Summary
Star Trek: Discoveryushered in a new era with real-life technology producers have dubbed a"holodeck".PastStar Trekseries and movies created strange new worlds using matte paintings, styrofoam sets, and CGI. However,Star Trek: Discoveryintroduced the AR wall, which is similar to The Volume used byStar Warsshows likeThe Mandalorian. The AR wall is a massive 270-degree LED screen located in Toronto that can digitally and realistically create any environment -which is as close to an actual holodeck asStar Trekhas achieved in real life so far.
Paramount+ released a behind-the-scenes video compilation calledStar Trek: Discovery: The Making of Season 5,where executive producer and director Olatunde Osunsanmi discussed howStar Trek: Discoveryinnovated the use of LED lights on set before implementingthe AR wall, which was dubbed “the holodeck”,starting inStar Trek: Discoveryseason 4. Read his quote below:
The other thing that’s fascinating is how we’ve innovated the sets. The virtual production wall, which we call the holodeck, it just expands the universe in ways that are incalculable.
Star Trek: Discoveryseries lead and producer Sonequa Martin-Green, who plays Captain Michael Burnham, also spoke about what it’s like acting with the AR wall’s virtual environment. Watch the video from Paramount+ below:
10 Star Trek Worlds Discovery’s AR Wall Needs To Recreate
The Star Trek franchise has a state-of-the-art AR Wall they can use to render alien landscapes. What classic Trek planets should they recreate next?
Star Trek: Discovery Also Changed The Holodeck In The 32nd Century
Holodeck technology evolves in the TV series and in real life
Reflecting advancements in 32nd-century technology in-universe,Star Trek: Discoveryalso upgraded the holodeck. Like personal transporters and equipment made of programmable matter,holodecks inStar Trek: Discoveryare now portable.Holodecks and holosuites used to be huge rooms aboard starships and space stations, but, starting inStar Trek: Discoveryseason 4, Captain Michael Burnham could create a holographic environment inside her own Captain’s quarters.Star Trek: Discoveryseason 5 also created another portable kind of holodeck with Dr. Kovich’s (David Cronenberg) Infinity Room.
One issue with personal holodecks thatStar Trek: Discoveryfailed to address is the furniture in Burnham’s quarters when she’s using a holodeck environment, and how she doesn’t bump into things when moving around her room.
Star Trek’s AR wall is also used by other live-action seriesand movies likeStar Trek: Strange New Worlds, Star Trek: Section 31,and soon,Star Trek: Starfleet Academy.Strange New Worldshas used the AR wall to create environs like Rigel VII, expand the USS Enterprise’s Engineering section, and create the otherworldly space of the Kerkovians. Star Trek on Paramount+’s visual effects are state of the art and keep pushing the envelope, withStar Trek’s real-life"holodeck"able to create any planet or environmentStar Trek: Discoveryand other series need to tell its story.
