Nathan's Trooper Accessories

I've been keeping myself busy during my lunch breaks, and getting into work early to make more stormtrooper gear for Nathan. I've scratch-built him a sergeant pauldron and sand trooper backpack with ammo pouches, a 2/3 scale E-11, 2/3 scale T-21 and a mannequin for his armour.

2/3 scale Sandtrooper accessories

2/3 scale E-11

2/3 scale T-21

Mannequin for Nathan's armour

Jupiter Ascending (2014)

From April to June 2013 I worked for James McKeown on Team Wachowski’s ‘Jupiter Ascending’ at Leavesden Studios, making a varity of hand and set dressing props, including a portal device, an energy weapon, two beds and a set of chairs. 

Portal Device

Machined in chemiwood with brass details. Lit with tiny LEDs in glass beads.

Levitating chair

Built from cnc cut MDF and plywood

Gravity (2013)

From February to July 2011 I worked for Pierre Bohanna again on ‘Gravity’ at Shepperton Studios. We had to replicate a Russian Soyuz and 2 Chinese Shenzhu re-entry capsules. My duties included pattern making for the internal dressing, making hero, stunt and proxy props, cleaning up and finishing props that had been CNCed and I was charged with painting and finishing most of the items that were made. I also got to do a fair amount of Standby. Some was on the Soyuz, but the majority was on a Shenzhu that was shot at the underwater stage at Pinewood Studios for the final sequences of the film.

Hero and stunt fire extinguishers

Hand made patterns which were then vacuum cast in hard and soft materials

Soyuz interior controls 

Lots of hand machined parts and plenty of found items went into this set

Soyuz interior controls 

Lots of hand machined parts and plenty of found items went into this set

Soyuz interior controls 

Lots of hand machined parts and plenty of found items went into this set

Soyuz interior controls 

Lots of hand machined parts and plenty of found items went into this set

Captain America: The First Avenger (2010)

Between June and September 2010, I worked for Prop Master Barry Gibbs under Supervising Prop Makers Roland Stevenson and Jim Barr on ‘Captain America: The First Avenger’ at Shepperton Studios. My work was mainly in the armoury department helping to make the hero and stunt Hydra assault rifles. My duties included pattern making, detailing, casting and assembly of hero weapons, final paint finishing and effects, some mould making and the assembly of over 60 rubber stunt weapons that we had outsourced to a gun rubber specialist.

Hydra hero weapon

Hydra rubber stunt weapons 

The Edge of Tomorrow (2014)

From April 2012 to February 2013 I worked for Pierre Bohanna on ‘The Edge of Tomorrow’ at Warner Studios in Leavesden. I started as a pattern maker for the prototype development stages of the eco suits which included making the weapon prototypes and armour/helmet components from a low density foam. The prototype armour was then drawn up in Solidworks and 3D printed before being moulded and cast in a strong polycarbonate. I then moved on to making a variety of hero, stunt and set dressing props including drones, bombs, grenades, remote control devices, blood transfusion equipment and transponders. 

Prototype armour

Sculpted in polyurethanefoam

UDF drones

Made from vac formed styrene, injection moulded resin, aluminium and steel.

Drop ship cannons

Made from vac formed styrene, injection moulded resin, aluminium and steel.

Blood transfusion unit

Hand machined in chemiwood before being moulded and cast in resin. Aluminium and resin detailing. 

The screen in an iPod that runs a short movie on a loop.

Transponder (stunt version)

Hand turned in chemiwood with aluminium detailing.

UDF training drone controls

Vacuum cast resin from hand made chewiwood patterns

Remote control bombs

Vacuum cast resin from hand made chewiwood patterns. Detailed with found parts.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 & 2 (2009-2010)

Between June 2009 and May 2010, I worked for Pierre Bohanna’s prop manufacturing department on Parts 1 and 2  of ‘Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows’ at Leavesden Studios. I spent my time helping to make a full size pipe organ for Malfoy Manor, making many of the detail parts for the 4/5th scale replica of a Hangrid‘s Royal Enfield motorbike, injection moulding thousands of pieces of treasure for Gringott’s vault and I got to make a wand too.

Hagrid's 2/3 scale motorbike

Malfoy Manor pipe organ

A wand

20,000 rubber goblets

Casino Royale (2006)

In June and July 2006 I worked for Bill Pearson for the first time at Pinewood Studios on ‘Casino Royale’, my first movie. I was making 1/3 scale dressing props for the Venice miniature which was filmed in the paddock tank and 1/12 scale miniatures for the aircraft hanger scene. 

1/3rd scale Venice set

1/3 scale dressing

1/12th aircraft hanger set with dressing

32" Millennium Falcon

Whilst working for props on 'Edge of Tomorrow' I built this replica of the 32" Millennium Falcon miniature from The Empire Strikes Back in my spare time. This model was eventually loaned to the 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' art department during my time working for them as a concept model maker. I sold the model to a member of the SFX department.

Work-in-progress photos

Laying the wiring into the aluminium and MDF frame.

Blocking out the structure.

Adding the correct kit parts to the completed styrene structure.

The completed model in primer.