www.TK560.com

[jegner]

Well its been a crazy week, but I wanted to get everyone updated on the project.

The Fleet Trooper helmet is 99% done! Thats right. The molds, with the exception of some final touch up sanding, are done, Herb and I have pulled a couple for testing purposes. I think these will end up a big hit with costumers wanting to do a Rebel Fleet Trooper. The rest of that costume is pretty easy to pull together.

Stacey, aka TKBIG from South Carolina, is working on a pattern for the Fleet Trooper holsters, so Heath, when he gets that to me, I'll send that your way, and maybe we can get you some tan leather to make them from? I'll know more in a few days.

Also, the Sportsman's Guide has gotten their back order of German Jackboots in. Herb and I ordered these months ago and should be in our hands in a few days. I will let you know how they work out. The last pair I got were fantastic boots for $15. Now, if I could figure out how to mod them for stormtrooper boots... Hmm.

Also, I've created a Rebel Fleet Trooper page: http://www.tk560.com/fleettrooper.html with info on this costume. I am really starting to like this costume. The pants are regular street clothes, and the vest actually works out to be a pretty nice 'camping/shooting/photography' vest. So far the expense on these costumes is pretty light compared to the Stormtroopers.

The prototype Fleet Trooper blaster is 90% done. Only a few greeblies to glue on and that will be done. I am considering making a silicone mold of the whole thing, and resin casting it as one big pour. That would really cut down on the production of these blasters. They are easy to make as a scratch built gun, so I may end up just casting a few more parts off of it, like the barrel tip and scope, and we can make these from PVC pipe. What do you guys think? The resin casts would require $100 worth of silicone mold material, and a large amount of resin. The PVC version are cheap!

The track and dolly camera rig construction has bogged down. I'm stuck at the research stage, trying to substitute a cheap material for the 2 inch angle iron. That stuff runs $10 a foot! I'm not sure when I'll get around to finishing the dolly. That puts a delay on the next test film shoot. I was really wanting to test the track and dolly system the next time we got together, but I don't know when this rig will be ready. I don't exactly have any scenes ready to film yet for the fan film, and not having the dolly ready means that we would just be filming more of the same stuff we have already film, but in different locations.

As an alternate to just doing another test shoot, Herb and I have discussed the idea of filming some scenes for a project he is working on. For that project, Herb would need us in Stormtrooper costumes, AND at least 3 Rebel Fleet Trooper costumes. I think between Herb and I we can come up with 3 Rebel Fleet Trooper costumes, and I think Heath might be working on one as well. It would be fun to film a complete story, instead of just tests, and Herb would be ready to film on August 27. Herb seems to think that a 2 hour film shoot that morning with one wardrobe change is all he needs to get the footage for his project. I think this would be fun, and would be the first time we would see the Rebel Fleet Troopers in full costume, and Heaths pauldrons and holsters on film. Also it would be a learning experience for all of us to shoot from a script, or at least an organized list of required scenes. Filming would be done on the SFA campus.

Herb could tell you more about what he has in mind, but as I understand it, we would need as many troopers as we could pull together, [some may be dummies lying on the ground, as 'dead' troopers] and as many RFTs as we could get made up between now and then. As it stands, we have 6 sets of armor, and my ABS suit [the one on the mannequin]. 5 of these are done, and I'm in the process or upgrades and repairs to them. The 6th suit, is the stunt suit, and is partially assembled. It would require only the "shirt" and 'coveralls' to be assembled. I think between my real sterling, and original PVC blaster, I have enough trooper weapons to go around.

Let me know if this sounds like something you might want to do. I'm game, and it actually sounds like fun! Also, I'd like for us to get together at least once a month to film something. each time we get together and film, we learn, and get better.

As for my fan film script, if you want to read it, I've posted the first part online:

http://www.tk560.com/lastgarrison.htm

Just a few things I need to change are the production references to characters. All those TK numbers gets confusing. Also, this is back story, character outline, and just the first act of the script, and what remains to be written will detail a lot of action, and killing, the X-wing shoot down, the fist-fight bwtween a trooper and the X-wing pilot, the undwater shots, and end with the main hero trooper blasting the rebels, and taking mortal hits as the hoards of RFTs advance. The hero trooper is buying time for a small group of his squad to escape and relay some valuable data back to the fleet.

Well, anyways, Coy and Herb are both working on version of the script, so if you have any good ideas, or scenes or other stuff you would like to see on film, jot them down, and please get them to me by the end of August so we can have some time to review them, and get them into the script.

Pablo, I will get some more shots to you in a few days. And how are those other shots going?

Larry, how's the matte paintings? It would be fun to shoot those cliff scenes on the 27 if the matte are done.

Coy, any luck with the diagona?

September, we will have another production meeting, and for that meeting, I'd like to have a draft script to look at.

Thats all for now, let me know about the Aug. 27 shoot. If nothing else, Herb and I will be there doing a 2 man show. I hope we can get everyone together for that shoot. It will be fun.