Happy Friday, everyone. It’s that time of year when summer seems to be winding down;Â summer theatres are getting down to their last few shows, schools are getting ready to start up, and busy props people are panicking that they haven’t taken a vacation yet. If you’re stuck inside on a computer, I hope these links will keep you busy for awhile:
The Credits has a great interview with Conor O’Sullivan, prosthetic supervisor for films and shows such as Saving Private Ryan, The Dark Knight, Game of Thrones, X-Men: First Class, and the upcoming Hercules. While the art and craft of prosthetic effects often gets all the press, this article delves into something just as important: the logistics and planning to get it all done. Putting a fake tattoo on an actor is far different than getting matching tattoos on 150 extras every morning in less than five hours.
Fon Davis shows you how to make your own vacuum forming machine in this video. While others have shown how to build cheap or free machines like this, Fon goes a step further and assembles a machine entirely out of found parts, modified with only a drill and some duct tape.
I needed to make some small translucent crystals for a project I’m working on, and the Arms, Armor and Awesome blog has a fantastic tutorial on how to cast gems out of clear resin (h/t to Propnomicon for the link).
The NYC Prop Summit just got a webpage. The Summit itself is typically held each year around August (this year it is August 22nd), where props people from in and around the New York City area get together to network, celebrate, and learn new things. They also have a Facebook group where members go for help or advice.
Hello Eric,
It is time for me to say thanks for all the helpful things you describe in your blog and your book. Since last year, I design and built the props and costume parts in my leisure time for a semiprofessional pupil theater in the south of Germany (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r6IHFeja7G0 – sorry for the german text). I did these things never before and without your blog, it was impossible for me to make all the props we need for our actual Grimm Brothers fairy tale “The Wishing-Table, The Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sackâ€.
I am looking forward to read and learn many things from you.
Best regards
Marcus