Faces of the Enterprise Bridge: Motion, Wrath, Search, & Voyage
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 29 ก.ย. 2024
- With 1979's 'Star Trek: The Motion Picture', Star Trek reached the big screen, and a new design aesthetic brought us a new look for the Enterprise bridge. In this video, we will look at how this bridge set was changed over the course of the first four films to represent the command centres of not just the Enterprise, but other starships as well.
#culture #StarTrek #StarshipEnterprise #design #film #movies #Blender
Tactical would have its own screen independent of the main viewer. Also, being faced toward the bow, the Tactical Officer would be oriented the same as the ship which would improve spatial awareness and response time in a battle situation.
I can’t be sure but I believe the reason for the weapons and tactical station being in the little alcove was so enemy forces could not see what was going on. Meaning the weapons officers could do what was needed without the captain having to say anything and the enemy be completely unaware of there actions.
It's also a cool little cockpit that I'm sure if Phase II happened we'd see a video game on Tactical.
I don't think that this is the case because there's no way that an enemy combatant could see what was being done anyway unless he was standing outside on the hull cleaning the window. I find it more interesting that in previous versions they didn't have their own weapons console and it was dropped for every other Enterprise
@@ooklathemok , If he is talking about while in video communication, which the enemy's view comes from the main screen area, then it makes sense. Though when focused on the captain, there isn't much to see. When they are broadcasting a wide shot you can see the stations to the left and right of him.
That's one reason why the whole viewscrewn/two way visual communications thing is such a bad idea in universe, it's fine as a narrative tool in fiction but it just makes no sense in context.
It's also funny to me that people are criticizing the bridge windowless on newer trek projects (which are also just narrative tools) because they are "impractical" when 90% of the time tue view screen is effectively used as a window anyway. The amount of time tension is built up by having the whole cast stare at that screen waiting to see something is hilarious if you consider what jobs they are actually supposed to be doing.
I have always felt that the niche weapons/defense control station was a nod to the old "Star Trek Phaser Battle Game ," of the mid 1970s. The look of the game is similar to the bridge weapons station. And it even had a joystick similar to the Manual Torpedo Launch stick.
it was put into an alcove foreword as in the old series Kirk would either turn to Spock or to Scotty to give commands for firing which could clearly be seen by any enemy that was on the screen. having it hidden foreword it would not be seen by anyone on the viewer, so they were not alerted to what was coming and a simple head or hand gesture could be given instead of a verbal command. Again Not tipping an enemy off on what was being planned to happened. Also it was now a independant station, instead of tied into another console. which protected it more, and made it only defense only. That is why it was moved to where it was
Also you didn't attend many Trek Convention's did you? the answer to the changes to the bridge between the motion picture and wrath of Khan were explained at them in 1982. After Star Trek the motion picture wrapped filming. several sets I.E the bridge were destroyed as they did not expect to make another film. So a new bridge had to be constructed before the wrath of Khan was filmed. it was decided when rebuilding the new set that some changes would be made that were pointed out from the first movie. One it was distracting to have the Captain turn his back to the screen to talk to Spock, so Spock's science station was returned to where the original had been in the series. Two it made no sense that engineering and damage control were so far apart, when they should be side by side. hence they were moved closer together.
then Reliant's bridge was supposed to be smaller than the Enterprises as she was a Frigate not a heavy cruiser like the Enterprise. Also she was more of a combat vessel than an explorer. hence the heavy weapons she carried. in other words she was a war ship like the defiant in DS9. she had a limited research capability. as that type vessel was produced to patrol the borders of the federation and Romulon, Klingon borders. again hence the heavy weapons platforms compared to the Enterprise.
Any chance you want to show this redressed as the Enterprise-D battle bridge in "Encounter At Farpoint?"
@4:00 "which was not a window" -yes thank you. The change in certain late iterations of ST to a multiuse vewscreen/window really annoyed me. Why would a combat capable space vessel equip the already vulnerable command deck with an even more vulnerable window? It's not like anything ever gets close enough to the bridge to see it unassisted by sensors or cameras. It seems like they figured this all out in the mid 60's, only to go back to a window just for the visuals.
By the way, the TOS Movie era is my favorite for Trek design, so your analysis is welcomed.
Thank you!
It’s definitely just for show. But then, so is having a bridge dome at all… :)
(Specifically so we had a sense of scale as viewers. And certainly, it’s much harder to get a sense of where anything except the flight deck is on, say, a Battlestar.)
its even worse now. S3 Picard - the Titan's viewscreen is now also an emergency escape hatch door? wtf...
@@JasonAdank Next will be a toilet that's also a transporter pad!
Virtual set technology as used in TV and some movies would make bridge design much more dynamic.
The reason is easy: See the Mutara Nebula battle. The Enterprise was basically blind at that point, and the viewing screen was disabled, which lead to the ship nearly going Big-E on the Scimitar on the Reliant, which also led to the Reliant giving a devastating blow to the Torpedo Bay... Only to that affect the main energizer in the Reactor Room (How did that happen? The torpedo bay is in the center of the ship, at the neck, engineering is a few decks below in the stardrive section). Besides... Why are we complaining about the bridge being vulnerable when it's already at the very top and center of the saucer section screaming "shoot at me, I'm a target"?! Not only that, but Star Trek IV: the Voyage Home introduced the concept of transparent metals, like transparent aluminum. Needless to say, aluminum is harder than glass, and even NASA uses something similar to that on their vessels.
The Enterprise Refit is such a gorgeous ship it's insane.
The Voyage Home Bridge always fascinated me for some reason. Nice work.
Would be curious to see something about the TMP bridge in TNG: the Battle Bridge, Stargazer Bridge, Courtroom, and Hathaway Bridge. I did get pretty mangled over the years
I very nearly added the Stargazer bridge, but this particular video took a lot of work and I had a deadline. I might do a supplemental video, though, for completeness-sake.
I always felt the The Voyage Home bridge lighting and colors had its roots in The Cage. Black, blue and silver.
Yes, I think I would like to see you do a video in the Phase II Enterprise. You tend to have interesting ideas, and quite good CGI work, which is something Phase II does not get enough of.
Thank you - I do try.
For Star Trek V and onwards, there was a reason why the TMP bridge set was never used again,
Apparently the Warehouse the sets were stored in caught fire, and got burnt to a crisp, the damage was irreparable, so they built a new set.
It was a nice set, It’s a Shame it was damaged.
I'd heard the set just got too old and didn't fit back together properly after they shot all of the location with in V. They ended up with a rush job bridge instead which got filled in with more detail when Nicholas Meyer came back for VI.
@@danielhenderson8316 no, apparently it was a Fire caused by a Freak Weather event, totaling the bridge, so they built a new one.
Excellent! You gotta do the Phase II video. I have no real reason for saying this about the weapons station question... except for "it's not a window" lol. I always noticed Chekov sitting in his own little alcove in the movies. In TOS he was front and center with Sulu. I think everything on the Bridge is a computerized representation of everything about the ship and its immediate vicinity outside. Like the main viewer really only being a digital recreation of the outside. The main viewer tho, is showing ultra high def, as "real" as the human eye would see. The tactical station tho, would be graphically presented to the operator in a .... tactically simplistic bare bones blueprint style. Less hi-def and also less processing power required, while providing high levels of info. The semi-isolation of the alcove allowing the operator to be cutoff from distraction and more able to concentrate. He can also peak at the main viewer if need be. This is all opinion. Keep up the nerd work!!!
I think you may have nailed it.
In TOS there was always a station for weapons but it was seldom seen. It appears the helm and Nav doubled as weapons. Both Chekov and Sulu got to fire weapons on occasions.
Oooh yes, I love this! Recognising set redresses is one of my favourite things. I guess it suits your production pipeline to redress an existing model rather than start from scratch too!
I’m all about the phase II set designs, I think the gloss white and the more colourful uniforms would’ve looked great.
And ironically (appropriately?) the two recent modern ship designs both pick various aspects from them! The SNW warp core is clearly inspired by the Phase II one, all yellow and round and stumpy.
The concept art for Phase II i very interesting to look at. It's quite the rabbit-hole.
Always preferred TWOK's bridge. Way Meyer lit it. The darker look felt right. Sure TNG and the other films were brighter I'm sure more for filming etc but TWOK was just right.
You missed one very important detail change of the Enterprise bridge between the The Wrath of Khan and Search For Spock.. In The Search For Spock, the lower floor of the bridge (middle area beneath the helm/command platform) was white instead of black that was in The Wrath of Khan.
Don't forget that the TMP turbolift alcoves were incorporated into the redesigned A set, and actually survived all the way to Nemesis as part of the Enterprise E bridge.
The reason for the depressingly beige/gray/bluish TMP bridge was, interestingly enough, a Roddenberry decision. As they were already rebuilding the sets from a TV production mode to movie production, they wanted to tone down the color palette, and Roddenberry suggested they revisit the bridge colors used in the original Trek pilot, "The Cage." The bridge colors used their carry a strong resemblance to those ultimately chosen for TMP, but later updated by Nicholas Meyer in TWoK. I believe they discussed this decision in the supplementary feature production material in the 2022 4K Remaster re-release of TMP.
I love what Nicholas Meyer did with the TWoK bridge. It might have been a bit darker but had a cozy feel to it.
Very nice! Narration is perfectly paced and quite pleasant to listen to. Animations are clearly made and informative. This is a clever way to consider Trek lore. Looking forward to see more.
I heard there was a fire on the set and it got damaged and that’s why they didn’t use the voyage home enterprise bridge set in Star Trek V. Also it could’ve been they changed it because William Shatner was directing and they wanted something new. I just liked the way that set looked from Star Trek IV.
Always believed that the Saratogas' Bridge from "The Voyage Home" was a modified (and darkened) reuse of the Set-configuration originally created for the Grissom.
Also, even though I like the smoother, more modern Bridge Herman Zimmerman designed for "The Final Frontier", I wish we saw more of the first Enterprise-A Bridge. They put so much work into these new Okudagrams for only a few seconds of screentime.
The bridge of the Saratoga in ST4 was the same as the Grissom bridge, just repainted with some blue and new graphics. What likely happen was they filmed the Grissom bridge scenes after all the Enterprise scenes in ST3 and then just left the helm console flipped in between movies. Then they filmed the Saratoga scenes in ST4 and then changed it back for the Enterprise-A, this would explain why the floor around the captain's chair and helm were a different design on the Enterprise-A, closer to the floor in TMP.
Nerdy maybe, but I love it!
I thought that the reason given at the time for Weapons to be in the niche was simply to allow that person manning it to face the view-screen? On TV, firing the phasers seems to be handled by the Helm or Navigation officer, who face forward; in adding a dedicated weapons station, I guess the thinking was that the officer needed to see the screen, and so the position was turned in that direction.
Really love your content and how detailed your comparisons are. More cutaways please!
The Frontier and Country video is upcoming, yes? I consider those to be the 'pro tourer' version... total refit of the bridge systems, much like taking a 1957 Chevy and plopping in a modern EFI LS under the hood. Still the same underlying tech, but way more advanced.
The weapons station on the 1701 was probably designed that way because it had good (film) shooting angles (as opposed to a station with the officer's back facing Kirk).
Do a video that somehow explains the entirely DIFFERENT bridge size and configuration of Kirk's stolen Bird of Prey (the Bounty) between the ending of The Search for Spock, and the beginning of The Voyage home. Did they stop by a Klingon fleet yard for a refit on the way back to Vulcan?
Tbe weapons station is in an alcove due to a set design compromise. The original concept called for the weapons station to be in a transparent sphere attached to, but attached to the bridge like a ball turret on a US World War II bomber. This concept was too difficult to implement. So, the alcove was the compromise.
I think the weapons and defense station was an experimental, non-explody console. It looks like it didn't catch on, though.
On this logic, only realistic bridge in sci fi movie is in Spaceballs, because they had coffee pot in there😂
I think it's Resurrected Starships, who shows that the volume of the Reliant class vessels was larger than the Enterprise!
The reason for the niche weapons, console is practical. This design allowed Sulu to be in one navigator’s chair, Ilia in the other chair, and Chekov all at stations at the same time. Roddenberry wanted Ilia in camera a lot, not so much Chekov. If it looks like that niche is shoehorned into place, that’s because it is. It was necessitated by the new addition to the cast.
Even though it was the same set, my favorite arrangement, details, and color scheme of the Bridge was the Wrath of Khan version. As to the explanation for the unique weapons console, I would imagine that Starfleet wanted to free up helm and navigations duties from weapons and defense, hence the new station. However, that reasoning falls apart when Sulu is firing phasers at the Reliant in TWoK.
does Sulu fire the phasers? I don't recall that
@@kadmii He fired the phasers at least 2 or 3 times. Once during the first encounter with Reliant, and later when they entered the Mutara Nebula when the Enterprise managed to get behind the Reliant but missed due to turbulence. The third time is an assumption when the ships nearly collided, but I'd imagine Sulu was busy trying to avoid crashing. Kirk is looking in the direction of the weapons console as he's giving the order to return fire.
Once Chekov is on the bridge I'm thinking he fired phasers at Reliant's Nacelle before blowing it off with a torpedo.
@@TONYGILLEY hmm I always figured he wasn't firing but the camera just had him in frame, my mistake
@@kadmii Except during the first encounter with the Relaint, Kirk specifically orders Sulu to lock phasers, to which Sulu says "phasers locked"
@@saryphx yup I was wrong
Wonderful video!
Phase II bridge please.
Really enjoyed this video thank you, can you tell me what the green dome at the centre of the bridge ceiling was for ?
I have been a Star Trek fan for most of my life. It is not often that I learn something about Star Trek I did not already know. However, your video taught me something. Thanks.
You should do the Phase Two Enterprise
One observation not made was the lighting schema change in search for Spock. The bridge now had lights in what was initially shown as a speaker but now could be blue or red condition lights.
Damn, I missed that!
A Phase II Enterprise video? Yes, please!
The key element kept is the exploding monitors that keep killing and maiming the bridge crew
Lol my favorite trope
Well you can say in the 24th Century that they didn't build them like they use to.
We need those in our century to take out all those spammers.
Fascinating analysis of these bridge variations! Hope to see Ent-A for ST V and VI as well as others for all variations between seasons of the hero ships for all the series
Very cool video analysis and seeing the layouts change in animation was great! Per you thoughts about the weapons station orientation, I think they decided that the weapons officer should be able to see the main viewscreen easily and so that’s why that particular station is faced forwards.
I think you have a very good point. It makes the weapons station look more business-like, as well.
Maybe weapons and defense is a niche because Starfleet considered combat to be a niche capability for their crews?
To quote Riker: "I think it's a waste of effort to test our combat skills. It's a minor province in the makeup of a starship captain."
This is amazing - I'd like to see your analysis of the bridge in Final & Undiscovered as well . Great video , thank you
Cool video. Curious to use a ringing cathedral bell for each movie stage, but sure why not 😂
3:45 I believe several people have already commented on this, but in case this hasn't been mentioned...
This is just a few of my thoughts:
1. The bridge had already been partially constructed for Phase II before the switch over. There are at least some stills that I've seen over the years with a partially constructed set with "extras" in TOS uniforms and the set pieces befitting more of the Phase II astethic. Unfortunately I've never seen any photos of that specific section to my remembrance.
2.Extraploating from the blueprints of that version of the bridge, coupled with its extensive redressing as the D's battle bridge and Stargazer, et al...I almost wonder if the alcove and niche was built in that manner to conceal the door for what I believe is the bridge transporter. Assuming that part had been as least partially constructed, it's safe to assume once they moved on from the bridge transporter concept that to save money they just designed a wall to cover any inconsistencies. This also makes sense when you think of Picard's ready room's door being in a position relative to where that door would have been placed in the Phase II bridge.
3. Although Phase II itself is not canon and this amounts at most to a (in my opinion, extremely well-made) interpretation of a concept, I would point you to the Roddenberry Archive and its take on the Phase II bridge as a way to visualize in 3D how it might have looked had Phase II been produced and as a way to examine how the bridge transporter door and weapons station might have appeared
The pattern on the Enterprise 1701 main control room (bridge) chairs on the 2nd and 3rd Star Trek original series movies (including the Constitution II control room mission simulator identical to the Enterprise control room on the 2nd TOS movie and the pink chairs of the Grissom's control room on the 3rd TOS movie) reminds me of the late Dame Elizabeth Taylor's Passion perfume bottle pattern.
When I first saw ST:TMP on TV in 1984 (I really wish I'd pestered Dad into taking me to see it on the big screen when it came out, I remember seeing the ads for the film on TV) I not only loved the redesigned and rebuilt Enterprise (IMO the Refit Enterprise/Enterprise A are the best of all of the Enterprises made) I loved the redesigned bridge too.
Having recently revisited all Star Trek films, my impression of The Motion Picture improved greatly, especially seeing how much of its sets were reused (including the corridors and engineering).
So in TOS tactical systems were operated by the two seat helm station just forward of the Captains chair…. Experience and training simulations determined that a dedicated tactical station would be needed at least some of the time. So an optional dedicated station was added , but in such a location that it did not interfere with the flow of the other main stations. At the same time tactical systems could still be accessed at the helm stations.
Ive been thinking about modeling this bridge.... after seeing your video i'm slightly deterred .. .. . . . .this looks scary.
Point of clarification, the volume displacement of the Constitution and Miranda are comparable with the Miranda holding a slight edge over the Constitution.
I vote for a Phase II Enterprise overview. :)
I'm working on it. I've mostly completed engineering, and I am working on the bridge. Then I'll turn to the exterior.
I LOVE THESE VIDEO, binge watching today.
One point, when you put words and large paragraphs of text can u leave them on longer for us slower readers.
Otherwise amazing
star trek the motion picture was actually green lighted BEFORE Star Wars was even released. However, the production company was given much more money after the success of Star Wars.
The fateful November of 1988, when everything would change. Thanks TNG season 2.
The Enterprise-A was supposed to be the Yorktown refit, but was re-christened Enterprise to give Kirk a starship that wasn't the Excelsior...
I like the Enterprise Bridge from, STAR TREK:STRANGE NEW WORLDS
What color do you consider the Wrath of Khan bridge? I am 3D printing a 1:10 scale TWOK bridge. I am leaning a light gull grey. Thanks
what about Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country Bridge
Harold Michelson turned the weapons console 90° when Phase II morphed into The Motion Picture. He did it to make the bridge set be more interesting (as every console looked roughly the same) and give the camera better shots, which they certainly used.
Knee-level status monitors for a humanoid crew are just stupid design...
Also the big ship's damage screen located behind the captain on some ships while he's in visual communication with the enemy is also stupid design.
just show him how badly you're hit...
Originally, in Phase II, the weapons console was the bridge transporter alcove, hence the funky shape. Later, this feature was removed, as it was deemed too expensive to constantly shoot transporter scenes from the bridge, instead of a dedicated set. Interestingly, you can still see a remnant if this idea in the quad-arranged green glowing scanners just forward of the weapons console. They are, indeed, the emergency transport scanning array. Apparently a one-way system. 😉
Obviously there’s some discrepancies between the some of the films for various production reasons. But I always thought the bridges were modules that would be gradually replaced and upgraded over time. Instead of an internal reworking they’d just pull the bridge unit and socket in a new one.
Yes, yes - please make a video regarding the Phase II Enterprise! Thank you for your excellent videos.
Actually in Wrath of Khan, Damage & Repair stayed where it was from Motion Picture. Environmental Control was moved next to Damage & Repair where Internal Security was in Motion Picture. In Search for Spock, Damage & Repair and Environmental Control were mysteriously switched even though the film's meant to continue on from Wrath of Khan. You can tell when Kirk walks across the bridge during his voice over log entry regarding the Genesis planet and Spock's death. Also, the display on the Damage & Repair monitors was changed from layouts of the Enterprise to the display seen on the Internal Security monitors. So that was when Damage & Repair was moved over one space as you pointed out here.
I never liked the white chairs on the Enterprise. I wish Reliant could’ve had those and Enterprise keep the colored ones. But at least they weren’t the god-awful pink the Grissom suffered.
Possible reasons for the weapons station to be a forward facing alcove rather than just along one wall:
- Machinery behind the console requiring a significant amount of room
- to permit the weapons officer to easily see the main screen, especially the tactical displays showcased in Star Trek II
- to permit the captain to see the weapons console displays from his chair easily
- to put the weapons console out of sight of enemy crews during Zoom chats.
The Weapons Alcove was placed as such as Robert Wise felt that someone firing weapons should be facing forward.
I enjoy hearing about Star Trek TOS Movies Enterprise Bridge set.
Gene Roddenberry wanted that alcove for tactical. He also wanted huge 12 ft tall outer airlock hatches for who knows why
The mudular construction makes much sence. So all elements can used over the classes.
The Voyage Home type is much nice. In the with the black consols and the new touchsystem it looks verry god.
The Wrath of Kahn Type makes for me more sence becasue the captain have not to rotate to the back to comunicate with his since officer. Only the new chairs are not so nice. I think the Motion Picture chairs fit better.
It would be great to see the Final Frontier bridge. Maybe the Excelsior and Enterprise B layouts?
"the viewscreen, which is not a window" 😂
lol...curved magnetic screen is standard ship widow.
I'd like to point out that when it comes to the bridge on the enterprise in the original series, if you watch the original piolet episode either in it's original animation or the CGI redub the you can clearly see that it is pointing forward and the nub in the back is not where it should be so just for the record since it appears that way on TV it is cannon that the bridge faces forward and NOT TO THE LEFT so there
Great video. I haven't seen any of your other video "yet" but I will. This one was very interesting. I look forward to see one of STV and STVI in the future.
As an out of universe more practical filming reason for the tactical station being in an alcove like that, I can imagine it was simply a choice so that the actor using it would not have had to turn 180 degrees to interact with the captain or engage in dialogue, which always seems somewhat awkward in the middle of a tense moment. There's some parallel there with the somewhat similar design of the Engineering station in Voyager occasionally used by Torres, where she would usually use the forward facing console in a way that allowed her to interact by just turning her head rather than spinning fully in a chair. this would also mean they would always turn towards camera rather than away from it easier to frame for camera shots
Curious use of those abbreviations, I can't say I've seen those used like that in common practice.
I dont understand why in the beginning third of the video you show a part of the bridge to quickly cut away to flying geometry coming to together of each station's title and icon - you could do this over the bridge footage or not do it all and keep the point of the video on screen longer.
Fun fact - Reliant is actually larger than the Enterprise (by internal volume).
I love to see your take on where original Enterprise's weapons are.
The Miranda class is actually larger and more heavily armed. Designed like that by accident!
Subscribed after watching @downtherabbithole
Fun and informative and amusing Video, thanks for sharing! 🖖
Good vid, very interesting. Many thanks.
From what I understand that niche where the weapons station is was originally planned to be a transporter on the bridge for the TV series the next phase it later became the weapons station for the movie
I think the defense niche was simply an aesthetic decision to give the bridge a more dynamic look.
My favorite bridge/Enterprise has to be from _Star Trek VI_
Very nice video! Quite instructive!! Thank you so much.
Tactical and weapons faced forward so the officer could have a constant view of the main viewscreen without diverting his attention from their station.
Reliant actually has more internal volume than Enterprise, ergo, not a smaller vessel.
The damage control station wasn't moved on the enterprise until star trek iii its still in its motion picture location in star trek ii
Enterprise A in 6 was my fave so much better this was very 70s
Great video sir! You've earned yourself a new subscriber!
ST3/TSFS came out in '85, not '84.
Weapons station needed to be isolated to avoid distraction.
Man I have to go back and look the movies again
The fact that we *never* saw this ship in TNG when there were Excelsiors and Oberths and Mirandas all over the place was a travesty.
Now I know their reasoning: they thought some people would think it was Kirk's NCC-1701 Enterprise. I have zero doubt that that would've happened, but this is star trek and I'd be surprised if it would've been as big a deal as they thought.
It's less that and more the Enterprise model from TMP was as big as the ILM Enterprise-D model and even heavier. They were already under the gun for VFX during TNG that kitbashing a model from several model kits could be done faster then wrestling with that 7 foot behemoth.
Geordi's dialog in "The Battle" was recorded while he mouthed "Constitution class" instead of "Constellation class."
Amazing work. Thank you.
TrekYards would be proud.