First Contact Contains Hidden Messages

Visiting the sets of “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Star Trek: Deep Space Nine” in 1993, I was fascinated by the intricate details incorporated behind the scenes. Set designers amused themselves by inserting tiny jokes and personal touches into elements like wall panels and computer layouts, often invisible to the camera. For instance, the panels on the U.S.S. Enterprise-D contained small ovals with humorous messages such as “Never tug on Superman’s cape,” while the LCARS system included the initials of crew members.

The set of “Deep Space Nine” was even more laden with hidden text and inside jokes, demonstrating the playful spirit of its creators. This tradition of subtle humor continued into the production of “Star Trek: First Contact,” released in 1996. Special makeup effects artist Jacob Garber took the liberty of embedding hidden messages within the makeup of the Borg characters.

“Star Trek: First Contact” revolves around the Borg, a race of relentless cyborgs with a unified consciousness. The Borg travel in cube-shaped ships, absorbing technology and individuals into their collective. Assimilated individuals are outfitted with mechanical implants, transforming them into drones.

Creating the Borg makeup was a labor-intensive process. The makeup team worked long hours, sometimes over 14-hour days. To break the monotony, Garber began inscribing tiny messages into the Borg headpieces. He included the names of makeup artists, as well as personal jokes like “Westmore’s House of Barbecue,” a nod to Michael Westmore, a prominent makeup artist on many “Star Trek” projects.

Garber’s contributions, along with the rest of the “First Contact” makeup team, earned them an Academy Award nomination. Garber’s impressive career also includes work on “The X-Files,” “The Walking Dead,” and “Fallout,” boasting ten Emmy nominations and three wins.