CSUN Transformed Into Academy? [UPDATED]

It is Spring Break and the campus of Cal State Northridge should be deserted, but instead it is full of people with sci-fi looking uniforms and banners bearing a very familiar emblem. Reports have been coming in to TrekMovie.com today about “Corporate Headquarters” aka “Untitled Paramount Feature” aka….shooting at CSUN. And tonight AICN has put up some pictures.
[spoilers]

Here is one of the reports sent in to TrekMovie.com from a student at CSUN

The CSUN Library is standing in as part of the Academy. There are dozens of extras in red cadet uniforms, along with officer types in more military style dress. I noticed that the cadets were spaced throughout the area in front of the library – no doubt to facilitate multiplying them digitally.

Not much has been done to modify the area. There are bluescreens on the sides of the lawn areas and some of the lighting fixtures have been modified. Also, banners on the streetlights have been replaced with clear green panels with Starfleet “spinnaker” cutouts. A futuristic kiosk sits on the lawn.

TrekMovie.com hasn’t confirmed that it is actually a scene at the Academy, but according to another source, work on “futurizing” the CSUN Oviatt Library began last week. Right now it isn’t clear if this is first unit (meaning Abrams + principal cast shooting scenes with dialog) or second unit (usually just background actors and no dialog). It is known that Zachary Quinto (Spock) was not there as he is currently in Pennsylvania.

AICN has got a few high res images of the crowd and some wacky car.

UPDATE: Another Report [still spoilers]

There was quite a diversity of uniforms. Most were dressed as in red uniforms with gold delta shield emblems where Next Gen crew members wore their pips. Women (including aliens) wore skirts and the men’s were a cross between a bellboy’s uniform and Picard’s dress uniform. Other people wore grey uniforms that somewhat resembled uniforms for imperial officers in Star Wars. There were others who wore uniforms that appeared to be futuristic versions of today’s military officer uniforms.

For the shot they were mostly just milling about. There was an overhead crane shot of the cadets seeing and reacting to something in the sky off screen. Everyone on the lawn pointed in the same direction and ran towards a blue screen at the edge of the area.

As for today, shootings done! Everything is almost down. I never saw Pine or Abrams or any other main cast.

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Red cadet uniforms? Somebody should probably tell them that cadet uniforms are silver.

Hah! That’s cool! I had heard something about CSUN a week ago or so but figured you guys would have more info. Well done to AICN ironically. Thank you Anthony!

“Red cadet uniforms? Somebody should probably tell them that cadet uniforms are silver.”

Look red to me ;)

I thought the delta insignia was supposed to specifically for the Enterprise crew in the 23rd century?
That doesn’t sound like respecting canon to me.

I like the cadet uniforms. They’ve got the same cut, basically, as the TOS dress uniforms. Nice bit of continuity in design.

I also like the very ’60s-looking hovercar :).

Interesting that there appear to be 3 distinct types of uniforms — the all-red ones without Starfleet shield (with hats, and with skirts for women); the gray ones without shield; and the darker gray ones with shields. The dark gray + delta symbol seem, at least in some cases, to be worn by older actors. Maybe these are instructors?

Anyway, I’m liking the look. Can’t wait to see the actual duty uniforms on the principal cast, though.

Think “Kevin” was referring to the fact that Finnegan in TOS had a silver colored “cadet” uniform.

“I thought the delta insignia was supposed to specifically for the Enterprise crew in the 23rd century?”

If you aren’t for sure then you really can’t say…

“That doesn’t sound like respecting canon to me.”

Wow! Too bad I don’t have an overdue book that just would need to go back right about now. . . two states away. . . .

7. Well it doesn’t sound like it is respecting anything to me.
That insignia is supposed to be for the Enterprise crew only.

Sorry, I forgot to add this to my last post.
It wasn’t until the TNG era when that insignia was used for every Starfleet vessel.

MattJC — I know that TOS usually had different insignia for different starships, but I always gagged a bit at the cover story Roddenberry et al trotted out when they started using the insignia universally in the movies (that it was done to honor the crew of the big E because they were just so damn cool, or somesuch). I have no problem just accepting a retcon that the delta insignia was always a pan-Starfleet symbol, but maybe with other symbols used in certain context (insert retcon explanation here).

Actually, TOS wasn’t completely consistent about this either. There were occasions when officers who apparently weren’t serving on the Enterprise wore the delta insignia too (remember Kirk’s former academy classmates in “Court Martial,” for example).

Either way it’s an inconsistency, but this option — the delta insignia for all of starfleet — makes more sense globally to me. Your mileage may vary, of course.

I like!!

what i wanna see is
a believable story, well made and produced
i wanna feel like its a good star trek

What if the change canon.
its a Fiction. If the make it believable. and start telling stories again, based on what star trek was and is all about.
than its a good trek movie.

All this lloking for details for me is just ridiculous
one has to see the bigger Picture.

I for once Wanna see a great monumental Trek Movie again
well made with good actors and a great star trek storie

“Either way it’s an inconsistency, but this option — the delta insignia for all of starfleet — makes more sense globally to me. Your mileage may vary, of course.”

Yes, and keeps it universally recognizable.

You want it recognizable but you also want change.
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.

Anyone notice the licence plates on the vehicle?

#11 I have heard and read the same story. As cool as the Enterprise may have been it would seem unlikely for any organization to change everyone else’s insignia to match. Even if the crew and/or was respected it seems to disrespect other crews’ identities and/or traditions. Is there anyone here with familiarity with military and other organizations? How do symbols like this evolve and get adopted? Maybe I am the only one that finds that kind of thing interesting. :) That said, I do prefer the insignia as a universal starfleet insignia. As much as I love the Enterprise I like the idea of the Starfleet more because there are so many types of ships and each serves a different purpose: a ship full of science geeks, some ships for more battle type activities, and ships just for exploration on the cutting edge (so to speak) of space.

Yeah!!!
At last real high res pics from the set!! More of it!!
:-)

I don’t see any aliens on the campus… ?!

ah. skirts.

Wow…. Imperial officers are teaching at Starfleet Acedemy…

Han Solo is captain Kirk…

What is next? Darth Vader as the villain?

“You want it recognizable but you also want change.
Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.”

It does. Instead of having a million different insignias, give it one look to keep it consistent and recognizable. Simple.

oh god the ol starfleet emblem chesnut. As mentioned it wasn’t consistent in TOS. and of course was quickly dropped after TOS for all the movies starting with TMP because it was a pain and confusing…especially to non Trekkies.

but if you need some ‘fannon’ to hold on to…then the Enterprise used the same logo as all of starfleet because it was the flagship (problem solved)

and if you cant handle the movie because of a detail like that…then you are really taking things too seriously.

But my theory on all the people here like MattJC, Storma and Iowagirl and other Trollettes is that they are not really ‘purists’ they are just angry. They want some other Star Trek XI (ENT movie, TNG movie, Shatner movie) and since they arent getting their pet project there are hear to piss all over this one and whine. Well deal with it. This is the movie they are making and it will be great or it will suck….but things like the starfleet emblem are the last things that will really matter in the end.

#10 “Sorry, I forgot to add this to my last post.
It wasn’t until the TNG era when that insignia was used for every Starfleet vessel.”

It doesn’t really matter too much, in my opinion. The uniforms look very good!

Horray for the uniforms!!

Hip,hip, Horray!

Aw, man! I used to live just a few miles from CSUN! I could have seen some filming of the movie! NOOOOO!

As a Red Dwarf fan, I approve of the Rimmeresque look!

Someone on Aintitcool claims to know from someone working on this, that it’s a second unit job. Apparently it’s the moment where the builders (the guys in grey) of the Enterprise ceremonially hand over the ship to its crew (red uniforms).
And the car is going to fly.

Why oh why do we have 60’s looking stuff.

That “hovercar” is an Aptera Hybrid — an actual vehicle that is scheduled to be sold (sadly in California only) later in 2008.

The official site:
http://www.aptera.com/about.php

Popular Mechanics Test Drive on YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Ke1VWhZJA

Not likely that it will be flying anywhere, methinks.

-Why they have red uniforms..?

If the car is gonna fly hope they take the license plate off it …..

#31 – K-Mart was having a “Red-Shirt” Special.

#28 – I really highly doubt this for some reason ;)

OMG this is so cool and bring on more photos from the set of Star Trek I say!!!!! :)

#29 “Why oh why do we have 60’s looking stuff.”

I would not say “60’s looking stuff”. Seems to me a mixture of futuristic vintage, a timeless look and feel that may be perfect for classic Star Trek.

This is a special ceremony so clearly these are all dress uniforms for the special event. There is no reason to say that the regular academy atire…assuming we even see the Academy outside of this scene… won’t be silver as we saw in the series.

And I’m loving the whole 60’s vibe. Good stuff!

Oh come ON! I get so tired of reading these boards some times! Aside a bunch of retards who yell FIRST!!!, the only other thing I see a lot of is whether or not the new film will be canon…whether it’ll be good… Come on! I’m twenty-nine years old…I’ve been a Trek fan since I was about eight…I’m about as worried as anyone about whether the film will be any good…but COME ON…why not be grateful we have something new coming down the pike?! Why not EMBRACE it and LOOK FORWARD to it?! My GOD, these people are working hard every day, from the writers and actors on down, doing their best to put out a good piece of entertainment…and that’s what it’s all really about, anyway–will the audience be ENTERTAINED? So WHAT if Shatner’s not in it…I love Shatner, but WATCH BOSTON LEGAL or RERUNS! Guys, come on! Is it not one of the main messages of Gene Roddenberry’s future to be open minded? To be tolerant? Kirk even said to Scotty in ST III, “young minds, fresh ideas…be tolerant.” Consider that!

Dear Sisko:
I can only speak for myself – TOS is greatly important to me and what somebody else said on another thread holds true for me, too: Kirk, Spock and the rest of the bunch have sort of become my second family. So, this film naturally triggers some heartfelt concerns in me which are being encouraged by the manner XI is handled in the run-up. Discussing ST in general, and those topics in particular cases with people who feel the same way I do, and with people who have a different view alike, therefore is a very important matter to me.

I’d like take the opportunity to particularly thank you for respecting my apprehension, and my admittedly rather negatively colored attitude, and would like to point out how much I’ve appreciated our many checkered, yet inspiring discussions we’ve shared in recent months, and which surely are serving as a proof of your theory. Oh, and I’m confident that your accusing and name-calling a person who at that time even hadn’t participated in the thread, was a mere inadvertence.

– I really don’t like this ‘new uniforms’…

Nice shots. They are going to have to CGI the grass too – it looks pretty patchy.

The adventure continues…

#30 – nice find there, my Google-Fu wasn’t fast enough, but I knew I had seen it somewhere before.

A..a .. i’m sorry for mistake ..these red uniforms..

re: 41. CanuckLou – March 18, 2008
“Nice shots. They are going to have to CGI the grass too – it looks pretty patchy.”

Absolutely. Everyone knows that Roddenberry believed in the perfection of grass in the future.

I love those mini skirts! :D

Dammit, I want that car!

Sisko If the Shat were in this film I bet Iowagirl, and the rest of the his sycophants wouldn’t care if the Enterprise was shaped like a Romulan vessel so long as their pagan god was in the film.

46. Battletrek

Ditto!

A nice blend of retro ’60s style with some modern sensibilities thrown in. As for the arrowhead, ENTERPRISE showed a sideways arrowhead at Starfleet Headquarters in the 4th season (very similar to the NASA emblem currently used). And it was the first motion picture, NOT the Next Gen. era that used it for all Starfleet vessels. If you’re going to nit-pick the hell out of a couple of photos, do it right. Personally, I hope they chuck all of the entangling and unworkable preconceptions and start fresh. The arrowhead is identified with Star Trek; so it’s in the movie….so what? I love that they brought back the cool ’60s idea of what the future should look like. Not easy to pull off, but it works! Good job to all involved. Looking forward to May, 2009!

Some whine because it looks 60’s…. but those same people then whine if it doesn’t look like TOS… well, the design ethic of TOS was rooted in the 60’s. Some fans whine out of both sides of their mouth.

to number 4: seems as though you can’t leave this film alone MattJC – i think thats pathetic that you (and others) dislike this film so much you still find time to comment on it ;) lol