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{{short description|Fictional spacecraft from the television series Firefly}}
{{DISPLAYTITLE:''Serenity'' (''Firefly'' vessel)}}
{{Infobox fictional vehicle
| name = ''Serenity''
| image = Serenityship.jpg
| first = ''[[Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]'' (2002)
}}
'''''Serenity''''' is a fictional spacecraft that appears in [[Joss Whedon]]'s ''[[Firefly (TV series)|Firefly]]'' television series and related works. Set in the 26th century, the series follows the nine-person crew of the ''Firefly''-class vessel, a small transport ship, as they earn a living through various legal and illegal means. The ship is the main setting; it appears in [[List of Firefly episodes|all fourteen episodes]], the [[Serenity (2005 film)|film]], and several [[Serenity (comics)|comics]].
The ship was designed by director Joss Whedon, production designer Carey Meyer, and visual effects supervisor [[Loni Peristere]]. The collaboration led to more consistency between the live-action and digital effects representations of ''Serenity'' than is usual in science-fiction works.{{citation needed|date=March 2020}} Two contiguous sets were built, between them containing the entirety of the ship's interior, which provided several advantages to the cast and crew during filming. The digital model of the ship was created by [[Zoic Studios]], who also developed methods to digitally replicate live-action filming techniques, a first for television. These allowed digital renderings of the ship to blend in with the documentary/found-footage filming style of the live-action scenes.
''Serenity'' is described by Whedon as the "tenth character" of the series.<ref name="Whedon 10th">Joss Whedon, in ''Serenity: The 10th Character'', 00:52–01:14</ref> Some reviews compare the ship to the ''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' in the ''[[Star Wars]]'' franchise. She has made cameo appearances in the [[Battlestar Galactica (TV miniseries)|''Battlestar Galactica'' miniseries]] and the ''Star Wars: Evasive Action'' webcomic.
==Fictional background==
''Serenity'' first appeared in the pilot episode of [[Joss Whedon]]'s ''[[Firefly (TV show)|Firefly]]'', which is set in the year 2517, in a star system to which humanity migrated after using up Earth's resources.<!-- not specifying ''which'' pilot episode here, explanation comes later in this section --> She is the property of [[Malcolm Reynolds|Malcolm "Mal" Reynolds]] ([[Nathan Fillion]]), a former sergeant who served on the losing side of a civil war that ended six years before the series began.<ref>Shooting script for "[[Serenity (Firefly episode)|Serenity]]". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', pp 14–18</ref> Mal acquired ''Serenity'' from a used-spaceship dealer after the war (as depicted in flashbacks during "[[Out of Gas (Firefly)|Out of Gas]]"), intending to hire a small crew and take various jobs to support himself and wartime comrade [[Zoe Washburne|Corporal Zoe Alleyne]], while keeping out of the way of the [[Alliance (Firefly)|Alliance]], the multi-planetary government they were fighting.<ref>Shooting script for "[[Out of Gas (Firefly)|Out of Gas]]". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume Two'', p. 41</ref> Other flashbacks in "Out of Gas" show how the rest of the main crew came to join the ship; pilot [[Hoban Washburne|Hoban "Wash" Washburne]] ([[Alan Tudyk]]), mechanic [[Kaylee Frye]] ([[Jewel Staite]]), and mercenary [[Jayne Cobb]] ([[Adam Baldwin]]), as well as [[Inara Serra]] ([[Morena Baccarin]]), a [[courtesan]] who rents one of ''Serenity''’s two shuttlecraft. At the start of the series, the episode [[Serenity (Firefly episode)|"Serenity"]] depicts the arrival of the other three members of the [[ensemble cast]] as passengers aboard the ship: the preacher (or shepherd) [[Derrial Book]] ([[Ron Glass]]), the fugitive doctor [[List of Firefly characters#Simon Tam|Simon Tam]] ([[Sean Maher]]), and his psychic and psychotic sister [[River Tam|River]] ([[Summer Glau]]).
In the original pilot episode, [[Serenity (Firefly episode)|"Serenity"]], ''Serenity'' is described as a ''Firefly''-class transport ship by an Alliance starship crew, while Shepherd Book identifies her as an "aught three" model, with both parties implying that the class is an old design.<ref>Shooting script for "[[Serenity (Firefly episode)|Serenity]]". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', pgs. 20, 24</ref> In the episode "[[The Train Job]]", which was created as a replacement pilot episode when [[Fox Broadcasting Company|Fox]] decided that the original pilot was not good enough to be aired, River identifies the ship as a "Midbulk transport, standard radion-accelerator core, classcode 03-K64, ''Firefly''".<ref>Shooting script for "[[The Train Job]]". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', p. 57</ref> The ship's name comes from the Battle of Serenity Valley, the final action of the civil war Mal and Zoe fought in. The revelation was made in a deleted scene from the episode "Serenity", where Zoe tells Simon, "Once you've been in Serenity [Valley], you never leave. You just learn to live there."<ref>Shooting script for "[[Serenity (Firefly episode)|Serenity]]". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', p. 43</ref> The Serenity Valley connection is mentioned in the episode "[[Bushwhacked (Firefly)|Bushwhacked]]", although the reason behind the name is not given.<ref>Shooting script for "[[Bushwhacked (Firefly)|Bushwhacked]]". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', p. 57</ref> The capabilities of the ship are not elaborated on in aired material, beyond the fact that she is small, unarmed, and defenseless except for her speed and "crybabies": decoy buoys used to mimic other ships (in the episode "Serenity") or ''Serenity'' herself (in the film ''[[Serenity (2005 film)|Serenity]]''). In 2007, Geoffrey Mandel, the graphic designer from the film, and Tim Earls, the series illustrator and film set designer, produced an official set of ''Serenity'' blueprints, which included technical data for the ship.<ref name=announceblue>{{cite web |url=http://blog.quantummechanix.com/insider_images/issue_1.1/QMx_Serenity_Blueprints_bg.pdf |title=The Official Serenity Blueprints |accessdate=2008-06-01 |work=QMx Insider |publisher=Quantum Mechanix |page=1}}</ref> According to the blueprints, ''Serenity'' was laid down in August 2459.<ref name=blueprints>Geoffrey Mandel & Timothy Earls, (2007). ''Official Serenity Blueprint Set''. Quantum Mechanix (QMx SER-004).</ref> The ship is {{convert|269|ft|m}} long [[Bow (ship)|bow]] to [[stern]], with a {{convert|170|ft|m}} [[Beam (nautical)|beam]], and stands {{convert|79|ft|m}} high when landed.<ref name=blueprints/> ''Serenity'' has a [[curb weight]] of {{convert|282500|lb|kg}}, can carry {{convert|164900|lb|kg}} of cargo and 18 passengers, can accelerate at 4.2 [[g-force|g]], and has a range of 440 [[astronomical units]] when carrying minimal cargo.<ref name=blueprints/>
''Serenity'' and ships of her type are constantly talked down; in various episodes, ''Serenity'' is referred to as a "flying piece of ''go se'' ([[Mandarin Chinese]] for dog crap)",<ref>Shooting script for "[[Shindig (Firefly)|Shindig]]". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', p. 112</ref><ref>Shooting script for "[[Out of Gas (Firefly)|Out of Gas]]". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume Two'', p. 58</ref> "''luh-suh'' (garbage)",<ref>Shooting script for "[[Safe (Firefly)|Safe]]". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', p. 129</ref> or "junk".<ref>Shooting script for "Out of Gas". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume Two'', pgs. 41, 56</ref> However, in the episode "[[Our Mrs. Reynolds]]", a mechanic from a starship [[chop shop]] claims that while the ship is a load of worthless parts and isn't as attractive as other vessels, the value of a ''Firefly''-class ship comes from its durability and ease of repair.<ref>Shooting script for "[[Our Mrs. Reynolds]]". In ''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', p. 163</ref> Kaylee regularly defends the reputation of the ship, while Whedon regards ''Serenity'' as the tenth character of the series, as the relationships between the characters and the ship and how the audience reacts to the ship is as important as the relationships between and the reactions to the other main characters.<ref name="Whedon 10th"/>
==Design and filming==
The overall design of ''Serenity'' was conceived by Whedon, who handed it off to production designer Carey Meyer for fleshing out.<ref name=compone10>''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', p. 10</ref> The shape of the ship was conceived when Whedon was searching for a title for the show.<ref name=Serenitypilotcommentary1>Joss Whedon & Nathan Fillion, ''"[[Serenity (Firefly episode)|Serenity]]" - Audio Commentary'', 39:30-39:58</ref> While looking for something "that's got motion and strength", Whedon settled on '[[firefly]]', which also conveyed the insignificance of the ship and crew in the grand scheme.<ref name=Serenitypilotcommentary1/> Whedon also wanted to quickly establish how much space there was aboard the ship, and how its rooms sat in relation to each other, to avoid the impression that there were "1,400 decks and a [[holodeck]] and an all-you-can-eat buffet in the back."<ref name=compone10/> He wanted a ship that looked and felt like it was used and lived in, to the extent that he claims "One of the first things I thought was, 'I'm gonna have a ship with a toilet,'" which appeared as a pull-out drawer in Mal Reynolds' cabin in "Serenity".<ref name=jensen>{{cite news |first=Jeff |last=Jensen |title=Galaxy Quest |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,348131,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090425183112/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,348131,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 25, 2009 |work=Entertainment Weekly |issn=1049-0434 |pages=4 |date=2002-09-13 |accessdate=2008-05-09 }}</ref>
The design that Whedon, Meyer, and [[Loni Peristere]] (the visual effects supervisor from [[Zoic Studios]]) fleshed out was based on Whedon's decision that the ship would have the qualities of a bird mixed with those of a firefly.<ref name=serenity10five>Loni Peristere & Carey Meyer, in ''Serenity: The 10th Character'', 05:45–06:44</ref> The long neck was one of the bird-like features, while the enlarged [[abdomen]] reflected the bug.<ref name=serenity10five/> The insect metaphor also reflected the ship's position in relation to the Alliance, the all-powerful government in the series.<ref name=serenity10five/> The main method of propulsion was developed from the idea of using a fusion explosion behind the ship to propel it at greater speeds than normal.<ref name=serenity10six>Loni Peristere & Carey Meyer, in ''Serenity: The 10th Character'', 06:46–08:10</ref> This justified causing the ship's tail to glow like a firefly before the explosion caused the ship to rocket away.<ref name=serenity10six/> For secondary propulsion, to allow such a large object to fly gracefully in atmosphere and perform controlled landings, the group added two engines, each on a stubby wing.<ref name=serenity10six/> The engines rotate, giving ''Serenity'' [[VTOL]] capability, and would fold down and in like a bird's wings when the ship was inactive.<ref name=serenity10six/> Because the director, production designer, and visual effects supervisor collaborated on the design, ''Serenity'' shows less inconsistency between the size of the interior and exterior than other science-fiction spaceships.<ref name=announceblue/>
===Interior===
{{see also|Firefly (TV show)#Set design}}
The interior of the ship has two levels or decks. The upper deck starts at the head of the ship, with the bridge area. This leads to the neck corridor, which contains ladders down the crew quarters, an airlock to ''Serenity''’s exterior in a small side corridor, and connects the bridge to the rest of the ship. Next along is the mess and galley, which is followed by another passageway leading to the engine room at the rear of the ship. The lower deck starts with the main airlock, which leads directly into the cargo bay. Behind the cargo bay is a common area and the ship's infirmary. At the back end of the lower deck is a number of passenger quarters, ranging in size from small rooms (used by the characters) to small tubes like those in [[capsule hotel]]s (not seen in detail on screen).<ref name=compone11>''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', p. 11</ref> The two decks are linked by stairwells between the neck and the cargo bay, and between the aft passageway and the common area. A network of gantries around the walls of the cargo bay extend from the nearby stairwells, and also provide access to the ship's two short-range shuttlecraft, one of which is hired out to Inara as her place of residence and business.
Whedon came up with the idea of building each deck of ''Serenity'' as a contiguous set, so that he could establish the size of the spaceship, and film scenes where the actors could be followed as they moved around the ship.<ref name=comptwo37/><ref name=serenity10four>Joss Whedon, Carey Meyer, & Nathan Fillion, in ''Serenity: The 10th Character'', 04:00–04:44</ref> The two sets were built on separate sound stages, making [[second unit]] filming possible.<ref name=serenity10four/> The opening to the film highlights this: a 4{{frac|1|2}} minute shot (technically two shots connected together) near the start of the movie follows Mal from the bridge as he walks along the entire upper deck set, down a set of stairs near the engine room (where the cut is hidden by a [[whip pan]] from Mal to Simon) and back along the lower deck set to the cargo bay.<ref name=movielong>Joss Whedon ''[[Serenity (2005 film)|Serenity]] - Audio Commentary'', 10:30-12.48</ref><ref name=filmcrittrack>{{cite web |url=http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/reviews/The-Ten-Best-Tracking-Shots-Ever |title=The Ten Best Tracking Shots Ever |accessdate=2008-05-01 |last=Thomas |first=David |year=2007 |work=Filmcritic.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080509035431/http://www.filmcritic.com/misc/emporium.nsf/reviews/The-Ten-Best-Tracking-Shots-Ever |archive-date=2008-05-09 }}</ref> This shot (and similar shots in the early episodes) were intended to establish the space which made up the ship, and where locations were in relation to each other.<ref name=movielong/>
Having the sets constructed as contiguous decks had several advantages for the cast and crew: Joss Whedon would physically move around on the sets to help him in writing or [[Blocking (stage)|blocking]] difficult scenes,<ref>Joss Whedon, ''"[[Objects in Space]]" - Audio Commentary'', 21:07-22:20</ref> Summer Glau (playing River Tam) would often walk around the set to get into character and prepare for filming,<ref name=serenity10seven>Summer Glau, in ''Serenity: The 10th Character'', 08:13–08:36</ref> while other cast members would use the set as a [[green room]] or a place to relax.<ref name=serenity10eight>Alan Tudyk & Adam Baldwin, in ''Serenity: The 10th Character'', 08:37–09:07</ref> The sets were built with all walls and ceilings, but designed so that walls, ceilings, and large objects could be moved to facilitate filming.<ref name=compone11/><ref name=comptwo38/> Director of photography [[David Boyd (cinematographer)|David Boyd]] chose to use small hand-held cameras for interior filming, which in turn enhanced the 'documentary' feel Whedon wanted for the series.<ref name=comptwo38>''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume Two'', p. 38</ref> Lighting was provided by lights built into the ship, which were designed to appear practical and realistic.<ref>''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume Two'', p. 84</ref>
<!-- FAIR USE of Firefly-layout.png: see image description page at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Firefly-layout.png for rationale -->
[[File:Firefly-layout.png|left|thumb|''Serenity'''s layout, as sketched by [[Joss Whedon]] and Carey Meyer. The positions of the various rooms, as well as the general color attributed to them, are depicted.]]
Carey Meyer developed a color scheme for the rooms, generally ranging from warm colors near the engine room to cool colors near the bridge.<ref name=serenity10one>Carey Meyer & Joss Whedon, in ''Serenity: The 10th Character'', 01:17–02:06</ref> Each room or space was also intended to have its own character, which would reflect the characters that spent the most time in each room.<ref name=serenity10one/> For example, the warm, rusty brown color of the engine room reflected both the engine's attributes of heat and power, as well as the earthiness, warmth, sexuality, and optimism of Kaylee (Jewel Staite), while the clean, sterile, and white/blue infirmary was both a match to Simon Tam's role as a doctor and the character's personality and Alliance background.<ref name=compone10/><ref name=serenity10one/>
The dining room consisted of yellow walls (which were intended to be warm but more diffuse when compared to the engine room) that were decorated with a floral pattern, which Whedon envisioned as being the work of Kaylee.<ref name=serenity10two>Joss Whedon & Adam Baldwin, in ''Serenity: The 10th Character'', 02:20–02:45</ref> A large wooden table was located in the centre of the dining room, which lent itself to communal scenes.<ref name=serenity10two/>
The bridge area was the 'home' of Wash (Alan Tudyk), the ship's pilot.<ref name=serenity10three>Adam Baldwin & Alan Tudyk, in ''Serenity: The 10th Character'', 03:08–03:48</ref> It was designed to merge the ideas of a ship's [[Bridge (nautical)|bridge]] and an aircraft's [[cockpit]]: somewhere that resembled the packed-in command area of the space tug ''Nostromo'' from ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'', but had enough space to allow all nine characters to be present and interact.<ref name=Serenitypilotcommentary2>Joss Whedon & Nathan Fillion, ''"[[Serenity (Firefly episode)|Serenity]]" - Audio Commentary'', 59:55-1.01:00</ref> Originally, the area in front of the two control consoles was designed as a lounge area, but it was removed as Whedon wanted the bridge to be "about business".<ref name=Serenitypilotcommentary2/> The pilot station was decorated with Wash's toy dinosaurs, and had the pilot's "magic three switches",<!-- up above Wash's right shoulder --> which Alan Tudyk found himself always flicking first when instructed to do anything during scenes (from activating communications to taking off and running away) because they "made good 'chicky' sounds".<ref name=serenity10three/><ref>Nathan Fillion & Alan Tudyk, ''"[[War Stories (Firefly)|War Stories]]" - Audio Commentary'', 7:02–7:24</ref>
The crew quarters were built separately from the main sets.<ref name=Serenitypilotcommentary4/> They were constructed with a curve to one wall, to reinforce the shape of the ship's neck and remind viewers that they were on a spaceship.<ref name=Serenitypilotcommentary4>Joss Whedon & Nathan Fillion, ''"[[Serenity (Firefly episode)|Serenity]]" - Audio Commentary'', 34:52-35:35</ref> Mal's cabin set had the hatch and immediately surrounding hallway constructed for a scene in the episode "Serenity".<ref name=Serenitypilotcommentary4/> The cargo bay airlock was designed so it could be removed from the rest of the set and transported to other locations, allowing it to be 'docked' with sets representing other ships or placed on ___location, allowing for continuous filming from inside the airlock through to the other set or out onto the ___location, while avoiding the need to intercut between ___location and soundstage filming.<ref name=compone84>''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', p. 84</ref> This was used twice: first in "Bushwhacked" to 'connect' ''Serenity'' to a disused ''[[Power Rangers]]'' spaceship set adapted for the episode, then again in the film for the ship's second visit to Haven.<ref name=compone84/><ref name=moviehatch>Joss Whedon ''[[Serenity (2005 film)|Serenity]] - Audio Commentary'', 1.02:33-1.02:47</ref>
==
The lower deck set incorporated the front of the ship, including the cargo bay door and surrounding hull, the forward landing gear, and the engine nacelles, as well as a small amount of soundstage area where scenery could be placed in front of the ship.<ref>''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume Two'', pgs. 34, 37</ref><ref>Joss Whedon & Nathan Fillion, ''"[[Serenity (Firefly episode)|Serenity]]" - Audio Commentary'', 22:10-22:35</ref> Digital effects were used to add the rest of the ship in during post-production.<ref>''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume One'', p. 158</ref> The lower deck was built on Stage 16, which was modified during the filming of ''[[Alien Resurrection]]'' to include a {{convert|36|by|45|m|ft|adj=on}} water tank under the floor for underwater scenes.<ref name=Serenitypilotcommentary3>Joss Whedon & Nathan Fillion, ''"[[Serenity (Firefly episode)|Serenity]]" - Audio Commentary'', 22:35-23:00</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Beauties and the Beast |author=Hochman, David |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=1997-12-05 |url=https://ew.com/article/1997/12/05/sigourney-weaver-suits-fourth-alien/ |access-date=2008-06-01}} p. 2</ref> The tank was located under ''Serenity''’s cargo bay door, which Whedon planned to use in a later episode: several characters would run through the cargo bay and jump off the ramp into the tank, which would be dressed as a lake or lagoon.<ref name=Serenitypilotcommentary3/>
The section of outer hull from the base of the neck to the windows above the dining/common area was also constructed.<ref name=comptwo37>''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume Two'', p. 37</ref> Nicknamed the 'tortoiseshell', this set was used for scenes in "Bushwhacked", "[[Trash (Firefly)|Trash]]", and "[[Objects in Space]]".<ref name=comptwo37/>
===Digital model===
[[Loni Peristere]] from [[Zoic Studios]] was brought in early during the design process to co-ordinate the visual effects from the series, including those related to ''Serenity''. Peristere was instructed by Whedon to depart from the standard 'filming' techniques for digital sequences, and instead replicate the documentary style of filming Whedon intended for the live-action sequences. As part of this process, Peristere developed rules for 'filming' the exterior of the ship; primarily that the digital sequences would be created as if filmed from a 'chase spaceship', with a camera operator trying to keep ''Serenity'' in frame, while reacting to the movements of both ''Serenity'' and his own ship.<ref>''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume Two'', pp 182–185</ref> Zoic was the first company to use a realistic frame of reference for digitally created scenes for a television series, although [[Industrial Light and Magic]] was the first overall: similar effects were created for ''[[Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones]]'', which was released four months before ''Firefly'' began airing.{{Citation needed|date=April 2009}} The visual effects created for the spaceship chase scene in the episode "Serenity" won Zoic the [[Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects|2003 Emmy Award for Outstanding Special Visual Effects in a Series]].<ref>''Firefly: The Official Companion - Volume Two'', p. 185</ref>
Most of the scenes involving the ship were [[Rendering (computer graphics)|rendered]] in [[LightWave 3D]].<ref name=beck2>Beckwith, p. 2</ref> Other software used included [[Maya (software)|Maya]] and [[mental ray]] for rendering, [[Adobe Photoshop]] and Body Paint for texturing, and [[Combustion (software)|Combustion]] or [[Adobe After Effects]] for [[compositing]].<ref name=beck2/><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newtek.com/lightwave/profiles/Serenity/index.php |title=Interview with Zoic Studios' Visual Effects for Serenity |work=Lightwave |accessdate=2006-07-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060318164830/http://www.newtek.com/lightwave/profiles/Serenity/index.php |archive-date=2006-03-18 }}</ref>
Visual effects for ''Serenity''’s movie appearance were again created by Zoic, this time with Emile Edwin Smith in charge.<ref>Beckwith, p. 1</ref>
===Filming model===
A {{convert|15|ft|m|adj=on}} practical model was built by [[Grant McCune Design]] for the crash-landing sequence in the film (from 1.25:25 to 1.26:02), which was the only non-CGI exterior of the entire ship used in either the series or film.<ref name=Goldman13/><ref name=moviecrash>Joss Whedon ''[[Serenity (2005 film)|Serenity]] - Audio Commentary'', 1.25:40-1.26:10</ref> The scene was filmed as [[miniature effect]]s, and was enhanced digitally by Illusion Arts, who added sparks, debris, and an exploding engine.<ref name=Goldman13/><ref name=moviecrash/>
===Differences between series and film===
{{externalimage|float=right|image1=[http://www.fireflyshipworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/05/enginecomparison.gif Animation showing the difference between the engine pod digital models used in the television series and movie]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fireflyshipworks.com/2008/05/tv-versus-movie-serenity-part-1/ |title=TV versus Movie Serenity: It's All In The Details, Part 1 |accessdate=2008-01-02 |date=2008-05-21 |work=Firefly Ship Works |publisher=The FX Company}}</ref>}}
Among the changes made to ''Serenity'' between the series and the movie, the most significant were to the digital model. The digital model for the ship was re-used from the series, but as it was created for [[standard-definition television]], the level of texture and detail had to be significantly increased to the 2K [[digital cinema]] definition standard.<ref name=beck2/><ref>Moltenbrey, 2005, p. 40</ref> After ''Firefly'', Zoic had upgraded their computing infrastructure to be capable of producing effects at the level required for [[high-definition television]], primarily for work on the [[Battlestar Galactica (2004 TV series)|reimagined ''Battlestar Galactica'']].<ref name=Goldman13>Goldman, 2005, p. 13</ref> The re-detailing of ''Serenity'' took twelve weeks to complete, and went down to the level of showing individual [[rivet]]s.<ref name=HSW3>{{Cite web|url=http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/serenity2.htm|title = Inside 'Serenity'|date = 28 September 2005}}</ref>
One of the main changes to the set was to redesign the interior of the cargo bay. The interior walls were changed from straight to slightly curved sides—designer Tim Earls had learned that rounded surfaces are better for containing pressure.<ref name=cbay>{{cite web |url=http://www.fireflyshipworks.com/2008/06/the-cargo-bay/ |title=The Cargo Bay |accessdate=2008-07-08 |date=2008-06-11 |work=Firefly Ship Works |publisher=The FX Company}}</ref>
Most of the changes to the sets were minor, although the combined effect was described by Morena Baccarin, who played Inara Serra, as "like coming into your living room and your mom rearranged all the furniture and things aren't where they were but you're still home."<ref name=HSW3/>
==Reaction==
Many of the reviewers of the series and movie reflect the common in-universe opinion of the ship; describing ''Serenity'' as a "battered old jalopy of a space craft",<ref>{{cite news |first=Wendy |last=Ide |title=Serenity |work=The Knowledge (The Saturday Times) |page=12 |date=2005-10-08}}</ref> "a rattletrap transport ship ... held together by 26th-century chewing gum and duct tape",<ref>{{cite news |first=Gail |last=Pennington |title=Future that looks like the past: Shag rugs, six-shooters, no monsters |date=2002-09-18 |work=St. Louis Post-Dispatch }}</ref> or "a ship that seems to be held together with baling wire and paper clips",<ref>{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Hartlaub |title='Serenity' earns director Whedon spot on sci-fi's Mount Rushmore |date=2005-09-30 |work=San Francisco Chronicle |page=E1}}</ref> Some reviewers, while making comparisons between ''Firefly''’s Malcolm Reynolds and [[Han Solo]] from ''[[Star Wars]]'', invoke the ''[[Millennium Falcon]]'' when talking about ''Serenity'': "a scrap heap of a spaceship in the ''Millennium Falcon'' mold",<ref>{{cite news |first=Christian |last=Toto |title=Soul of 'Serenity' holds promise |work=The Washington Times |page=D02 |date=2005-09-30}}</ref> or "a ''Millennium Falcon''-style rust bucket".<ref>{{cite news |first=Peter |last=Howell |title=Thrill ride on the wing of Serenity |work=Toronto Star |page=C03 |date=2005-09-30}}</ref>
===Cameo appearances===
The popularity of ''Serenity'' has resulted in several [[cameo appearance]]s in other science fiction works.
In the 2003 ''[[Battlestar Galactica (TV miniseries)|Battlestar Galactica]]'' miniseries pilot, a ship resembling ''Serenity'' appears in the background of the scene where [[Laura Roslin]] ([[Mary McDonnell]]) is diagnosed with breast cancer.<ref name=BSG>David Bassom (2007), ''Battlestar Galactica: the official companion'', p. 148</ref> ''Serenity'' is one of several spaceships inserted as cameos into digital effects scenes by [[Zoic Studios]], the company responsible for digital effects in both ''Firefly'' and ''Battlestar Galactica''.<ref name=BSG/>
In ''Firefly'', several ships from ''Star Wars'' were inserted as cameos (including a [[Lambda-class shuttle]] in "Serenity" and a Mobquet Transport from the ''[[Dark Empire]]'' comics in "Shindig" and "War Stories"). In reply, Thomas Hodges, the artist for 2006 ''Star Wars'' webcomic ''Evasive Action'' drew ''Serenity'' in one of the scenes.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://boards.theforce.net/literature/b10003/16431027/p45 |title=Daily Hyperspace SW Comic Strip Adventures Discussion-"Rookies" & "Evasive Action: End Game" |accessdate=2008-05-11 |author=TDHArtist (Thomas Hodges) |date=2006-03-14<!--, 9:29 pm --> |format=Forum post |work=TheForce.net Jedi Council Forums |url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110718134453/http://boards.theforce.net/literature/b10003/16431027/p45 |archive-date=2011-07-18 }}</ref>
In the musical film ''[[Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog]]'', a collection of pots and pans hanging in a window in Dr. Horrible's lab created a silhouette resembling ''Serenity''.<ref name=JedWhedonView>{{cite web |url=http://doctorhorrible.net/exclusive-jed-whedon-maurissa-tancharoen/151/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719142450/http://doctorhorrible.net/exclusive-jed-whedon-maurissa-tancharoen/151/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-07-19 |title=Exclusive: Jed Whedon & Maurissa Tancharoen |format=Interview |date=2008-06-19 |accessdate=2008-09-15 |work=Exclusive Interviews |publisher=doctorhorrible.net }}</ref> As ''Dr. Horrible'' was created by Joss Whedon and involved Nathan Fillion as one of the cast (both people associated with ''Firefly'') it was assumed by fans that the silhouette was an actual ''Serenity'' model, or that the pans were deliberately hung to resemble the starship.<ref name=JedWhedonView/> According to Jed Whedon (Joss Whedon's brother and a member of the production team), the pan-silhouette was not set up for filming but already present in the house they used as the shooting ___location, and was likely unintentional.<ref name=JedWhedonView/>
The ship also makes a brief appearance in [[Steven Spielberg]]'s film ''[[Ready Player One (film)|Ready Player One]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cecchini |first=David Crow, Mike |date=2018-12-11 |title=Ready Player One: Complete Easter Egg and Reference Guide |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/games/ready-player-one-easter-eggs-references-movie-guide-complete/ |access-date=2025-01-14 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US}}</ref>
===Recreations===
''Serenity'' has also been reproduced and detailed in various forms, primarily as merchandise such as keychains and [[printed t-shirt]]s.
In August 2006, [[Dark Horse Comics]] released a {{convert|6|in|cm|adj=on}} ornament of the ship.<ref name=darkhorseshipmod>{{cite web |url=http://www.darkhorse.com/profile/profile.php?sku=13-420 |title=Serenity Ornament |accessdate=2008-04-29 |work=DarkHorse.com }}</ref> Following the success of the product, Dark Horse announced a limited edition ornament of ''Serenity'' in her [[Reaver (Firefly)|Reavers]] 'camouflage' from the movie in December, with the production quantity determined by the number of pre-orders between then and March 2007.<ref name=DHserenityreaver>{{cite web |url=http://www.darkhorse.com/news/pressrelease.php?id=1396 |title=Serenity Ornament |date=2006-12-22 |accessdate=2008-04-29 |work=DarkHorse.com}}</ref>
Quantum Mechanix has released two sets of blueprints for the ship: first as a 10-page limited edition run of 750 sets in April 2007,<ref name=announceblue/> then as a 33-page general release, which was smaller in size but contained additional information about both ''Serenity'' and the overall ship class.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://blog.quantummechanix.com/backgrounders/Serenity_Ref_Pack_Backgrounder.pdf |title=The Official Serenity Blueprints Reference Pack |accessdate=2008-06-01 |work=QMx Insider |publisher=Quantum Mechanix |pages=1}}</ref> The blueprints were created by Geoffrey Mandel (the graphic designer from the film) and Tim Earls (the series illustrator and film set designer), with information contributed by those who worked on the sets and CGI models.<ref name=announceblue/>
The creation of the blueprints was "a nice side effect" of research done by Quantum Mechanix and The FX Company as part of a project to produce an 18-inch (46 cm, approximately 1:180 [[Scale model|scale]]), screen-accurate collectors model.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fireflyshipworks.com/2008/05/the-search-for-intelligent-reference-in-the-verse/ |title=The Search For Intelligent Reference in The 'Verse |accessdate=2008-06-01 |date=2008-05-14 |work=Firefly Ship Works |publisher=The FX Company}}</ref> The hand-built and -painted model, completed after three years work and titled ''Serenity: The Big Damn Replica'', was unveiled online on 21 July 2009, then physically at [[San Diego Comic-Con]] a few days later.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fireflyshipworks.com/2009/07/at-last-%e2%80%93-the-final-reveal/ |title=At Last - The Final Reveal |accessdate=2009-07-26 |date=2009-07-21 |work=Firefly Ship Works |publisher=The FX Company}}</ref><ref name=BDR>{{cite web|url=http://www.quantummechanix.com/Serenity.html |title=Serenity – The Big Damn Replica |date=July 2009 |publisher=Quantum Mechanix |accessdate=2009-07-26}}</ref> The replica model went into production at the end of October and was limited to 1,000 ships.
==Citations==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
==References==
;Visual media
* {{cite video |people=Whedon, Joss (Producer) |date=2006 |title=Firefly: Complete Season Collection |medium=DVD |publisher=20th Century Fox Home Entertainment}}
**''"Serenity" - Audio Commentary''
**''"War Stories" - Audio Commentary''
**''"Objects in Space" - Audio Commentary''
**''Serenity: The Tenth Character''
;Books
* {{cite book |last=Bassom |first=David |title=Battlestar Galactica: the official companion |year=2007 |publisher=Titan Books |___location=London |isbn=978-1-84576-478-4 |oclc=141382921}}
* {{cite book |title= Firefly: The Official Companion |edition=1st |volume=One |date=July 2006 |publisher=Titan Books |___location=London |isbn=978-1-84576-314-5 }}
* {{cite book |title= Firefly: The Official Companion |edition=1st |volume=Two |date=April 2007 |publisher=Titan Books |___location=London |isbn=978-1-84576-372-5 }}
;Articles
* {{cite web |url=http://www.cgfocus.com/interview/story/51 |title=Interview with Emile Edwin Smith of Zoic, about Serenity |accessdate=2008-05-04 |last=Beckwith |first=Wes |publisher=CGFocus.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080719171523/http://cgfocus.com/interview/story/51 |archive-date=2008-07-19 }}
*{{cite journal |last=Goldman |first=Michael |date=October 2005 |title=Tight Ship |journal=Millimeter |volume=33 |issue=10 |pages=10–20 |issn=0164-9655 }}
*{{cite journal |last=Moltenbrey |first=Karen |date=December 2005 |title=Serenity now: Zoic helps Firefly's Serenity blast off for its big-screen debut |journal=Computer Graphics World |volume=40 |issue=2 |pages=40–39<!-- Yes, its backwards. I know. That's how it is. Deal with it. --> }}
==External links==
* [http://www.fireflyshipworks.com Firefly Ship Works] - Website tracking the development of a screen-accurate collectors model of the ship.
{{Firefly}}
[[Category:
[[Category:Fictional spacecraft]]
[[Category:Firefly (franchise)]]
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