The discussion of the Alien series of films and the props used in them is the aim, but if it's got Big Bugs and Big Guns, then they are welcome too!





Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
 Post subject: Sulaco Locker Widget: a work in progress
PostPosted: Tue Aug 14, 2012 10:33 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
Attachment:
mockup.jpg
mockup.jpg [ 203.17 KiB | Viewed 14871 times ]


This is just a rough first fitting of the pieces. I have a 3" floppy port (not identical to the SC one but close enough), a calculator that will be built up to have round buttons like the SU one, and 80% of the upper parts framed up in foam core. I still need to add the two lights and the wire mesh inside the righthand indentation (visible in other shots of the Widget).

I'm at a loss as to what the middle part is that I haven't framed out yet. I can make something that has a similar look, but I don't know if it is supposed to be a latch or what. Any thoughts?

I'm going to re-watch the scene to see how the lockers are openned. Maybe this will provide a clue.

So more trimming and then some paint are next for this.

Comments welcome!

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:15 am 
Mobile Mayhem
User avatar

Location: Rapid View, Saskatchewan
Service Number: A10/TQ1.O.32157E1
Country: Canada
I just flipped through my Anthology on one of my PS3s. I have it hooked up to a Hauppauge, but it doesn't support 1080p, only 1080i, so the bluray image on my computer gets squished horizontally, but I managed to snag you some screens none the less :)

inside 2.jpg
inside 2.jpg [ 67.97 KiB | Viewed 14849 times ]

Some inside shots of the lockers, Edited of course to not break forum rules HAHA!
inside 1.jpg
inside 1.jpg [ 67.73 KiB | Viewed 14849 times ]

Your image of Wierzbowski's locker is more clear, but this one has better lighting to see inside the "latch" hole
wierzbowski.jpg
wierzbowski.jpg [ 105.99 KiB | Viewed 14849 times ]


_________________
Lt. Melissa L. Klassen, ALG
AL Colonial Admin. - Executive Officer (XO) -- 2021-2022
RCCM | Royal Canadian Colonial Marines - Commanding Officer (CO) -- 2021-2022

Read the AL Charter Rules & Regulations: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i3gd9QUyIqI_6rfk8kpxspbKU-JT4MBAjLPxfCkvGJ8
Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 1:27 am 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
Thank you so much! These are great!

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:07 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
Attachment:
buttons.jpg
buttons.jpg [ 135.25 KiB | Viewed 14787 times ]


Making the 24 round calculator buttons.

I made them in PhotoShop remaining as faithful as I could to the blurry images, but in the end I fudged a few, including a little Weyland-Yutani logo button. These are then attached to two-sided sticky foam backing (available at scrapbooking stores), and then hole punched to the correct size.

The edge will then be colored black with a sharpie marker and sprayed with a sealer.

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 4:14 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
Attachment:
mockup2.jpg
mockup2.jpg [ 127.53 KiB | Viewed 14760 times ]


So my calculator rebuild is done, and I am pretty happy with the results. The 3" floppy port still needs trimming a painting, but that's not hard. The top part isn't looking as good as I'd like though. I can fix the placement of the two lights easily enough (I have to remember: always have your reference photos handy).
But the two round-cornered rectangles on the top section just aren't symetrical enough. I did my best but they just don't look right to me. Any suggestions on how to make them better?

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Thu Aug 16, 2012 8:28 pm 
Mobile Mayhem
User avatar

Location: Rapid View, Saskatchewan
Service Number: A10/TQ1.O.32157E1
Country: Canada
you can try making a stick on stencil with squares with rounded corners from photoshop

All you need is wide painters tape (the green or blue stuff, about 2") and wax paper (like the roll of baking stuff) and a crafters knife, or exacto knife

cut a piece of wax paper that is as big as a regular computer paper, and place strips of tape (overlapping slightly) all over it, then place the computer paper overtop it, trace it and cut it down to size so it will fit in your printer. Whip up your stencil on Photoshop, and print it.

Wait for a while, like a few hours to let the ink dry so it doesn't smudge when you are handling it. and cut it out with your knife, peel the wax paper off the back and stick it down to your surface :)

For something with a "hole" in it, you should keep some support posts in it to hold the inner piece in, and cut those out later after you have the majority of the shape cut into your surface. (Think of an "O" stencil)

_________________
Lt. Melissa L. Klassen, ALG
AL Colonial Admin. - Executive Officer (XO) -- 2021-2022
RCCM | Royal Canadian Colonial Marines - Commanding Officer (CO) -- 2021-2022

Read the AL Charter Rules & Regulations: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1i3gd9QUyIqI_6rfk8kpxspbKU-JT4MBAjLPxfCkvGJ8


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 5:34 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
While I continue to experiment with the widget itself, this part was easy to get right:

Attachment:
lockertag-sm.jpg
lockertag-sm.jpg [ 100.27 KiB | Viewed 14705 times ]


I looked at all the name plates to see what sort of patterns were present. As with everything about the Aliens production I was struck by the level of detail and consistency. Obviously the name and service number are unique to each Marine, but then we have the APC number which remains consistent for all the Marines (I made mine different as I'm not part of the Sulaco crew), as well as the "TS/04" in the upper lefthand corner and the "E6" in the bottom righthand corner. What does change though is the number before the "TS/04" and the letter opposite, and these need to change together as they are the actual locker number. So Weirzbowski's locker is "9/I" as "I" is the ninth letter of the alphabet. I chose "E" so the number on the left has to be "5".
What I wish we had photos of were Ripley and Burke's lockers as they would give us an idea of what is Marine specific information and what is simply more locker designation. In the film you can see that Ripley has a black name plate on her locker, but I don't know if a photo of it exists. I would guess the APC number would be missing on them as it is prefaced with USCMC, but that is just a conjecture.

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Sulaco Locker Widget: a work in progress
PostPosted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 9:56 pm 
Ready to Rock & Roll!
User avatar

Location: Rochester, Kent, U.K.
Service Number: A08/TQ2.0.72136E1
Country: United Kingdom
One thing I've noticed is that the non-standard keypad button symbols are different/in a different position on each locker.

I've taken pics of all the ones on the blu ray extras and zipped them up:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1004067/lockers.zip

_________________
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."


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:12 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
Thanks Steve, those are great!
But what the hell does it mean? For all the world I'd assumed they just bought a dozen of the same calculator and slapped them together, but these are all over the place with the keys.

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Sulaco Locker Widget: a work in progress
PostPosted: Tue Aug 28, 2012 10:37 pm 
Ready to Rock & Roll!
User avatar

Location: Rochester, Kent, U.K.
Service Number: A08/TQ2.0.72136E1
Country: United Kingdom
As you look at the different sets, you'll see the keys with weird symbols on in some have regular calculator key symbols in others, as if they did the same as you have; stuck new key symbols on several buttons, either with some falling off or just being stuck on other buttons. :)

_________________
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."


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 3:17 am 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
That actually makes the most sense. Those symbols aren't anything I've ever seen on a calculator before!

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 3:38 am 
User avatar

Location: Texas
Service Number: A08/TQ1.0.92150E1
Country: United States
That pretty awesome. You should find a way to mount it to your light switch. Come in the room hit a couple of button LIGHTS ON! It would turn it into a functional prop instead of a static one.


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Wed Aug 29, 2012 2:36 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
Thanks Valdez! I think the real lightswitch option is still this:

viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4573&hilit=airlock

My plan for this is to make it a functioning latch on a box for storing my armor. Ideally it will resemble the lockers on the Sulaco. We'll see if that happens...

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 1:16 am 
User avatar

Location: Texas
Service Number: A08/TQ1.0.92150E1
Country: United States
Thats one complicated light switch!

Man you have my creative juices flowing. (thats a good thing)

Time to build something!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 1:52 pm 

Country: Ireland
What a great idea, and its looking great!!

_________________
All right, sweethearts, what are you waiting for? Breakfast in bed? Another glorious day in the Corps! A day in the Marine Corps is like a day on the farm. Every meal's a banquet! Every paycheck a fortune! Every formation a parade! I LOVE the Corps!


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Aug 31, 2012 7:00 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
Attachment:
mockup3.jpg
mockup3.jpg [ 133.64 KiB | Viewed 14586 times ]


I recut the holes on the top third. That's about as good as I'm going to get it, so I'm going to let that part be done.
I repositioned the lights so that they are centered like in the original. Much better!

Next up is painting, some bondo, and then on to the latch mechanism.

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sat Aug 13, 2016 12:42 am 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
I wanted to compare my widget build to Tommin's, but I realized I'd never posted my finished version! Well, here it is (with a little bit of wear and tear from being set dressing on Last Flight of the Freya 7) beside one of Tommin's vacuformed versions.

Attachment:
13920434_10206945309806769_7252966824405964098_o.jpg
13920434_10206945309806769_7252966824405964098_o.jpg [ 224.7 KiB | Viewed 12711 times ]


The good news is that they are virtually the same size. Once I get it spruced up and painted they will make a very nice pair.

Attachment:
13934884_10206945310246780_4435339574974488773_n.jpg
13934884_10206945310246780_4435339574974488773_n.jpg [ 42.7 KiB | Viewed 12711 times ]


One thing I noticed though is that Tommin's top section has the screen in both indented areas instead of the rectangle on the left. This isn't a hard thing to fix though at all. [EDIT: I only bought the vacuformed piece from Tommin, his kit actually comes with the rectangle]

Attachment:
13920891_10206945318806994_1101313642489212111_n.jpg
13920891_10206945318806994_1101313642489212111_n.jpg [ 86.15 KiB | Viewed 12711 times ]


I've started adding buttons to the keypad and I have a few other additions lined up to follow. All in all Tommin's version has super clean lines and a nicely idealized shape. It's really pretty great!

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Last edited by retrogarde on Sun Aug 14, 2016 11:46 am, edited 1 time in total.

Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 4:54 am 
Spec Ops.
User avatar

Location: USA
Outstanding!! Looking forward to seeing what kinda magic you can do with it. :D

_________________
Tom
Image


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Sun Aug 14, 2016 11:53 am 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
Thanks again man!

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Sulaco Locker Widget: a work in progress
PostPosted: Thu Aug 18, 2016 9:19 pm 
User avatar

Location: Gastonia, NC 28056 USA
Country: United States
PVB wrote:
One thing I've noticed is that the non-standard keypad button symbols are different/in a different position on each locker.

I've taken pics of all the ones on the blu ray extras and zipped them up:

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1004067/lockers.zip


I clicked on the link and it doesn't work. :(

_________________
MSgt, USMC (ret.)


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 1:07 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
Each locker had slightly different buttons it seems. Here are two of the clearest photos I had saved:

Attachment:
vasquezlocker.jpg
vasquezlocker.jpg [ 657.31 KiB | Viewed 12541 times ]


Attachment:
wierzbowskilocker.jpg
wierzbowskilocker.jpg [ 1.86 MiB | Viewed 12541 times ]

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Fri Aug 19, 2016 10:30 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
I found another shot of my original locker widget. I have no idea why I didn't document this build better...

Attachment:
locker.jpg
locker.jpg [ 736.82 KiB | Viewed 12516 times ]


Anyway, I'm now going to work on upgrading the numbers and symbols on both of my locker widgets at the same time.

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject: Re: Sulaco Locker Widget: a work in progress
PostPosted: Sat Aug 20, 2016 3:25 am 
User avatar

Location: Gastonia, NC 28056 USA
Country: United States
Thank you!

_________________
MSgt, USMC (ret.)


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 12:55 pm 
Prop Churner Outer
User avatar

Location: Bath, Maine
Service Number: A03/TQ1.0.12143G1
Country: United States
I found four more!

Attachment:
crowelocker.jpg
crowelocker.jpg [ 1.43 MiB | Viewed 12446 times ]


Attachment:
frostlocker.jpg
frostlocker.jpg [ 1.57 MiB | Viewed 12446 times ]


Attachment:
hickslocker.jpg
hickslocker.jpg [ 864.08 KiB | Viewed 12446 times ]


Attachment:
hudsonlocker.jpg
hudsonlocker.jpg [ 826.29 KiB | Viewed 12446 times ]

_________________
:delta: My entry-level prop and costume tutorials: viewtopic.php?f=3&t=12751 :delta:


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
 Post subject:
PostPosted: Tue Aug 23, 2016 1:03 pm 
THAT guy
User avatar

Location: Virginia
Service Number: A03/TQ2.0.02146E1
Country: United States
Sweeeeet.

Hey, so how big are those furniture pad buttons you are using? I saw some online that "look" right to me, and are already black, but are 7mm. I think that is too small just from eyeballing my pad here. How big are yours?


Top
 Profile  
Reply with quote  
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next



You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: