TMP Seems more "Futuristic" Then "Star Trek '09"
- Thread starter darkshadow0001
- Start date
I stand corrected. I was under the impression, though, that they were forced to use those split-diopter lenses not out of artistic intent but because the lighting on the bridge set was so dim – due to the rear-projection screens – that it was impossible to keep the foreground and background in focus without them.
Wise used the split diopter as far back as The Andromenda Strain and seemed to like deep focus shots. On the other hand, it's quite possible that the diopter was also used to get additional depth of field because the light levels on the bridge had to be kept so low because of the rear projection. Clicky for a technical discussion!
When the sets for "Star Trek: Voyager" were finally pulled down after "Endgame", they found layers of wood scaffolding underneath and, at the lowest level, the old, rotting struts were marked as being for "Star Trek: Phase II", circa 1977, the precursor to ST:TMP.
The sets remained in place. Expensive items were often lifted out and stored separately (eg. chairs, console projectors) to reduce pilfering. Many friends of mine had ST set tours between TMP and ST II, between ST II and ST III, and between ST III and ST IV.
The set fire was during ST III, and affected only the soundstage containing the Genesis Planet.
After ST IV, the white-painted bridge console fronts were lifted off, covered, and stored outside (temporarily), but the wooden "Star Trek: Phase II" framework of the bridge was still in place when the "Voyager" sets were struck after "Endgame". For ST V, Shatner discovered that the bridge consoles had been damaged by exposure to the elements and had to be replaced, but the bridge shell was still in place. It had also played "the battle bridge" in TNG.
The movie bridge set, when it had become the Voyager bridge set, did suffer a fire, but only a few days filming (a "Captain Proton" episode?) were deflected to other sets and the damage didn't get through to the "Phase II" layers of scaffold. IIRC, it was when repairing the VOY fire damage that they realised that the old "Phase II"-era wood was suffering severe wood rot, and would not be able to last forever.
For some, yes.
Well something used in VOY was definitely built over the top of the struts of the TMP bridge.
Yeah, Wise loved split diopter. Watching Citizen Kane again recently (wherein Wise was editor), I wonder if he got the idea from Welles. In Kane and The Lady from Shanghai, Welles loved to use a similar device, where one side of the screen is filled w/ an extreme closeup (almost bursting out of the screen!), and another character is in the background, but still in focus. Does anyone know how this was accomplished before split diopters were available?
Doug
I believe Wise mentioned in interviews that it was the films of Welles (which use deep focus) where he fell in love with the effect of having the entire frame -- from foreground to the deep background -- in focus. In Citizen Kane the effect was accomplished all sorts of ways, including trick photography using models, rear-projection, and other means. Mainly, however, it's accomplished by having a ton of light, which is very time consuming and expensive.
A split-dipoter is an easier way to at least approximate the effect, but it doesn't look as nearly as good to my eyes (and is why I can't stand much of the photography in TMP). It's a better effect when it is motivated (in, for example, Oliver Stone's Talk Radio) than not.
A split-dipoter is an easier way to at least approximate the effect, but it doesn't look as nearly as good to my eyes (and is why I can't stand much of the photography in TMP). It's a better effect when it is motivated (in, for example, Oliver Stone's Talk Radio) than not.
Sounds like Wise would have loved video cameras.
Awesome.
It was the torpedo room set for TWOK, and then TNG took it (forget what they made from it, though). The Bounty's original bridge design wouldn't have worked for the entire Enterprise crew to man her, either.
I'm totally confused here. I thought the Klingon bridge from TMP became the torpedo room in TWOK.
Also, where is everybody getting their information?
I could be getting senile about this. There was a lot of re-use going on. It's very possible that the TMP K'Tinga bridge became the TWOK torpedo room, then the TSFS Bounty bridge. Doug or Rick probably knows more about that...
A lot of us are relying on our faded memories. But a lot of the 'making of' books talks about set-reuse a lot. Interviews mention it, the DVDs talk about it, and so on.
IIRC, the Klingon bridge of TMP became the torpedo room in TWOK. The Klingon helm became the transporter control in TWOK. The TMP bridge was used as the battle bridge for TNG.
Yes, TMP does seem more sf, because 09 is too busy trying to contemporize and be cool action.
I didn't think my husband would like TMP because of some of the dated effects. But he did enjoy it and went and got all the movies on blu-ray. After a marathon viewing, he said he actually didn't enjoy 09 now that he has seen the original films. He said he enjoy the characters and personal feeling of the originals more than the run and gun 09 wank.
I didn't think my husband would like TMP because of some of the dated effects. But he did enjoy it and went and got all the movies on blu-ray. After a marathon viewing, he said he actually didn't enjoy 09 now that he has seen the original films. He said he enjoy the characters and personal feeling of the originals more than the run and gun 09 wank.
