@egon spengler,
Wow.... That's a loaded question. Lol Well, I can't speek for some of the others in the industry but I can tell you it is a highly competitive... highly! Some guys start by working in local prop houses. However, over the years many have closed shop. A lot of practical effects replaced by CG is one reason. Or, not being able to compete with larger shops. There is a certain.... "Who you know" in there as well. Prop masters rely on their people getting work done right the first time and meet very very tight lead times. Once a prop master has his "guys" that he depends on to deliver, they very seldom go with a new guy. Prop masters are under the gun to make lead times and deliver... Plain and simple. This is a high stress career. Being a jack of all trades is just the start. Being able to put something together in days that would ordinarliy take months is critical. You also need a ton.... a TON of the proper tools to be sucessful.
I have two degrees in engieering, took machine shop in high school and after school I learned leather working from a saddle maker. Lol Eventually I took classes for electronics. I'm learning all the time. Prop masters love the ide of being able to go to one shop for their needs. Now.... in my case... I tend to stick with hero weapons and gadgets. I very rarely do background pieces. But, every now and then I do step outside the box and build things like.... say... gas canisters for Rise of the Planet of the Apes. Lol
Here's my way of working in this industry. I set the bar a little higher everytime I build something new. I put just a little more detail into something for great close ups. I do it a little faster each time and... most important.... be very competitive on what I charge. Basically, do the best work I can.... do it within great leadtimes.... and show the prop masters the value. Most of us that are independents work crazy hours.... to include working through holidays. I'm usually working min 12 hour days when on a project with good lead times. However, i have worked through 3 and 4 days straight, with no sleep, to make lead times.
Getting work is another fun part of this job. This is not a "punch the clock" type job. We are our own worst boss. If we don't get out there and find work, we don't pay the bills. That includes traveling to meet up with prop masters to discuss future projects. There are times when we work thinking.... "OK, I built enough to get through another 30 days worth of bills". Lol Oh.... first.... THIS IS NOT A HOBBY! Don't get me wrong, I love what I do but it's mainly because I love being creative.
It takes years of building relationships. If you don't have the knowledge and equipment to do this type of work, you will fail. Its that simple. Here's an example. If you get a chance to build for a prop master (lets say he or ahe gives you a shot) and you can't deliver because you don't have the equipment or the knowledge and you miss their lead time..... you're done. There is nothing worse than a prop master not being able to deliver because you failed to deliver.
So, having all the equipment do every aspect of whatever may come up and having the knowledge to use that equipment. You need the equipment under one roof! Here's an example. If you use someone to make something for you, you have their lead times. Well, that alone can eat up all of your lead time and not leave you with what you need to finish the project after you get the stuff back. That goes for elctronics, machining, 3d printing, etc etc. I have a full cnc shop.... I have several 3d printers (SLA, Polyject, and even a couple small FDM machines).... I have an electronics area.... Mold making and casting..... Vacuum forming..... Leather working...... Airbrushing.... Etc etc. Get the point? Lol Making relationships... which you build by making the props they way they were ordered and delivering them within the lead times. Being able to correct or modify on the fly. Being competitive. Oh GOD.... there's so much more.... I could write a book. Anyway, I tried to keep it real here and not candy coat anything.
My best advice? Find a prop fabricator in the industry that's already established and ask to be an apprentice and just LEARN!
I thin that should do it for now. Lol Anotherwords.... My advice..... Keep your day job.... build props for fun from movies you have gone to see. Lol
Cheers,
Kenney
