Movie needs Falcon, BR Replicas

[CaptCBoard]

A friend of mine will be filming a movie starting in August that has a scene in it that takes place at ILM during the filming of Star Wars in 1977. I know that sounds odd, but even odder is the fact that the film is a true story. I can't go into all that, but the scene will be filmed at the actual building that housed ILM at that time and as you can imagine, quite a few models will be needed. I have the X-wings covered, but we still need to find a Y-wing, a Falcon and a Blockade Runner. The Falcon will be seen going into a packing crate, but the Blockade Runner will be set up on a model mover, with the real Dykstraflex parked nearby. We will also be re-creating the Death Star trench model as it was set up in the parking lot. Oh, yeah, we might need some help making the patterns for that...

I know several people are working on replicas of all of these models, but I don't know who they are or the stage of completion the models might be in. This is a very low budget film and they can only afford the cost of shipping the models to the set and back to their owners, they do not have any money for rentals. This is so low budget that I'm donating my time as Art Director for this part of the film!

A lot of you know me and know I don't go around blabbing about things I don't know much about. I can say that while this film is being done on a budget that is way too low, the people connected with it would impress you without a doubt. I will be able to reveal who they are once shooting starts. And one guy in particular, who's initials are GL, is not involved in the film, but has given it his stamp of approval.

PLEASE-- do not send any PM's to me about this. Any responses need to be by email so I can archive the correspondence. I will NOT answer any PMs. Also, if you don't have any info about the models we need to find, please don't email me with extraneous questions. I have already posted the information I can give out about this project and won't be able to supply anything more detailed until later. Except for one thing-- the title...

5-25-77

Its a date.

Scott
CaptCBoard@AOL.com

 

[phase pistol]

This sounds amazing-awesome!

Be sure to have that prototype green X-wing and ball-and-stick TIE fighter on a desk in the background or something...

- Karl

 

[BAlinger15]

Isn't Gary Kurtz attached as producer?

-Brandon

 

[CaptCBoard]

I know Gary was working on this project at one time, but I don't know if he is still associated with it. I know he and the director are very good friends, so I have to assume he is on the film. I know there has been some news posted about this project somewhere, but I don't know what has been reported and what has not, so I'm not going to say much until I know I'm not spilling beans that should not be spilled!

Scott
CaptCBoard@AOL.com

 

[DARKSIDE72]

I don't mean to play devil's advocate here but do you really think individuals are going to hand over models that have been in the works for literally years... ? I mean WHAT assurances are there that the models won't be damaged

, lost

, or worse, CAST

?

I only know of one guy building the ANH 5' right now. Very few of us have an (ILM spec) Y in the works which are close to completion. The problem there is missing parts again.
As far an ANH BR, good luck...

 

[EchoLeader]

I did a little search in google on the title "5-25-77". What I don't understand is, isn't there already an independant film done on this subject?

Here's the link to what I've found http://www.moonwatcher.com/52577.html

Here's a short take on what the film is about http://www.moonwatcher.com/articles/elston.html

There's even a trailer that's pretty cool from what I could see. There's even some Star Wars models in it if you go super slow on it. http://ffmovies.ign.com/filmforce/video/5-25_Teaser.mov

My question is, if this is the same film?

 

[phase pistol]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0326716/


What a lineup!

5-25-77 (2005)


Directed by Patrick Read Johnson
 
Writing credits (in alphabetical order)

Patrick Read Johnson
 


Cast (in credits order)

Joe Pantoliano: Dr. Johnson

Carrie Fisher: Janet Johnson

Christopher Lloyd: Owner of the Genesee Theater

Sara Tanaka: Linda



Produced by Gary Kurtz, Fred Roos



Original Music by Alan Parsons
 


Cinematography by Richard Yuricich

 
Production Design by Dawn Ferry


  
Visual Effects by

John Knoll - visual effects consultant

Richard Yuricich - visual effects supervisor

 

[CaptCBoard]

Yes, that is the film. I didn't know any of that had been published, though I knew about the site for the trailer. I didn't know the site for the trailer had been published, though. When I was given the link, Patrick asked me to not pass it on. That was about a year ago.

Scott

 

[phase pistol]

Info publicly available on Internet Movie Database!

- K

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

@Darkside72

There is something available called "props insurance", I had to convince the producers to shell out the bucks for it when we had to use 2 original 1:10 scale models of the mercedes benz slk cabriolet from the late 80ies/early 90ies. Worth altogether around 120.000 Euros. almost the equal to the complete budget of the daimlerchrysler imagefilm they were featured in. So much for production value/screen value

@CaptC

All the best for your project, from one art director working too often without getting paid to another, across the ocean ;-)

Michael

P.S.: The above mentioned models were only seen in the background, would have almost been cheaper to take some large off-the-shelf models ;-) *Aaagh, nonono, don´t throw that drawing board!*

 

[Clerval]

There may be insurance for props, but the ones that are being reproduced by members here are as difficult to replace as the originals; look at what goes into them. I don't see anyone volunteering the larger models-- maybe Ys or Xs, and I doubt any insurance type would be able to comprehend the hours, research, parts fabrication and processes, and ultimately potential value/loss if something happened to any one of these.

 

[CaptCBoard]

>>>and I doubt any insurance type would be able to comprehend the hours, research, parts fabrication and processes, and ultimately potential value/loss if something happened to any one of these.<<<

Then you obviously have no experience with insurance underwriters who cover motion picture work. All you do is tell them how much something is worth and how long the policy will be in effect and they write it up.

Can we get past all this nay-saying and just come to the conclusion that I know what I'm doing, that I've been there and done it before and know what people expect if they are loaning a personal possession to a movie production? Formal agreements, insurance, proper on-set 24 hour security hired to watch valuable stuff. Low budget does not mean unprofessional. And with a shooting crew as small as this one is going to be, everyone will understand the value of anything loaned to the show and keep an eye on it as though it were their own. That's just the way WE work.

Scott
CaptCBoard@AOL.com

 

[Jedi Dade]

all you do is say it took me 2000 hours to build it at 35 dollars and hour and mulitiply then add the cost of parts... bang you're compensated. on the plus side if it did get stolen - you'd get to make another one and fix everything that "only you know" is wrong the the first one. There isn't a modeler I know that is 100% happy with every aspect of every model

plus it could be a lot of fun to have your stuff show up in an actual movie

Jedi Dade

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

Get this man his models, dammit !!!

It is hard enough to get all that stuff together on a string budget, and just finding the sources for stuff is sometimes quite annoying besides timeconsuming. And I reaaally think I know what I am talking about. Just try and go out there to find any agricultural machines from the end of the 19th century, in working condition.

And here the solution is just two threads away !!!

When you lend your model maybe you can work out a deal and hang around for the time of the shooting, since it is a low budget production it shouldn´t be too many shooting days

Thus getting time to talk to those interesting folks at the set between takes (there wont be few of those moments just waaaaiiiting and waaaiiting

)

This movie sounds like a filmgeeks and a propfreaks dream and a chance to show off your skills. and to add to piece of work that chronicles the genesis of our hobby ( what else was ILM than the birthplace of all our inspiration ???). If id have one i´d gladly lend it, heck i would have flown over just to volunteer to work on the movie, covering my own expenses, if only i had heard earlier about this little project ? Okaaaay, i´d crawl around in the dust most of the time chanting "not worthy, not worthy" most of the time, but anyway. check out http://www.szenenbuilder.de to get a small impression of my own pd-work, you´ll know what i mean.

So, i demand of all of theee out there, help this man do his job properly !!!

Michael,

the slightly agitated productiondesigner and architect :G:

EDIT

P.S.: Did I mention the chance to meet some niiiice and suhweet female interns at such an opportunity ? The movie business is just full of them

 

[DaddyfromNaboo]

So, what was the outcome of this campaign ? everything went okay ?

Michael

 

[CaptCBoard]

I put everyone in contact with the right people. I don't know if they got what they needed though. I know things got pushed back a bit, until next month.

Scott

 

[Rogue Studios]

Scott, I hate to say it but getting the Falcon shipped would cost a bundle since the ANH Falcon was 5 feet long. I know you have the X-wings covered if you need another let me know. I have a different fuselage on mine though.

Lee