Dune

An original production used shooting schedule during the production of David Lynch's 1984 film adaptation of Dune, based on the novel by Frank Herbert.

This shooting schedule was created during pre production by Apogee Inc who were originally contracted to provide the visual effects for the picture, this was the personal paperwork of effects pioneer John Dykstra who had previously won an Academy Award for his work on Star Wars before forming Apogee, his own visual effects company in the late 1970's. Ultimately Apogee did not provide the effects and pulled out of the project altogether.

The shooting schedule consists of the following presented in a manilla folder which is hand inscribed 'SHOOTING SCHEDULE (1st UNIT)'

• White tentative schedule for 1st camera unit, undated, consisting of 14 pages detailing dates, synopsis, scene numbers, artists required and stage locations, a number of pages have sections highlighted which were relevant with notes regarding motion control and blue screen shooting. Bound by a staple to the top left corner the document is hand inscribed 'John Dykstra' in pencil to the top right.
• Blue schedule dated 4th January 1983 covering pre-production which was due to start on June 22nd and principal photography to commence March 28th, consisting of 32 pages bearing similar details to the above covering all 22 weeks of principal photography. Staple bound to the top left corner and hole punched for binder use.
• Yellow schedule dated 14th February 1983, as above with differing production dates and changes to the shooting order. Consisting of 33 pages, staple bound and hand inscribed 'John Dykstra' in pencil to the top right corner.
• Page of handwritten notes accomplished on graph paper in Dykstra's hand, headed 'APOGEE' '1st UNIT SCHEDULE', these notes refer to the yellow shooting scedule above for shooting between 28th April and 28th July.
• Apogee 1st unit shooting schedule, dated 29th March 1983, detailing dates, locations, scene numbers and information regarding which scenes were to be filmed in VistaVision and/or motion control, with additional information regarding blue screen and front projection. The fourth page covers shots to take place on the Apogee model stage and equipment required for each shot.
• Five hand written charts, accomplished on graph paper, detailing scene #, descriptions and the dates where the shots were to take place and a further 4 uncompleted charts with just hand written headers present.

John Dykstra remains one of the true pioneers of visual effects as we know them today and this rare archive of material offers a great insight into the production process which Dykstra and Apogee were so heavily involved with before finally pulling out very close to the start of principal photography.

The folder and contents remain in excellent production used condition throughout. Very fine.

A rare and interesting offering from the early days of this box office flop which later achieved cult status with science fiction fans.