TEASER, SCENE 1: In the workprint, Paris and Torres (Robert Duncan McNeill and Roxann Dawson) are filmed separately in front of bluescreen. Foundation Imaging’s artists created an X-Ray effect animation utilizing CG models of Paris’ and Torres’ skeletons with some visible musculature. The footage and animation are superimposed together, composited with a suitable background plate of the Jefferies Tube intersection.

The completed Srivani scanning effect adds a rippling “frosted glass” distortion to the footage as well as a feathered area where the inner anatomy can be seen which scans up and down. Also added is a HUD (heads-up display) interface with Srivani data to give the impression that this is a POV shot of some kind. The angle then subtly changes as Torres gets the feeling they are being watched.

ACT ONE, SCENE 4: In the workprint, the foreground plate is used of Chakotay and Janeway (Robert Beltran and Kate Mulgrew) on the bridge filmed against bluescreen.

In the finished shot, the blue color is “keyed out” and a traveling matte created, a sort of silhouette of the actors which allows their image to remain while the viewscreen area becomes transparent to the footage behind it – in this case, CG animation provided by Foundation Imaging of the binary pulsars.

ACT ONE, SCENE 12A: In the workprint, Robert Beltran is filmed separately in front of bluescreen. In similar fashion to Scene 1, Foundation Imaging’s artists created an infrared effect animation utilizing a CG model of Chakotay’s inner anatomy, focusing primarily on his digestive system and the coffee that pours down his esophagus and into his stomach. The footage and animation are superimposed together and composited with a suitable background plate of Chakotay’s quarters.

The overall look of the Srivani scanning effect differs somewhat here, but retains the HUD interface text readouts. A white-hot burst effect is added at the base of Chakotay’s skull to coincide with Beltran’s reaction in the scene.

ACT TWO, SCENE 18: In the workprint, the science lab console merely has practical (and static), backlit elements courtesy of the art department. However, the script calls for an animated graphic or “Okudagram” of a DNA segment sending out a short range signal via the Srivani molecular tags.

Mike Okuda and his team created these animations – in what look to be two separate areas above and below the midline of the back-lit element – and they were simply composited on top of the footage.

ACT TWO, SCENE UNKNOWN:  Here we have a locked-off shot which allows a couple subtle effects to play out rather effectively. In the workprint, we can see that the action of Torres collapsing in pain and losing consciousness and the Doctor coming to her aid were filmed first. Then, Robert Picardo walked out of the shot and Roxann Dawson had to lie perfectly still for several seconds so the VFX artists would have a clean plate in which to erase the Doctor. The workprint simply has him blink out momentarily then eventually dissolve away.

In the finished shot, a custom, semi-transparent hold-out matte was created by an artist in the shape of the Doctor. This matte partially “holds-out” the background, allowing the alternating pattern of vertical streaks to be seen through his body which simulate the malfunctioning of the mobile emitter. Similarly, when the Doctor transfers himself to the Holodeck, a subtle distortion effect with a dissolve removes him from the shot. His mobile emitter prop is then filmed separately from the same camera position and dropped from the same height, with an artist likely painting-in its shadow to complete the effect.

ACT THREE, SCENE 28: In the workprint, the Doctor (Robert Picardo) is filmed from what would be Seven’s (Jeri Ryan’s) POV. The panning footage is treated to simulate what she sees: the image is distinctly tinted “Borg green” and intentionally smeared and blurry with a pincushion-like effect and a subtle varying distortion.

ACT THREE, SCENES UNKNOWN: More of Seven’s POV. The background actors are filmed with the grotesque-looking Srivani devices on their bodies and the footage is treated with the same pincushion effect, green Borg hue and subtle distortion.

ACT FOUR, SCENE UNKNOWN: Seven grabs Tuvok’s (Tim Russ’) phaser and shoots at one of the Srivani intruders. In the workprint, the intruder (named Alzen in the script and played by Rosemary Forsyth) simply cross dissolves into view. In the completed shot, the phaser beam is added along with an energy effect that is reminiscent of a transporter beam-in.

A semi-transparent hold-out matte is created by an artist in the shape of the actor. This matte “holds-out” the background to allow the effect to be seen just inside the body. The effect is comprised of a blurred interior of the alien’s body and tendrils of green energy along with two vertical streaks which converge, deflect off of one another and disperse, then slowly dissolve away.

ACT FOUR, SCENE UNKNOWN: The brig’s force field effect appears here in a pattern of sparkles reminiscent of the third stage of the transporter effect originally produced by Rick Zettner & Associates, Inc. for the TNG pilot “Encounter at Farpoint“.

Two identical areas (one inverted) appear over Janeway’s body and expand in size, then dissipate while other areas come to life intermittently before also disappearing.

ACT FIVE, SCENE 60: Similar to Scene 4 but without the requirement of bluescreen (because no actors were filmed in front of it and hence no traveling matte was needed) the foreground plate of the viewscreen is composited with CG animation provided by Foundation Imaging of the binary pulsars as they get brighter and closer to the ship.

ACT FIVE, SCENE 60 (con’t.): In the workprint, the Srivani leader (named Takar in the script and played by Annette Helde) simply dissolves away. In the completed shot, her beam-out effect occurs in a manner essentially identical to Alzen’s appearance in Engineering.

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