest the miniatures always destroy the program for me, I always loved KITT and believed what he could do even with the rubbishy stunt cars, but with the miniatures it makes it a hell of a lot less believable and generally ruins the experience. Especially in eps like Goliath etc.

Crumbling Down · Post by **Crumbling Down** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 8:39 am

I did notice the model effect in one ep. Kit rolls down a hill tumbling over and over and you can obviously see that it is not the same car. The wheels are different and the way it rolls doesn't look right. I always thought that they used a full size replica but it's interesting to know that they used a minature.

rhdaussiekitt · Post by **rhdaussiekitt** » Wed Mar 14, 2007 7:53 pm

Ski mode was I think from what stunt men used to call it when going on 2 wheels, ie ski mode, also check out slammin sammies stunt show episode, thats how sammie (spell) talks of it..

jup · Post by **jup** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 1:15 am

rhdaussiekitt wrote:Ski mode was I think from what stunt men used to call it when going on 2 wheels, ie ski mode, also check out slammin sammies stunt show episode, thats how sammie (spell) talks of it..

That is how I've always heard of it, as well. And, unless a device is used like a wire rig that keeps the vehicle from tilting too far, a very difficult kind of stunt to perform.

And, I agree that in the days of KR, computer graphics couldn't pull off anything. What you see on KITT's screens was cutting edge. You know...that horrible driving game or Pac-Man. Those cheesy "Road narrows" flashing screens and that text that comes out at a typist's pace...sometimes, even including the "10, 20, 30..." line marker stuff used in BASIC programming.

.

10 PRINT "Hello"
20 GOTO 10
RUN

Hello
Hello
Hello
Hello

{Run/Stop}

10 PRINT "Joe Roe"
11 PRINT "6587 Clue Street"
12 PRINT "Hollywood, California"
RUN

Joe Roe
6587 Clue Street
Hollywood, California
Joe Roe
6587 Clue Street

{Run/Stop}

.

Ahhhh...fun with archaic skills. Now, let's just add 15 CLS to make it flicker in one spot for awhile...

cloudkitt · Post by **cloudkitt** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 2:42 am

I too hate the models. Especially in Goliath, in most of the scenes they use the models for, they were completely unnecessary.

Anyway, I also agree that Ski Mode is the show's best stunt. It is the most impressive I think. And I haven't read the link yet (though I'm about to) but I always thought that going up on two wheels in car stunt lingo is simply called a ski....

EDIT: Okay, now I've read the link, and I must say I find it hilarious that it specifies that it's not the 2 tires of the "opposite corners." hahaha, now come on, how would that even make sense? lol

Knight Racer · Post by **Knight Racer** » Thu Apr 12, 2007 9:05 pm

Anyone see sky divers jumping out of a plane?some use a single board as a ski.This might be where people got ski and not ski'smode.

James_kr · Post by **James_kr** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 1:07 am

Ski Mode Rules

cloudkitt · Post by **cloudkitt** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 2:31 am

Hahaha, it really does. It always baffles me that they can actually get a car to do that....

Knight-Armen · Post by **Knight-Armen** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 8:32 am

That will KILL the suspension...

cloudkitt · Post by **cloudkitt** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 11:44 am

Not if they're covered in Molecular Bonded Shell

The skid marks in the middle of the road in that shot seem to imply they tried that scene a few times.

Knight-Armen · Post by **Knight-Armen** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 12:05 pm

Heh, you're right! The bikers seem to be extremely worried about the car. I mean, look at them, they should be facing forwards...

James_kr · Post by **James_kr** » Fri Apr 13, 2007 7:46 pm

I think he would prefer to know if the car was about to touch down and he was in its path. Remember the weight of KITT!