Wah Ming Chang

Wah Ming Chang: The Man Who Shaped the Look of Star Trek

Wah Ming Chang was a visionary artist and special effects designer whose work helped bring the iconic world of Star Trek to life. He is best known for creating the original designs for the show's most recognizable props, including the iconic tricorder and communicator.

Chang's contributions to Star Trek went far beyond these two iconic props, however. He also designed costumes for memorable characters like the salt vampire ("The Man Trap"), the Gorn ("Arena"), and Balok ("The Corbomite Maneuver"). His work helped to create the look and feel of Star Trek, which has become synonymous with science fiction.

Early Life and Career

Chang was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, in 1917. He began his artistic career as a young man, exhibiting etchings and block prints nationally. In the 1940s, he moved to California and worked for Disney Studios during the production of Pinocchio and Fantasia. He also designed masks for the film and television productions of Star Trek and Outer Limits.

Designing the Tricorder

In 1966, Chang was contacted by Desilu Productions, the company that produced Star Trek. They were looking for someone to design a device that the crew of the Enterprise could use to scan their environment. Chang came up with the idea of a handheld device with a number of different dials and buttons. He wanted the tricorder to look futuristic, but also practical and easy to use.

The tricorder that Chang designed became one of the most recognizable props in Star Trek history. It was used in countless episodes and films, and it has been reproduced countless times for fans and collectors.

Designing the Communicator

The communicator was another essential prop for Star Trek. It allowed the crew of the Enterprise to stay in touch with each other, no matter where they were in the galaxy. Chang's design for the communicator was simple and elegant, and it became an instant classic.

The communicator was used in countless episodes and films, and it has been reproduced countless times for fans and collectors.

Other Contributions to Star Trek

In addition to the tricorder and communicator, Chang also designed a number of other props for Star Trek, including:

• The phaser

• The medical scanner

• The hypospray

• The transporter controls

• The communicators used by the Klingons and Romulans

Chang's work helped to create the look and feel of Star Trek, which has become synonymous with science fiction.

Later Life and Legacy

After Star Trek, Chang continued to work in film and television. He also became a successful sculptor, and his work is now on display in museums and galleries around the world.

Chang died in 2003 at the age of 86. He is remembered as a visionary artist who made a significant contribution to the world of science fiction.

The Impact of Wah Ming Chang's Work

Wah Ming Chang's work on Star Trek has had a lasting impact on popular culture. His props are instantly recognizable, and they have been used in countless movies, TV shows, and video games. Chang's work helped to establish the visual style of science fiction, and it continues to inspire artists and designers today.

Conclusion

Wah Ming Chang was a true pioneer in the field of special effects. His work on Star Trek is a testament to his creativity and imagination. He will be remembered as one of the most important figures in the history of science fiction.

Only 10 Communicators were used in Star Trek and they were all created by Wah Chang. This particularly damaging myth has been spread by a very well known fan-created website called HeroComm, that is often applauded for its "excellent" research. While paperwork from Wah Chang has been found that does document a single sale of 10 communicators to the Desilu Star Trek office; it is extremely naive to assume that no other communicators were created since no other paperwork is known to exist. HeroComm displays the following composite photo on their site of the 10 "known" authentic communicators:

And they further go on to emphatically state "This does not rule out the possibility that a few extra communicators were made by the Desilu prop department during the show's production. The studio made some tricorders and phasers, so why not some comms, right? We are confident that none were, simply because none extra were needed. More than enough of Wah's ten comms made it to all the way through to the end of the show, and with their impossibly tight budget, it is hard to imagine anything being done that absolutely didn't need to be. Also no photo evidence whatsoever, be it screen caps or other vintage pics, even remotely suggests with any certainty others being made." This is an extremely resolute, unwavering assertion. Here is an actual screengrab of how it appears on their site ...