 According to Don Post Jr. (qv), President of Don Post Studios, the  famous California mask making company, the filmmakers originally  approached his firm about custom making an original mask for use in  the film. The filmmakers explained that they could not afford the  numerous costs involved in creating a mask from scratch, but would  offer Post points in the movie as payment for his services. Post  declined their offer, as he received many such proposals from  numerous unknown filmmakers all the time, but suggested that they  repaint/refurbish the "Captain Kirk" masks eventually used in the  film, which eventually was done, and which netted Mr. Post a profit  of less than $100. Post later estimated, after the film became a  hit, that if he had accepted the original offer for points in the  film in exchange for his creation of an original mask, his profit  would have run well over $100,000.