Douglas Netter
Encyclopedia
Douglas Netter is a United States
television industry executive, his credits largely being in the field of science fiction
. He is first credited as associate producer of the 1967 Matt Helm
(Dean Martin
) movie The Ambushers
which involved a US-government built flying saucer.
Between 1970 and 1975 Netter was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at MGM Studios. In 1975 he produced the Dean Martin crime movie Mr. Ricco
, and in 1978 was co-producer of the African mercenary movie The Wild Geese
. The next year he began a period when he concentrated on the Western genre, producing The Sacketts, a TV miniseries
based on Louis L'Amour
's Sackett family
and serving as executive producer
of the NBC TV movie Buffalo Soldiers. Over the next two years he also executive produced Wild Times and L'Amour's The Cherokee Trail.
1987 saw Netter's first involvement with J. Michael Straczynski
, when he was producer of Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future
that was story-edited and partially written by Straczynski, after which he was executive producer of the Babylon 5
TV series and various spin-offs (sharing equal executive producer credit with Straczynski). A still photo of Netter portrayed the Babylon 5 character of Earth Alliance
President
Luis Santiago
(The A-Z Guide to Babylon 5, ISBN 0-440-22385-7).
Netter was the executive producer for Babylon 5
. Between the third and fourth seasons, he founded and appointed himself CEO of Netter Digital
, a CGI
special effects company. Netter Digital then replaced Foundation Imaging
as the special effects studio for the series, doing all the CGI
work for the final season of that show, as well as several of the Babylon 5 telefilms, and did all the effects for its short-lived spinoff, Crusade
. He was also an executive producer for the only season of Hypernauts
in 1996.
With the cancellation of Crusade in 1999, Netter Digital lost its only client. Unable to promptly replace it with other customers, the company went out of business in 2000.
In 2006, Netter began executive producing Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
, the latest venture set in the Babylon 5 universe. The direct-to-DVD publication was released on July 31, 2007.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
television industry executive, his credits largely being in the field of science fiction
Science fiction
Science fiction is a genre of fiction dealing with imaginary but more or less plausible content such as future settings, futuristic science and technology, space travel, aliens, and paranormal abilities...
. He is first credited as associate producer of the 1967 Matt Helm
Matt Helm
Matt Helm is a fictional character created by author Donald Hamilton. He is a U.S. government counter-agent—a man whose primary job is to kill or nullify enemy agents—not a spy or secret agent in the ordinary sense of the term as used in spy thrillers.-The character and the series:The...
(Dean Martin
Dean Martin
Dean Martin was an American singer, film actor, television star and comedian. Martin's hit singles included "Memories Are Made of This", "That's Amore", "Everybody Loves Somebody", "You're Nobody till Somebody Loves You", "Sway", "Volare" and "Ain't That a Kick in the Head?"...
) movie The Ambushers
The Ambushers (film)
The Ambushers is a 1967 spy comedy film filmed in Acapulco starring Dean Martin, Senta Berger and Janice Rule. It is loosely based upon the novel of the same title by Donald Hamilton....
which involved a US-government built flying saucer.
Between 1970 and 1975 Netter was the Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at MGM Studios. In 1975 he produced the Dean Martin crime movie Mr. Ricco
Mr. Ricco
Mr. Ricco is a 1975 crime drama film directed by Paul Bogart. It stars Dean Martin in his last leading film role, along with Eugene Roche, Denise Nicholas and Cindy Williams.-Plot:...
, and in 1978 was co-producer of the African mercenary movie The Wild Geese
The Wild Geese
The Wild Geese is a British 1978 film about a group of mercenaries in Africa. It stars Richard Burton, Roger Moore, Richard Harris and Hardy Krüger...
. The next year he began a period when he concentrated on the Western genre, producing The Sacketts, a TV miniseries
Miniseries
A miniseries , in a serial storytelling medium, is a television show production which tells a story in a limited number of episodes. The exact number is open to interpretation; however, they are usually limited to fewer than a whole season. The term "miniseries" is generally a North American term...
based on Louis L'Amour
Louis L'Amour
Louis Dearborn L'Amour was an American author. His books consisted primarily of Western fiction novels , however he also wrote historical fiction , science fiction , nonfiction , as well as poetry and short-story collections. Many of his stories were made into movies...
's Sackett family
Sackett
The Sackett family is a fictional American family featured in a number of western novels, short stories and historical novels by American writer Louis L'Amour.- Background :...
and serving as executive producer
Executive producer
An executive producer is a producer who is not involved in any technical aspects of the film making or music process, but who is still responsible for the overall production...
of the NBC TV movie Buffalo Soldiers. Over the next two years he also executive produced Wild Times and L'Amour's The Cherokee Trail.
1987 saw Netter's first involvement with J. Michael Straczynski
J. Michael Straczynski
Joseph Michael Straczynski , known professionally as J. Michael Straczynski and informally as Joe Straczynski or JMS, is an American writer and television producer. He works in films, television series, novels, short stories, comic books, and radio dramas. He is a playwright, a former journalist,...
, when he was producer of Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future
Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future
Captain Power and the Soldiers of the Future is a 1987–88 science fiction/action television series, merging live action with animation based on computer-generated images, that ran for 22 episodes in Canadian/American syndication...
that was story-edited and partially written by Straczynski, after which he was executive producer of the Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
TV series and various spin-offs (sharing equal executive producer credit with Straczynski). A still photo of Netter portrayed the Babylon 5 character of Earth Alliance
Earth Alliance (Babylon 5)
The Earth Alliance is the name of a fictional alliance of the nations of Earth and off-world colonies in the television series Babylon 5. The transition of Earth government from a democratic, elected government to an authoritarian, militaristic one and back to a democracy again is a major theme of...
President
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
Luis Santiago
Luis Santiago
Luis Santiago is a fictional character in the universe of the science fiction television drama Babylon 5, portrayed by a still photo of Douglas Netter...
(The A-Z Guide to Babylon 5, ISBN 0-440-22385-7).
Netter was the executive producer for Babylon 5
Babylon 5
Babylon 5 is an American science fiction television series created, produced and largely written by J. Michael Straczynski. The show centers on a space station named Babylon 5: a focal point for politics, diplomacy, and conflict during the years 2257–2262...
. Between the third and fourth seasons, he founded and appointed himself CEO of Netter Digital
Netter Digital
'Netter Digital Entertainment was a company created by Douglas Netter in 1995. The company produced the show Hypernauts before moving to digital EFX work and replacing Foundation Imaging in the final two seasons of Babylon 5 as the sole producer of CGI special effects for that series as well as...
, a CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
special effects company. Netter Digital then replaced Foundation Imaging
Foundation Imaging
Foundation Imaging was a CGI visual effects studio, computer animation studio, and post-production editing facility that pioneered digital imaging for television programming using Newtek's LightWave 3D on Commodore Amiga based Video Toaster workstations. Founded by Paul Beigle-Bryant and Ron...
as the special effects studio for the series, doing all the CGI
Computer-generated imagery
Computer-generated imagery is the application of the field of computer graphics or, more specifically, 3D computer graphics to special effects in art, video games, films, television programs, commercials, simulators and simulation generally, and printed media...
work for the final season of that show, as well as several of the Babylon 5 telefilms, and did all the effects for its short-lived spinoff, Crusade
Crusade (TV series)
Crusade is a spin-off TV show from J. Michael Straczynski's Babylon 5. Its plot is set in AD 2267, five years after the events of Babylon 5, and just after the movie A Call to Arms. A race called the Drakh have released a nanovirus plague on Earth, which will destroy all life on Earth within five...
. He was also an executive producer for the only season of Hypernauts
Hypernauts
Hypernauts was a proof of concept show produced by Foundation Imaging and Netter Digital Entertainment. To further prove that the computer-generated imagery and visual effects created in Babylon 5 were easily applied to other venues, the Hypernauts were born...
in 1996.
With the cancellation of Crusade in 1999, Netter Digital lost its only client. Unable to promptly replace it with other customers, the company went out of business in 2000.
In 2006, Netter began executive producing Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales
Babylon 5: The Lost Tales is an anthology show set in the Babylon 5 universe. It was announced by J. Michael Straczynski, creator of Babylon 5, at the San Diego Comic Con in July 2006...
, the latest venture set in the Babylon 5 universe. The direct-to-DVD publication was released on July 31, 2007.