About The VISOR Prop ...

[Michael]

A question that came up during a conversation with my girlfriend* about The Next Generation the other day: Does anyone know how exactly the VISOR prop is attached to LeVar Burton's face? I mean, is it glued on the sites or what? I never really gave this any thought before.

*A conversation about Star Trek with my girlfriend — how cool is that!?

 

[Withers]

*A conversation about Star Trek with my girlfriend — how cool is that!?

Almost as cool as a Star Trek argument with my boyfriend that, in spite of three years together, nearly ended our relationship.

I never thought about what was actually keeping that there either but I assume it was glue of some sort. Really I came to this thread hoping someone was going to bring up the fact that it was see-through which made it seem, to me, like it couldn't possibly be real (i.e. it failed to suspend my disbelief.)

-Withers-​

 

[Green Shirt]

*A conversation about Star Trek with my girlfriend — how cool is that!?

I had a girlfriend or two who were Trek fans, ended up marrying someone who complained about turning our son into a "Baby Trakkie". Now, I'm doing the same to the grandson.

 

[milo bloom]

I'd wager it was the same kind of glue that held on Dorn's facial prosthetics.

 

[CaptainStoner]

I'm surprised I'm the first geek to contribute that the VISOR was actually held onto Burton's temples with screws. Yes, screws. In interviews he's stated it gave him constant headaches.
Proof that he really loved Star Trek.

 

[Maurice]

Likely it was just stuck on at the temples with a light adhesive.

 

[Gepard]

You're all wrong. (How often does a guy get to say that, eh?)

During the early seasons, the VISOR was held on either with little glasses earpieces, which hooked over LeVar's ears, or with black elastic, depending on the prop. Later revisions used set screws hidden under those copper circles on either side of the faceplate, which were connected to little pads underneath. They held the prop onto his face with friction, by tightening the screws down until the pads were squeezing LeVar's temples firmly enough that it wouldn't fall off.

This info comes directly from the HMS prop guys, as posted here, and my own demented memory, recalling something I read who-knows-when.

 

[data_lover]

ha! my husband and i talk about teh trek all the time. i couldn't have married someone that didn't understand that my need to own the enterprise d or the action figures (i have them all but guinan). we got into argument once about whether or not there were janitors on the enterprise - had to remind him of 'the long ladder' when riker points out the ship is self cleaning. oh yeah, wife 1 - husband 0. then the other night i got some points because he asked me what the stardates meant, and i had an answer thanks to a post i had read on this forum just a few days before. love it.

 

[tharpdevenport]

I'm surprised I'm the first geek to contribute that the VISOR was actually held onto Burton's temples with screws. Yes, screws. In interviews he's stated it gave him constant headaches.
Proof that he really loved Star Trek.

And making episode comments, like in "Cause and Effect", about having headaches related to his VISOR, a funny real life in-joke.

The screws seems right, because I recall a few episodes where we actually see him put it on and it doesn't fall off.


But I think the "Screws" part may be wrong, as I recall later seasons it was little red lights or something like that -- one on each side of his face. Maybe there were holes those popped into, and after the scene cut away from him, make up made sure it was attached firmly some other way (since we've seen him do very athletic and quick movements, like the character-famous move of rolling under the shutting Engineering blast door.

 

[Gepard]

But I think the "Screws" part may be wrong, as I recall later seasons it was little red lights or something like that -- one on each side of his face. Maybe there were holes those popped into, and after the scene cut away from him, make up made sure it was attached firmly some other way (since we've seen him do very athletic and quick movements, like the character-famous move of rolling under the shutting Engineering blast door.

Well, it's not like they would have him wear the blinking lights all the time -- only for the shots where he takes the visor off. Note how there's always a quick edit after he put on or removes it, because they're swapping versions.

 

[Red Ranger]

It always looked like a banana comb to me. Glad they replaced it with the artificial eyes -- and I'll bet Burton is glad he only had to wear contacts to play Geordi.

 

[Start Wreck]

I think I'd rather wear the visor prop than put contact lenses in my eyes. Eek!!

 

[Withers]

In thinking about it the idea of using such a garish and obvious device in the 24th century is silly. Wasn't cloning organs already as sci-fi established idea in books when TNG debuted? I know that was what made him "unique" (in the TNG preview that was on the VHS of TUC the described him as "Geordi Laforge: a man with... unique vision") but c'mon... should have gone with the contacts sooner.

ha! my husband and i talk about teh trek all the time. i couldn't have married someone that didn't understand that my need to own the enterprise d or the action figures (i have them all but guinan). we got into argument once about whether or not there were janitors on the enterprise - had to remind him of 'the long ladder' when riker points out the ship is self cleaning. oh yeah, wife 1 - husband 0. then the other night i got some points because he asked me what the stardates meant, and i had an answer thanks to a post i had read on this forum just a few days before. love it.

Star Trek is a serious business in this house too... sometimes too serious. A two hour discussion over the motives of a character followed by a ten minute discussion of real life finances isn't uncommon at the Withers house.

-Withers-​

 

[Michael]

Really I came to this thread hoping someone was going to bring up the fact that it was see-through which made it seem, to me, like it couldn't possibly be real (i.e. it failed to suspend my disbelief.)

I don't know. That bothered me, too, when I was younger. But thinking about it now I don't see a reason why it can't be see-through.

You're all wrong. (How often does a guy get to say that, eh?)

During the early seasons, the VISOR was held on either with little glasses earpieces, which hooked over LeVar's ears, or with black elastic, depending on the prop. Later revisions used set screws hidden under those copper circles on either side of the faceplate, which were connected to little pads underneath. They held the prop onto his face with friction, by tightening the screws down until the pads were squeezing LeVar's temples firmly enough that it wouldn't fall off.

This info comes directly from the HMS prop guys, as posted here, and my own demented memory, recalling something I read who-knows-when.

Wow, thanks for that, Gep! I bow to your superior knowledge. You definitely earned your geek card today.

So, am I getting this right: Over the course of The Next Generation there were actually four different VISOR props? The one with earpieces, one with black elastic, one with the screws and one for scenes when he would take it off. Right? I guess there are no images of the various VISOR props, are there? Also, is there a scene where one of these methods is visible?

I think I'd rather wear the visor prop than put contact lenses in my eyes. Eek!!

Yeah, me, too.

 

[Gepard]

So, am I getting this right: Over the course of The Next Generation there were actually four different VISOR props? The one with earpieces, one with black elastic, one with the screws and one for scenes when he would take it off. Right?

At least, though the removable version could have been the regular version without the crews tightened. But they did change the brass rods at least once, from the "hairband" style in the early seasons – where the rods alternated being affixed to the top or bottom of the visor faceplate – to the style where all the rods ran from top to bottom. And who knows how many copies of each they built for backups.

I guess there are no images of the various VISOR props, are there? Also, is there a scene where one of these methods is visible?

I've never seen any, but who knows? I'd tend to think, however, that if there were, the RPF posters would have dug them up at some point; conversations about the visor pop up now and again, but nobody has ever produced photos showing any of that stuff.

 

[cardinal biggles]

At least, though the removable version could have been the regular version without the crews tightened. But they did change the brass rods at least once, from the "hairband" style in the early seasons – where the rods alternated being affixed to the top or bottom of the visor faceplate – to the style where all the rods ran from top to bottom. And who knows how many copies of each they built for backups.

The "hairband" style was only during the first season; its last appearance was in "The Neutral Zone." While they might have made changes in the prop during later seasons, the cleaner-looking top-to-bottom rods made their debut in "The Child."

 

[JarodRussell]

Almost as cool as a Star Trek argument with my boyfriend that, in spite of three years together, nearly ended our relationship.

 

[Brutal Strudel]

I really want to know what that argument was about.

 

[Withers]

I don't know. That bothered me, too, when I was younger. But thinking about it now I don't see a reason why it can't be see-through.

I guess you're right- it doesn't really matter. At the time I had recently seen Jurassic Park. That scene with the night vision eye wear? Yeah, for whatever reason, I think that stuck in my head because I still remember it now. By comparison the Visor looked neither heavy nor expensive and based on being see through seemed non-functional. Now, of course, heavy and big doesn't mean anything so being see through? Meh, not that big of a deal I guess.

I really want to know what that argument was about.

It was about USS Excelsior and it went way, way, beyond any reasonable debate about it and went on for far longer than it should have. He slept at a hotel that night and I actually started to write the note "I'll be at my mothers for a while..." It's a wildly funny story we tell people now but at the time it was a BFD.

-Withers-​