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September 2

How is there normal speed and sped-up actions on Star Trek: TNG (especially with Lieutenant Commander Data?)

Sometimes, there are scenes where Data does something extra, extra fast, which is characteristic of a superior-functioning android. He assembled a model temple together in front of a child. He listened to someone give a lecture in a Holodeck, on maximum speed (so the holographic lecturer sounded like a chipmunk on energy drinks.)

In the meantime, the observer of Data's temple assembly demonstrated body movements at normal speed. Data's sped-up effect couldn't just come from the speeding up of the camera reel.

Therefore, how was it made behind the scenes so that the observer wasn't sped up in his body movements as well as Data? What is the article on that particular special effect? --Let Us Update Wikipedia: Dusty Articles 01:21, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I would guess that they would have filmed them seperately, filming Data building the temple, then speeding it up so it looks fast, after/before/at the same time filming the kiddo seperately, then pasting the kiddo on top of the section for Data. I think they do something similar to Data's building, filming a slow thing, then doing playback, sped up, with survailance vids, too.Jds500 (talk) 01:59, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Brent Spiner plays three people in one scene in Brothers, and a later episode has part of the action moving backwards while Picard, Troi, and Geordi watch in regular motion. Obviously that stuff is filmed separately too. I guess that the article you want to look at is compositing, and there are probably others. Adam Bishop (talk) 02:39, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

There's also Chroma key... --Jayron32 03:38, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

And if the one other human in the scene is motionless, we can guess they went on the cheap, avoided the expense of a special effect, and told the actor to just freeze for a couple minutes. Comet Tuttle (talk) 05:45, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I have seen it done, in 'behind the scenes' style things, with some actors moving really slowly while others move at normal speed: this is then sped up. I'm guessing that's the cheaper option and, with decent actors, probably gives a more satisfying effect on low budgets, or before computer effects were as advanced. 86.161.108.172 (talk) 22:30, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

That general kind of trick is at least as old as Charlie Chaplin's silent films. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:38, 3 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

More recent example, Avril Lavigne's I'm With You - when making the video, she mouthed along to the song being played at double speed. When slowed down, looks like she's singing normally, while her hair bounces and everyone dances really slowly --Saalstin (talk) 15:19, 4 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Muse's video for Uprising also does that (but they're playing their instruments twice as fast too). Adam Bishop (talk) 18:56, 6 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

And back to Star Trek, there was an Original Series episode, "Wink of an Eye", in which there are people who live at an accelerated speed and cannot be seen. When Kirk and Spock go through the process temporarily, the other crew members move, but extremely slowly, almost stopped but not quite. And that likely would have been done without any high-tech tricks. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:55, 5 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Horror Story

I read a horrible story but forgot it's name, and author's name, which I'd like to know. I am giving details here. I know such stuff is not entirely banned on Reference Desk but this is rather...

Details are given here but please read at you own risk, especially young and sensitive people.

The story is perhaps set in India (but not sure) One guy goes out for a walk at night. He sees a young boy at a distance which he finds curious. He'd like to know who the child is, he didn't see any kid here before, this is not a place for kids actually (graveyard nearby). So he calls the kid to stop, but the kid runs away from him. He gets more curious and runs after him. As he gains speed he notices that the kid is perfectly bald, but the real shock comes when he at last catches him and brings him close enough for inspection (he would regret doing this for the rest of his restless days ). The kid has no eyes, no nose, no mouth, no ears...all he has for a head is a plane spherical head-shape Jon Ascton (talk) 07:36, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

This story reminds me of a Japanese Yokai: Noppera-bō. It is described as: Noppera-bō are known primarily for frightening humans, but are usually otherwise harmless. They appear at first as ordinary human beings, sometimes impersonating someone familiar to the victim, before causing their features to disappear, leaving a blank, smooth sheet of skin where their face should be. Disturbing, but not as much as the Shirime ;-) --151.51.145.104 (talk) 08:48, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

How are the details disturbing? Seems rather tame to me. Googlemeister (talk) 13:52, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Googlemeister, you must be a rather overtly brave man, I almost froze when I read this , but that's perhaps I was kid. Jon Ascton (talk) 23:30, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Well, you have to be careful :-) Personally I didn't think it was too bad but people are affected in different ways. Chevy monte carlo 14:16, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

This is a long shot, but I'm wondering whether it might be the short story The Step by E. F. Benson. I found this very interesting page that lists instances of the trope of the faceless person in books, tv, movies etc., and the Benson story is mentioned with a brief comment that it contains an example. I like Benson very much but don't know this particular story; it's hard to find much about the plot online, except that it's set in Egypt and features an unpleasant bullying character who follows someone and gets a nasty come-uppance. I'm so intrigued that I've located and ordered a second-hand copy of an anthology of Benson's ghost stories, which is something I've always quite fancied owning. The Step is in it, so I'll report back when it arrives. (How's that for Refdesk devotion?) Ka renjc 16:24, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The OP's description doesn't sound like "The Step", in most of which the "unpleasant bullying character" is being pursued by, rather than pursuing, the not-yet-visible bogie. When it does appear, it's not in the form of a young boy. I think the OP was probably on target in connecting his/her story with the Noppera-bō; it sounds as though it was certainly influenced by Lafcadio Hearn's well-known "Mujina" in Kwaidan, which is described in that article. Genre authors are always stealing plots from one another. Deor (talk) 20:41, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Never come across Hearn, despite his local connections to N E England, where I now live. He sounds fascinating; I must track his stuff down and have a look. Thanks Deor :) Ka renjc 15:47, 3 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

The story sounds familiar to me - maybe something by M.R. James? I've got a feeling I've seen this story on TV. The BBC had a tradition of ghost stories for Christmas, and it could have been one of those. DuncanHill (talk) 17:30, 3 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

How scary something is depends on what nerves it hits within you, or doesn't. My reaction, as the protagonist in that story, would have been to say, "Wow! What happened to you?" And see if I get any response. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 19:40, 3 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

That is what you think.Right now you are (probably) sitting in a comfortable well-lit study but alone at night...I think you are one of those lucky few who have never seen something like that, and firmly believe that this "scrap" is limited only to books and films and imagination of the eccentric.OP —Preceding unsigned comment added by Jon Ascton (talk • contribs) 03:24, 5 September 2010

I'm sure it would be startling, but probably not as startling as seeing a face with an "I'll kill you" expression. ←Baseball Bugs ^{What's up, Doc?} carrots→ 15:52, 5 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I can say with confidence that it's not an M. R. James story. And that Buggsy may possibly be overstating his imperviousness. Deor (talk) 22:01, 3 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

I got my E. F. Benson book, and Deor's quite right; it's set in Alexandria and the central character is a rapacious moneylender and businessman who is cursed by a victim and dogged by an echoing step. After some days he sees his follower, an adult with a covered face, and challenges him to reveal his identity.

The man raised his hands and threw back the shawl. The moonlight shone on his face, and that face was just a slab of smooth yellowish flesh extending from ear to ear, empty as the oval of an egg without eyes or nose or mouth. Not the story the OP was asking about, but not a bad substitute. And the book is great! Ka renjc 14:31, 7 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Is this story not "A Face in the Night" by Ruskin Bond? Transcript at NPR AiyyashNalayak (talk) 21:42, 7 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

What is name of the book that may contain this story ? Thanks, man Jon Ascton (talk) 17:14, 8 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Back in the day (late 80's) there was a collection of short stories called "A treasury of short stories". It is my understanding that this collection has had newer versions published, that may not include the story being discussed.AiyyashNalayak (talk) 17:21, 8 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Crump Cup golf tournament at Pine Valley in New Jersey

This tournament is normally open to the public one day in September each year. What is the date it will be open to the public in 2010? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 71.230.244.37 (talk) 20:24, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]

According to Crump Cup. "The 86th tournament will be held September 9 -12, 2010", and "Since at least the 1970s the public can, on the day of the final round, tour the golf course and view tournament play", so, although I can't find anything definite, the answer would appear to be September 12th. Neither the course nor the competition seem to have a website. Rojomoke (talk) 23:28, 2 September 2010 (UTC)[reply]