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Revision as of 17:48, October 21, 2014
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[[File:D'deridex design sketches.jpg|thumb|right|Probert's finalized sketches for the warbird]]
[[File:D'deridex design sketches.jpg|thumb|right|Probert's finalized sketches for the warbird]]
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Experimenting with the vertical design concept, Probert further elaborated on his design process, "''I didn't have any information except that the Romulans were coming back and that we had never seen their ship before ''[In ''TNG'']''. Since the ''Enterprise'' is ''so'' horizontal, I wanted to contrast it with a vertical ship. At this point we didn't see Gene Roddenberry anymore. Gene had always been open to suggestions. I was in awe of how he had created the show, and my respect for him was enhanced by the fact that he would sit and listen to your ideas. He may not have always used them, but he would always listen. I felt that if I had shown him the vertical warbird and explained my reasoning, he would have considered it. But that didn't happen.''" However, Probert was told by another producer, "Let's make it horizontal instead". "''So I created new preliminary drawings, and being that it was a war ''bird'', I continued the birdlike motif from my earlier sketches.''" Conceding to the request, Probert also proceeded to add a bottom wing to his now horizontal design. Continuing, he further clarified, "''I hadn't thought about putting a bottom wing on there, but I looked sideways at one of my earlier vertical drawings and thought I'd add a loop to see how that worked. I drew that final image as a scale reference to the ''Enterprise'', just to show the difference in size. I love even numbers, so the warbird is 4,440 feet long. The thing is, I provided this image to the producers purposely to suggest that the scene be filmed with the ''Enterprise'' in front, obviously closer to us, yet the warbird is still larger. Unfortunately the visual effects people reversed the shot and you really had no idea how much larger the Romulan ship was.''" (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation 365]]'', p. 132)
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Experimenting with the vertical design concept, Probert further elaborated on his design process, "''I didn't have any information except that the Romulans were coming back and that we had never seen their ship before ''[In TNG]''. Since the ''Enterprise'' is ''so'' horizontal, I wanted to contrast it with a vertical ship. At this point we didn't see Gene Roddenberry anymore. Gene had always been open to suggestions. I was in awe of how he had created the show, and my respect for him was enhanced by the fact that he would sit and listen to your ideas. He may not have always used them, but he would always listen. I felt that if I had shown him the vertical warbird and explained my reasoning, he would have considered it. But that didn't happen.''" However, Probert was told by another producer, "Let's make it horizontal instead". "''So I created new preliminary drawings, and being that it was a war ''bird'', I continued the birdlike motif from my earlier sketches.''" Conceding to the request, Probert also proceeded to add a bottom wing to his now horizontal design. Continuing, he further clarified, "''I hadn't thought about putting a bottom wing on there, but I looked sideways at one of my earlier vertical drawings and thought I'd add a loop to see how that worked. I drew that final image as a scale reference to the ''Enterprise'', just to show the difference in size. I love even numbers, so the warbird is 4,440 feet long. The thing is, I provided this image to the producers purposely to suggest that the scene be filmed with the ''Enterprise'' in front, obviously closer to us, yet the warbird is still larger. Unfortunately the visual effects people reversed the shot and you really had no idea how much larger the Romulan ship was.''" (''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation 365]]'', p. 132)
In {{y|2010}}, Probert revisited his vertical orientation design when he produced a more detailed painting for the March spread of the ''[[Star Trek: Ships of the Line (2011)]]'' calendar. {{DrexFiles|2010/04/25/let-the-countdown-begin-2011-sotl-sneak-peek-01-andrew-probert/}}
In {{y|2010}}, Probert revisited his vertical orientation design when he produced a more detailed painting for the March spread of the ''[[Star Trek: Ships of the Line (2011)]]'' calendar. {{DrexFiles|2010/04/25/let-the-countdown-begin-2011-sotl-sneak-peek-01-andrew-probert/}}
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| class="even" | <center>...in its blue-gray livery</center>
| class="even" | <center>...in its blue-gray livery</center>
|}
|}
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<blockquote>"And then in the final episode of the season, we got to see the Romulans come back, and Andy had this really strange design. And, again, we had like only three weeks to do it. So we had to carve out some shapes out of foam, vacuform a template to give us a hard skin that we could detail, throw it into a mold, pull the pieces out, and drill thousands of little fiber optic holes to get the lightings self contained." ([[TNG Season 1 Blu-ray]]-special feature, "Stardate Revisited, Part 3: The Continuing Mission")</blockquote>
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<blockquote>"And then in the final episode of the season, we got to see the Romulans come back, and Andy had this really strange design. And, again, we had like only three weeks to do it. So we had to carve out some shapes out of foam, vacuform a template to give us a hard skin that we could detail, throw it into a mold, pull the pieces out, and drill thousands of little fiber optic holes to get the lightings self contained." ([[TNG Season 1 Blu-ray]] special feature, "Stardate Revisited, Part 3: The Continuing Mission")</blockquote>
The appearance of the ''D'deridex''-class model has caused some confusion in regards to the color scheme. Well-known early publicity stills, especially in the 1980s ''[[Starlog Press]]'' publications, showed the model both in a green-gray color scheme and a metallic blue-gray color scheme (in particular to represent ships of the [[Tal Shiar]], most notably in the ''Deep Space Nine'' episode {{e|The Die is Cast}}). This was partly due, in the case of the first one, to "tweaking" the colors in post-production editing.
The appearance of the ''D'deridex''-class model has caused some confusion in regards to the color scheme. Well-known early publicity stills, especially in the 1980s ''[[Starlog Press]]'' publications, showed the model both in a green-gray color scheme and a metallic blue-gray color scheme (in particular to represent ships of the [[Tal Shiar]], most notably in the ''Deep Space Nine'' episode {{e|The Die is Cast}}). This was partly due, in the case of the first one, to "tweaking" the colors in post-production editing.
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| class="even" | <center>...as featured at auction</center>
| class="even" | <center>...as featured at auction</center>
|}
|}
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However, as it turned out, the other explanation for this was that the studio had two models made, the green and best known being the original, first one, and that they used them both. [http://www.jetcafe.org/bruce/portfolio/TV_Shows2/images/ST-Next_Generation-08.jpg] Co-built, again at Jein's modelshop, by model maker [[Bruce MacRae]], and almost identical to the original studio model, the second, blue-gray model differed from the green one in that, apart from the color, it had an additional feature added on the outer sides of the warp engines and it debuted in ''The Next Generation'' [[TNG Season 3|third season]] episode {{e|The Defector}}, appropriately designated as "B-type" by [[Jean-Luc Picard]] in the episode, [http://www.st-minutiae.com/academy/literature329/158.txt scene 52]. It is not clear why the second model was commissioned, though [[Daren Dochterman]] has given a possible contemporary explanation; "''On other occasions, it's done to give an in-house model crew something to do to justify billing the production company for it...and to maintain its existence.''" [http://johneaves.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/blue-sky-model-reference/#comment-1039]
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However, as it turned out, the other explanation for this was that the studio had two models made, the green and best known being the original, first one, and that they used them both. [http://www.jetcafe.org/bruce/portfolio/TV_Shows2/images/ST-Next_Generation-08.jpg] Co-built, again at Jein's modelshop, by model maker [[Bruce MacRae]], and almost identical to the original studio model, the second, blue-gray model differed from the green one in that, apart from the color, it had an additional feature added on the outer sides of the warp engines and it debuted in ''The Next Generation'' [[TNG Season 3|third season]] episode {{e|The Defector}}, appropriately designated as "B-type" by [[Jean-Luc Picard]] in the episode, [http://www.st-minutiae.com/academy/literature329/158.txt scene 52]. It is not clear why the second model was commissioned, though [[Daren Dochterman]] has given a possible contemporary explanation; "''On other occasions, it's done to give an in-house model crew something to do to justify billing the production company for it... and to maintain its existence.''" [http://johneaves.wordpress.com/2009/04/09/blue-sky-model-reference/#comment-1039]
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It was the second, blue-gray model, that was included, as {{stala|1778-0702|Lot 702}}, in the ''[[40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection]]'' [[Star Trek auctions|auction]], estimated at US$8,000–$12,000, where it was sold at auction on {{d|7|October|2006}} for a winning bid of US$30,000 ($36,000 including buyer's premium). It was sold to British collector Adrian Hancock, the same collector who had also managed to acquire the {{USS|Voyager}} and {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-C|-C}} studio models in the action. [http://www.myprops.co.uk/various-photos/warbird.jpg] In a run up to the auction, making its only public appearance, the model was on tour at the ''Creation Convention'' in Las Vegas from [[17 August]] to {{d|20|August|2006}}. [http://www.mutara.net/Christies/Warbird.html]
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It was the second, blue-gray model, that was included, as {{stala|1778-0702|Lot 702}}, in the ''[[40 Years of Star Trek: The Collection]]'' [[Star Trek auctions|auction]], estimated at US$8,000-$12,000, where it was sold at auction on {{d|7|October|2006}} for a winning bid of US$30,000 ($36,000 including buyer's premium). It was sold to British collector Adrian Hancock, the same collector who had also managed to acquire the {{USS|Voyager}} and {{USS|Enterprise|NCC-1701-C|-C}} studio models in the action. [http://www.myprops.co.uk/various-photos/warbird.jpg] In a run up to the auction, making its only public appearance, the model was on tour at the ''Creation Convention'' in Las Vegas from [[17 August]] to {{d|20|August|2006}}. [http://www.mutara.net/Christies/Warbird.html]
As of {{y|2012}}, the whereabouts of the first, original, green-gray, model are unknown, presumably still in the possession of [[Paramount Pictures]], though no sightings have been reported since.
As of {{y|2012}}, the whereabouts of the first, original, green-gray, model are unknown, presumably still in the possession of [[Paramount Pictures]], though no sightings have been reported since.
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| class="even" | <center>...and its unmodified reuse as the Illyrian starship</center>
| class="even" | <center>...and its unmodified reuse as the Illyrian starship</center>
|}
|}
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A somewhat curious re-emergence of the ''D'deridex''-class design occurred with the appearance of the [[Mazarite warship]] in the ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' [[ENT Season 1|first season]] episode, {{e|Fallen Hero}}. The design originated from a [[kitbash]] of a ''D'deridex''-class [[AMT/Ertl]] [[Star Trek model kits|model kit]], No. 6858, by [[Dan Curry]], using the upper wing structure to be "sold" to the producers for use in the new television series. The producers "bought" the design, and the prototype model was subsequently recreated as a CGI model at [[Foundation Imaging]] by [[Koji Kuramura]] and rendered by [[Robert Bonchune]]. When Bonchune was asked about this for his {{DrexFiles|2009/10/04/mazarite-attack-ship/#more-17606|blog}}, [[Doug Drexler]] reported, "''The Mazarite Attack Ship was always a puzzler. Why? How? It’s immediately recognizable as derived from Probert’s iconic Romulan Warbird. Not that Trek isn’t known for getting multiple uses from it’s motorpool. What makes it so noteworthy that this one of the only times a highly recognizable hero ship was recycled in such a manner. A hall of fame head scratcher for sure. I finally asked Rob Bonchune what that was all about, and he shrank in his chair. Was it a money saving deal? I asked. No, answered Rob. If we had chopped the Romulan Warbird model that would have been true. I screwed up my face. You mean this ship was built from scratch.. from the ground up? I kid you not, said Rob. Dan Curry brought in a section of the Warbird he’d liberated from an AMT model with instructions to custom build a new ship from it. It was plain that Rob was just as befuddled by the choice as I was.''", to which Kuramura has added, "''I’m pretty sure I built it from drawings...but it was a while ago. So I could be wrong.''" This CGI model was later, unmodified, reused as the [[Illyrian starship]] seen in the later [[ENT Season 3|third season]] episode, {{e|Damage}}. This was one of the very few times that a design feature of a signature "hero" ship was recycled to represent an alien design.
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A somewhat curious re-emergence of the ''D'deridex''-class design occurred with the appearance of the [[Mazarite warship]] in the ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'' [[ENT Season 1|first season]] episode, {{e|Fallen Hero}}. The design originated from a [[kitbash]] of a ''D'deridex''-class [[AMT/Ertl]] [[Star Trek model kits|model kit]], No. 6858, by [[Dan Curry]], using the upper wing structure to be "sold" to the producers for use in the new television series. The producers "bought" the design, and the prototype model was subsequently recreated as a CGI model at [[Foundation Imaging]] by [[Koji Kuramura]] and rendered by [[Robert Bonchune]]. When Bonchune was asked about this for his {{DrexFiles|2009/10/04/mazarite-attack-ship/#more-17606|blog}}, [[Doug Drexler]] reported, "''The Mazarite Attack Ship was always a puzzler. Why? How? It's immediately recognizable as derived from Probert's iconic Romulan Warbird. Not that ''Trek'' isn't known for getting multiple uses from it's motorpool. What makes it so noteworthy that this one of the only times a highly recognizable hero ship was recycled in such a manner. A hall of fame head scratcher for sure. I finally asked Rob Bonchune what that was all about, and he shrank in his chair. Was it a money saving deal? I asked. No, answered Rob. If we had chopped the Romulan Warbird model that would have been true. I screwed up my face. You mean this ship was built from scratch... from the ground up? I kid you not, said Rob. Dan Curry brought in a section of the Warbird he.d liberated from an AMT model with instructions to custom build a new ship from it. It was plain that Rob was just as befuddled by the choice as I was.''", to which Kuramura has added, "''I’m pretty sure I built it from drawings... but it was a while ago. So I could be wrong.''" This CGI model was later, unmodified, reused as the [[Illyrian starship]] seen in the later [[ENT Season 3|third season]] episode, {{e|Damage}}. This was one of the very few times that a design feature of a signature "hero" ship was recycled to represent an alien design.
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{{DISPLAYTITLE:''D'deridex'' class model}}
[[Category:Studio models]]
[[Category:Studio models]]