Is the bridge at a funny angle?

[jackoverfull]

This sequence, when the enterprise goes to warp near the end. And the BtP at warp shots are pretty bad too...

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[Maurice]

One time you actually CAN see the port side is in that oft-used orbit shot of the ship heading towards us. It starts with the ship pointed screen left and you can see the undetailed port side briefly—and in the distance—as the ship curves across the screen (making the planet maybe a few thousand feet in diameter if this were and a circular orbit... you'd never perceive the ship curving in an actual orbit).

 

[ZapBrannigan]

One time you actually CAN see the port side is in that oft-used orbit shot of the ship heading towards us. It starts with the ship pointed screen left and you can see the undetailed port side briefly—and in the distance—as the ship curves across the screen (making the planet maybe a few thousand feet in diameter if this were and a circular orbit... you'd never perceive it the ship curving in an actual orbit).

True, but the best look at the lack of port side detail would have to be this one:
https://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/2x09hd/metamorphosishd1193.jpg

Like that "Dagger of the Mind" reverse-decal shot, this was also used only once in the series.

 

[Tallguy]

True, but the best look at the lack of port side detail would have to be this one:

I've always been so dazzled by the nacelles in that shot that I never noticed the secondary hull. Maybe that's why it was only ever used once!

 

[Maurice]

True, but the best look at the lack of port side detail would have to be this one:
https://tos.trekcore.com/hd/albums/2x09hd/metamorphosishd1193.jpg

Like that "Dagger of the Mind" reverse-decal shot, this was also used only once in the series.

The only thing you can see of the port side there is the lack of the "box", and maybe you can see one of the cords against the hull.

 

[scotpens]

One time you actually CAN see the port side is in that oft-used orbit shot of the ship heading towards us. It starts with the ship pointed screen left and you can see the undetailed port side briefly—and in the distance—as the ship curves across the screen (making the planet maybe a few thousand feet in diameter if this were and a circular orbit... you'd never perceive it the ship curving in an actual orbit).

Either that or the Enterprise is several hundred miles long! The Enterprise-in-orbit shots were stylizations; I never thought they were meant to be a literal visual representation of a spacecraft orbiting a planet.

 

[F. King Daniel]

This is from “Dagger of the Mind:”

I’m sorry I couldn’t find a GIF or video, because there is an awkwardness about the shot that defies description.

IMHO that awkwardness gives it it's charm.

 

[Maurice]

Either that or the Enterprise is several hundred miles long! The Enterprise-in-orbit shots were stylizations; I never thought they were meant to be a literal visual representation of a spacecraft orbiting a planet.

In TMP they just had the ship go on a straight line over the Earth (which was much larger in frame) and it looked fine.

This is from “Dagger of the Mind:”

I’m sorry I couldn’t find a GIF or video, because there is an awkwardness about the shot that defies description.

They dollied the camera back from the miniature as far as they could, then they gradually scaled the element on the optical printer, which is why the ship goes from slightly crabbing to full-on crabbing.

Such scaling is what causes the swooshing ship to do that apparent arc in the season one titles.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

Speaking just for myself, the primary aspect of its awkwardness is that the ship isn't headed in the direction it's pointed in. In before someone says, "But in space, there's no aerodynamic drag." The point is, it makes it look awkward. In a visual medium, looking good is better than having to appeal to some rationale to excuse looking bad.

Jumbo jets fly sideways all the time:

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If the fx were good enough to show that it is intentional, I think it would be cool to see the Enterprise sliding into first now and then, skidding to a stop so to speak. Starships probably would fly kitty corner at times if they were real.

 

[Forbin]

Another shot where you can see "behind the curtain" is the towing shot from Doomsday Machine. The exposed wiring on the inside of the starboard pylon, going from the hull up to the nacelle is clear:
https://tos.trekcore.com/gallery/albums/2x06/doomsdaymachine_146.jpg

 

[urbandefault]

Much of Ed Wood's reputation was unearned. Yes, his scripting could get histrionic, and he was never able to hire current A-List actors, but he knew filmmaking, and was extraordinarily prolific as a writer. TV savaged him, mostly due to showing his open matte films as is, letting stuff that would have been unseen in the theater show, making it look like he was incompetent. It was really unfair.

Yep, this is some top-notch writing.

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[Maurice]

BTW re when the Enterprise model was modified for series production...

 

[FormerLurker]

Yep, this is some top-notch writing.

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I did say he could be histrionic. And A-List actors avoided him. The reality was that he was left to his own efforts. By the end of his career he was only trusted to shoot D-level nudey-cuteys like "Orgy of the Dead". Filmmaking is not editing or screenwriting, but rather cinematography and directing, which he actually excelled at. As for his writing, when he died his office was found to have hundreds of unshot screenplays in it that were summarily destroyed. The quality of them was never determined.

 

[BK613]

BTW re when the Enterprise model was modified for series production...

View attachment 23318

What is that from? And how much more is there about the Cannonball train?

 

[Maurice]

What is that from? And how much more is there about the Cannonball train?

From this (link).

WE confirmed it off Richard Datin's old website. We posted about it on Fact Trek here (link).

 

[Maurice]

Jumbo jets fly sideways all the time:

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If the fx were good enough to show that it is intentional, I think it would be cool to see the Enterprise sliding into first now and then, skidding to a stop so to speak. Starships probably would fly kitty corner at times if they were real.

'Cept crosswind landings don't apply to starships.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

'Cept crosswind landings don't apply to starships.

There it is.

 

[ZapBrannigan]

'Cept crosswind landings don't apply to starships.

Meteorology reports ion storm upcoming, Captain!

 

[Henoch]

This is from “Dagger of the Mind:”

I’m sorry I couldn’t find a GIF or video, because there is an awkwardness about the shot that defies description.

There's no reason that a ship's "trim" needs to be orientated to its flight path in space...Maybe the ship was steered at an angle to use its reaction control thrusters in short bursts to attain a standard orbit. The visual would be the ship at a different angle to its flight path with nudges to the flight path to get to the ship in position to coast into orbit on the right side of the planet. Exactly has seen on screen.

 

[JonnyQuest037]

Yep, this is some top-notch writing.

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There's a difference between "prolific" and "good."