The original studio models of the Enterprise were designed by Walter M. "Matt"
Jefferies and constructed by Richard Datin and his crew in 1964. The original
blueprints as drafted by Mr. Jefferies were scaled to build a roughly 3-foot
miniature. This was constructed by Datin and presented to and approved by Gene
Roddenberry. It does not appear that this smaller model was intended to be used
for filming, but was used in the first pilot and several other episodes.
After the three-foot model was built the plans were scaled up to the size of
the 11-foot miniature. Construction of the model was supervised by Datin. When
completed, there were no lights and very little surface detail.
The 11-foot model of the Enterprise was completed and delivered by Richard Datin to Howard Anderson's company on Dec. 29th 1964. The original engine domes were solid wood and painted by hand with an airbrush. The color was crimson but appears in various shades of red to reddish brown on film. Gold painted spires were attached which matched the look of the antenna dish. The hull was painted with a light gray-green finish.
Based on the dates shown in the following clips the following conjecture is presented.
After the FX shots for the first pilot were filmed, additional test shots were made as it was believed that the show would be picked up and would soon start filming episodes. Roddenberry expressed concern that the model was "too clean" and asked for additional details to be added. This footage was shot for the purpose of experimenting with a planned new "look" for the ship that Roddenberry had in mind, which included running lights and different detail at the back of the nacelles.
The grille pattern had not yet been painted on the rear nacelles.
Detail saucer section. Note that the windows were painted on.
The first pilot was screened to NBC execs in February '65, was rejected and
everything stopped. The model was put into storage. Roddenberry was told that
if he came up with something un-cerebral enough to please the execs he would
be given the unheard of chance of making another pilot. Until Roddenberry had
the green light to actually film the second pilot, there was no point in doing
anything further with the model. Luckily, he got the green light in the summer
of '65 so the model was taken out of storage, and Richard Datin was then given
the task of completing the second pilot changes that had partially been planned
for in January '65.
This ends the conjecture. What follows is factual.
For the 2nd pilot, the modifications to the 11-footer were made by Datin in August-September '65 and the 2nd pilot screened for execs in January '66. The date below is assumed to be a typo and should read 9-15-65.
Here is a brief history of what was added/updated to the model:
Second pilot changes, August '65
Bridge: several painted-on windows removed, light panels added in front and
on sides.
Saucer top: nav lights added, black bands painted near port & starboard
edge, painted black & white areas added near bow edge, four light panels
added. The port & aft light panel was just painted-on and is not an actual
light panel.
Saucer rim: centermost bow port changed to nav light, some windows added.
Saucer bottom: nav light & 2 portholes added near edge on each side, at
10 and 2 o'clock positions.
Impulse engines: black rectangular vents painted over with hull color, eight
small round black vents painted on.
Secondary hull: strobe light added on aft flank, rearmost round porthole moved
from left side of two rectangular ones to right side.
Nacelles: black "grille" pattern painted on rear nacelle end caps.
Registry markings were previously painted-on, now changed to decals.
Production changes, April '66
Bridge: bottom half chopped off, light panels removed, a red "beacon"
added on each side. Some portholes added on B&C decks.
Saucer top: black bands and most other painted-on markings removed, a round
light panel added near bow edge, rib added on "linear accelerator"
and both painted a darker gray.
Saucer rim: Some portholes added, bow nav light replaced by light panel
Saucer bottom: nav lights moved to 9 and 3 o'clock position, some portholes
added, "nipple with phaser turret" added below sensor dome.
Impulse engines: painted darker gray, round vents removed, original rectangular
vents again painted black, texture wraps added on both ends of impulse deck.
Dorsal: some windows/portholes moved/added, dorsal painted same as rest of hull
instead of the earlier bluish reflective color, with a darker region on both
leading & receding edge.
Secondary hull: red "beacon" & green portholes added on top, some
windows/portholes added, deflector dish diameter reduced, "observation
booth" added under cowling above hangar bay doors.
Nacelle pylons: four dark gray. brick-pattern inserts placed in slots.
Nacelles: solid wood "power nodules" with spikes replaced with frosted
plexiglas domes with inner surface painted transparent orange, plus motorized
vanes and blinking Christmas lights added behind the dome.
Ribs and aluminum grille added in "trenches" along inboard flanks
of nacelles and trench painted darker gray., patterned slabs added inside "intercooler
loops" at rear, small slabs added in front of intercooler loops, black
painted grille removed from end caps and light gray. spheres added.
Typeface used for registry markings changed, weathering added.
Changes during series production, dates unknown
Upper sensor dome changed to a taller one, registry numbers on saucer bottom
switched around so the starboard one was readable from a front view.
Jefferies came up with a "deflector grid" which was drawn in pencil on the primary hull. It was drawn only to satisfy Roddenberry and was done very lightly so it wouldn't be visible on film.
The 3 foot model was also updated as seen here.
The model shown in these next three shots were filmed with extremely wide angle lens but the results were too distorted for use.
You probably have noticed that the models are filmed against a blue background. This is known as filming "bluescreen". This process starts by filming an actor or a model (the foreground subjects) in front of an evenly lit pure blue or green screen, which will be removed later in post-production. Blue or green are used because they are least likely to be color components of the foreground subjects.
During processing, the foreground footage is passed through a series of colored
filters and printed onto black and white film creating a black background with
a “hole,” and a “matte”, a black opaque mask in the
shape of the subject with a clear background where the blue used to be.
The black matte and the desired background footage (stars, planets, etc.) are
then run through an optical printer and onto a negative. A negative of the background
with another “hole” has been created. Now the original hole with
the opaque background are run though the optical printer with the foreground
footage onto a negative. There are now two negatives, the foreground negative
with a clear background and the background negative with a hole in front of
it. These two are run through the optical printer to get the final product of
the moving foreground subject in front of the background footage. This process
was used extensively on the series.
The studio in the following pictures appears to be a converted quonset hut. It must have been extremely hot during shooting. The small space, by studio standards, combined with extremely hot photo floods used to light the background plus all the additional lights must have made the place an oven. This was not the Anderson or Dunns studios.
Notice the decal with the reversed numbers. This was used because the left side of the ship couldn't be filmed. The left side of the model had openings to gain access to interior lights, wiring and the like. The negative would be flopped so the image would read correctly.
The Anderson effects company soon found that the quonset hut where were filming the Enterprise model was too small for their needs. Linwood Dunn's studio was just what they needed—spacious and air conditioned. Anderson's studio and office was locate don North Fairfax Ave in Hollywood.
These next series of pictures are from the episode Space Seed.
This unused angle gives us a new perspective of the Botany Bay. Notice the weathering on the close-up.
This unused scene shows the stern end of the Botany Bay.
Other models were filmed on the stage as well such as the Romulan ship seen in Balance of Terror. Notice the round lights mounted from the ceiling and on the studio floor. Each light is 5,000 watts, totaling 45,000 watts of light illuminating the blue wall. In addition two 5,000 watt fresnel lights are lighting the model. The reason for this amount of light is to achieve a very long depth of field, which is necessary when shooting miniatures to maintain the illusion of reality.
The Enterprise's shuttlecraft miniature.
If you walked onto the sound stage and saw the Big E before being lit, here's how it looked under house lights.
The shuttlecraft leaving a planet from the episode, The Galileo 7.
Thanks to contributors Christopher B. , David T., Joe L. & Joseph Ames