A prop replica is a collectible recreation of a movie or television prop That Is Intended to Accurately re-create the item as it Appeared in the original media. Work was prop replica can Range from the use of resin to cast a copy of an existing item, the modification of an existing product That May-have-been used by a property master, and the utilization of electrical components for added functionality – Such As lighting effects and sound.
Film-accurate props
There are different schools of thought in the movie community. Some prefer to produce the props, they have come back from the factory, while others are striving to duplicate every scratch, ding, and imperfection they can be found on the original prop; a technique referred to as weathering .
Invisible details, such as wiring and electronics, do not affect the visual accuracy of the invention. Blinking lights and illuminated buttons appear everywhere on the bridge to the Darth Vader’s belt, and attempting to faithfully reproduce the exact circuit boards and lamps are in most cases impossible or impractical. This is particularly true for older movies. Similarly, mechanical effects and the choice of materials often boils down to practicality and the purpose of the prop rather than close attention to detail. A suit designed to be worn with a suit may be made differently than one that is intended for a sealed case.
Types of propping
- Costuming or Cosplay – recreating entire outfits used in various media.
- Paper props are recreated licenses, IDs, money, signs, and other documents.
- Hardware propping uses the original propellers (such as a particular vacuum tube model, or a motorcycle boot buckle) to recreate a prop.
- Kitbashing – modifying an existing model or toy.
- Modeling
Building prop replicas
Propping draws from many areas of expertise including drafting , carpentry , electronics , metalworking , computer-aided design and sculpting and mold making .
Frequently replicated
There are many props regularly replicated by fans and merchants. Some of the most common include:
- Proton packs from Ghostbusters series
- Talkboy from Home Alone 2
- Lawgiver from Judge Dredd
- Rick Deckard’s sidearm from Blade Runner
- Boba Fett’s armor and weapons from Star Wars series
- Imperial stormtrooper armor and weapons from Star Wars series
- Darth Vader ‘s mask from Star Wars series
- Lightsabers from Star Wars series
- Dean Winchester ‘s leather jacket from the hit drama / comedy series Supernatural
- Henry Jones Sr.’s “Grail Diary” from Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade
- Wonka chocolate bars from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory
Notable brands
- Sideshow Collectibles
- Master Replicas
- McFarlane Toys
- NECA
- Hasbro
- Bandai
- Quantum Mechanix
