Andrew Probert
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Andrew Probert (born 1946 in Independence, Missouri) is an artist who is best known for designing the USS Enterprise for Star Trek: The Motion Picture and the Enterprise-D for Star Trek: The Next Generation.
After spending some time in the US Navy, Probert studied at the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California[1].
His first film/TV work was on Glen A. Larson's 1978 ABC miniseries Battlestar Galactica, for which he was recommended by artist Ralph McQuarrie[1]. For Galactica, Andy contributed the design for the Cylon Centurions[1] as well as building one of the physical spaceship models for the "rag tag fleet", seen in the opening title sequence of each episode of the series[citation needed].
In 1978 he went to work for Robert Abel and Associates working on Star Trek: The Motion Picture, where he worked as a concept designer/illustrator[2]. When Abel's group was fired, Andrew survived the transition to the group of new effects supervisor Douglas Trumbull. Andrew was primarily responsible for designing the human and Vulcan space technology seen in the film, including the refitted starship Enterprise, space drydock, orbital office complex, travel pod, Work Bee support vehicles, and a two-part Vulcan long range shuttlecraft[3]. His concept for the Klingon battlecruiser's bridge set the style for all future Klingon ship sets.
In 1984 he worked on Back to the Future, initially drawing storyboards but then continuing the design of the Delorean time machine that had been started by Ron Cobb[4].
In 1983 he designed the titular helicopter in the TV show Airwolf and provides pictures of the construction on his website of the non-flying mock-up (built from the body of the very first Bell 222, serial number 47001). From this mock-up molds were made so that parts could be made to FAA specifications before they were added to the flying helicopter.
In 1986 he joined the staff of the then new show Star Trek: The Next Generation where he was initially hired to design the bridge of the new starship, the USS Enterprise-D[2].
[edit] References
- ^ a b c Greg Tyler (August 1999). Exclusive 1999 interview with Andrew Probert. trekplace.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-22.
- ^ a b Salvador Nogueira (July 22, 2001). Andrew Probert: two Enterprises and a DeLorean in the resume. trekbrasilis.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-22.
- ^ Greg Tyler (June 2005). Exclusive 2005 interview with Andrew Probert. trekplace.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-22.
- ^ Tom Silknitter (2003). An Interview with Production Designer Andrew Probert. bttf.com. Retrieved on 2006-10-22.
