Re: Star Wars Ultimate Studio Edition Prop Replicas
Another interesting thing regarding these PropShop items:
https://www.therpf.com/showthread.php?t=261918&page=10&p=4000096&viewfull=1#post4000096
"Hey RPF,
I've felt compelled to make account here and put a few things straight about these replicas. I've lurked on the forum for many, many, many years. I love what you guys do and how much detail, research and love you put into what you make and I know how much real replica props and screen accurate minutiae means to you guys.
The main thing that's made me register has been Adam's tested review of his Kylo Ren helmet and the misinformation he has about propshop and what they made for the film. I made a couple of comments on the youtube video and I've looked for a private email for him but I couldn't find one, I know he posts/reads/knows people here so I figured this was the best way to get the message out to him and to you too.
I'm the guy that sculpted Kylo Ren's helmet, I did it in conjunction with the chief concept artist and the costume designer and despite common misconception we had absolutely nothing to do with propshop. I was part of an entire costume FX team that worked for Pierre Bohanna in house for the production full of talented staff and expertise and it saddens me to hear a fellow prop modeller (accidentally, I'm sure) credit entirely the wrong team for all the hard work and talent due to misinformation.
Propshop did indeed make a lot of the weapons and other stuff for Force Awakens and they had many talented makers on their roster that I'm personal friends with and by no means would I ever discredit their work, they did an amazing job. Propshop's claims that they made “Rey's saber” etc are all true, and at no point have they claimed credit for our work, but it's just that they just haven't denied it either. They had nothing to do with the Stormtrooper armour (aside from the mounting on the side of the leg for the weapon!) or Kylo Ren's costume at all, that was all us (if you're interested, check IMDB and we're all there under costume modeller).
The 3D printed helmet replicas they are selling ARE based on 3D scan data from our hero stuff, but they're not the original files or 3D print stls. I can't speak for the vader print or the sabers, they probably ARE based on original stl files, but I know for a fact that the helmets we printed were done by a different company to propshop so they never had our stl files. I don't believe their $2000 helmet will be any more accurate than the ANOVOS one, they're both basing their replicas on exactly the same scan data.
I'd also like to mention that Adam Savage claimed that the hero stuff was all 3D printed. It wasn't. A lot of propshop's weapons were, but ALL our helmets were cast from molds made from 3D prints. I myself made Kylo Ren's helmet mold. We needed the durability because until 3D printed material gets better they're far to brittle to have them last a full shoot on a principal actor.
Sorry for the long post, and also sorry to sound a crying child throwing toys out of the pram, usually I keep quiet in this sort of thing and out of public eye, but I have a lot of respect for Adam and I've watched him since the early days of Mythbusters and what he's done for the maker community is fantastic, I'm sure this wasn't vindictive or intentionally misleading.
I have total respect for you guys and it's great to know that people notice all the extra effort we put into our work and that it's (usually!) appreciated by a small minority and to think of you spending $2000 on something that you believe is a 100% replica of an original screen used prop I find distressing and I wouldn't want you to be misled by wrong information."