Computer Aided Design T363

Computer Aided Design T363 was the title of the educational documentary, produced in 1987 by the British Open University as an introductory video presentation for their students of the similarly named "Computer aided design (CAD), Module T363" course, taught at the university in the period 1987-1998. [1]

Of particular relevance to Star Trek was the first eight-minute "The Search for Realism" sub-segment, ninety seconds into the documentary. In the segment the ILM Computer Graphics creators of the "dream sequence" for the "slingshot/time travel" effect in Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home explained to their viewers how they went about conceiving and creating the sequence using CAD. The university was given permission by Paramount Pictures to include score and film clippings from the movie in the segment. By the time the documentary was produced, ILM Computer Graphics had already become Pixar.

The Star Trek segment has been preserved for posterity on the video-sharing website YouTube, but none of it has ever been included on any of the franchise's home media formats.

Star Trek segment interviewees[]

in order of identification

• Alvy Ray Smith
• George Joblove
• Jonathan Luskin