After another great drop at LFCC I notice that once again Abe and some of our more photogenic Marines where greatly in demand for posed pics with the public. Thanks to frank we had some cards with the groups details on our display table which was adonded with members props and collectables, these quickly ran out due to fans who where intrested in joining our ranks which led me to start thinking what could we could do to not only ensure people who want to talke our details way with them can do so but also double as a photo background.
I have the details of a company that do large backdrop Matt prints which can be personalised with any details for around £45-£50. I am more than happy to pay for this but this leds to the question what to have as the main image and what details to add to it? I would be greatful for suggestions on this subject and if you have it the image itself.
I was thinking of :
Main image : hanger deck with dropship
Details: UKCM in bold with web address underneath and and our crest. MAybe a QR square as well.
Or
Main image: Conley corridor. ( maybe with smart guns)
Details: UKCM in bold with web address underneath and and our crest. Maybe a QR square as well.
Any suggestions are welcome and I look forward to seeing what ideas are put forward, I would like to get this sorted before the NSC drop.

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CPL
AJ "Gunner" Martin
A06/TQ0.0.42145E1




"I'm ready, man check it out. I am the ultimate badass! state of the badass art! You do not want to frak with me."

As you can imagine, Abe and I love the idea! I previously made halfhearted attempts to sort a backdrop. Let me know if you go ahead with it so I can assist. If it could be had for reasonable money, a self-supporting frame would be very useful (attaching things to walls is forbidden at most events and frowned upon at the NSC).

The main sticking point is the resolution of image that is required to make a backdrop like that - bluray grabs and most of the BTS photos aren't even close to what's required. There was a previous suggestion of vectorising/tracing an image to make a huge-res image that is suitable but I never managed to organise it.

I'm unsure about including QR codes. They are ugly in the context of a photo, and I might be technologically sheltered but (other than the fad-obsessed ) does anyone scan and use them? The only possible advantage would be to allow Google Image search to mine context from the pictures, but I don't think it's worth it.

For what it's worth, I'd vote for the colony corridor.

and im sure we can all chip in towards the cost

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SSgt Kris "Bloodsucker" Kobus, VAS.
A09/TQ2.0.12136E1

I'd be up for this, think it's a great idea...

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Cpl Dan Callaghan

"On an express elevator to hell...going down!"

Just call me Admiral....

Great idea. Count me in as well.
If those photo Printers would cost less I would say Green Screen and we do our own photo sessions.
Let me know if you need scans i think i can help here.

thanks,
Frank

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Sgt. Frank Peters 'reload' Smartgun Operator
A03/TQ3.0.12136E1 "It will be no picknick!"
AL Colonial Admin. - Sergeant at Arms (SgtA) -- 2020-2022
GERCM - Executive Officer (XO)
UKCM Foreign Legion: The Deviant Dragoons

Me an AJ talked about this, and with Vicky yesterday, so i thought I would bring up the subject openly.

With regards to taking photos of us, would anyone have objections to exploring the possiblity, at some events, about doing some collections for things such as the cat rehoming place we support?

I know the UKCM previously supported stuff such as NSPCC before my time.

No registered charity stuff, just thinking of a couple of sealed rattle tins, on the table (nothing in peoples faces) and just on voluntary donations only.

Not looking to make fortunes, hell for the cat place for example even £20-30 quid from a weekend would make a huge difference.

Im aware that this has probably been tried before so if im not aware of any problems its caused in the past please feel free to say, just wanted to ask if it was a viable idea really. Happy to be told if its not!

Anyway just a thought - sorry for hijacking your thread AJ, im in as you know, and im happy to chip in.

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MSgt Matt Bradley 'Crashdown' (Formerly Mattb)
A12/TQ2.0.82145E1
CO UKCM 13th Regt. 1st Batt. 'Freebooters'
"There are very few problems that cannot be solved through a suitable application of high explosives."

Not at all Matt I think it's a great suggestion and is why I opened up this tread. If people want to chip in on cost they can do but I'm happy to fund this, the stand is sorted just need to look into the backdrop itself.

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CPL
AJ "Gunner" Martin
A06/TQ0.0.42145E1




"I'm ready, man check it out. I am the ultimate badass! state of the badass art! You do not want to frak with me."

Hi all I have managed to get a self standing folding frame which folds down into a compact and light weight package. I have been looking at images that both Marines and Xenos can stand in front of with out it looking out of place. Here are 5 blu ray grabs please let me know which you like and why.
thanks everyone.

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CPL
AJ "Gunner" Martin
A06/TQ0.0.42145E1




"I'm ready, man check it out. I am the ultimate badass! state of the badass art! You do not want to frak with me."

Here are my personal picks:

1.) Battle damaged (good background for both Aliens and Marines)
2.) C&C door (not enough clear reference to the movie (same applies for all others apart from APC)
3.) APC (clear reference to the movie, but the APC is to far away)
4.) Sub level 02 (would be great when used a smoke machine and glow sticks)
5.) air vents (people are standing in front of the vents so this would not fit scale wise)

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Sgt. Frank Peters 'reload' Smartgun Operator
A03/TQ3.0.12136E1 "It will be no picknick!"
AL Colonial Admin. - Sergeant at Arms (SgtA) -- 2020-2022
GERCM - Executive Officer (XO)
UKCM Foreign Legion: The Deviant Dragoons

Really like 2 and 3!

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MSgt Matt Bradley 'Crashdown' (Formerly Mattb)
A12/TQ2.0.82145E1
CO UKCM 13th Regt. 1st Batt. 'Freebooters'
"There are very few problems that cannot be solved through a suitable application of high explosives."

Cropping the APC pic down for height to make the APC fill the frame more, with added contrast (as flash will wash the backdrop out), here's a quick and dirty look (done in Paint on work PC) at Abe in front of it, to give an idea of size, depending on whether full height pics are to be taken:

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Steve
Corporal in 69th Regt. 1st Batt. Homer’s Heroes.

"I'd like to die at the age of 80 in my own bed, with a belly full of wine and a girl's mouth around my c**k."

I would rather we go with a design that is not a screenshot from a game or the film. We may fall foul of copyright bloodsuckers.

Given a bit of time, I'm sure I could craft a vector of a Hadley's Hope style airlock door or some such!

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Sgt A. Richardson CMD A04/TQ1.0.02151E1

I hear what your saying about copyright however if we are going to go down the lines of that argument we are already breeching copyright every time we put up one of our table banners with the USCM Delta on it or have Aliens written with the font from the film with the glowing slit for the I. If there is anyone that can put some light on where we stand using a image for a non profit stand point or going down the route of "for the great good" stand point then that would be great.

If there are anyone who has the rights to a Aliens related image could they PM me please. I'm sure this is a problem that this group member can overcome as I'm amazed at how creative everyone is with the group.

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CPL
AJ "Gunner" Martin
A06/TQ0.0.42145E1




"I'm ready, man check it out. I am the ultimate badass! state of the badass art! You do not want to frak with me."

Speaking with my graphics and print head on now...

To achieve what we're looking for size wise we're going to need some very high resolution photographs - difficult to acquire. We could dress a set and take our own photos.

The easier alternative might be to opt for a photo realistic recreation.
The image below was created by modelling the room with an AutoCAD type product and then rendering in Autodesk VIZ for realistic lighting.
Our dark, grimy scene wouldn't require such clarity as this even.

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"The other Gareth"

I think your main problem with an actual frame grab will be resolution as G mentioned. it would be worth you looking into.

Preference wise though 2 and 4.

I like 2 and 4 as well!

_________________
Cpl Dan Callaghan

"On an express elevator to hell...going down!"

Just call me Admiral....

Here is the folding frame to give everyone a idea of what will be used. It's 6.2ft high x 7.2ft wide with a very slight curve in it.


Here is the frame folded away.

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CPL
AJ "Gunner" Martin
A06/TQ0.0.42145E1




"I'm ready, man check it out. I am the ultimate badass! state of the badass art! You do not want to frak with me."

The frame/structure looks great. Good size and easy assembly.
From resolution and copyright perspective Padsbrat kind offer should be consider as alternative to motive 2/3/4.

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Sgt. Frank Peters 'reload' Smartgun Operator
A03/TQ3.0.12136E1 "It will be no picknick!"
AL Colonial Admin. - Sergeant at Arms (SgtA) -- 2020-2022
GERCM - Executive Officer (XO)
UKCM Foreign Legion: The Deviant Dragoons

Of the images posted above, I like the last 3 - Don't think the first 2 work all that well.
But yeah, if we can't get the resolution from a BR grab, a 3D render could be a shout.

DO we really need the high resolution, though?
Granted, when we blow the grab up to print, it's gonna be pixellated - But at the distance the camera will be at, and the fact that the resulting photo is then going to be reduced back down to A4-ish... the effect should be minimised again, no?

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MSgt, UKCM 42nd Reg., 1st Batt. : Hadrian's Wall. UKCM

Wasteland Workshop
Props, cosplay pieces, upcycled ornamentation, and miscellanea;
For the discerning survivor of the apocalypse.
Steve Fletcher : Maker, Scavenger, and Junksmith.
linktr.ee/wastelandworkshop

I was more worried it would look slapdash and ugly in-person.

I used to have a load of MASSIVE blow-up movie posters - Up close you could see the halftone effect used to print them, but they still seemed OK to me.

Suppose this isn't really the kinda thing where we could try it and see...

_________________
MSgt, UKCM 42nd Reg., 1st Batt. : Hadrian's Wall. UKCM

Wasteland Workshop
Props, cosplay pieces, upcycled ornamentation, and miscellanea;
For the discerning survivor of the apocalypse.
Steve Fletcher : Maker, Scavenger, and Junksmith.
linktr.ee/wastelandworkshop

The thing is that with those posters, they will have started with a high resolution image.
Those screen grabs there are only 72 dpi. The bare minimum for decent standard print would be 300.
For large format stuff we were asking clients for ideally 1000dpi or better.

We can resample to a higher resolution so that it's less pixelated but instead it will just look very fuzzy, out of focus, and lacking in detail.

We're trying to take an image that "as is" would print in a low resolution at less than A3 size and scale it to 6'x7'.

Yes, it could be workable; stand 10 feet away and it's not so bad. But if we could get something crisp and sharp then it's going to look more professional both in person and people's photographs.

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"The other Gareth"

For two meter it should be above 4000 pixel resolution.
The banner at LFCC had over 9000 pixel and it looks very sharp.
The photo backdrop would also need at least 4 times the solution of a BluRay screenshot to avoid that pixel look.

The focus of the camera would of cause "blur" the background, but you would still see it.

This is why I suggested slide scans as they would have the needed min. pixel solution.

Making a section like Padsbrat mentioned with a vector based software would of cause eliminate the pixel question.

Let's see wth what picture suggestions we come up.

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Sgt. Frank Peters 'reload' Smartgun Operator
A03/TQ3.0.12136E1 "It will be no picknick!"
AL Colonial Admin. - Sergeant at Arms (SgtA) -- 2020-2022
GERCM - Executive Officer (XO)
UKCM Foreign Legion: The Deviant Dragoons

If we still have contacts at Gearbox maybe they could do a corridor render for us, or they might even have some of those high resolution promotional shots.

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STEVENSON F.
A11/TQ0.0.82148E1

"You are not your Drop Count."

Definitely worth exploring...

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"The other Gareth"