"Star Trek: Phase II" Enterprise
- Thread starter Admiral Buzzkill
- Start date
Dennis, we disagree about a lot of things, but I must say your work here is exceptional. I've never been a fan of the Phase II design, but you've made it look good. 
Who knows? If we'd gotten this instead of the TMP refit then we probably would've gotten so accustomed to it that it might be hard to imagine how else it could have been done.
Who knows? If we'd gotten this instead of the TMP refit then we probably would've gotten so accustomed to it that it might be hard to imagine how else it could have been done.
Thank you.
A good part of the problem with the Phase II design, IMAO, was just that it was never finished and shot. We've only seen drawings, and stills of a partly assembled, unlit and unpainted model...and while Minor was a fine artist the perspective in his color rendering is just...distorted. Importantly, the changes in the proportions and balance of the various parts of the ship that are seen in the ST:TMP version and that make it a bit more pleasing are all in Jefferies' design drawing for this ship.
I'm not fond of the engines on this one or the TMP version, but the TMP nacelles are considerably more refined and nice to look at than these.
A good part of the problem with the Phase II design, IMAO, was just that it was never finished and shot. We've only seen drawings, and stills of a partly assembled, unlit and unpainted model...and while Minor was a fine artist the perspective in his color rendering is just...distorted. Importantly, the changes in the proportions and balance of the various parts of the ship that are seen in the ST:TMP version and that make it a bit more pleasing are all in Jefferies' design drawing for this ship.
I'm not fond of the engines on this one or the TMP version, but the TMP nacelles are considerably more refined and nice to look at than these.
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^^ Yeah, if I squint I can see it could be tweaked in some proportions and lines and it would work better. As is I've always felt the Phase II design lacked, I dunno, a measure of grace or something to it. I think what bothers me most is where the pylons join to the nacelles.
Anyway as it is I could see some original Connie (not the E obviously) refitted and serving as a testbed for some of the new tech before the E is thoroughly refitted.
Anyway as it is I could see some original Connie (not the E obviously) refitted and serving as a testbed for some of the new tech before the E is thoroughly refitted.
...and sony seems to have complained about the third video. This might be the reason ,it can't be downloaded. In Germany, it also can't be watched. 
It's viewable in the U.S., apparently. Just comes with a nice ad link for Sony.
I guess this has something to do with how much persuasive force SONYs lobbyists were able to put on specific goverments to put persuasive force on Youtube.
I doubt it. Sony - unlike, say, FOX - seems to have an idea of the publicity value of this kind of usage. Hence, automatically placing links to their music purchase website on videos which use their stuff. They probably have other specific legal concerns varying from nation to nation.
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ok nevermind Firefox's Download helper did the job
So, how do you suppose the credit billing on this series would have worked? I guess Trek fans would have expected Kelley to get second billing, with Nimoy's departure, but I imagine that the actor playing Decker would in fact have been billed right under Shatner, with Kelley still in third position.
I have reasons for pondering this.
I have reasons for pondering this.
You have reasons. Uh-huh. I know exactly where you're going.
In the first season of the original TOS, the star who "bookended" the end of the opening credits was "Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock." The credits never said "William Shatner as Capt. Kirk" (until the Animated Series in the mid '70s). When Kelley's name was added for the second season, making him the "bookender," his role was added there too -- "as Dr. McCoy."
My feeling is, if Phase II were to have launched on TV without Nimoy, then the new credits would have retained the same angular font as the original series, but maybe adopted a different solid color, like a teal green. The main title would zoom out from the back just as before, "STAR TREK," then hover a second, then pull back partly to reveal the ____PHASE II____" part. Then it would zoom back again, just like in TOS' third season, for "Created by GENE RODDENBERRY."
Then the panels would have started with, "Starring WILLIAM SHATNER," just like before. No reference to Capt. Kirk. But then they would have added several new seconds of music to make room for titles for the whole ensemble, in this order: "Also Starring JAMES DOOHAN," "GEORGE TAKEI," "WALTER KOENIG," "NICHELLE NICHOLS," "DAVID GAUTREAUX" (Xon).
Then the titles would conclude with two "bookenders" that include the role names, like this: "With STEPHEN COLLINS as Comm. Decker," "And DeFOREST KELLEY as Dr. McCOY."
And just one more little request, please, which you probably already know from experience but so many other folks (including the artist for the Trek XI titles!) have forgotten: The "E" in "TREK" is rounded in the upper left corner, despite the fact that the published font based on the series has it square.
Okay, Dennis, off you go. Time's a wastin'. We gotta get this show on the air by November '75!
DF "Paramount Arrogant Television Enterprises (PATE), Inc." Scott
In the first season of the original TOS, the star who "bookended" the end of the opening credits was "Leonard Nimoy as Mr. Spock." The credits never said "William Shatner as Capt. Kirk" (until the Animated Series in the mid '70s). When Kelley's name was added for the second season, making him the "bookender," his role was added there too -- "as Dr. McCoy."
My feeling is, if Phase II were to have launched on TV without Nimoy, then the new credits would have retained the same angular font as the original series, but maybe adopted a different solid color, like a teal green. The main title would zoom out from the back just as before, "STAR TREK," then hover a second, then pull back partly to reveal the ____PHASE II____" part. Then it would zoom back again, just like in TOS' third season, for "Created by GENE RODDENBERRY."
Then the panels would have started with, "Starring WILLIAM SHATNER," just like before. No reference to Capt. Kirk. But then they would have added several new seconds of music to make room for titles for the whole ensemble, in this order: "Also Starring JAMES DOOHAN," "GEORGE TAKEI," "WALTER KOENIG," "NICHELLE NICHOLS," "DAVID GAUTREAUX" (Xon).
Then the titles would conclude with two "bookenders" that include the role names, like this: "With STEPHEN COLLINS as Comm. Decker," "And DeFOREST KELLEY as Dr. McCOY."
And just one more little request, please, which you probably already know from experience but so many other folks (including the artist for the Trek XI titles!) have forgotten: The "E" in "TREK" is rounded in the upper left corner, despite the fact that the published font based on the series has it square.
Okay, Dennis, off you go. Time's a wastin'. We gotta get this show on the air by November '75!
DF "Paramount Arrogant Television Enterprises (PATE), Inc." Scott
There are actually two versions of the "E" - the rounded one used for the opening titles, and a version with a sharp upper left corner which was used in the end titles. I imagine that it was the latter body type version that the commercial fonts were based on.
Stephen Collins is mildly problematic since he was never cast as Decker for the TV series, but it's either use him or make up a name.
Stephen Collins is mildly problematic since he was never cast as Decker for the TV series, but it's either use him or make up a name.
Dack Rambo, perhaps?
Here's an interesting thing about that rounded "E" - credits added in the second year of the show don't have it.
Shatner and Nimoy's credit retains it - but Kelley's credit has the "E" with corners, as does the "Created By Gene Roddenberry" card.
During the first year, the Trek font was not used for episode titles or for show's end credits - at least not during the first part of the year; I'm not sure if that was changed by season's end.
Does anyone know who designed the font?
Shatner and Nimoy's credit retains it - but Kelley's credit has the "E" with corners, as does the "Created By Gene Roddenberry" card.
During the first year, the Trek font was not used for episode titles or for show's end credits - at least not during the first part of the year; I'm not sure if that was changed by season's end.
Does anyone know who designed the font?
Dennis,
Gotta say I really like what you have done here. It looks great.
Gotta say I really like what you have done here. It looks great.
Short list of suspects. Either Matt Jefferies or someone on his staff, likely either his brother John or Joe Jennings. My guess is Matt.
