BLSSDWLF's TOS Enterprise WIP

[Robert Comsol]

The irritating part of this set is the angle it takes close to the "Environmental Engineering Ladder" but I found out it works perfect in the engineering deck drafts I'm currently doing (and made me return to an earlier draft I had abandoned).

The steps are helpful in the shot with Sulu and Dr. Piper assuming - in this scene - they're passing the outer "window" corridor on the port side of the engineering hull as the windows on the exterior could suggest that the observation corridor deck level above the flight deck is a bit lower (the thought that this could be a corridor next to the ship's outside is fed by the fact the entire right hand side is an open space from which the studio lights illuminate the corridor once you notice the shadows of the actors on the wall with what appears to be cabins. It therefore doesn't appear to be a rectangular corridor inside the ship as I'm not aware of one that has strong illumination on one and none on the other side).

The door just before the A-frame and the steps was also used to present the turbolift door Kirk, Spock and Mitchell enter to move to the bridge.

Bob

 

[chronografer]

I'm new at this. This is an astounding thread! I want to make my small contribution to it.

I have taken the corridor image and made elevation views of it in Hugin. I don't know if it really adds much knowledge other than the sense of space and proportion.
FYI - The camera position is at the midpoint on the left side of the deck view.
... argh... it looks like I have to post them to my website first and link to it. I will have to report back when I get that done.
(apologies--it's my first post)

 

[blssdwlf]

After watching the opening scenes a couple of times, it looks like they utilized that corridor when Kirk exits the transporter room and walks to the left. The corridor angles right or is split like a fork with a ladder at the split.

Later scene is after the titles, the same corridor is seen (Mytran's screen link) where it is at a distance and you can make out the turbolift close to the A frame.

However, they cut again, to an overhead view at the turbolift entrance and Kirk and co are entering.

The catch is that they aren't in the previous scene so, the interpretation for me is that these are three different corridors, IMO. As to the shadows from the side, it depends on the lighting conditions and what is on the other (hidden from camera) walls. We've seen whole sections open to a workspace or perpendicular hallway so it could be anything which makes placing these corridors very open ended (and I like that.)

I've spent a long while studying that particular corridor and trying to puzzle out how they fitted the various rooms we see into it. The corridor itself sports some very odd architectural features, not least of which it a couple of steps DOWN at the far end!
http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x03hd-alt/wherenomanhasgonebeforehdalt0076.jpg
Just look at that door - it's a foot and a half below the deck line!

Of course, anyone who's read Solow & Justman's book will know about the awful slanting floors in the studio where the pilots were shot, and that they had to physically raise parts of the sets in order to keep the floors level.

However, in-universe it raises some interesting questions...

 

[chronografer]

Back again. I have posted my efforts as three images: wall (length of corridor), deck (looking down at floor), and corridor (looking straight down corridor to the end). The alignment is close but not perfect, e.g., the trapezoidal arch at the end is not quite perpendicular to the wall. The big problem I had was the right hand wall in the image. It would NOT go parallel with the corridor wall and allow everything else to be at right angles. I also did a view of the ceiling. Those cross members are perdicular as well (or close anyway).
Here are my photos, linked from a folder on my website (I sure hope this works):
+RK

 

[chronografer]

Looks like I can only do one at a time. Let's try this: here is the folder for the images:

www.richkurz.com/posts

+RK

 

[blssdwlf]

@Chronografer - thank you for your valiant attempts at posting and help. Unfortunately, the images have too much distortion to be able to work with for my purposes. You can see in my previous posts, I build the set in Lightwave and match it to the screenshot. I might get around to posting this corridor in the near future.

 

[Robert Comsol]

Gentlemen,

this mysterious WNM corridor has practically been sitting in front of our eyes for the past decades (well, i.e. for everybody who owns the Whitfield Making of Star Trek).

On page 11 of the first picture section in the book, the top photo shows the end of the corridor (not steps but a ramp!), the bottom one the angled-in corridor at the other end. If someone has taken his Making of apart, maybe he (or she) could be so kind to scan these b&w pictures in their full detail glory.

Bob

 

[chronografer]

Thanks for the encouragement, blsswlf. The images are "interesting" to work with. I did see (and was very impressed) with what you did in Lightwave with screen matching. My own procedure is to trace the details in Photoshop as paths and export them into Illustrator. I do not have 3D skills yet, so I end up with a 3-view elevation dwg. or go on to make a paper model.
I want to go back to compare your analyzed photos of the hangar deck to my own to see how close the two methods compare. But that will be for my own edification.
+RK

 

[chronografer]

I do have the book, but do not want to take it apart. I will attempt to scan the page since the back of the book is well broken already. That should get most of the page. Its a busy weekend, so stay tuned.
+RK

 

[blssdwlf]

Good spotting Bob. I've got that book. I'll scan it in tonight.

It does look like a ramp. Unfortunately, some of the details won't be easily visible because of the photo. Perhaps someone who might have the original...

 

[chronografer]

I see blssdwlf will scan it. Here is a link to my scan of the page-just as a backup. I slightly descreened it, sharpened it, and enhanced the contrast.

http://richkurz.com/posts/CorridorArch.jpg

+RK

 

[blssdwlf]

@chronografer - thanks for your scan. I scanned in my copy but only descreened it and left the contrast and sharpness alone.

The mysterious straight corridor from "Where No Man Has Gone Before":
Page 11 from "The Making of Star Trek". 1968. Copyright Stephen E Whitfield

Hey I just noticed something. I seem to have more "left of the photo" and you have more "right of the photo". My page cuts of the A frame while yours shows it in its entirety. Mine you can see the "Environment Engineering Personnel" sign but yours is cutoff.

Mind if I ask what edition print you have? My copy is the 22nd print from 1986.

 

[blssdwlf]

I just noticed on Page 178 and 179 there are scale drawings of the shuttlebay. For grins I measured it out. The cross-section is 90' wide. The elevator is about 75' in from the lip of the flight deck (end). Overlay that on a model of the Enterprise and scale it up and you get a ship that is...

387m or 1,269'

Just an FYI

 

[Robert Comsol]

@chronografer

Just in case it may be of help for your orientation I tried to do a thread summary / index on page 35

@blssdwlf

My copy of the Making of does have the A-frame untrimmed (21st US printing from 1979). Maybe both photo pages can be combined to create a wider one.

As for original photographs of the pilot sets I already did some search. A gentleman going by the name of "Great Bird of the Galaxy" has a fascinating collection of original negatives (!!!) but none from the pilot sets.

Trekcore does have a rare shot of Pike's cabin, though: http://tos.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/behindthescenes/hunter_pike.jpg

It almost seems that for "The Cage" they only had a corridor ending in the circular briefing room / lounge set. The corridor outside the transporter room (I missed that one, thanx) in the later transporter room scene in "The Cage" could be the opposite end of this corridor (did Jeffrey Hunter really walk into his cabin set or actually the transporter room one?).

Bob

 

[TIN_MAN]

I think Pike’s quarters set was opposite the transporter set?

 

[Robert Comsol]

"I think Pike’s quarters set was opposite the transporter set?"

Looks like you're right.

Here is the shot with Pike's cabin to the left and the circular briefing room / lounge in the background: http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x00hd/thecagehd0141.jpg

Here is the shot with the transporter room to the right, the doors to the briefing room could simply be closed: http://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/1x00hd/thecagehd1637.jpg

Bob

 

[Mytran]

I can't believe I missed that WNMHGB corridor photo in the book! Testament to what a fresh pair of eyes can deliver.

The bottom photo seems to strongly suggest a triangular intersection, anyone else think this might be the case?

 

[blssdwlf]

I think so. Or at least a "fork" in the corridor leading left/right.

 

[Robert Comsol]

"I can't believe I missed that WNMHGB corridor photo in the book! Testament to what a fresh pair of eyes can deliver."

No need to be hard on yourself. I watched it and thought "What the ...?!" A few days later I watched the alternate edit of WNMHGB and still didn't see the connection.

"The bottom photo seems to strongly suggest a triangular intersection, anyone else think this might be the case?"

I think it's just a fork to the left or right. If it were a triangular section, the strange ladder Lt. Leslie ascends on (his first screen appearance in the alternate edit. In the original version we don't see it's him but the extended shot in the alternate edit provides this little piece of trivia) would somehow be in the way. To me it rather looks they kept this space open for better camera positions or simply ran out of budget.

Now, behind which door of this corridor is sickbay?

Bob

 

[Mytran]

From what I can tell, sickbay is located on the short straight corridor that Kirk and Spock walk down after leaving the Transporter Room. It's the one on the right of the screen:



See how deeply that door is inset? It matches the entrance which we see briefly later on:



You can also see some hallway details which might match a triangular inersection. Some more are seen later on:



Putting the sickbay set there might seem a bit of a squeeze, but we only ever see the "ward" area during WNHGB. The bit which would become McCoy's examination room during s1 hadn't been built yet.

(As always, click on pics for larger res.)