Largest on-screen casts

[retroenzo]

I've been trying to work out which episodes of Trek have got the largest casts. (Not movies as they can afford to go bigger on casts and hiring extras)

I'm not necessarily talking about characters who have lines, or even characters with names. Just episodes with lots of people. To be specific, I'm talking about people you see on screen, and real people at that (no CGI creations or animated series crowds).

I'm thinking of episodes like Encounter at Farpoint with Q's courtroom full of people of all species, or DS9's The Storyteller with a village full of people. Any advance on either of these episodes?

 

[sojourner]

Any time travel episode set in present day. The background crowds don't require special costuming or sets, so they can hire more extras for the scenes.

 

[Tosk]

I'm guessing we're not allowed to count stock footage either? Otherwise, the Nazi marches in ENT's Storm Front Part 2 would be a top contender.

 

[retroenzo]

Any time travel episode set in present day. The background crowds don't require special costuming or sets, so they can hire more extras for the scenes.

So things like Future's End or Past Tense. Hmm, not a bad shout.

I'm guessing we're not allowed to count stock footage either? Otherwise, the Nazi marches in ENT's Storm Front Part 2 would be a top contender.

That's right. No stock footage neither. It would have to be where the powers that be had to physically hire people.

 

[Prax]

I would also say Voyager's "Future's End" and DS9's "Past Tense."

I know you said no movies, but the largest number of extras in a scene, which AFAIK remains to this day, is "The Motion Picture." There's a briefing scene that used over 2,000 extras, mostly volunteer trekkies.

 

[retroenzo]

I would also say Voyager's "Future's End" and DS9's "Past Tense."

I know you said no movies, but the largest number of extras in a scene, which AFAIK remains to this day, is "The Motion Picture." There's a briefing scene that used over 2,000 extras, mostly volunteer trekkies.

That scene came to mind, as well as various scenes in Star Trek IV. Probably also the large room in Star Trek (2009) where Kirk is disciplined for cheating, as well as shots on Earth in Into Darkness (Spock chasing Khan) and on Yorktown in Beyond.

That's why I was thinking of the TV episodes. To see how impressive they could make crowd scenes on TV budgets.

 

[Tosk]

Okay, I'll be the first to submit a shot with an actual head count.

I count 117 or so. (Some wiggle room for the distance.)

 

[Cyke101]

I would also say Voyager's "Future's End" and DS9's "Past Tense."

I know you said no movies, but the largest number of extras in a scene, which AFAIK remains to this day, is "The Motion Picture." There's a briefing scene that used over 2,000 extras, mostly volunteer trekkies.

Wait, was it really 2,000? I could've sworn that, while there were indeed many extras as crewmembers, I thought there were about 350 (give or take) in that scene.

Edit: iDo you mean the scene in this screencap? I'm estimating between 350 - 400 that is, 30 people on average in a row, times 12 rows, and then assorted others on the catwalk and in front.

 

[B.J.]

That scene came to mind, as well as various scenes in Star Trek IV. Probably also the large room in Star Trek (2009) where Kirk is disciplined for cheating, as well as shots on Earth in Into Darkness (Spock chasing Khan) and on Yorktown in Beyond.

Unfortunately, it's getting more and more difficult these days to distinguish between actual on-set extras and "people" that were added digitally later.

 

[The Old Mixer]

Wait, was it really 2,000? I could've sworn that, while there were indeed many extras as crewmembers, I thought there were about 350 (give or take) in that scene.

Edit: iDo you mean the scene in this screencap? I'm estimating between 350 - 400 that is, 30 people on average in a row, times 12 rows, and then assorted others on the catwalk and in front.

Yeah, the crew complement of the ship wasn't supposed to be 2,000...more like 400 at that point, though I don't know if it was stated onscreen.

 

[dahj]

Okay, I'll be the first to submit a shot with an actual head count.

Someone should recode that star counting app to count heads

 

[Kevin Thomas Riley]

Was it more or less than at a presidential inauguration?

 

[Verteron]

The 'blue marble' shot of Earth appears briefly on screen in The Cage. The population of Africa and The Middle East which are visible in that photo at the time was about 800 million. They didn't get paid, but they did technically appear, right? right?!

 

[FormerLurker]

That makes me think of that photo from lunar orbit, that is described as "every human born to date (even now) is within the frame of this photo. Except photographer Michael Collins." because it has the Earth and the lunar lander with Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin in it.

 

[retroenzo]

The 'blue marble' shot of Earth appears briefly on screen in The Cage. The population of Africa and The Middle East which are visible in that photo at the time was about 800 million. They didn't get paid, but they did technically appear, right? right?!

Crafty, but I'm not going to allow it.

 

[t_smitts]

Crafty, but I'm not going to allow it.

In that case, how about the opening sequence of TNG, showing the entire galaxy?

 

[Verteron]

In that case, how about the opening sequence of TNG, showing the entire galaxy?

Unless the Voyager probes got a LOT further than I thought, I'm not sure that's a real photo... CGI doesn't count!