WIP: Stunt Proton Pack

[Rhett J Martin]

So, last year a guy I sold a pair of Proton Packs asked me if i'd be willing to do his props for his fan film. I agreed, and being unemployed at the time, was more than happy to get the cash flow going again. I'm nearly done with the job, and they've nearly wrapped filming, scenes without ghostbusting that is . . .I haven't finished the packs yet!!

I'm using my old master from two years back when I did a few packs for friends and fellow RPF'ers. I only did about 15 or so, I'm actually not sure . . .anyway, I started getting that master back together, and knew that since the guys on this film wanted packs as cheap as possible, I'd have to cut as many corners as possible, and wound up deciding to do stunt packs that looked heroish, with lights and all, but could still be light and squishable so these guys could at least beat on them a bit.

I've started with my old master, and picked at it, recreating the nicks and dings you can see on things like the OMNI mag, recent pics taken by fans, pics on the GB.com website Sony put out, and even the recent HD and Blu-Ray releases.

Here's where I was a few weeks ago,

I added the bumper onto the main body, as well as the HGA. These both have the space underneath filled in, with just a bit of a indent underneath, to hide the filling. It's actually difficult to see unless you're above it, and should disappear neatly with the black coloring. Same with the cavity under the HGA.

Once out of the mold, I'll be casting it in semi-rigid resin, with a backing of soft foam, over a foam core skeleton that will create cavities for the lights.
Without the ALICE frame, these packs will weigh under ten pounds.
I've got the main body in silicone right now, and will be pulling soon, but I
figured I'd pop some pics up, and get this thing going right up till Halloween!
Enjoy!!

 

[Rhett J Martin]

Started pulling these today, while cleaning Skele-Gro bottles and casting bases. THe first pull was pretty cool, but I had some shrinkage from cold foam, and the second came out much better, but I still had some shrinking/warpage on the bumper and the HGA. I reviewed my tech bulletin on the foam, and found out it's very temperature sensitive, so my next attempt will be near a heat source, and I'll even be warming up the bottles so I get everything warm enough. I'm pretty stoked, either way. Now that I've figured out all the ratios and such for coloring, and what needs to be cast where.
Photos coming once camera if charged up.

 

[Bowelrock]

Ive been toying with the idea of stunt packs from my mold. But your best bet is to skin them in a rubber . Don't rely on the self skining foam, its never consistent enough

 

[Rhett J Martin]

I skinned this on in a self skinning foam, but this one I've had alot of practice, but the inner stuff was giving me trouble. I'm casting one at the moment in the semi rigid resin, with the foam backing, so by the end of the night, I'll have my answer on what I want to do for sure.

Squish!!!

I should let you know Bowelrock, this foam stuff can tear the living heck out of a mold. But it all depends on what you used. I'm pretty used to doing this kind of prop, but I've never done one so large. More to come!!

 

[Bowelrock]

I love it!

 

[WYGC6152013]

Rhett hey its joe from NY
Wow that pack is sick. I remember some of the other stuff u did the traps and guns.

Cant wait to see more

 

[WYGC6152013]

Any update on this.

 

[Rhett J Martin]

Yea, I have a bunch pulled, and am actually casting a pack for me at the moment. Probably gonna start assembling it tonight, to take my mind out of the Harry Potter universe.

As I went along, I ultimatly went with a thick rubber outer skin and a rigid foam core. It can still take a bit of a beating, but it's alot easier to screw parts into and glue to. I'll get some pics up tonight while loading the monster book ones.

 

[Rhett J Martin]

Presented pour your peepers, a piled plethora of proton packs, pining for paint and piping!

This is one of the fan film packs, the design idea is that they're using 'borrowed' blueprints to build theirs, with updated and micronized tech. Hence the smaller pipes.

 

[Rhett J Martin]

Here's my new girl, getting all gussied up for display and wear.

This will be GB1 style, and I'm enjoying using some paint techniques I've been picking up in the modeling world. I've always hated how one demensional a pack can get once painted, so I'm using different shades and finishes of black on this. Recessed areas are getting a deep matte black, and then I use about three different gloss variations as I move further up to the top layers of the pack. The top most details are getting a gloss black with just a touch of blue pearl to impersonate the GB1 film look. These photos have just one light source, so you can understand how well this works.

Best part is, the pack weighs less than five pounds. All the corners and edges are thick rubber, so this thing will take a pounding. The Ion arm is thick rubber, backed by soft foam, so it will actually collapse under pressure, but the attach point/resistors are all semirigid resin, so those won't be disturbed under pressure.

I'm really happy how the wonky bits, dings, and pits all look. I love the junky look of the real packs, and have never liked smooth sharp packs. I think i've been able to replicate that look really well. I've paid special attention to adding things like the orange peel texture on the cyclotron, and a few of the odd edges seen on the real packs.

Once everything's on, I think it will really shine.

I've also pulled one for a GB2 and another for a full Video Game pack, but those are down the road. I should probably start a thread for the guns . . .those are all done too.

Looking forward to getting the rest of the paint on, as well as getting more parts together and on. but I was so pleased with this, I just had to show it off.

 

[Bowelrock]

I want one !

 

[Rhett J Martin]

That just might happen in January sometime!!

 

[Onkelpsycho]

Very cool...

 

[WYGC6152013]

Amazing!!!!

You have the wands up yet ?
Im down for one whole kit.

 

[Rhett J Martin]

Yea, they're done, molds and everything. Should release those sometime in January. Black is GB1, tan is GB2

 

[keysersoze30]

awesome job mate

 

[WYGC6152013]

I need one of each lol

 

[Rhett J Martin]

Thought I'd post this, as I had talked about it above. Here's the first test/concept of the fan film packs, thoughtit looked pretty cool, different but same. Hope the guys i'm worknig with like it.

 

[Onkelpsycho]

Nice, the colours of the tubes are wrong... :lol

 

[Rhett J Martin]

Yea, they're supposed to be different colors. It's for a fan film, as posted above.

And don't hijack the thread, please. Thanks.