How What Who When Where & Why?

[n0x23]

I've always been fascinated with the behind the scenes aspect of film and television, I usually enjoy the "Making of" videos more than the actual movie or show and after recently finding this forum and others like it my interest has peaked once again.

So, my question is...how, where do they find this stuff?
Say like the Snowtroopers, Canadian mukluks, or the #15 Fountain nozzle Zhejiang Shentong on the ZF1, the HOVI mic tips, the dyed, baby blanket material used for the Emperor’s robe...etc.

From what I've read, in the old days ILM would just raid neighboring warehouses...is it still like that?

Or do they have research teams with Google running non-stop, mountains of catalogs, roaming Home Depot 24 hours a day, who then fill limitless 10 gal. bins with brass fitting, mag lights and Yak hair?

I know this is a complete n00b question, but I have absolutely no experience with Film industry, but I've always wondered about this, I would examine a prop or costume and just think...."Where in the hell did they come up with that damn thing"?! :confused

 

[jackdoud]

Mostly it's just whatever the prop/costume maker has on hand. The requirements affect things a bit, if you need 50 of something chances are you're not going to use something rare as a base unless you can get away with casts. Most of the time they're only given a small amount of time and an even smaller budget to get something done and then it's anything goes to get it to the production on time.

I've been noticing more and more lately that big budget productions are going the full custom route instead of kitbashing something. It may be that production has gotten cheap enough that prop shops don't have to find real world stuff to base things off of and can completely produce the directors vision. The more creative stuff seems to be on television and made for TV movies where time is important.

 

[n0x23]

Thanks for taking the time to answer my question, Jack.

So where do these items that are just lying around come from?

Also, say back to the Snowtroopers, Canadian, Military mukluks... I imagine that they are given the conceptual drawing and then try to find things that closely resemble the drawing, but who is in charge of that and since they didn't have Google back in the early 80's, where exactly do they begin to look?

 

[Riceball]

My guess is that they probably roam around junk yards, military surplus shops, and swap meets looking for all sorts misc. parts & pieces. As far as trying to match a specific look, they probably used to browse catalogs and books and they probably also had their favorite places to shop for stuff and they probably also made friends with the people working at those places so whenever they needed something specific they'd drop by one of their favorite shops and talk to their buddies there. Or they'd simply find a shop that carries or specializes in certain things that they think might provide a lead to what they're looking and for and go there and ask the employees working there.

 

[gunnerk19]

They ordered EVERYTHING clothingwise from J. Peterman Company...

































OK, maybe not... But it worked when it needed to, meaning if something looked good and usable it was...

 

[Tan Djarka]

Also, say back to the Snowtroopers, Canadian, Military mukluks... I imagine that they are given the conceptual drawing and then try to find things that closely resemble the drawing, but who is in charge of that and since they didn't have Google back in the early 80's, where exactly do they begin to look?

In a word (or two): costuming or prop warehouses. They aquire anything and everything they can, and then rent it out. Most productions don't have the budget to fabricate EVERYTHING from scratch, especially for minor characters, so they go to those warehouses that service the film industry.

See the thread about props that show up in multiple productions, for instance.

In the 70s and 80s it was also standard practice for film companies to just buy lots of technical looking junk to dress sets (like the old TV set cases and airplane parts to dress the set of ALIEN). Effectively it's just like "kitbashing" the effects models, only on a large scale.

To answer your question specifically, for the Snowtrooper costumes I'm sure the costume desginer knew what had to be custom fabricated, and what could be sourced from a third party suplier. They simply went to a costume house and showed them a concept sketch. If they didn't have something like it, there's still a good chance they knew where to get it.

 

[n0x23]

Oh, okay, I get it.

You know, I was aware of these Costume and Prop Rental Warehouses, but for some reason I wasn't making the connection in my head, especially with ILM.
I suppose it's due to the fact that they developed and utilized such ground breaking techniques, but they weren't an autonomous entity, they did have all of the well established Hollywood film making tools and resources at their disposal.

And now that you mention it, a friend's dad gave me some sort of insider trade publication years ago that was nothing but advertisements for the latest and greatest rubber hand guns and machine guns, a rental company with the most extensive selection of military surplus , or the newest, most advanced film lens....I don't why I didn't connect the dots there. :confused :lol

Thank you for clarifying that for me, Tan Djarka! :thumbsup

 

[Tan Djarka]

Oh, okay, I get it.

You know, I was aware of these Costume and Prop Rental Warehouses, but for some reason I wasn't making the connection in my head, especially with ILM.
I suppose it's due to the fact that they developed and utilized such ground breaking techniques, but they weren't an autonomous entity, they did have all of the well established Hollywood film making tools and resources at their disposal.

Thank you for clarifying that for me, Tan Djarka! :thumbsup

It's funny that you mention ILM. Early in the 90s a friend of mine aquired a real Graflex, and then sent it off to some guy who claimed he'd been an ILM employee. What he got back was a passable saber with not so accurate parts that was an odd mix of the ANH and ESB sabers. Why? First, I'm sure the guy must have been lying about his employ with ILM, otherwise he'd have known they didn't actually fabricate any props for the OT, just effects models and such. Second, if he'd been an employee, maybe he'd actually have created an accurate replica.

 

[n0x23]

I had a somewhat similar experience...Back in Jr. High our Social Study teacher had us studying film, the first week she brought in Gregory Peck and the 2nd week she brought in one of the guys who played a Jawa ( I guess she had some type of connections), he then signed black & white 8x10s of himself (I don't remember if he said he was the one who shot R2D2, or was one of the ones huddled behind that one), I asked if he had any thing from the movie, he said he had a Lightsaber and would sell it, he then gave me his phone number.


I tried calling the number a couple times and nothing, but I finally got through, but....he was absolutely $#it-faced drunk, he kept dropping the phone and slurring his words so bad I couldn’t understand a single thing he was saying, but he was talking about something.


I finally got to ask him about the Lightsaber, he claimed he didn't know what I was talking about, I reminded him and I guess that pissed him off because he started yelling and screaming expletives at me and kept demanding to know how I got his phone number, I reminded him and that pissed him off even more, he went off on me again and then finally slammed the phone down on me.

And thus...the illusion and magic of Star Wars was forever shattered for me. :cry :lol