Star Trek Wrist Communicator Research

Dustfinger

New Member
So I'm wanting to build a wrist communicator from star trek. I'm pretty lazy and unmotivated, but when I do work on projects, I am very careful to be as accurate as possible. I just bought the Star Trek I: The Motion Picture online and watched it through. Not the best movie, but I did take note of all notable scenes that show the communicator. I saw only one version.

The picture below is essentially the same as is shown in the film. though there are some differences as noted on the site from which I got the picture.

(http://wrathofdhanprops.blogspot.com/2012/08/when-kirk-wrist-communicator-isnt.html )

PIH2.jpg

While researching through Google, I found a few different versions that I saw nowhere in the film. See below

Star-Trek-The-Motion-Picture-Static-TMP-Wrist-Communicator-2.jpg

This is a replica build by a fan seen on yourprops.com

tumblr_lptt6vf6Vq1qd3fj1o1_r1_500.jpg

0601commmain.jpg

The previous 2 pictures are licensed toy reproductions based on the movie.

These versions are a bit more complicated that that shown in the film

My question is... what the hell are these based on? Any information you have would be great. Thanks
 
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Re: Start Trek Wrist Communicator Research

Picture # 3 is a Playmates toy version of the STMP Wrist Communicator. The other I surmise, though never having seen, is a walkie-talkie version if the same communicator.

J
 
Re: Start Trek Wrist Communicator Research

The toys showed up pretty quickly after a search, but my real question in where this design was used in the film, or any star trek film for that matter. The only picture I've found so far that shows this design in use is this one.

kirk_shows_wrist_comm_zps9zqpqlp7.jpg

It looks more like a promotional picture than a screen grab, but at least we can be sure there is some canon to it. Maybe this is an easy question, but I'm no Star Trek expert

Anyone?
 
Re: Start Trek Wrist Communicator Research

I did, thanks. That's actually where I found that picture. His modelling looks great.

Perhaps it's a version shown in another movie? What bugs me though, is that most threads on RPF, the many replicas on yourprops.com and simple google searches refer to it as the Star Trek: The Motion Picture communicator. But again, nowhere in that movie did I see this design
 
The first one will be a stunt model as they had pretty much everyone wearing them (and they rightly banked on the likely hood alot of people would take them home as souvenirs) while the second could be one of the few heroes they made for close ups and promo pictures.
 
Re: Start Trek Wrist Communicator Research

They were used in the first film, I think 2 heros were made the rest stunts which were finished in different ways.

A member here did a run and they turned out great, looked like they stepped right off the set


The toys showed up pretty quickly after a search, but my real question in where this design was used in the film, or any star trek film for that matter.
 
There was a lot of variation on these.

RPF member Eric Ardros is very knowledgeable on this prop so maybe he can chime in :)

This link has a photos of a couple of variations of the non-light up wrist comms similar to the one pictured at the top of this thread... there's even one with a UFP logo (weird!).

http://wrathofdhanprops.blogspot.com/2012/08/when-kirk-wrist-communicator-isnt.html

Here's another variation, largely similar to the one with the "Y" save for the rub on number at the top:

wrist.jpg



There was another, even simpler level of these props used by the many extras in the recreation deck assembly scene - they were simple construction, with vacuum formed bodies attached to plastic (PVC pipe?) cuffs.

There's a lovely research and build thread (by Eric Ardros) on these over at the TPZ: http://www.trekpropzone.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=13420

See this post for a great behind-the-scenes photo (from a set sold by Lincoln Enterprises at the time of the movie) showing one of the light-up heroes and two dummies finished in a similar style: http://www.trekpropzone.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=16390&view=findpost&p=234522
 

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Actually, there were a total of three types of wrist comm units made for TMP. The first one was a full-on hero unit with GoW (grain of wheat) bulbs that had a long wire snaking through the actors sleeve down to a bulky power supply attached at their waist. This was worn by the main actors.

The second one was what I like to call an HD (high-detail) static unit as seen on Shatner in the promotional shot you posted above @Dustfinger. They had the same level of detail as the GoW hero units, only without any of the cumbersome electronics installed. The Lincoln Enterprises pic shows these with one hero.

The third one was a low-detail static unit which were made for the many background actors seen throughout the film, which as @E Williams pointed out were simply vacu-formed shells with basic detailing that varied between them (ie. some had the 7 as seen in the B&W pic he posted, whereas others had a Y or Z).

EDIT: Not meaning to brag or anything, but I actually developed a wrist comm that's almost exactly the same size as the production-made ones. Another TPZ member posted comparison pics of mine with a vacu-formed shell purchased direct from HMS Studios, and mine's off by only a few mm's.
 
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:lol I don't include those but I should those things were horrible! :lol

Not all of the extras got one


There was another, even simpler level of these props used by the many extras in the recreation deck assembly scene - they were simple construction, with vacuum formed bodies attached to plastic (PVC pipe?) cuffs.
 
Actually, there were a total of three types of wrist comm units made for TMP. The first one was a full-on hero unit with GoW (grain of wheat) bulbs that had a long wire snaking through the actors sleeve down to a bulky power supply attached at their waist. This was worn by the main actors.

The second one was what I like to call an HD (high-detail) static unit as seen on Shatner in the promotional shot you posted above @Dustfinger. They had the same level of detail as the GoW hero units, only without any of the cumbersome electronics installed. The Lincoln Enterprises pic shows these with one hero.

The third one was a low-detail static unit which were made for the many background actors seen throughout the film, which as @E Williams pointed out were simply vacu-formed shells with basic detailing that varied between them (ie. some had the 7 as seen in the B&W pic he posted, whereas others had a Y or Z).

EDIT: Not meaning to brag or anything, but I actually developed a wrist comm that's almost exactly the same size as the production-made ones. Another TPZ member posted comparison pics of mine with a vacu-formed shell purchased direct from HMS Studios, and mine's off by only a few mm's.

Judging from the spacing of the buttons in relation to the rectangle, the one that Shatner is wearing in post 3 actually is one of the light up heroes, rather than the high detail dummies. The dummies have the brass buttons spaced out more in that Lincoln Enterprises photo.

I believe you've left out the fourth kind in your list - the low detail resin (with metal band) units as seen in the first post, and on Kirk in the screencaps in the blog link. And your wrist comms were fantastic! :)
 
lol.gif
I don't include those but I should those things were horrible!
lol.gif


Not all of the extras got one

Well, you would know since you were there, lol. Thanks for the clarification, sir!

Judging from the spacing of the buttons in relation to the rectangle, the one that Shatner is wearing in post 3 actually is one of the light up heroes, rather than the high detail dummies. The dummies have the brass buttons spaced out more in that Lincoln Enterprises photo.

I believe you've left out the fourth kind in your list - the low detail resin (with metal band) units as seen in the first post, and on Kirk in the screencaps in the blog link. And your wrist comms were fantastic! :)

BOLD #1: You know what? You're absolutely right. I didn't notice the difference in spacing until just now, lol. Good catch ;)

BOLD #2: Again, you're right of course. There were four types. 2 for 2, my friend! :lol

BOLD #3: Thanks :$
 
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