Paramount Stage 16

{{real world}}
[[File:Paramount logo.jpg|thumb|Paramount logo found at the intro of many {{Star Trek films}}]]
'''Paramount Stage 16''' is located on the [[Paramount Pictures]] lot in {{w|Hollywood}}, {{w|California}} and is the largest sound stage on the lot.

Stage 16 was used in the production of {{s|TNG}} and {{s|VOY}} and was lovingly referred to as "Planet Hell". One of the stage's usages was housing temporary swing sets. As such, [[Richard James]] dreaded episodes that were set largely on Stage 16. "''The real killer episodes for us are the ones where the action takes place for the most part on the new sets &ndash; what we call the swing sets &ndash; those are built on Stage 16,''" James explained. "''If we get an episode with only one or two days shooting in the permanent sets on [[Paramount Stage 8|[Stages] 8]] and [[Paramount Stage 9|9]], and five days of shooting in the new sets on 16, the impact on us is just killer. It leaves us scrambling to get the new sets built on 16 for the next episode, because we can't start building those sets until we tear down the old ones. It's the kind of schedule I look at and say, 'Oh, no!{{'}}''" (''[[A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager]]'', pp. 64-65) Stage 16 is most known, however, for being the home of ''Star Trek''{{'}}s various cave sets.

{{bginfo|For ''Voyager'', the stage also contained the sets for [[Chez Sandrine]] and, later in the series, [[astrometrics]].}}

[[File:Vagra II surface.jpg|thumb|Stage 16's "Planet Hell" set]]
[[File:Paramount stage 16.jpg|thumb|Stage 16 during the early episodes of TNG]]
For the filming of [[TNG]] pilot episode {{e|Encounter at Farpoint}} in {{y|1987}}, Paramount Stage 16 was used to house the set of [[Q]]'s [[courtroom]]. (''Information from [[Larry Nemecek]]'') Filming took place between Monday {{d|15|June|1987}} and Thursday {{d|18|June|1987}}.

On Wednesday {{d|14|October|1987}}, Thursday [[15 October]] 1987, and Friday [[16 October]] 1987, Paramount Stage 16 housed the sets of [[Karnas]]' office and the tunnel systems on [[Mordan IV]] for [[TNG Season 1]] episode {{e|Too Short a Season}}.

On {{d|26|July|1990}} and [[27 July]] 1990, Paramount Stage 16 was used for filming the [[racquetball]] court scenes and the scenes of the [[Talarian warship|Talarian ready room]] for the episode {{e|Suddenly Human}}. On {{d|30|November|1990}}, the stage was used for the [[Dixon Hill]] office set for the episode {{e|Clues}}.

The cave set with the fountain was also created on this set in {{y|1990}}, for {{e|Final Mission}}. (''[[Captains' Logs: The Unauthorized Complete Trek Voyages]]'', p. 212)

In {{m|February|1991}}, Paramount Stage 16 was used for filming the scenes inside the [[Nottingham Castle]] for the episode {{e|Qpid}}. Following a day [[Filming locations|on location]] at [[Descanso Gardens]], several reshoots and close-ups were required and filmed outside of Stage 16.

Also in {{y|1991}}, it was used as the interior set for the [[Rura Penthe]] scenes in {{film|6}}. It was additionally used for several shots on the surface of [[El-Adrel IV]] in the episode {{e|Darmok}}. These scenes were filmed on {{d|26|July|1991}}.

On Thursday {{d|15|August|1991}}, several close-ups of [[Jonathan Frakes]] for the episode {{e|Silicon Avatar}} were filmed outside of Stage 16. Primary location photography for this episode was filmed on location at the [[Golden Oak Ranch]].

In {{y|1992}}, [[Terry Farrell]] went to Stage 16 to visit her friend [[Marina Sirtis]] after her auditions for the part of [[Jadzia Dax]] were finished, then Farrell got a message from [[Rick Berman]] to come to his office and got the part. ([[DS9 Season 1 DVD]] special feature "Section 31-Hidden File 06")

In {{y|1994}}, an artificial cliff was built on Stage 16 for {{TNG|Bloodlines}}. (''[[Starlog Science-Fiction Explorer]]'', issue #8)

That same year, Stage 16 housed at least two sets for {{VOY|Caretaker}}: specifically, the interiors of both an illusory barn and a section of the [[Caretaker's array]] wherein the {{USS|Voyager}} crew are suspended. ({{STM|3}})

In {{m|December|1994}}, Stage 16 was used for the set of the drawing room from [[Kathryn Janeway|Janeway]]'s Gothic [[holonovel]], in a scene produced for {{VOY|Eye of the Needle}} but included in {{e|Cathexis}}. (''[[A Vision of the Future - Star Trek: Voyager]]'', p. 19)

For the [[VOY Season 2|second season]] episode {{e|Resistance}}, Stage 16 housed the marketplace and surrounding alley sets. The scenes were filmed on Friday {{d|29|September|1995}} and Monday {{d|2|October|1995}}.

For the [[VOY Season 3|third season]] episode {{e|Warlord}}, Stage 16 housed the sets of the [[Ilari]] [[Imperial Hall]], the [[shuttle]] interior, the prison cell, and the [[Paxau Resort]] [[holoprogram]].

In {{y|2002}}, Stage 16 housed the interior sets of the [[Reman]] [[Warbird]] ''[[Scimitar]]'' for the production of {{film|10}}.
{{bginfo|The bridge of the ''Scimitar'' was set apart from these sets, located on [[Paramount Stage 29]].}}

''Star Trek'' production returned to Stage 16 in {{y|2017}}, where [[green screen|greenscreen]] footage for the premiere episode of {{s|DIS}}, {{e|The Vulcan Hello}}, was filmed. ({{AT|O Discovery, Where Art Thou?}})

== Productions ==
* {{s|TNG}}
* {{film|6}} ([[Rura Penthe]] interiors)
* {{s|DS9}} ([[Fire Caves|Bajoran Fire Caves]] in {{e|What You Leave Behind}})
* {{s|VOY}}
** [[Museum of Kyrian Heritage]] in {{e|Living Witness}}
** Exterior [[Jungle]]/[[Cave]] [[clearing]], Int. Cave in {{e|Natural Law}}
* {{film|9}} ([[Ba'ku]] caves; [[Body enhancement facility]])
* {{film|10}}
* {{DIS|The Vulcan Hello}} (spacewalk sequence)

{{paramount stages}}

== Sources ==
*[[Terry J. Erdmann]], ''[[Star Trek: Action!]]''
*[[Michael Okuda|Michael]] & [[Denise Okuda]], ''[[Star Trek Nemesis (Special Edition)]]'' [[text commentary]]
*[[ENT Season 2 DVD]] special "Enterprise Secrets", [[David G. Trotti]]

== External links ==
* [http://www.paramount.com/ Paramount Pictures] &ndash; official site
* {{startrek.com}}