Trek SFX errors

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2002-11-26 05:21pm

What are some Special effects errors in Trek? I don't care which series, I just need to know. I'm aware of the strings off the enterprise in TOS and the phaser from torp launcher, but what else?

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2002-11-26 05:38pm

This is for smashing Darkstar if it helps

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2002-11-26 06:06pm

A lot of shots of the E-D moving during the first season of TNG just look weird to me, almost like it's a cut-out that's being shrunk/grown.

I know it doesn't count as an FX screw up, but it's something that personally bugs me.

Ender · Post by **Ender** » 2002-11-26 06:09pm

eh, I already posted it anyways.

Spanky The Dolphin · Post by **Spanky The Dolphin** » 2002-11-26 06:12pm

Huh? Posted what?

And I don't think the E-0 in TOS was on strings, as every behind-the-scenes pictures of the models I've seen show them mounted to rods.

Vertigo1 · Post by **Vertigo1** » 2002-11-26 06:18pm

Lets see...

"Encounter at Farpoint" - Energy beam firing from the captain's yaught
(I forgot the episode's name) - Phaser beam firing from photon torpedo launcher.
"Sacrifice of Angels" - Blue phaser beams firing from Pereguin-class fighters/gunboats.

Thats all that come to mind ATM.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2002-11-26 06:24pm

"Darmok" had the phaser from the torpedo bay.

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2002-11-26 08:49pm

One episode they were cutting through a door with a phaser. Sparks were coming from it before the phaser was fired.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-26 08:53pm

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:One episode they were cutting through a door with a phaser. Sparks were coming from it before the phaser was fired.

Oooh, oooh, oooh! Do you have an episode name? Let's take that and then explain how doors in ST spontaneously combust, then use that isolated incident to reform our ideas about SF hull strengths!

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2002-11-26 09:29pm

Master of Ossus wrote:
Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:One episode they were cutting through a door with a phaser. Sparks were coming from it before the phaser was fired.
Oooh, oooh, oooh! Do you have an episode name? Let's take that and then explain how doors in ST spontaneously combust, then use that isolated incident to reform our ideas about SF hull strengths!

And they'll say that there is an invisible portion that is in front of the visible beam.

Master of Ossus · Post by **Master of Ossus** » 2002-11-26 09:30pm

neoolong wrote:
Master of Ossus wrote:
Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:One episode they were cutting through a door with a phaser. Sparks were coming from it before the phaser was fired.
Oooh, oooh, oooh! Do you have an episode name? Let's take that and then explain how doors in ST spontaneously combust, then use that isolated incident to reform our ideas about SF hull strengths!
And they'll say that there is an invisible portion that is in front of the visible beam.

They might. Let's just look at the tapes and find out if they can claim that.

Patrick Degan · Post by **Patrick Degan** » 2002-11-26 09:35pm

There were never any strings holding up the Enterprise in TOS. The ship was mounted on a clear plastic stand attatched to a runner rail. They would film the model as it was moved along the rail, which could also pivot to show the ship turning. But there is one instance in "Space Seed" when you can see a reflection of the studio lights off that lexan mounting in the shot. Every once in a while, the CSO matting would blot out small patches of the starship when the particular hue of the lighting happened to match that of the blue-screen behind the model.

"The Doomsday Machine" has one of the more infamous SFX goofs: the starship Constellation was represented in the episode by the standard AMT plastic model kit of the Enterprise, suitably attacked with a soldering iron and with its decals changed around. In the episode climax, as Kirk is piloting the wrecked ship into the planet killer, you can see that not only is it a plastic model with incomplete detailing (no engine outlets on either warp or impulse units), but the model visibly shimmys on its mounting. The shuttlecraft model which flies into the maw of the planet killer as Commodore Decker commits suicide is visibly out of scale with the alien weapon.

In various episodes, phaser beams were poorly matted onto the Enterprise footage and you can spot very obvious matte-lines in shots of the shuttlecraft in three episodes.

In Star Trek: The Next Generation it is quite evident that various starship models are visibly out of scale with the Enterprise. The episode "Darmok" is infamous for the phaser spray-beam coming out of the photorp launcher.

Slartibartfast · Post by **Slartibartfast** » 2002-11-27 02:10am

Patrick Degan wrote:There were never any strings holding up the Enterprise in TOS. The ship was mounted on a clear plastic stand attatched to a runner rail. They would film the model as it was moved along the rail, which could also pivot to show the ship turning. But there is one instance in "Space Seed" when you can see a reflection of the studio lights off that lexan mounting in the shot. Every once in a while, the CSO matting would blot out small patches of the starship when the particular hue of the lighting happened to match that of the blue-screen behind the model.

Hm yeah that happens alot with old FX matting.

Moonshadow · Post by **Moonshadow** » 2002-11-27 06:30pm

i forgot what episode, but in TNG the Enterprise-D locked a tractor beam onto an Oberth. The problem was, when they showed an exterior shot, the Oberth looked like it was about 3/4 the size of the Enterprise-D!

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2002-11-27 06:37pm

neoolong wrote:
Master of Ossus wrote:
Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:One episode they were cutting through a door with a phaser. Sparks were coming from it before the phaser was fired.
Oooh, oooh, oooh! Do you have an episode name? Let's take that and then explain how doors in ST spontaneously combust, then use that isolated incident to reform our ideas about SF hull strengths!
And they'll say that there is an invisible portion that is in front of the visible beam.

I think he hadn't fired yet.

And there's the 40 000 km BoP of doom (TM)

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2002-11-27 06:38pm

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:
neoolong wrote:
Master of Ossus wrote: Oooh, oooh, oooh! Do you have an episode name? Let's take that and then explain how doors in ST spontaneously combust, then use that isolated incident to reform our ideas about SF hull strengths!
And they'll say that there is an invisible portion that is in front of the visible beam.

I think he hadn't fired yet.

And there's the 40 000 km BoP of doom (TM)

Or that same BOP traveling at Warp 9 inside of the solar system less then a single AU from the Sun and doing this for several SECONDs.

Grand Admiral Thrawn · Post by **Grand Admiral Thrawn** » 2002-11-27 06:43pm

Ooh, that's a good one. Dark Star has to admit either Trek has SFX errors or warp nine is horrible slow.

Alyeska · Post by **Alyeska** » 2002-11-27 06:47pm

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:Ooh, that's a good one. Dark Star has to admit either Trek has SFX errors or warp nine is horrible slow.

That or there is a MASSIVE slide scale difference between Warp 9 and Warp 9.whatever they used in ST:5

OR, its just as you said.

neoolong · Post by **neoolong** » 2002-11-27 06:56pm

Grand Admiral Thrawn wrote:
neoolong wrote:And they'll say that there is an invisible portion that is in front of the visible beam.

I think he hadn't fired yet.

[moronic trekkie]It's telekinesis. He used his mind to fire the phaser before his finger moved.[/moronic trekkie]

Moonshadow · Post by **Moonshadow** » 2002-11-27 07:01pm

hah! found a screenshot. Introducing the Super-Oberth!

ok i might have exagerated, but still it looks bigger than an Excelcior!

Vertigo1 · Post by **Vertigo1** » 2002-11-28 12:02am

And notice that the tractor beam is coming from the main deflector!

Moonshadow · Post by **Moonshadow** » 2002-11-28 02:39am

and is it just me or does the Tractor Beam look like Spiderman's web?

Crayz9000 · Post by **Crayz9000** » 2002-11-28 06:08pm

Here are some better quality screencaps from my VCDs.

Crayz9000 · Post by **Crayz9000** » 2002-11-28 06:10pm

Vertigo1 wrote:And notice that the tractor beam is coming from the main deflector!

I was under the impression that the forward tractor beam projector was located just beneath the deflector dish, in which case there is no conflict.

Howedar · Post by **Howedar** » 2002-11-28 06:33pm

Correct.