Jan 9

Making of a Prop

Category: News,Star Wars

boo11.jpg

Connector hoses, Jedi Communicators, Helmets. Most if these you can make in your own home with your everyday basic items. Prop building has always been part of making the magic on screen. Some props one would be amazed on what items are used to make what we see from the movies or what is used in them.

Take the Scout Trooper Helmet. One can easily buy a Rubies off the internet or in a costume store. However to make it look just like it came off from the set is another thing entirely. Take the below picture for example. This is what a rubies, normally looks like when one orders it from an on-line store.

th_fh000021_edited-1.jpg   th_fh000019_edited-1.jpg   th_fh000017_edited-1.jpg  

Now the one above actually looked slightly worse when it came out of the box. It looked as if someone had sat on it during a hot day. Therefore it had to go into much needed work. One of the first things needed was to re-shape the helmet with a leather belt strapped around it and then re-heated to form it back to the shape wanted. Once that was done the next step was the “Snout”. The small black knob on the end had to be cut out and a Sink Aerator was placed in there and the outside painted black. The remaining painted areas had to be painted to the correct color or Grey and the black outline to go across the top area above the breather.

The Ears on the side of the bucket had to then be cut out and a wire mesh put in it’s place to have the effect real. Also it makes it allot easier to hear out of. It’s hard to see in the pictures but the eye plate had to be cut out and replaced. The inside had plastic and eye site was extremely poor. Also you could see the outlined plastic viewing into it. The Faceplate was next and you had to revers the bolts that held it together and then glue on small button covers on the outside (painted grey) to cover the ending of the screw. For an added realism effect the inside of the visor (from the outside view) was caulked to make it look as one piece.

Sounds pretty simple but it’s allot of work. Rewarding in the end and that is only one prop piece. Allot of the weapons can be made from the original Kenner toys from the original movies. Mainly re-painted to look real. Some use molds and cast Resign weapons. A few Jedi Props such as the Jedi Communicator that Qui-gon had I have seen made from a Ladies Razer (Venus) with a few washers and nails added as well as paint. Many things are made and used for the props. I just touched on a few basic ones that don’t need to go into too much detail. However one of the best props that has been seen in the movie would be the ice cream maker… Yea.. that doesn’t need much explaining
sw_willrow.jpg

No comments

No Comments

Leave a comment

You must be logged in to post a comment.