Eric Chu, the man behind bulk of design of Ron Moore’s BSG hardware, wrote an article for Cinemaspy where he tackles the question of what the upcoming Glen Larson (creator of Battlestar Galactica) / Brian Singer’s movie format of “Battlestar Galactica” might look like. The Larson/ Singer version will be based on the original series in the 70’s in lieu of Ron Moore’s highly successful re-imagining TV series. Here are excerpts from his article and samples of his conceptual artwork:
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Whether Larson and Singer are planning a remake or a continuation, there is no doubt that the feature will draw very closely from the Battlestar Galactica so many of us grew up with. Design-wise, this presents a unique challenge: how does one maintain the look and feel of the original without being beholden to it? A few cosmetic changes here and there might be fine for some, but insufficient for those who are accustomed to the kind of sophistication that digital technology now affords us.
On such a project, the concept designer is asked to take into account the legacy that has come before when coming up with sketches. It is very easy — but creatively stifling — to simply do a superficial touch-up, yet a radical departure would alienate those who maintain a nostalgic attachment to the original. The trick is to find the “essence” of the design, those elements that identify the original and rework it so that the new version still subconsciously evokes the past while being a believable evolution of it.
In the case of the Cylons, it is relatively easy to distill the basic feature unique to its design: the red scanning eye. Everybody knows that one. However, I still kept some hint of Centurion armor and the grilled mouthpiece in the painting you see below. And as you can also see, the Vipers still maintain the same basic dart-like shape, however, everything has been swept back for a “faster” look. The markings remain largely unchanged as they are an important identifying feature.
At one time I did a sketch of the Galactica for Moore’s mini-series that closely resembles this new update. The basic alligator shape was still present but the rear strut arced over the body as opposed to being attached to its side. This gave the impression of shoulders that are hunched over, ready to attack… a more aggressive feel akin to some contemporary stealth and VTOL aircraft with which you might be familiar (actually, it would have made a terrific Pegasus too!).
The Raider was always a difficult nut to crack in the mini-series, but this time around, I returned to the disc-like shape and kept the black grill feature—although now it does not serve as a canopy, which never made sense in the original series. (Perhaps that was the one fatal flaw in their design that made the Cylons such ineffective pilots… See? Design IS important!)
Lastly, I took one aspect of the show that was closely identified with its cheese factor and threw in my own twist. I envision using state-of-the-art audio-animatronics rather than a monkey in a suit this time. Still cuddly, IMHO.
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Eric Chu is a concept artist and illustrator, as well as writer/producer. In 2003 he served as production illustrator for Syfy’s Battlestar Galactica, redesigning Galactica, the new Cylon Centurions, and both the Cylon Raiders and Basestar.
[Source] Cinemaspy
