The Production Guide
Martin Landau archives
Maya Transition Sequences

Filming of The Metamorph started on Monday 26th January 1976, and was on day 7 on Tuesday, 3rd February 1976 when this memo was drafted (probably by special effects director Brian Johnson). The script states that Maya's form "glows" before transforming, with no mention of eyes. The scripts do not mention close ups of the eye. The final "standard transition" sequence is first described in the 31st March script for The Taybor.

The contact lenses that she wore in the special effects close-up (seen here being filmed) were painted with radial spikes, but irritated her eye and were abandoned in favour of the animal vignette.

3rd February, 1976

MAYA TRANSITION SEQUENCES

1) ZOOM IN to M.C.U. MAYA's face.- make Zoom as fast as possible.

2) Special Effects to ZOOM IN to MAYA's eyes, copying exact angle and speed of Zoom as Studio.

3) Cut or Mix two Zooms together.

Studio - No Contact Lenses

Special Effects - Contact Lenses

Final Effect - The feeling that MAYA's eyes have changed just before the point of transition.

Note: If all the above works and the eyes are found to be attractive, then further tests can be shot to establish whether additional use of the Contact Lenses should be made or not.

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