Star Trek Four Bridge

[Nebusj]

Lonestar said:
I couldn't find it online so here's a scan from an old magazine of the 2 Level Enterprise-D concept:

http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o41/Lonestar2007/IMAGE0014.jpg

Wow. Uhm. Well, the dominating forward viewscreen with the island effect is really cool. So is the floating staircase, although I don't know how they could have actually built that set.

There may be some logic in having the conference room be part of the bridge, but that means in terms of drama you can't have scenes in the bridge and the conference room simultaneously, or have scenes between the two.

It certainly is spacious, in that there's the room to play soccer in it.

I'm sold on the ``island bridge'', though, with a viewscreen wrapping as far around as possible, and I think I'd push for a 360 degree viewscreen if that wouldn't make the post-production people cringe.

 

[137th Gebirg]

This is weird - at first I thought this thing was for Star Trek III, but then I saw the tell-tale newer brushed aluminum braces on the outer perimeter of the bridge that were only there in ST IV. I can't believe they had all the sets still standing and powered up for TVH when they only used the bridge in the final scene.

 

[Basill]

137th Gebirg said:
This is weird - at first I thought this thing was for Star Trek III, but then I saw the tell-tale newer brushed aluminum braces on the outer perimeter of the bridge that were only there in ST IV. I can't believe they had all the sets still standing and powered up for TVH when they only used the bridge in the final scene.

Actually the set stood in for 3 other starship bridges during the film; The Saratoga, the Yorktown and the Shepard. It was refurbished and altered specifically for the final scene but the set is actually seen several times in the film.

As for why it was still standing and powered up after filming was completed, aside from the obvious PR opportunities, I thought those sets stood in the same studios for years after The Motion Picture was completed.

 

[cardinal biggles]

^Yeah, apparently there was some sort of agreement with Paramount where they wouldn't strike the sets between films, despite the fact that it meant Paramount allowing those soundstages to go unused for 18-21 months at a time.

 

[Peach Wookiee]

At least Paramount understood the popularity of Star Trek in that regard.

 

[Zeppster]

The original bridge on TOS is by far the best. It has the most intimate feel to it. It was perfect for the show. The other bridges are more spread out and less intimate. You don't get the same feel you get with the TOS bridge really. Especially in the TOS movies. I actually liked the TNG bridges better than the TOS movie ones.

 

[RandyS]

cardinal biggles said:
I just don't see that working. Yeah, the TFF bridge has the same color scheme going on as the TNG bridge, but other than that, they're still representative of different eras. By the fourth season, TNG had come into its own as a series and didn't really need to draw upon TOS for help in attracting viewers. To suddenly put the latest iteration of the movie bridge on that show would have been a bad step backwards.

I wasn't thinking of the color scheme or attracting viewers. I just thought it would have made sense, given that at the end of BOBW, Shelby said "We'll have the fleet back up in less than a year", suggesting that the rest of the ships needed to be rebuilt. And, given the Borg emergency, any available ship was needed immediately, requiring Starfleet to take parts from wherever they could be found. It would have added realism.

Plus, I just really, really, liked the TFF bridge set and wanted to see more of it. I was disapointed when it wasn't reused in TUC.

 

[137th Gebirg]

Basill said:

137th Gebirg said:
This is weird - at first I thought this thing was for Star Trek III, but then I saw the tell-tale newer brushed aluminum braces on the outer perimeter of the bridge that were only there in ST IV. I can't believe they had all the sets still standing and powered up for TVH when they only used the bridge in the final scene.

Actually the set stood in for 3 other starship bridges during the film; The Saratoga, the Yorktown and the Shepard. It was refurbished and altered specifically for the final scene but the set is actually seen several times in the film.

As for why it was still standing and powered up after filming was completed, aside from the obvious PR opportunities, I thought those sets stood in the same studios for years after The Motion Picture was completed.

I knew about the bridge usage during and after the movies, but I was shocked that all the corridors, rooms and engineering were still intact and in their original configuration. It's a shame it's all gone now. That was my favorite ship layout.

 

[The Mule]

Cheapjack said:
I think that it's sad that some people didn't like the 1701D bridge.

It looks the most FUTURISTIC. It's a command, decision and conference centre.

Gene Roddenberry said at the time:

'Just because a man's bed is more padded, doesn't mean he's less of a man'.

"just because a bed is more padded doesn't mean it's a good bed it it's shapped like an aardvark"

see, that's not the thing. the main problem is that the 1701-D bridge didn't make as much command sense as the original 1701's. What did Picard have to see? whatever was displayed on his armrest displays, a big space window, and the backs of Data and whomever was at the Conn station that episode. Kirk had in his sight, with the mere turn of his head visual access to almost every station on the bridge, both personel at their workstations and the information screens displayed above, the helm and navigation boards as well as that astrogation display between them, the view screen as well as whatever those panels to the sides. for Picard to know what's goin on behind him he has to stand up, turn around and crane his neck to look over the tactical station (and to see anything about that he has to get up and walk up to it).

now the idea of a more lounge-like feel, with comfort-minded touches i like, its just that the 1701-D's bridge is off balanced. more stations needed to be moved up front. in essensence i liked the concept, but the design lacked a flow that the TOS bridge had.

 

[Basill]

137th Gebirg said:
I knew about the bridge usage during and after the movies, but I was shocked that all the corridors, rooms and engineering were still intact and in their original configuration. It's a shame it's all gone now. That was my favorite ship layout.

Yeah, mine too. The only difference between those sets and most other Hollywood productions is that they weren't struck immediately after fulfilling their filming needs. They were extensive sets built for long term production, since it was for the failed Trek TV production that they were built. And they milked them. The engineering, transporter, officer's quarters, and corridor sets were all used in the first 3 films. They were still in place for that Good Morning America segment, but they wouldn't be in that configuration for much longer as those same sets were reconfigured for the Ent-D and The Next Generation, which would debut not a year later. Though extensively revamped, elements from those sets would still serve on TNG. Even that bridge showed up as the bridges of older class vessels and Ent-D's Battle Bridge.

 

[Therin of Andor]

When they struck all the sets down to build the ENT sets on an empty soundstage, the original "In Thy Image" wooden framework underneath had woodrot in it. Normally the wood used in film sets only has to last a few months of filming. These struts had been standing since about 1977.

 

[Brutal Strudel]

The Mule said:

Cheapjack said:
I think that it's sad that some people didn't like the 1701D bridge.

It looks the most FUTURISTIC. It's a command, decision and conference centre.

Gene Roddenberry said at the time:

'Just because a man's bed is more padded, doesn't mean he's less of a man'.

"just because a bed is more padded doesn't mean it's a good bed it it's shapped like an aardvark"

see, that's not the thing. the main problem is that the 1701-D bridge didn't make as much command sense as the original 1701's. What did Picard have to see? whatever was displayed on his armrest displays, a big space window, and the backs of Data and whomever was at the Conn station that episode. Kirk had in his sight, with the mere turn of his head visual access to almost every station on the bridge, both personel at their workstations and the information screens displayed above, the helm and navigation boards as well as that astrogation display between them, the view screen as well as whatever those panels to the sides. for Picard to know what's goin on behind him he has to stand up, turn around and crane his neck to look over the tactical station (and to see anything about that he has to get up and walk up to it).

now the idea of a more lounge-like feel, with comfort-minded touches i like, its just that the 1701-D's bridge is off balanced. more stations needed to be moved up front. in essensence i liked the concept, but the design lacked a flow that the TOS bridge had.

And all this talk about "comfort" yet the tactical officer--who also handled communications and security--had to stand for his or her entire shift. Yeah, I want to needlessly induce fatigue in someone who might be called upon to coordinate all the ship's defenses on a second's notice.

 

[USS Mariner]

Brutal Strudel said:

The Mule said:

Cheapjack said:
I think that it's sad that some people didn't like the 1701D bridge.

It looks the most FUTURISTIC. It's a command, decision and conference centre.

Gene Roddenberry said at the time:

'Just because a man's bed is more padded, doesn't mean he's less of a man'.

"just because a bed is more padded doesn't mean it's a good bed it it's shapped like an aardvark"

see, that's not the thing. the main problem is that the 1701-D bridge didn't make as much command sense as the original 1701's. What did Picard have to see? whatever was displayed on his armrest displays, a big space window, and the backs of Data and whomever was at the Conn station that episode. Kirk had in his sight, with the mere turn of his head visual access to almost every station on the bridge, both personel at their workstations and the information screens displayed above, the helm and navigation boards as well as that astrogation display between them, the view screen as well as whatever those panels to the sides. for Picard to know what's goin on behind him he has to stand up, turn around and crane his neck to look over the tactical station (and to see anything about that he has to get up and walk up to it).

now the idea of a more lounge-like feel, with comfort-minded touches i like, its just that the 1701-D's bridge is off balanced. more stations needed to be moved up front. in essensence i liked the concept, but the design lacked a flow that the TOS bridge had.

And all this talk about "comfort" yet the tactical officer--who also handled communications and security--had to stand for his or her entire shift. Yeah, I want to needlessly induce fatigue in someone who might be called upon to coordinate all the ship's defenses on a second's notice.

With the level of thought Andy puts into his work, I've got a feeling that he didn't intentionally come up with that.

DAMN YOU BERMAN!!!!!

 

[Therin of Andor]

Mariner Class said:
With the level of thought Andy puts into his work, I've got a feeling that he didn't intentionally come up with that.

Actually, from the beginning of TNG Season One, there are little benches, guest seats and extra consoles that slide in and out from the Tactical and Science 1 & 2 bridge stations, but they just never showed them appearing onscreen.

 

[Cheapjack]

The 1701D bridge just looks more evolved and futuristic, I think. That's what ST is about, futurism. There are conservative elements, to appeal to todays audiences.

I suppose Picard could keep an eye on all the stations by looking at the display on his armrest.

 

[FalTorPan]

The 1701D bridge just looks more evolved and futuristic, I think. That's what ST is about, futurism. There are conservative elements, to appeal to todays audiences.

I suppose Picard could keep an eye on all the stations by looking at the display on his armrest.

One fundamental problem is that, outside the holodeck, Star Trek's "futuristic" technology still seems largely confined to "TV sets" when it comes to displaying dynamic visual information. A TNG-style bridge -- or any style bridge -- is sufficiently advanced if we allow for the possibility of floating holographic displays.

 

[ancient]

One fundamental problem is that, outside the holodeck, Star Trek's "futuristic" technology still seems largely confined to "TV sets" when it comes to displaying dynamic visual information. A TNG-style bridge -- or any style bridge -- is sufficiently advanced if we allow for the possibility of floating holographic displays.

It's unfortunate they dropped those holo-displays from TNG's 1st season. They could've brought them back when the effects got cheaper, say, on VGR, but never did.

 

[jimbo1973]

I liked that bridge myself. The movie Excelsior bridsge was my fave

 

[USS Mariner]

Mariner Class said:
With the level of thought Andy puts into his work, I've got a feeling that he didn't intentionally come up with that.

Actually, from the beginning of TNG Season One, there are little benches, guest seats and extra consoles that slide in and out from the Tactical and Science 1 & 2 bridge stations, but they just never showed them appearing onscreen.

I know about the aft station seats (which they used IIRC,) but are you saying that there's a hidden seat for the tactical horseshoe? I'd love to see pictures.

 

[cardinal biggles]

^Seconded. I'd love to know where they hid it.