The Anovos Kylo Ren Costume

Really? Do you have a link for that?

it really seemed like he had both on in the gif from the Vanity Fair shots.

Not that I'm doubting, and I would love for this to be true.

I haven't researched the costume since just after the film premiere, so last I knew it was always there.
 
They've stated that he doesn't wear the midcoat and surcoat together in the film, which is why they left it out.

I understood it as they said that he doesn't wear it together at all times during the film, but that he does at some points. I don't have the exact quote here, but it's on their fb page
 
You're looking at an accurate reproduction of the production made costume. The fabrics are custom made, coated in the same way they were done for the film (which, by the way, no one has figured out yet how to do properly). The pants have suspenders, just like the film costume did. The base layer has a mesh panel to allow for cooling, and to prevent the wearer from suffering heat stroke. Many film production costumes comprised of multiple layers do this (See: Captain America: Civil War).

Also keep in mind, this is a prototype on a mannequin. Some of the pieces won't look right. The neck seal seems to be the piece everyone is pointing out the most, but that is how the neck seal was constructed.

You will not be able to make a more screen accurate costume using materials as accurate as these for less.

I agree, my materials alone have cost me over 1k at this point and that doesn't include all the time spent assembling.

I DO think the neck seal looks wrong, though as you said is obviously just not sitting right on the mannequin, but here's the problem I'm having with it: a few people I've seen in the community are seeing Anovos as the end-all-be-all of accuracy. So now they want to sew their neck seal to look exactly like that, as in exactly like that when it's worn. Which would actually be inaccurate. And it's frustrating to show them a handful of screenshots where the neck seal is on Adam Driver and the pleats are pretty uniform against his neck and have them go "But this is how Anovos did it!"

But I am so happy about the mesh. I'm actually putting mesh into the bottom layer of my v2 and I've been worried that people will go "OOOH NOT ACCURATE!!" But I knew that mesh was a common thing for cooling, and being in the south with most troops happening in the summer I really needed to be able to put that on my costume. Now I can do it without worry which is nice.

As for the coating, I can tell you two ways to do it and both will look nice and accurate to the screen, but I guarantee it's not how Anovos did it. They probably had it done to entire bolts of fabric at once and that's just not something easily accomplished in a house or apartment.

I'm interested in the missing midcoat, from what I've read Anovos is saying he doesn't wear his midcoat with the top coat ever in the movie. (Which I don't entirely doubt) Yet his midcoat appears under his top coat in Vanity Fair, the Visual Dictionary, and on display. Honestly, I WANT Anovos to be right because as I mentioned earlier about being in the south, I'd rather not have to pile a midcoat on as well. But if they are right then that means the 501st CRLs need to be adjusted.
 
The CRLs need to be completely overhauled anyway. Dawn did a fantastic job during the initial stages with very little resource, and she continues to improve her costume. At this point though, I wouldn't count on seeing a rewrite until well after the blu-ray is released and we get actual in-movie HD footage that can be dissected.

In regards to the Vanity Fair shot, that is likely from the scene that was cut from the film involving the snow speeders. So it very well still could be that the two coats weren't worn together in the final version of the film we saw.
 
I have seen multiple home made ones here that look better. Right now I am at around $600 that is fabric, pants, inner tunic, gloves, boots, and helmet. Plus the $199 for the lightsaber. I will be sewing the tunics myself, I am figuring that I will be in under $2000 for once completed. And have it be movie accurate. Think $3000 is a bit excessive for it.
 
I loved all of the people that were like "The Black Series expensive-toy is more accurate than the Anovos 3D scanned helmet", so all of the people saying the Anovos costume isn't accurate enough are just making me giggle, because I'm pretty sure they are the same people.

A lot of homemade Kylo costumes out there may look great, but if you're going to discuss what is most accurate... it's going to be the thing that is made by people who digitally scanned the screen-used costume, and have dealt with the screen used costume IN PERSON.
 
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I have seen multiple home made ones here that look better. Right now I am at around $600 that is fabric, pants, inner tunic, gloves, boots, and helmet. Plus the $199 for the lightsaber. I will be sewing the tunics myself, I am figuring that I will be in under $2000 for once completed. And have it be movie accurate. Think $3000 is a bit excessive for it.

I'm sure your costume will turn out looking fantastic, and you should be very proud of it. But it will not be movie accurate.
 
I'm sure your costume will turn out looking fantastic, and you should be very proud of it. But it will not be movie accurate.

How do you figure? As more information is put out it is easy to make necessary changes to make it more accurate. When I made my snow trooper I went as far as matching all the webbing down to the way the back pack was secured. The only people that will truly know what is the most accurate is the production crew and actors wearing the stuff.
 
The biggest factor is fabric. The original fabric doesn't exist anymore. There have been a few that have come close, including Luke's, but they still aren't right. The tunic and sleeve fabric is also incredibly difficult to find. Nobody has gotten it right yet. On top of that (literally) is the way the fabrics are coated. This has been another impossible task where some have come close, but we will likely never be able to recreate what was used on screen.

Again, in no way am I knocking your (or anyone else's) build. There are just too many unknowns right now (and likely for a very long time) to call anything screen accurate.
 
I'm not sure the average person or movie fan realizes how "fluid" movie production is. How costumes and props are not what you think they are or not the same for the entire film. I have been involved in hundreds of films and TV shows over the past 35 years and it often comes down to what works on the day. (or for that shot) So the idea of contesting what is more or less accurate is a bit of a impossible thing to achieve. The number of times a costume or prop has been radically altered or quickly fixed after it get's damaged on set, is common. Also, "story line" or "plot" damage or aging on a costume is often meticulously documented with daily photos or in some cases scene by scene reference photos, taken by the wardrobe department. So what the piece looks like in one scene may be not the same in another. Some of these changes are obvious, while others are left to interpretation of the viewer or end up on the cutting room floor. Then there are the "photo shoots" either for a magazine or publicity. These are often done without the original film crew or in some cases not the original costume or prop. So using these as reference is not always a sure thing. (We rent things all the time to photographers who are shooting promo stuff for a movie, even though we didn't work on the film)
In addition, there have been many times when we have made something for a film, and when I see it in the finished movie in the theater, I am surprise how different it (prop or costume) looks than it looked at our shop.
Over my career, I have worked at the 3 largest prop houses in Hollywood and worked for the largest costume shop in Hollywood, I have seen hundreds of famous costumes and props, and many times they are complete pieces of crap. But on screen, they looked great. It was very disappointing to see some of my childhood favorites and realize they were completely fake or just a piece of painted wood.
When I first started making movie props (1981) at "The Hand Prop Room", (Big LA prop house) I was told, "paint it black, the camera will never see it". Well that was the general advice, basically make the prop out of anything because the camera will only pick up so much. Well one day, Jim Cameron (a director I believe...) chewed out my boss for these really crappy looking props that the shop had made for his low budget movie called something like "The Terminator". This director had no idea what our budget had been or the amount of time we had to make these P.O.S. props for his low budget Sci-Fi film. But, I realized something that day, it doesn't make any difference what the camera "can see", because the camera doesn't sign the checks. So from that day forward I always tried to make whatever I did, look great while it was in your hand and never counted on the camera to not see the hot-glue drips or giant seam running down the back of that rubber gun.
So be careful what you ask for, you may pay hundreds of dollars for a "piece of crap", but it will be screen accurate.... .
 
im not sure if it was here on the RPF or another forum but remember seeing someone start a thread of their kylo build and showing where they got all their pieces and showed that there is a seller on etsy who does 501st LV 3 kylo outfits for $1000 so that might be a option right there.
 
im not sure if it was here on the RPF or another forum but remember seeing someone start a thread of their kylo build and showing where they got all their pieces and showed that there is a seller on etsy who does 501st LV 3 kylo outfits for $1000 so that might be a option right there.

just wondering, do 501 have inside information on the accuracy of the Kylo Ren costume or are they just going from the movie like everybody else?

if 501 are just using their eyes, why does everybody seem to think they need 501 approval?

Can't we just use our own eyes?
 
I am guessing that they are using their eyes but then again people in the 501st have numerous connections with Lucas films even as far as some 501st members working for Lucas films so its anyone guess.

But yea I mean if you are not going for 501st approval then who cares just be a outfit that is within your budget and that you can be happy with.
 
I am guessing that they are using their eyes but then again people in the 501st have numerous connections with Lucas films even as far as some 501st members working for Lucas films so its anyone guess.

But yea I mean if you are not going for 501st approval then who cares just be a outfit that is within your budget and that you can be happy with.

ah, thanks for the info.

so, Anovos is probably more in the know than 501 when it comes to this particular costumes accuracy?

im not really into costuming anyway...dont have the right body shape for many characters, but as long as it looks good displayed in my room, I'm fine.
 
The 501st CRL was a bit rushed to get completed before the film's release. It was based on research compiled by people like you and me, no insider information. You'll likely see it completely overhauled in the coming months
 
From what I heard the 2 main guys from anovos (forgot their names) are actual 501st member so im sure they are trying to get as much detail as possible and of course have to jack the price up a bit due to overhead so when you think about the 501st member spending almost $1800 on their kylo outfit and sewing it themselves $2k for a company with overhead is not bad at all.

And same here man I always wanted to be a OT stormtrooper but I am 5"4 and weigh 105 but finally said **** it and picked up a anovos trooper kit and no matter how long it take im going to make it work with my body structure and join 501st. only thing im worried about is looking like a bobble head hahah
 
hahaha that never stopped this guy



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Imgill,
Excellent write up. Could not agree with you more. It's is about artist interpretation of what they have seen. The fabric I have is pretty close 2x2 weave. Almost dear on. I think a lot of people would rather take pride in something they have done there self than paying a large some of money. Granted some people are not creative and just buy it. No big deal, it is all about the fun of doing it.
 

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