From: gordon@nomad.scg.hac.com (Gordon Barbay)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.startrek.info
Subject: Paramount Studios Tour Report
Followup-To: rec.arts.startrek.misc
Date: 5 Oct 1992 19:07:11 GMT
Organization: Vulcan Science Academy, Tau Ceti Sector
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Reply-To: gordon@nomad.scg.hac.com
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Originator: griffith@xcf.Berkeley.EDU



Paramount Studios in Hollywood conducts tours at 11 AM and 2 PM every 
weekday at a cost of $10 per person.  It is a two hour walking tour of a 
working studio.  The studio is located at the intersection of 
Melrose and Gower streets in Los Angeles.  The ticket office is a block 
and a half down Gower.  There is a parking structure which costs $4.50 or 
you can take your chances parking on the street (if you can find 
a spot).  There are no fancy tourist trams or 
shows as at Universal Studios.  We were warned not to call out 
to any celebrities since this was there work place and should not 
be disturbed unless they came over and talked to us first.   
For those that are interested we saw John (sorry, don't remember 
his last name) the mailman on Cheers, John Tesh and Arsenio Hall.

We toured various places around the studio.  We were shown various
buildings which housed offices of various people over the years.  
Our guide pointed out buildings which were used in 
various scenes from TV and the movies.  

We also were able to get onto several sets.  We saw the sets of 
Entertainment Tonight, Hard Copy, Cheers and the set of a new 
show called Local Heros which may be a mid-season replacement.  
We were not able to go on any movie sets.  Set visits are purely 
a function of if the productoin people are able to let a group 
of gawking tourists in while they are trying to get their work 
done.  There is no way to tell beforehand what sets you'll be 
able to see.  

Let me get to the Star Trek part of the tour.  The sets of both 
STTNG and Deep Space Nine are both closed unfortunately so tour 
groups are not allowed in.  We were shown the buildings where they 
are filmed.  Although we were not allowed on the sets, we did see a 
one of DSN's sets because one of the buildings had the door to 
the outside open and we were able to peek in.  It was a rectangular 
tunnel about 10 feet high and 15-20 feet deep.  The walls were 
bowed out and the inside was ribbed.  On the outside edge of 
each of the ribs was a white area which I took to be lights.  
Apparently, there will be a painting or some special video effects 
placed at the rear of this structure to make it look like a very 
long walkway.  There was a circular hole in the side about 4 feet 
in diameter.  Halfway covering the hole was a large gear.  I can 
only guess that this is an alien doorway and door.  

I took the 11 AM tour so many people were out for their lunch 
breaks.  I did not see any of the ST stars although some people 
dressed and madeup as Bajorams (sp) were taking a break from the 
filming of DSN.  Our guide informed us these people were "atmosphere".
They are no longer refered to as extras.  She didn't know why.  Oh 
well, thats show biz. :-)  

We saw several prop storage wherehouses.  Paramount never throws anything 
away and we they had things like the model they used in the movie 
Airplane and portraits used in the Addams Family movie and the big bear 
used in the Addams Family TV series.  Another wherehouse we saw had several 
ST shuttlecraft.  They had a model of the Onizuka.  It was about 
8 feet long, 4 feet wide and 4 feet tall.  I don't know if they have 
another Onizuka full size.  The Fermi was full size and we got to 
climb in.  It was open at the back and we were able to sit the 
seats.  Just the two front seats were there.  It looks like they attach 
a back portion to this one to get the full shuttlecraft interior shots. 
The seats were very comfortable, cloth covered and padded.  The 
console was plexiglass but it was dark in the wherehouse and I couldn't 
see any patterns or designs.  During filming, the console is backlit. 
Also in this wherehouse was the machine used by the time traveling beings
from a couple of seasons ago (I forget the episode name).
We walked by one wherehouse that had a portion of the inside of a cave 
It looked very familiar to me but the guide did not know if it was used 
in the Time's Arrow episodes.  

The building where Gene Roddenbery had his office is now named after him.
Near this building is the B-tank.  This is a parking lot about 150 yards 
on a side with a four foot levee around it.  At one end is a large wall 
which can be painted to look like the sky.  The lot is cleared and filled 
with water so ocean/lake/river scenes can be filmed right at the studio.  
The Sam/Diane marriage proposal scene on Cheers and the climax from 
Patriot Games were filmed here.  This is also San Francisco Bay where 
the Klingon Bird of Prey crashed at the end of STIV:TVH.  Paramount got 
grief from Greenpeace until they proved to them fake whales were used in 
these scenes.  

It is a very good tour and I would reccommend it to anyone (even non-ST 
fans).  It includes a stop at the Paramount store where you can buy 
various items including STTNG shirts and pins.  You can also get 
preferred tickets to Paramounts TV shows giving you a better chance 
to get in.  Apparently this can be a problem with popular shows like 
Arsenio Hall.  If you come to LA, this tour is definitely worth doing.

		-Gordon Barbay
		 gordon@nomad.scg.hac.com
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