Filming Star Trek Generations

lady washington stood in holodeck recreation of sailing ship enterprise.



high cliffs , areas in valley of fire state park served alien planet veridian iii

berman backed carson s choice hire john a. alonzo, director of photography chinatown , scarface.

filming commenced monday, march 28, 1994. production on generations began while next generation still filming, scenes did not feature next generation regulars filmed first. after end of show, there 6 months before film scheduled released in theaters. first scenes filmed in enterprise-b deflector room; beginning of filming concurrent next generation s production, , film , show filmed simultaneously on different soundstages on paramount studio s lot. scenes of harriman, chekov, , scott reacting kirk s apparent death filmed week later, allow time deflector room suitably distressed visualize damage.

stage 7 enterprise-b s bridge, deflector room , corridors built , filmed. jolts , shocks of ship in hold of energy ribbon created camera bumps , motors shake set. filming of scenes took place in april 1994, while residents still skittish recent 1994 northridge earthquake; effects staff deliberately hid set shakers until cameras rolling elecit more genuine reactions. amargosa observatory set elaborate redress of enterprise-b bridge, added room, second level, , swapped walls changing layout appear different setting. control panels styled after in original star trek television series helped suggest age of station.

despite budget cuts, generations shot many scenes on location. enterprise-d promotion ceremony on holodeck filmed on lady washington, full-scale replica of first american sailing ship visit japan. washington anchored @ marina del rey , sailed out few miles shore on 5 days of shooting. of washington s crew appeared amongst enterprise crewmembers.

the film s climax on veridian iii filmed on 8 days on elevated plateau in valley of fire , north of las vegas, nevada. rise s height , sloped sides required cast , crew climb 160 vertical feet using safety ropes , carry provisions , equipment them. 110-degree heat difficult involved, shatner, character wore all-wool uniform. safety harnesses , wires used keep performers safe tumbling off precipice, , removed digitally.

picard s house in nexus private home in pasadena, california; furnishings custom props or outside items. portions of scene shot in may 1994, followed new shoots 5 months later. revisions included adding picard s nephew rené imagined christmas celebration family. house of kirk s nexus recollections located in lone pine, california, cabin filled props represent kirk s career, klingon bat leth painting of enterprise.

the enterprise-d crash scenes filmed mid-may 1994, , among last remaining shots before existing next generation sets demolished make way voyager. result, crew distressed , damaged sets end result of crash more have been normal during series run.

after test screenings, decided re-shoot captain kirk s death. originally, kirk shot , killed doctor soran, felt test audience not fitting death such iconic character. re-shoot changed manner of death, instead, sacrifices himself leaping across broken walkway retrieve soran s control pad , de-cloak trilithium warhead. production crew had spent weeks removing traces of shoot valley of fire, set had rebuilt under tight schedule, followed effects work remove wires , rigging in time footage included in final cut.