The companion videos for The Prop Effects Guidebook just keep on coming. This week I demonstrate how to build the most basic type of blood knife you can. A blood knife is a specially-prepared knife that administers blood as it “cuts” an actor.
I will be releasing more of these companion videos as we draw closer to the book’s release. You can watch all of them on YouTube.
The Prop Effects Guidebook is available for pre-order now at most major retailers.
How a Wes Anderson movie prop maker helped develop That’s You! – Annie Atkins is one of Wes Anderson’s go-to prop makers, and has been featured on this blog before. She also designed the “props” for That’s You!, a new video game for the Sony Playstation. This article is an interesting look at how the skills and talents of a prop maker are still vital even in a purely digital environment.
Etching Brass Plaques – “Switch and Lever” produced a short video where they experiment with three different ways of etching graphics onto brass, and compare the results. Brass etching is something I’ve always wanted to try, but I’ve never gotten down to it. I’ve gotten down to brass tacks, but not brass sheets.
Vintage Ad Browser – Two interesting sites came over the S*P*A*M email list this week. The first is Vintage Ad Browser, a collection of over 100,000 print advertisements. They are organized by subject matter and by decade. I’ve always found ads useful for period research, not necessarily for the subject matter (which is often idealized), but for what is going on in the background. For instance, an ad for a stove will also have pictures of pots and pans, and serving bowls and utensils, so you get a quick sense of what was typical for the time period.
Cover Browser – The second site collects over 450,000 covers to books, comic books, magazines, video games, and more.
I am back with another companion video to my upcoming book, The Prop Effects Guidebook. This is a quick and simple effect for making red hot glowing coals without the use of flame or heat. I first learned it from Jay Duckworth, who probably learned it from his mentor, who learned it from his, on back through history to Ancient Greece, when Propcrates invented props.
I will be releasing more of these companion videos as we draw closer to the book’s release. You can watch all of them on YouTube.
The Prop Effects Guidebook is available for pre-order now at most major retailers.
Master and Apprentice – If you haven’t seen this show yet, you are missing out. Every week, Marcus LaPorte and Adam Ellis build a replica prop from pop culture from scratch. Marcus is a production designer with 17 years experience and Adam is a novice cosplayer. The show is especially compelling because of their interaction as Marcus teaches Adam new skills and tools. It is also a very beautifully shot production.
You want a flamingo? No problem! A rare glimpse inside the RSC’s mind-boggling props HQ – Take a look into the props shop of one of the UK’s finest theaters. This article chats with Alan Fell and others involved in his department, and a multitude of photographs illustrate all the nooks and crannies of their stock.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel’s Set Designer Shares the Secrets to Creating That Magical World – Mid-century design will always have a special place in my heart, and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is one of the latest period television shows to bring that era to life. Apartment Therapy talks with Bill Groom, the production design artist behind these sets.
Life in a British Art Department for Film and Television – Graphic designer Matthew Clark gives an interview about his career in a British Art Department. In his eight years, he has worked on productions such as Black Mirror, Doctor Who, Red Dwarf XII, and Loaded.
I am back with another companion video to my upcoming book, The Prop Effects Guidebook. The kabuki drop mechanism is simple (and the following video is short), but it can be helpful to actually see it in action.
I will be releasing more of these companion videos as we draw closer to the book’s release. You can watch all of them on YouTube.
The Prop Effects Guidebook is available for pre-order now at most major retailers.
