Starship, the proposed 1970s Series

Here's the Lincoln Enterprises ad. From this article I posted earlier. I know I've seen scans of the entire blueprint set but it was years ago and probably in some random Star Trek Facebook group.

 

Just came across this in my files. Isn't it the Starship metatransit system blueprint?

 

^^^
Where did you find this, and is there more?

 

Thanks for this, King Daniel. No, this trolley was not the Metatransit system. The Metatransit system was the sphere on the starboard side of the 2 cylinders, and I believe the control room was in the concave spar connecting the cylinders. Metatransit was the transporter system for STARSHIP. The called it that, instead of transporter, because STARSHIP was not part of the Trek universe and it seems that the Metatransit system worked differently than transporter. The transportation chamber was a sphere with a hatch that closed it off from the rest of the ship. I seem to recall that it worked more on the principle of singularities rather than disintegration/re-integration.

The blueprint above (which i received with the blueprints for the Starship back in the mid 70s) was a trolley used for the STARSHIP equivalent of a Jeffries Tube. I don't remember if this went the length of the boom attaching the habitation and science cylinders to the ring section, or if this ran through the smaller science cylinder, or in the spar connecting the 2 cylinders (where the control room for the metatransit system was located). It was probably the first choice since the cylinders and spar were short enough that a crawlspace could be used. The trolley indicates a longer accessway. The indicated controls for the enviropod is in reference to the lower cylinder. Since the mission was environmental, the lower cylinder was fill with scientific equipment for studying environments.

Thanks, so very much, for posting this blue print. I had forgotten about it until you jogged my memory. As I recall, the mailing tube I received had 2 large sheets of the same size for the ship's blue prints, and a separate smaller sheet with the Systems Analysis Unit that you supplied for us above. There was also a typed page describing the series, and I think there was another small blue print (the same size as the one above) with the Metatransit Sphere and the control room for the Metatransit system.

 

If you look at the Systems Analysis Unit that King Daniel very helpfully provided, you see that it was intended to slide along a track. In 1973 TV GUIDE ran an article on the making of that movie of the week/pilot GENESIS II (the introduction of Dylan Hunt and Harper-Smith (“HS” to her friends) and showed a transcontinental subway and how the mockup of the train was pulled on the track by an orange safety rope attached to a pick up truck. The truck and the rope were out of frame. I believe there was also a trailing, unseen rope to break the train mockup. The camera was undercranked to give the mockup the illusion of greater speed and stronger braking. For the maintenance unit for STARSHIP, they probably envisioned a similar unseen rope system. Thanks again King Daniel.

BTW, GENESIS II was a big deal when it premiered. There were mainstream articles on sets and costumes and Mariette Hartley appeared on THE TONIGHT SHOW to promote it and to discuss her two navels in that movie.

 

Digging through old threads, etc., here's everything I have on this prospective Starship show. Mostly it's in reference to the announced but never executed late 90s revisit of the subbject, but those sometimes make mention of the original:

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Lincoln Enterprises catalog, describing some elevations of the ship that could be purchased through the company: "Gene Roddenberry's imagination brings you "Starship". The vessel of the future as only he could picture it. This could be the forerunner of a new TV series, a Starship operated by an enormous computer which is a lifeform itself. Each Human on board is a genius, a highly trained science specialist, part of a team of Galactic trouble shooters. A brand-new concept in future space travel. We also have three different views of the Metatransit system, side elevations of the systems analysis unit, and the Metaflier section of the Starship. Imagine yourself on a mission in space aboard this luxury cruiser. You'll be spellbound!"

SOURCE: https://www.trekbbs.com/threads/gene-roddenberrys-starship.142745/#post-4997174

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Mainframe Entertainment Lands Gene Roddenberry's 'Starship' for Computer
Animated Television Series


VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BW Entertainment Wire)--Oct. 20, 1998--Vancouver-based Mainframe Entertainment, Inc. (TSE:MFE), a leading producer of CGI animation for television series, interactive media and motion simulation rides, has acquired the rights to Gene Roddenberry's Starship(TM). Based upon an original concept by the renowned creator of Star Trek, the property will initially be produced as a 3D CGI-animated television series, with Mainframe retaining ancillary rights to exploit the series in all media.

The treatment for Starship was developed by Majel Barrett Roddenberry and John Semper and was written by Semper. Both will serve as the series' executive producers as will Mainframe's CEO and Vice Chairman, Christopher Brough and President Ian Pearson.

"The fertile imagination of Gene Roddenberry was without doubt as vast and diverse as the galaxy in which he set Star Trek," said Brough. "Within that one historic television show, and the subsequent motion pictures that were spun off from it, Roddenberry created many concepts that have become permanently ingrained in the popular cultural consciousness of the world. It is our intention to use the production magic of 3D CGI animation to breathe life into Starship and to give audiences that special kind of entertainment experience they expect from a project that bears the Roddenberry imprimatur."

In commenting on their new venture with Mainframe, Roddenberry and Semper noted, "Gene is no longer with us, but if he was, there is no doubt that he would be using the latest technological tools of the cinema to continue his
exploration and celebration of his 'Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations' philosophy. Gene Roddenberry's Starship is to be that celebration. Based upon his concept of a vast starship built and launched to explore scientifically the reaches of the galaxy, it is, at its very core, the latest evolution of Gene's imagination in which once again the fortunate viewer will be taken 'where no one has gone before.'"

Pre-production activities including animation tests, character modeling and production design have begun at Mainframe's animation studios. It is anticipated that the series will begin production in mid-1999.

Mainframe Entertainment, Inc. produces long form computer animation for television, motion pictures, interactive media and motion rides from its state-of-the-art production facility located in Vancouver, Canada.

Founded in 1993, the Company presently employs more than 230 animators, technicians and production personnel, and has won many prestigious awards for its creative and technical innovation. The Company was recently selected for inclusion in the Smithsonian Institution's 1998 Innovation Collection for its creation of the world's first 100 percent computer generated weekly television series, ReBoot(TM).

The Company's newest TV series, War Planets(TM) (aka Shadowraiders(TM) outside the U.S.) is currently the highest rated syndicated children's television series in America. Beast Wars(TM) -- Transformers(TM), Mainframe's second all CGI production, is currently entering its third season on televisions worldwide and continues to enjoy high ratings in the U.S. Mainframe's series' have audiences worldwide in over 70 countries, and the company's series represent 105 half hours of production for the 1998-99 season.
[...]

SOURCE: http://tinyurl.com/8my5p

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SPACESHIP OF THE RINGS
by Greg Tyler
March 3, 2004
Updated August 24, 2007

[...]
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, Gene Roddenberry's wife owned and operated Lincoln Enterprises, a company that specialized in the sale of Star Trek and Gene Roddenberry-related merchandise. Two of the items offered in a full-color catalog published at that time featured a futuristic spacecraft that bore a remarkable resemblance to Matt Jefferies' "ring ship" Enterprise from Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

• Image 4 Listings for "Starship" items from a Lincoln Enterprises catalog published in the late 1980s.
• Image 5 Enlargement of "Starship" poster art from Image 4.

Michael and Denise Okuda describe the "ring ship" Enterprise on page 137 of the second edition of the Star Trek Encyclopedia:

This ship was designed by Matt Jefferies for a television series project developed by Gene Roddenberry after the run of the original Star Trek. Unfortunately, the series was never produced, and this remains the only appearance of the design.

Although the ring ship design may have predated Star Trek's debut in 1966, the poster artwork sold through Lincoln Enterprises, and used as the basis by Jefferies or perhaps another artist for ST:TMP's "ring ship Enterprise," would seem to date to some point in the 1970s. It seems likely that the "Starship" project was not based on Star Trek, since Roddenberry created a number of non-Trek science-fiction television productions in the 1970s, and since his primary focus with respect to Star Trek at that time seemed to be a revival of the original television series, rather than a totally new concept with a radically different starship Enterprise.
[...]

SOURCE: http://www.trekplace.com/article13.html

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MAJEL BARRETT RODDENBERRY'S STARSHIP TO ANDROMEDA

Excerpt:

Has being sick interfered with visiting the sets or doing conventions?

I get called for Trek conventions even more so now, but I haven't been going to any of those while I've been trying to get these shows going. Actually, I've got another one, Starship, the animated show, which is time-consuming too. Fortunately that stays down here, and it's kind of nice because it's just a bunch of people drawing pictures. The promotion and the traveling will be coming, and that's going to be a lot more extensive than I had in mind. My first stop is going to be Japan! At least I didn't have to do that on Andromeda. A lot of our money for Starship is coming from Japan, so we'll be over there, and we'll be doing a lot of international traveling, because this will be made internationally. John Semper is my partner in it, he did the story. You've got three guys, Stan Lee, Peter Paul, and John Semper, and each one serves a different function. They're wonderful. They're great to work with. We'll see what happens.

The plot of Starship originally had some similarities with Andromeda, didn't it?

The same similarity as with Star Trek! We stole parts of Starship deliberately for Andromeda. We stole names, we stole titles. They were all Gene's, so it didn't matter. We'll be doing that probably until my deathbed. If something works with a particular story, let's use it here, and save this other element for another place.

There is no story to tell you yet, not on Starship. I could go into what we had before, but it's not going to be the same, it's not even going to be similar as a matter of fact. The original idea was about a bunch of scientists, but that was when they were people -- they're no longer people! We always end up with a captain and a crew, there will be in this case. But remember this: we only have one or two humanoids in it. We've got a bug for a lead! I really can't tell you a Starship plot summary because that particular part of it is changing daily. The last time I went to a meeting, Stan said, this is not really going to work with what we have in mind for over here, so the story hasn't been turned in yet.

Are bugs easier to deal with in animation than the Than on Andromeda?

Oh god yes! I was going to say, can I bring some of them over to Andromeda? [Laughing] I have never seen Farscape, and I must, because I hear they do it very well. When I started to hear about it, I kind of wanted to stay away from it -- I didn't want to compare anything. So I got to watch Andromeda pure, probably the only one in our group who did. But I've heard marvelous things about Farscape.

We figure that as we go into it, depending on the money we have and depending on what the commitment is, we'll find out whether it is a half-hour or an hour show, and find out whether it's daytime or nighttime. It could end up as either. All options are open, including turning it into what Gene intended, which is live action. They're really very excited about it.

Will it be more action-oriented, since animation makes the budget less of a concern?

Well, when you use the word 'action,' you've got to take into account that our United States government says 'Ah-ah' on the violence, and I am actually delighted because we were getting to the point where they were blowing up people in midair. Watching them being torn into shreds. I saw some storyboard drawings and I put a big X through the page and sent it back and said 'No, never. You can only go so far.'

I don't consider tearing bodies apart, or somebody rounds a corner and you get a fist in the mouth...is that action? It's not drama! I cannot accept it. When they do that, I get bored. There's so much of it that I'll get up and leave a movie theater. And then I'll write a note to the production company -- it doesn't do any good, but maybe if they keep getting enough of them. Unfortunately, it has to come from the right demographic, 18-24, and that's what we're looking for, too.

SOURCE: http://www.littlereview.com/getcritical/trektalk/majel3.htm

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Stan Lee Media Developing 'Gene Roddenberry's Starship'
By Christian

September 18, 2000 - 9:24 PM

Stan Lee Media, the internet company launched by Spiderman and X-Men co-creator Stan Lee, announced today that it has partnered with the estate of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry to develop the "newly discovered" Roddenberry project 'Starship' into a new internet entertainment franchise.

The project will be developed by a creative team headed by Japanese director and writer Leiji Matsumoto, and also consisting of Stan Lee himself, television writer and producer John Semper Jr. and Majel Barrett Roddenberry. The project is based on a lost collection of Roddenberry's original notes and drawings recently discovered by his widow, and follows "the adventures of a young human scientist and a brash alien commander who must work together on the Starship ECO-1, despite their personal differences, to combat intergalactic ecological disasters."

The parties involved apparently have quite far-reaching plans with 'Starship'. In the first place, it will be developed as an internet project, similar to Stan Lee's '7th Portal' franchise. According to the press release, this will take the form of "a rich media community with innovative interactive storytelling, themed games, creativity and community tools and e-commerce and participation by a global fan base in the development of the franchise."

Concurrently with the internet project, an animated 'Starship' feature film will be developed, after which the property should be able to expand into broadband, television, merchandising and other licensing activities within the next 18 months.

Commenting on the announcement, Majel Barrett Roddenberry said, "Stan Lee Media is the ideal company to develop Gene's material. [...] The strong image of diversity among Gene's `Starship' crew will be further enhanced by Mr. Lee's talents for creating unique characters that global audiences respond to, and the presence of Leiji Matsumoto's creative vision will ensure that this project is realized in the spirit of Gene's vision."

More on Stan Lee's plans with 'Starship', as well as bios of all persons currently involved in the creative process, can be found in the full press release.

Interestingly, this is already the second announcement of a project based on 'Gene Roddenberry's Starship'. In early May 1999, when Tribune Entertainment first announced they were developing 'Gene Roddenberry's Andromeda', they were in fact planning to bring two Roddenberry projects to the screen, the other one being Starship. A few months later it was rumoured that Starship would be a CGI-only series with strong environmental themes, but eventually Tribune apparently decided not to pursue the project. Here is how the series was originally described in Tribune's May 1999 press release:

A futuristic action hour in which a peaceful Earth is run by an organization of artists, scientists and teachers working to bring harmony throughout the universe, "Gene Roddenberry's Starship" chronicles the exploration space vessel Starship that serves as home to a team of Galactic trouble-shooters led by Captain Dylan Hunt. After leaving Earth to study the far reaches of the universe, where a long and brutal territorial war between aliens takes place, Hunt and his crew discover worlds that are vastly different from the humanistic and civilized society they left behind.

Of course, the name of Dylan Hunt has since been used for Andromeda, and presumably the premise will still undergo some big changes before the launch, but the basis of Roddenberry's premise is presumably still the same.

It will be interesting to see how this project will progress over the coming months. We'll keep you updated if any further announcements are made on this new Gene Roddenberry series.

SOURCE: https://www.trektoday.com/news/180900_04.shtml

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Varying degrees of info on the new Roddenberry series (("Phoenix Rising", "Andromeda", and "Starship")) !!!
Published at: Aug. 17, 1999, 10:01 a.m. CST by staff

Glen here...

...with a follow-up to last week's request about the new "Gene Roddenberry" series (plural) in various stages of development through Tribune Entertainment. I gotta tell you, I wasn't exactly expecting the response I got. Quite voluminous, and very much appreciated.

Interestingly enough, there was a surprising lack on consistency between the reports, save for info on one of the titles - Gene Roddenberry's PHOENIX RISING. All of the reports about this show said pretty much the same thing. Thus, the Phoenix Risinginformation should be considered rather reliable, although please be aware some changes will likely come down during the show's developmental process.

The other two shows ( Starship and Andromeda) mentioned below are still in a state of fluctuation, and while their complexion isn't likely to change dramatically - there might be some variation between what you read here and what ends up on-screen. What is covered below represents the clearest & most accurate information (about) I could cobble together from what I had to work with.

So, in no particular order, here's what I've come across about these "Roddenberry" series so-far:

[...]

BRIEF INTRODUCTION

You might notice I put the word "Roddenberry" in quotes in the above paragraphs. This is a very minute but very critical detail. It seems that a couple of these series are only loosely based on Roddenberry ideas.

Don't get me wrong, some Roddenberry ideas are definitely being incorporated into these shows (the humanist nature of the stories; the "one man can make a difference" mentality...a recurring Roddenberry motif...is also present; the notions of everyone struggling to be the best they can be is also incorporated -- for example). But in many ways, each series will feature only a few genuine Roddenberry ideas, and are actually being developed by folks who are pretty much stuffing the series with their own ideas - and throwing Roddenberry notions into the mix.

Does this make the possessive in these titles misleading? Guess that depends on how much Roddenberry is actually in these "Roddenberry" shows. A difficult notion to gauge, although some reports indicate these new shows contain much more Roddenberry "spirit" than Roddenberry concept and actuality.

[…]

STARSHIP

Gene Roddenberry's STARSHIP. This is a series being developed through Mainframe, the CGI folks who brought us Reboot. I am told there was some discussion about converting this series into a live-action format, although I have received indications this is somewhat unlikely due to budgetary consideration (the plans for the CGI series exceed the budgetary capacity of live action).

Starship is described as being about a couple of humans (and a lot of aliens) who are learning to live together on a giant, living starship. Seems that a series of events unfold which set this group on a pointed mission.

This is where things get hazy: some reports suggest the missions will be more "troubleshooting" in nature, often with an environmental theme. Other reports indicate their mission will be more peacekeeping in nature - as the starship and its crew must unite warring alien races, and convince them that all creatures are more or less brothers capable of living together in peace.

Like Phoenix Rising, Starship is very strong on elements of humanism and expresses support for collective cohesion. Even though it is a CGI series, Starship is described as being "very adult".

SOURCE: http://legacy.aintitcool.com/node/4201

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Thanks, Maurice. The first paragraph you quoted is what I remember reading in the catalog in the mid-70s (probably 1977, but 78 at the latest). I believe the Metatransit system was the entire transporter-like system, and the Metaflier was the spherical chamber. King Daniel supplied us with the Systems Analysis Unit shown above. Does anybody have similar quality images of the other two blueprints. Thanks, again, Maurice.

 

Wow, it seems like it went through a lot of iterations. Interesting that the 1990s articles mention Mainframe but not Stan Lee or Leiji Matsumoto, while the 2000s articles mention Lee and Matsumoto (or Japan) but not Mainframe. Did they work on separate versions of the idea?

 

I love it so I consider it more deliberately paced than dull but I can understand why it might fail to hook someone.

I'd suggest reading the book series and coming back to the movie. It might change your perspective.

 

The American Film Institute ranks 2001 as the 15th greatest film and THE greatest science fiction film. Interestingly, they rank Star Wars one place AHEAD of 2001 in the greatest films list, and rank Star Wars one place BEHIND 2001 in the greatest science fiction films list.

 

It was from a Facebook Star Trek fan group years ago. I found it in a backup of downloaded files from an old phone (circa 2015) on my PC. I remember there being more but for whatever reason I didn't save them.

 

Meh, those lists change all the time. Some people say Vertigo is the greatest film ever made, and I go "wut?"

 

Vertigo has one or two great scenes, including the full makeover reveal in the neon-green-lit hotel room, but that's about it for me.

 

I was unaware that the AFI list "changes all the time". Do you have examples of this happening with the AFI list? Not other lists, but with the AFI list? I have never seen Vertigo place number 1 on the AFI list? When did that happen? We were not talking other lists in connection with 2001. Just the AFI list. When did the AFI list change all the time, and when did AFI list Vertigo as the greatest film? If neither were the case, then the comments were off topic.

I agree with the comment that: "Vertigo has one or two great scenes, including the full makeover reveal in the neon-green-lit hotel room, but that's about it for me." I also agree that Vertigo had little or nothing to do with yesterday's comments on 2001 and the AFI list.

 

Found another! Poor quality but fun for nostalgia.

 

Thanks, King Daniel. This was one of the 11"x17" blue prints I received in the 70s, along with the systems analysis trolley, and color rendering of the ship, and one other blue print with I think showed the interior of the 2 cylindrical pods, the concave spar and the spherical metatransit device. I think on that page there was a more detailed close up of the sphere.

King Daniel, on your file with this blueprint can you see, on the right side of the blueprint, in the middle elevation, what the dimensions are of the upper habitat pod (the larger cylinder) and the lower enviro-pod (the smaller cylinder)? If you look at the top elevation on the upper righthand corner of the blueprint, the highest label is pointing at the side of the sphere. Can you tell if the label says "Metaflier"?

 

Great title sequence too!

 

I have that image too. I’ll look in my files for all the images I have once I get back from this filmmaking trip I am on. (We are camping on a ridge two hours out of Portland OR and a steep hike up a mountain with a lof of gear to film the sunrise over this seemingly endless forest. I am shocked I got a mobile signal waaay out here!)

 

Maurice, when you get back and can look at your file of the image, would you please check the right side of the blueprint, in the middle elevation, what the dimensions are of the upper habitat pod (the larger cylinder) and the lower enviro-pod (the smaller cylinder)? If you look at the top elevation on the upper righthand corner of the blueprint, the highest label is pointing at the side of the sphere. Can you tell if the label says "Metaflier"?

I hope your having an exciting trip and get a good film out of it.