Prop replica

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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 on a 'prop replica' can range from the use of resins to cast a copy of an existing item, the modification of an existing product that may have been used by a prop team and the utilisation of electrical conponents for added functionality such as lighting effects and sound.

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[edit] Film-accurate?

There are different schools of thought in the propping community as to how far film-accuracy should be carried. Some prefer to produce the prop as it would have appeared fresh from the factory, while others strive to duplicate every scratch, ding, and imperfection they can prove existed on the original prop. Often this is prop-dependent, as in the case of Boba Fett's helmet. The dents and scratches on the 'Fett bucket' are medals of honor, and must be duplicated to faithfully mirror the movie prop. On the other hand, a broken antenna on a storm trooper helmet is just a broken prop...a detail that should not be included in a replica.

The owner and maintainer of Star Wars Helmets, 'Jez', had this to say on the subject. "How important is screen accuracy? Very! Although when we say "Screen" accuracy I mean "how it looks on the screen", rather than whether it reflects the actual state of the prop as it is now."

An excellent illustration of this can be found linked from the same website, in a look at a screen-used Sand Trooper helmet.

Invisible details such as wiring and electronics do not affect the visual accuracy of the prop, as long as the effects those components are responsible for producing are identical to the original's. Blinking lights and illuminated buttons appear everywhere from the bridge of the Enterprise to Darth Vader's belt, and attempting to faithfully reproduce the exact circuit boards and lamps is in most cases impossible or impractical. This is particularly true for older films. Similarly, mechanical effects and even the choice of materials often boils down to practicality and the purpose of the prop rather than fanatical attention to detail. A prop designed to be worn with a costume may be constructed differently than one intended solely for display in a sealed case.

[edit] Types of propping

  • Costuming or Cosplay refers to recreating entire outfits used in various media.
  • Paper props are recreated licenses, IDs, money, signs, and other documents.
  • Casting, often in resin, is used to make the popular Star Wars based armor pieces, among many other things. Essential to mass-production of a prop.
  • Hardware propping uses 'found' items, existing parts used by the original prop builders (such as a particular vacuum tube model, or a motorcycle boot buckle) to recreate a prop.
  • Kitbashing involves modifying an existing model or toy.
  • Modeling

[edit] Frequently replicated

There are many props regularly replicated by fans and merchants. Some of the most common include:

[edit] Building prop replicas

Research will determine the quality of a replica. Often one can locate found parts for a prop, and save hours building something from scratch which is available at a local hardware store. A studio responsible for many officially licensed props, Master Replicas, has a newsletter on their site detailing the process used to capture and reproduce a movie prop. The Crafting of a Prop Replica

Propping draws from many areas of expertise including drafting, carpentry, electronics, metalworking, Computer-aided design and sculpting.

The support of a community is handy for proppers, allowing the sharing of information and techniques as well as varied talents and equipment.

[edit] Shopping for prop replicas

When collecting prop replicas, research is the first step. Visit propping forums, review the media in question, locate photo references, and if possible locate people who have seen or touched the original prop. Rarely one can obtain records of interviews with the property designers who worked on the film.

[edit] Related links

Prop Forums - These forums frequently include photos, detailed plans, tutorials, and sources for materials, components, and even finished replicas.

Prop Galleries - Sites showcasing the work of fans and mass-produced collectible replicas.