"Mass Producing" Blasters, helmets and our Star Wars film project

mikoyan99

Active Member
During my last few months at university, i've got into film making as a hobby; I worked as props master on a 48hr short film competition back in late April, and now with my studies over, a group of friends and I are having a pop at a Star wars short.

I've reprised my previous role as props master, and over the past few days, i've started work on the props. The current requirement is for 3 E-11's, a DH-17, an imperial "army" helmet (the one like a Stahlhelm on steroids you see on the guards in ANH; if someone could let me know the actual name and/or the location of a pep file, I would be most grateful), a render of a Skipray Blastboat, and a SS TIE Bomber (currently WIP here: http://www.therpf.com/f11/tie-bomber-amt-tie-advanced-x-1-now-studio-scale-212845/)

As with most student shorts, we're on a very tight budget - we've had to spend more on flight suits than I can afford to spend on the guns, for which my total budget is around £30.00. Simple solution, as ever, is to use 40mm PVC pipe. I've cut the length we have into 4 sections, enough for the guns we need. I've drilled 3 of them using templates to make up the E-11 recievers, and left the final one blank for the DH-17. The gubbins are being made from rubbish, scrap, spare parts, cardboard etc. They'll be cast in urethane to make enough for all of the guns; they'll all have a common scope and TMH.

I don't really have the resources to make full replicas, and I always prefer making my own version of things anyway, so these won't be 100% accurate - however, they should look quite good by the time they're finished. I'm currently in the roughing out stage, making the basic shapes before refining and adding details:
zxXbPTT.jpg


One of these days though i'll go ahead and make a proper replica E-11; for now, these should suffice.

We'll be using fierfek's pep files for the "hero" helmet (imperial engineer's helmet); cutting that out if a job for one of the runners!

As ever, feedback always appreciated, especially how to do things on the cheap. We only really have the time to make a helmet for one of the bad guys, so quick alternatives for imperial remnant still need to be found.

Finally, a quick shout out - one of the things that inspired this project was listening to some of the podcasts from Adam Savage/Tested, and hearing about some of the techniques used in the VSFX industry. It's re-ignited an old interest in effects and prop making for a few of us, and led (partially) to my involvement with a few more projects in the field, so thanks.

-Matt
 
Progress! Three of us met for aprop making day today; good progress on the blasters:
92YSDkW.jpg


They need various small details now, but the bases of the guns are there. Again, not exact replicas but quite recognisable at least. The yellow jumpsuit behind is for our lead; we have 3 Danish army tank driver's coveralls of the antagonist's minions. The tube on the left will be the reciever of the hero's DH-17. Next are the helmets, unless someone can suggest something easier for imperial remant headgear wise. They're looking quite battered by now.

The Blaster parts are either cast in polyurethane, or cut from PVC pipe. The first RTV mould for the pistol grip wasn't good enough, so I had to make a new one in plaster, which frankly was a nightmare. We just about got 3 castings out before it failed.

UoJ9NPj.jpg

I also found two of these, which will become chest boxes for the protagonist, with a little paint.

I'm also doing the CGi for the film; we didn't want to use too much, but we're limited, as ever, by budget. This is a test render of our setting, a Tibanna gas refinery above Bespin:
kRRBaSb.jpg

And WIP on our antagonist's ship, a Skipray Blastboat. Not sure yet whether this'll be 3D printed or rendered in Cgi.
81hY722.jpg

-Matt
 
"Hero" DH-17 sorted:
LeCFxbZ.jpg

R3c8soJ.jpg


Might do a shade more weathering, and wrap the pistol grip in fabric though. More pressing jobs are the flak vest and the helmet.
-Matt
 
Last edited:
Fantastic! Love the highlighter pen.... don't you just love greeblies? :)

For the grips, you might be able to cover them using Plasti-Dip. The local home improvement stores sell them.

Coatings and Adhesives, Rubber and Plastic Coatings | Plasti Dip Interntional

Cheers mate; I haven't seen it on this side of the atlantic - but i'll keep my eyes open next time I go out for materials. Currently, i'm working on the hero helmet:

Ql2k8ez.jpg

I trawled our local pound shops for domes, but I didn't find anything large enough. My solution is a classic trick - I coated a cheap football in papier mache (PVA based) and car body filler. I've just popped the football and removed it; i'll let it cure over the next few days, then do the rough cut and add the visor. Getting it completely spherical again is going to be a PITA though, although I have done the worst of the sanding already.
ogx8EcH.jpg

Id3hARF.jpg


This is the backup/antogonist helm - it's an old French army steel lid i've had lying around for a few years; i'll add a neck guard in papier mache again and fill as required, or at this rate, find a minion to do it for me.
-Matt
 
Dude, I'm loving that DH-17! I really like what you did with it. It has a cool sort of streamlined, futuristic look to it. Great job! I'd have no idea how to work with that budget for an entire film production. You need to link us to the final film when you've finished! I love making shorts, and I love SW, so I really want to see it. :)

For the grip, you could also maybe try a type of tennis racket grip tape, or some sort of textured sports wrap. I've heard Plasti-Dip is hard to come by in the UK, although I agree with SofaKing that it would look really nice.
 
Dude, I'm loving that DH-17! I really like what you did with it. It has a cool sort of streamlined, futuristic look to it. Great job! I'd have no idea how to work with that budget for an entire film production. You need to link us to the final film when you've finished! I love making shorts, and I love SW, so I really want to see it. :)

For the grip, you could also maybe try a type of tennis racket grip tape, or some sort of textured sports wrap. I've heard Plasti-Dip is hard to come by in the UK, although I agree with SofaKing that it would look really nice.

Thanks guys; i'll have to hold off for now diaxus, as we're running out of time and budget, but i'll be keeping the hero prop and I may upgrade later. I'm very pleased with the DH-17 - the E-11's are rougher than intended thanks to the time limit (we're shooting saturday) but they should do.

We're having a little trouble with out baddie's costumes - currently all we have is green/grey jumpsuits and the blasters; if anyone could make any suggestions as to Star Wars factions that are easy to replicate, that would be awesome. Our remnant/"evil" forces may look a little bland otherwise.
-Matt

Edit: i'm happy to post tutorials if people like - i'm sure if people had a little more time than I, you could get some very good results with the same materials.
 
Thanks guys; i'll have to hold off for now diaxus, as we're running out of time and budget, but i'll be keeping the hero prop and I may upgrade later. I'm very pleased with the DH-17 - the E-11's are rougher than intended thanks to the time limit (we're shooting saturday) but they should do.

We're having a little trouble with out baddie's costumes - currently all we have is green/grey jumpsuits and the blasters; if anyone could make any suggestions as to Star Wars factions that are easy to replicate, that would be awesome. Our remnant/"evil" forces may look a little bland otherwise.
-Matt

Edit: i'm happy to post tutorials if people like - i'm sure if people had a little more time than I, you could get some very good results with the same materials.
Hey if you need any background players give me a shout :) I'm not too far from Southhampton ( if that's where you're shooting) good luck :thumbsup
 
Hey if you need any background players give me a shout :) I'm not too far from Southhampton ( if that's where you're shooting) good luck :thumbsup

We're very short handed, that would be very handy. Drop me a pm with when you're free if you still fancy it. We're filming saturday and sunday this week.
-Matt
 
Our first complete costume - rig worker:
3K268ae.jpg

Also, had a demand for another blaster:
bx55aGJ.jpg

Sorry for the bad pic, camera is slowly giving up.
-Matt
 
That's what we want to hear! I think I could get them bang on with more time and money, but we've certainly captured the spirit of it.

We completed the hero costume today:
CMZEZlX.jpg


You can't see it very well here, but I ran up a basic flask vest from polyester and webbing tape. The chest box needs more colour, and a little weathering, but otherwise pretty much there. Still waiting for the green jumpsuits for the antagonists, time is running out!
-Matt
 
Sorry for the lack of updates, but I didn't get as many production photos as I wanted. Here's a couple:
zSkAQ5Q.jpg

HJDhB2D.jpg

I'll add more as I get them.
This is the finished helmet. Again, not as nice as I wanted, but should look ok on-camera. I'll be picking up one of the imperial engineer helmet kits I think, for future use.
QwnEYFU.jpg

bxMEyjt.jpg

3SMgFKu.jpg


We've also decided to try and use chroma key/physical models for the dogfight scene. I've been posting threads on both miniatures we're going to use, you can find them here if you're interested:
http://www.therpf.com/f10/pursuer-class-enforcement-ship-slave-ii-217109/
http://www.therpf.com/f11/tie-bomber-finished-212845/

-Matt
 
This thread is more than 9 years old.

Your message may be considered spam for the following reasons:

  1. This thread hasn't been active in some time. A new post in this thread might not contribute constructively to this discussion after so long.
If you wish to reply despite these issues, check the box below before replying.
Be aware that malicious compliance may result in more severe penalties.
Back
Top