SEB posts a reminder of this faboo Mike Jittlov <s>video</s> film from back in the day, now up on YouTube.
I didn’t do SF conventions back when this was hot property — but I did go to a number of animation festivals, and this one always drew huge applause. Remembering that the stop-motion stuff was all done frame-by-frame, it’s just astonishing.
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The two pieces of fanfic I saw at cons a quarter-century ago were Hardware Wars and One Day on an Alien Planet, the latter being a Star Trek movie done with G. I. Joes and Barbies. (Klingons roasting Janice Rand on a barbecue spit! Bwah-ha-ha-hah!) Both were excellent.
The first I knew of The Wizard of Speed and Time was when my then-wife brought home the video of the feature film. It was a fictional account of how Jittlov came to make the short, intermingling “making-of” footage with a funny storyline. I still cringe when I think about the scene where he holds a yard sale to raise funds to make his film. “How much for this copy of Fantastic Four #1? Jittlov glances at it and answers, “Uh… cover price.” Ack! Ack! Ack! 🙂
For a one-man film, it turned out quite well. Jittlov seems realy charming, the sort of fellow you can’t help but root for. I’ll have to dig up the videotape and watch it again.
I have been trying to find the film “One Day On An Alien Planet”. Do you have any idea who made it or who might know any information about this film? I run a film festival for spoofs and would like to show this classic film.
No idea, I’m afraid. I’d start with Google and go from there.
I think we’re out of luck. I’ve never seen it commercially released, unlike Hardware Wars (which tape I checked for it–it included Close Encounters of the Nerd Kind, but not this film). The only hope might be to find it at a convention.
I recall a Q&A session with the guys who made it at a con back in ’76 (or thereabouts), but I don’t recall their names. Sorry I’m not more help. 🙁
4 years later, I finally have a lead! They were guests at a con years back and someone posted the guest list for that con. The animators are Doug Hamby and Ralph Gordon. Now to try to find one of them online! I tried Facebook – 15 Doug/Douglas Hamby, 122 Ralph Gordon. With nothing to go on, I looked at the friends lists of the 15 Doug Hamby. None had a Ralph Gordon on their friends list. Ralph Gordon is listed on IMDB as doing optical effects work from 1980 through 1988 (including on Star Trek IV), but I have no way of knowing if it’s the same Ralph Gordon and his contact info is not listed on IMDBpro. Other Google searches on the two names have turned up too much info to sort through, especially since the only thing I know about them is that they worked on a film together in the 70’s and that film is not referenced anywhere on the web, other than this post and the previously mentioned guest list. Not sure what to do next.
Well, Mike, I just tried a search, and the only hit I got was your post on the LASFS page.
Good luck, and keep us posted (so to speak)!
Not sure if anyone still reads this but I just stumbled across it. Doug Hamby and Ralph Gordon are indeed the makers of ODOAAP. I painted a poster for them to use at the first con they premiered the short. I’ve asked Doug years ago to release the short but he did not want to get sued by Paramount’s legal department for use of the Star Trek music. I was hoping he’d just post it on YouTube as many fan films slip past copyright infringements. Ralph and I did end up working at ILM together in the early/mid-80s. Sadly Ralph passed away in 1986. Doug has some of their other GI-Joe animations, not Star Trek related but still very entertaining. I think Doug now lives in Colorado.
Thanks Phill! Sorry to hear about Ralph. Perhaps you could identify Doug’s facebook, LinkedIn, or other profile since you know what he looks like?
I looked at all the Doug Hamby’s I could find on Facebook, none of the profiles with photos looked like him. I will contact an old friend of his and see if he’s got Doug’s email. It may take a week as I’m currently away from home.