Naman Shrestha
From the mind of Gaia Violo, Paramount+’s ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ serves as the 12th ‘Star Trek’ series and a part of the expanded ‘Star Trek’ universe. The science fiction drama series takes place in the 32nd century, when the United Federation of Planets and Starfleet are dealing with the aftermath of a destructive incident, which is shown in ‘Star Trek: Discovery.’ We get acquainted with a new set of Starfleet cadets, who train and aspire to become competent Starfleet officers.
While training at the USS Athena, which docks at the Starfleet Academy campus in San Francisco, the young and talented cadets must grapple with various complexities in their lives, involving romance, friendships, and rivalries. On top of that, a deadly, mysterious threat looms over the Federation and the Academy, something that is going to test the cadets’ abilities to the limit. The action–adventure show stars Sandro Rosta, Karim Diané, Kerrice Brooks, George Hawkins, and Bella Shepard, and unfolds primarily in the enclosed space of the starship, where the cadets train and strategize to handle dangerous situations.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy Filming Locations
‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ is primarily filmed in Ontario, particularly in the bustling city of Toronto. A few scenes are also shot in Waterloo, Ontario. Initially, the shooting was scheduled to commence in early 2024; however, due to the 2023 WGA strike, it was delayed by a few months. Finally, in August 2024, principal photography for the inaugural iteration of the sci-fi series got underway under the working title ‘Ivory Tower’ and went on for about six months before wrapping up in February 2025.
Zoë Steiner, who portrays Tarima Sadal, took to social media after the conclusion of season 1 filming. She described the filming process as “one of the most challenging and fulfilling things” that she had done. “big love to the entire crew and production team for their insane commitment and hard work, creative collaboration, and consistent support throughout the process,” she added.
Toronto, Ontario
A major chunk of ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ was taped in Toronto, the capital city of the province of Ontario. Almost all the scenes involving the futuristic USS Athena were lensed using the facilities of Pinewood Toronto Studios at 225 Commissioners Street, Suite 203. The production team reportedly constructed the extensive two-storey Starfleet Academy set on an approximately 45,000 square foot soundstage. They added trees, advanced classrooms, a mess hall, an amphitheater, catwalks, and an altered view of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge to the constructed set.
Home to a total of 16 different sound stages, Pinewood Toronto Studios also offers production office space and support space. Furthermore, the film studio offers a wide range of facilities, including 5,000 square foot workshops, meeting rooms, art departments, and wardrobe facilities, making it an ideal filming destination for all kinds of projects. ‘Suicide Squad,’ ‘Prometheus,’ ‘Pacific Rim,’ ‘Total Recall,’ ‘RoboCop,’ ‘The Expanse,’ and ‘Star Trek: Discovery’ are just a few of the many movies and TV shows filmed at the film studio.
Waterloo, Ontario
According to reports, additional portions for ‘Star Trek: Starfleet Academy’ were also shot in the city of Waterloo, situated several miles west of Toronto. The cast and crew members were spotted lensing a few pivotal sequences in and around the Uptown area of the city. Apart from the Gaia Violo creation, Waterloo has served as a production location for film and TV projects such as ‘Downsizing,’ ‘Programmable Dreams,’ ‘Degrassi: The Next Generation,’ ‘Anne of Green Gables,’ and others.
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