Topic: Coming out of the shadows... SD Bridge Build

[r2witco]

Well, I've been lurking here for a while and it's probably time I posted something.

To start off with, here's the beginning of the Star Destroyer Bridge where we first me our favorite bounty hunter, Boba Fett. I guess technically we meet all of the bounty hunters there for the first time, but anyway back to the point of all this... I'm making this specifically to shoot a scene for the project Empire Uncut. Like most of you, I collect action figures and still like to play with them as a gentleman in his mid 30's. Projects like this give me a chance to play with my toys and do something cool with it. In this case, stop-motion animation. Without further ado, here's the beginnings of my set build.

[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/IMG_6179.jpg[/img]
~ Sizing things up

[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/IMG_6175.jpg[/img]
~ Vader finds my crooked ass cuts disturbing

[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/IMG_6181.jpg[/img]
~ Got everything cut and ready to glue

[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/IMG_6184.jpg[/img]
~ Upper Deck glued

[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/IMG_6186.jpg[/img]
~ Lower Dec glued

[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/IMG_6187.jpg[/img]
~ Sort of a view of the final shot I need to create

[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/IMG_6239.jpg[/img]
~ Got the panels and other junk glued on, mocking up ceiling and testing some lights

[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/IMG_6244.jpg[/img]
~ Detail shot of the panels and other items I glued to the walls for added detail

[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/IMG_6246.jpg[/img]
~ Another shot at this stage, showing scale

[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/IMG_6249.jpg[/img]
~ IG in the house!


Now I need to mix up some Goop (gesso and white glue) and prime this puppy so that the spray paint doesn't eat the foam alive!

For those who care, or are curious...
The walls are constructed from some pink insulation foam I got from Home Depot. The wall panels are styrene I got by cutting up a "For Sale" sign. The wall grating is one of those plastic needle point grid thingies. And the door controller is some plastic greeblie I saved from a while back (saving stuff like that used to really piss off my ex-wife).

Lessons learned so far?
If this were a permanent diorama and not a background piece in a 16 second animation clip, I would have used foamcore instead of pink foam (and not drank so much before cutting it). I would use the super Scotch brand double stick tape I discovered I had, from the beginning, to attach panels and grates vs experimenting with a glue gun and super glues that melts foam - brushed on white glue might have worked well too.


Ok, I'm tired of typing...     If anybody wants to check out the clips I made a couple years ago for the original Star War Uncut project, those can be found on my Vimeo Page.

Cheers, goodnight all!

[hemble]

This is coming along very nicely keep us updated with more WIP pics and welcome aboard.

Ron

[Tamer]

Awesome Whit. Just awesome. It looks killer.

Off to the front page. I can't wait to see Empire Uncut!

[Luke Sprywalker]

Whit! So glad to see you posting!The bridge set up is looking great! Thanks for sharing the behind the scenes shots too. I love your use of plasti-core to diffuse the light, your photos are really well done. Can't wait to see more!

[Mungo Baobab]

This looks great. Can't wait to see the finished product.

[jlw515]

Having experienced a divorce myself, I think the ex-wife statement was the paramount statement in your post!!

Jason

[Tamer]

Wow, just had a chance to view some of the vimeo stop motion stuff.

Are you going to recreate the entire trilogy this way? Cool deal!

[YakFace]

really nice work here! Love the lighting.

[r2witco]

Thanks for the warm welcome and compliments folks! I'll do my best to document this bugger and share them here.

Having experienced a divorce myself, I think the ex-wife statement was the paramount statement in your post!!

Jason

Paramount? Maybe. At least I don't have to try and justify my toy collecting actions anymore 

Wow, just had a chance to view some of the vimeo stop motion stuff.

Are you going to recreate the entire trilogy this way? Cool deal!

NO! Yes that would be cool, but that would be totally nuts. I'm sure I would get faster as I did more of them, but the 15 second clips I did for ANH took me at least a few days each to complete. With over 400 clips to complete that movie, it would take awhile 


For reference, here's a collage of the shots I need for my scene. Not too excited about doing this panning shot, but it's good to challenge ourselves right?
[img width= height=]http://www.distractedbystarwars.com/images/isy/sd-build/257-layout.jpg[/img]

[Tamer]

Well I think it is great to see. I definitely want to feature a few of those on our front page in the near future, especially any TESB ones like you are planning.

[Luke Sprywalker]

WOW! I just checked out your videos too and relly loved them. Everyone should check out the vimeo page!

[Tamer]

Had to get one of those videos on the front page. I can't wait to see what you do with the SD Bridge.

[JTrooper]

Man that looks awesome I found some blue foam at Home depot that resist spray hopefully will use it soon

[r2witco]

Thanks again Tamer and Spry! Those are a lot of work, and very frustrating at times, but it is so cool when you see your toys move around on screen!! It was pretty exciting to see mine, and everyone else's scenes on a big screen during the SW Uncut panel at C6. Gonna try and get a bit more work on SD done now so hopefully more updates soon.

Man that looks awesome I found some blue foam at Home depot that resist spray hopefully will use it soon

Thanks a lot! Wish I had some of that foam now, priming this thing before I can spray sucks 

[Mando Assasin]

THAT IS AMAZING!