Along with the epic Klingon armor and accessories on display at San Diego Comic-Con this week that we featured yesterday, Star Trek: Discovery‘s Starfleet contingent also gets its spotlight — with loads of uniform, technology, and props on display for fans to marvel over!
On display at the off-site Michael J. Wolf Fine Art gallery near the Comic-Con venue, CBS’s Star Trek: Discovery gallery is filled to the brim with Federation gear, including a traveling edition of the USS Discovery’s captain’s chair, presented in front of a greenscreen for fan photo ops.
Sitting in the U.S.S. Discovery captain’s chair yesterday morning at the #StarTrekDiscovery art exhibit! #SDCC2017 pic.twitter.com/KZuUipqixy
— Becky D'Anna (@hwoodminotaur) July 21, 2017
Featured in the digitally-composited background is a view of the Discovery bridge, with a first hint of the ship’s dedication plaque:
Here’s a view of the chair without the digital background (via Chris Hayner) with touchpad tablet displays in each armrest control panel:
Once inside and past the captain’s chair display, you enter the world of the 23rd Century — with props and costumes right out of the newly-designed Starfleet seen in the upcoming series, starting with the impressive EVA suit worn by Michael Burnham in the May teaser trailer.
The Starfleet Long Haul EV suit was built in the UK. It was milled from a high-density foam as one unit and then draped in fiberglass.
The suit was then sectioned into pieces that fit as a clamshell over the actor’s body. The optically clear lens of extruded plastic was made from a 3D scan of the helmet and had to be perfect to frame the suit’s frame.
Another great shot of the deltas on the EV suit from Cait Petrakovitz:
Checking out the costumes of @startrekcbs at #SDCC. Such amazing detailing! pic.twitter.com/5ZCmarNJvo
— cp 🎁🎄☃️ (@misscp) July 20, 2017
The updated Starfleet weaponry teased on social media this week had a display case all to their own, with an up-close-and-personal look at the revised phaser pistol and phaser rifle props.
Along with weaponry comes all the other accessories a well-prepared member of a Starfleet landing party requires: a tricorder and communicator!
Starfleet badges were made to match the trim of the uniforms and are matched to Starfleet divisions: command (gold), sciences and medical (silver), and operations (copper).
The gold, copper, and silver badges were made in Toronto by making wax models from 3D prints, then creating plaster molds for silicon bronze to be poured into. The bronze badges are then polished and plated by a jeweler to create the custom colors for ‘Discovery.’
Standard issue by Starfleet Command for away missions, the communicator design is heavily influenced by the original ‘Star Trek’ and is made from milled aluminum.
Standard issue by Starfleet Command for scanning and recording data on away missions, the tricorder was built and painted in Los Angeles and its screen employs the use of a smart phone with video looping images and includes a removable hand-held scanner.
It was made entirely with a 3D printer.
Along with Starfleet’s offerings, CBS had a few bits of civilian costuming on deck for fans as well, with both Rainn Wilson’s Harry Mudd and James Frain’s Sarek getting their own corners of the display.
The charismatic conman and intergalactic criminal Harry Mudd (Rainn Wilson) returns to ‘Star Trek: Discovery.’ Mudd has the distinction of being the only guest star on the original ‘Star Trek’ to be featured in two episodes.
Designed by Gersha Phillips and built by the ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ costume team, Mudd’s costume is primarily leather and inspired by Adam Ant.
The father of Spock, husband to Amanda Grayson, and mentor to Michael Burnham, Ambassador Sarek (James Frain) is a Vulcan diplomat held in extremely high esteem. His traditional robes reflect the Vulcan culture and its devotion to a life of pure logic, serious intellectual pursuits, and spiritual contemplation.
Sarek’s costume is designed by Gersha Phillips and built in Toronto by the costume department of ‘Star Trek: Discovery.’
The IDIC (Infinite Diversity in Infinite Combinations) pendant is worn by Vulcan Science Academy graduates, as well as professors and high scholars.
This pendant was 3D printed and hand painted in Toronto.
Finally, the collection of costumes that have drawn the most attention since they were first revealed back in January: the new Starfleet uniforms of Star Trek: Discovery!
First up is Command gold, worn by captains and first officers.
This two-piece Starfleet duty uniform is worn by First Officer Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) aboard the USS Shenzhou. The gold side compression panels and delta shield pattern signifies an officer in the command division, as does the ‘command star’ insignia on the Starfleet badge.
The fabric for the Starfleet duty uniforms is dyed a custom navy blue in Switzerland, then cut and built in Toronto by the ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ costume team under the direction of costume designer Gersha Phillips.
This is a variant duty uniform worn by Starfleet officers that features elbow-length sleeves and alternate detailing. The copper side compression panels and delta shield pattern signifies an officer in Starfleet’s operations division, which encapsulates security and engineering functions.
This is a standard Starfleet duty uniform typical of those worn by Lieutenant Commander Saru (Doug Jones) on the USS Shenzhou and Lieutenant Paul Stamets (Anthony Rapp) aboard the USS Discovery.
The silver side compression panels and delta shield pattern signifies an officer in Starfleet’s sciences division.
Featured first in June’s photo from the Shenzhou‘s transporter room, here’s a great look at the new Starfleet tactical gear worn by officers on away missions.
Starfleet officers engaged in combat situations or potentially hazardous away missions are issued an armored tactical vest and distinctive version of the duty uniform, trading metallic accents for a low-profile navy compression panel.
Laser flashlights are installed in the shoulders of the vests for guidance. Vests also contain additional functional elements for attaching specialized mission gear.
Lastly, the Star Trek: Discovery gallery revealed a first look at a brand new Starfleet uniform, for medical officers aboard ship. This white-and-silver design was glimpsed for barely a few frames in the released teaser trailer, and can now be studied in its sterile design up close.
Medical officers wear ‘hospital white’ variants of Starfleet science division uniforms. The silver side compression panels and delta shield pattern signifies medical’s place within the science division, but are marked by a distinctive badge insignia.
Whatever your feelings on how some of these prop and uniform designs may fit into the Star Trek canon, there’s no denying the quality and production value that CBS’s team has put into bringing these new elements to life.
Thanks once more for our friend Doyle Zhang (@StarTrekChina) for allowing us to feature his wonderful photographs of this exhibit.
Coming tomorrow: a look at Discovery concept art on display ahead of the big Comic-Con cast panel Saturday afternoon!