PROBE DROID. Did ILM build more then one!?

[STEVE THE SWEDE]

OK, I've been commissioned to build the huge SS Probe droid model made by all ours favourite garage caster. Pouring over my ref libarary has some what messed up my mind though. I've always thought that only one PD model was built for ESB. The hero one that's been on different tours forever. However, if you start to study ref pics closely it looks like this was not the case. Take this fellow for instance.

Paint job looks very different, much heavier weathering and so on. The details looks different from the hero too.

The funniest part is that if you look at ILM's beutty pics (and behind the scenes pics) in the "Star Wars chronicycles" book you'll see that the Driod looks very different from the one on display now. Sure, the details matches perfectly, even the small orange markings match but it's painted completely different. It's much bluer grey. Doesn't seem to have that rusty/gun metal look and the weathering is VERY light. Also, the large eye domes on that one is painted ultra gloss black. The large domes (the smaller ones are still glossy)on the droid on display now are satin with a egg shell finish.? Could it be that the PD was repainted/weathered after ESB? The way it looks now certainly doesn't match with how it looked during the filming of ESB. Or was it that ILM made several different ones? Juddging by the pic I posted there was at least two. Only question is which one were used where and why does the probe look so much different today then it did back during filming?

Any thoughts Probe fans?

Steve.

 

[yodakiller1138]

I'm no expert but I believe their was a smaller model and the bigger full size model. Don't know if they built duplicates.

 

[STEVE THE SWEDE]

Oh, sorry. I should have been more clear on that. I'm only reffering to scale models, not throwing the full size one used in Norway into the mix.

 

[comm510]

I may be way off here but it just looks like an incredible amount of dust. There are a couple of spots on the top and along the side that look like it was brushed off by touching. Especially on the side. Looks like finger marks to me. Just an observation as I have no idea when the pic was taken.

 

[Treadwell]

Yes, that's just dust.
The Ranch prop storage area used to be just a bunch of shelving units in a warehouse. Everything just laying on shelves out in the open. Dust city.

 

[MonsieurTox]

Dust, ok, but why the details are not the same ?

 

[GrenadeKing]

To me, the one picture up there looks to be all black with a heavy coating of dust. Perhaps its just tha way the picture was taken but, it still looks gloss black to me.

 

[STEVE THE SWEDE]

OK, I should probably post pics of all variants that I've seen to avoid any confusion. The one in the picture might be covered in dust but it's NOT the same model we're used to see. The details are completely different.

Give a a day or two and I'll scan the pics I'm reffering too.

Steve.

 

[EchoLeader]

If I'm not mistaken, the one pictured above was a fan made Probe Droid.

As far as I know, two Probe Droids were constructed. There was the stop motion ( 2ft. ) model that went through it's evolution as seen in the Chronicles book. Most of the pics in the book of the PD in gray primer are of the preliminary build before final approval so many parts changed on it. Then there was a full scale mockup that was used for the live action scene where Han blasts it.

If there's other info out there, I'm not privy to it.

 

[HAL9000]

Perhaps something was knocked up for The Special Editions but never used?

A protoype?

Or...(gasp)...a recast?.

 

[EchoLeader]

Definitively a fan build from a mini convention held in Oct. 2000 in both Sydney and Melbourne. Here are some other pics from the convention.

 

[STEVE THE SWEDE]

Rolando, thanks for clearing up the issue with the odd ball droid.

You really sure about the the droid in the ILM beutty pics are only being partially painted? It has all the orange markings and all. It also seems weathered, not as much as the one that's on display now but still some grime. There's also a behind the scene pic in that book with the droid being mounted in front a blue screen (with a animator behind it). In that pic it sports those shiny gloss eye domes that are egg shell finished on the present one. Could it be that the two large domes dulled with time?

I really would like to nail the droid how it looked during filming, personally I'm still not convinced that it looked the way it does now back then. I would love to be proved wrong though.

Cheers,

Steve.

 

[EchoLeader]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(STEVE THE SWEDE @ Mar 27 2007, 10:51 AM) [snapback]1449203[/snapback]</div>

Rolando, thanks for clearing up the issue with the odd ball droid.

You really sure about the the droid in the ILM beutty pics are only being partially painted? It has all the orange markings and all. It also seems weathered, not as much as the one that's on display now but still some grime. There's also a behind the scene pic in that book with the droid being mounted in front a blue screen (with a animator behind it). In that pic it sports those shiny gloss eye domes that are egg shell finished on the present one. Could it be that the two large domes dulled with time?

I really would like to nail the droid how it looked during filming, personally I'm still not convinced that it looked the way it does now back then. I would love to be proved wrong though.

Cheers,

Steve.
[/b]

Steve, my feelings are that the Chronicles beauty shots and the PD as it is at present are one and the same. Sure the beauty shots were probably taken prior to filming and they may have weathered it slightly afterwards for filming but it's the same PD. The eyes may have been dulled down a bit to cut down on reflections during filming. This is why there's no glassing on any of the X-Wings, TIE's etc.

As for the PD looking like it has a different paint job depending what pics you look at, this all depends on the lighting conditions they were taken in. I've seen it go from a dark color almost black to a light olive bronze color. The photos in the Chronicles book could have also been color corrected for printing. The best bet would be to look at the actual model with the bare naked eye.

I say paint it as you know it in your eyes, you can never go wrong if you are the one that's pleased.

 

[STEVE THE SWEDE]

Rolando, looks like you're right. I checked ESB again on my projector. Just as you said, on the close up when the probe emerges from the crater the big eyes are dulled. Seems like they repainted it for filming after all. Well I guess that settles it, case closed.

Thanks,

Steve.