The Art and Science of Prop Replica Creation: An Interview with EFX Gravitations

The art of prop replica creation is a complex process that requires attention to detail, precision, and a deep understanding of the source material. For fans of Star Wars, EFX Gravitations has been a go-to destination for high-quality replicas of beloved props from the franchise. In this article, we'll delve into the world of EFX Gravitations and explore their process of creating authentic prop replicas.

The Process of Creating Prop Replicas

For EFX Gravitations, the process of creating prop replicas begins with a list of items that they want to reproduce. They work closely with Lucasfilm to ensure that every detail is accurate and true to the original. The first step in this process involves having the item on display, which is carefully scanned from multiple angles using high-resolution cameras. "We do multiple passes and get every single angle possible," explains the company representative. This ensures that every aspect of the prop is captured accurately, including its size, shape, weight, and coloration.

Color Matching and Weight Verification

Once the item has been scanned, EFX Gravitations moves on to color matching. This process involves using huge professional Pantone books to ensure that every color is accurate and identical to the original. "We want it to be you know as authentic and true as as possible," emphasizes the representative. Additionally, they use calipers to verify the weight of the prop, ensuring that it matches the exact specifications.

Scalability and Flexibility

While EFX Gravitations focuses primarily on creating Studio scale props, they also offer scaled versions of full-size items. This allows fans to choose from a range of sizes, including smaller, more manageable replicas for everyday display. The company's approach to prop creation is flexible, allowing them to adapt to the needs and interests of their fan base.

A Variety of Items and Licenses

FX Gravitations aims to offer a diverse range of props that cater to different aspects of Star Wars fandom. They work on both licensed and proprietary projects, including items from other intellectual properties such as Ultraman and Macros. The company's approach is to create high-quality replicas that appeal to fans who collect everything, while also catering to those with more specialized interests.

Recent Developments and Future Projects

The company has recently signed a licensing agreement with Subara (Ultraman) and is working on an exciting new concept for Breaking Glass. They are also collaborating with Toyami on a new project under the Macros license. When asked about upcoming projects, the representative revealed that EFX Gravitations has a "lot of exciting things in the works" but declined to reveal too much information at this stage.

The Power of Collaboration and Innovation

One of the key factors contributing to EFX Gravitations' success is their ability to collaborate with talented designers and artists. Their partnership with Brian (D3 dots), a graphic designer, resulted in the creation of new merchandise items that have proven highly popular among fans. The company's willingness to adapt and innovate has allowed them to expand their product line and cater to a wider range of interests.

A Community-Driven Approach

FX Gravitations understands that prop replicas are not just collectible objects but also an integral part of the fan experience. They recognize that fans will often handle props differently, whether it's wearing helmets or handling lightsabers. The company acknowledges that their products should be enjoyable and accessible to a wide range of collectors, regardless of their level of expertise.

Conclusion

FX Gravitations' commitment to creating high-quality prop replicas is evident in every aspect of their process. From careful scanning and color matching to attention to detail and flexibility, the company's approach is designed to meet the needs and expectations of Star Wars fans worldwide. With new licenses and projects on the horizon, EFX Gravitations continues to expand its product line and cater to a diverse range of interests. Whether you're a seasoned collector or just starting your collection, FX Gravitations' props are sure to delight.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhey everybody Norm from tested here at San Diego ComicCon I'm here at the EFX Booth my first time meeting Evan Evan burger here Norm it's a pleasure pleasure to meet you you know the last time I did a video with you guys a couple years ago it was with your previous owner Brian Ono who sadly passed away um shortly after Comic Con and so first of all my condolences to the team here you know very terrible that uh you know he passed away so soon uh and unexpectedly after Comic Con but uh you know we're now uh trying our best to to carry on his legacy because everyone that knew Brian knew that uh he was synonymous with Star Wars and not only Star Wars but Star Wars collectibles highend you know helmets hilts the Miniatures the studio scale replicas that you guys are so well known for um I want to chat about some of the new stuff you guys have here um absolutely so this is an atst obviously my recollection is that you guys had a version of an atst a couple years ago uh this is this a complete redo as a new version so this is a uh a completely new version than the one that we've uh We've shown in the past uh this one we actually went into the lucasfilm archive uh we scanned the original that was used in Return of the Jedi uh we did paint matching of uh of all the colors that you see here um it's a 100% accurate replica of the one that you saw on screen which is the one that's in the lucasfilm archive uh something else that's interesting about this is uh the wooden stand that we have here um we're not sure if it's going to be uh an option or the only stand that we do but this is actually the uh a replica of the stand that the atst is uh is standing on at the Lucas film archive as it is being preserved and stored it is it's bolted on to that archival stand exactly if if you went into the archive and asked to see the atst this is uh pretty much what you would see but you're still also adding a little bit of a dressing and foliage was that part of it as well so that's that's part of it uh within the archive and even the to um you know felt uh stands that uh that the feed are on uh that's exactly how it is at the archive that that miniature it was it's a puppet right it's a stop motion puppet that they they animated for the film I'm noticing that you're retaining some of these mounting post is that just so we have we have exactly as it is in the archive you know mounting post colors every little you know bit and piece is exactly 100% authentic to uh how it is at the archive which is which translates to how it was shown on screen that that puppet was constituted of dozens hundreds of different components as you're scanning it and then your modelers are refining and and turning into something that you can manufacture how much does like a leg you want how much movement I guess do you want to incorporate into this like are these joints actually movable so they will be we're not sure if they're going to be movable or not actually we're we're still working out some of those details um I can tell you from a production standpoint it will be a combination of uh of resin and 3D printed materials uh we're working on the articulation as well as uh the internal structure because we sometimes put uh you know metal supports on the inside to just ensure that uh the collectible that someone is spending so much money for will uh will be resilient for years to come right and it's a little like said mixed media using a variety of processes and making still then those processes like that those type of 3D printers weren't available you know 3D printing back then but still retaining as much Fidelity as you can exactly um and this is what is this representative of is this like a a prototype for pain prototype for you know skill for approval so this is our uh many if not all of those things this is our paint master um the actual structure of it is about 98 99% complete uh there's still a few things that we are working on the tweaking of uh it was painted so this is our paint Master the reference material were hundreds of pictures that we took at the Lucas film archive uh basically every angle uh of the atst we we took multiple pictures of it uh we did it in a certain type of light that we then replicated uh for when we did the paint Master to ensure you know Apples to Apples that you know the paint looks the same under the same lighting conditions and the artists that you work with you you know experts in the field people with a lot of credibility in in the Star Wars space AB absolutely we work with you know experts and and professionals that uh that know the space well and are just incredibly talented artists um so that's the atst I mean it's it's a gorgeous piece I love maintaining that stand just exactly as it currently is um talk about now the snow speeder um all right well we have here this is something that we're we're really excited about um as some of you may have known or seen because these these do come up for auction uh every once in a while uh for Empire Strikes Back uh everyone that worked on it uh whether it was on on the movie at ilm got a crew gift at the end and the crew gift was a mini snow speeder that was affixed to a uh a plexiglass uh style um you know Mount here and uh We've replicated not only the uh the miniature snow speeder but the uh the mount that it's on uh for everyone that worked on the crew that that got this is a gift uh this is actually extremely accurate because we were able to uh mold one of the crew gifts that was given to someone uh so this is going to be again you know authenticity and and authenticity and accuracy are what we strive for at EFX and uh you know this was molded off of in the original and when you have that option obviously to mold something that's at lucasfilm not possible so the touchless digital scanning is what you use but if you can put rubber on and on silicone on an original prop and the owner will let you do it then that's the best case scenario that is you know honestly it's it's pretty equal at this point with you know how far scanning technology has become in the sophistication uh but you know obviously the the tried and true is to mold the original yeah amazing where are these products along in terms of the development timeline so that people start be able to purchase these pre-order these and get them certainly so the uh the snow speeder is actually very far along we've already ordered all of the uh the tooling for it uh it's going to go on sale probably in the next uh couple of weeks uh once we return from ComiCon uh we're going to have two versions of it um the version will be the same but we're offering a uh a signature series option for this one uh which will be signed by Joe Johnson Wonder we're extremely excited about that we've announced it here for the first time uh as well uh this will probably ship sometime in October or November uh just depending on the uh the production timeline so uh we're going to have this into our our collectors in our fans hands very soon uh as far as the atst that will probably go on sale in in about two months um we don't have a a truly precise uh you know timeline for for producing it but we're hoping December January uh we can start to get into collector's hands you guys obviously don't do just the studio scale Miniatures there are helmets there are hilts is that development process very similar in terms of making a replica Hilt or a helmet where you're doing the same digital scanning and and working through that process so the the initial upfront process is is very similar uh the way that we do everything is we go to Lucas film well we first we come up with a list of items that we want to uh that we want to reproduce uh we go to Lucas film they uh they pull the items for us uh it begins with you know having the item on on a table that's a little longer than this uh first we we scan it which uh we do multiple passes and you know just get every every single angle possible uh we will do measurements with calipers uh we weigh the item uh because we again we want it to be you know as authentic and true as as possible and then we spend a lot of time doing color matching uh with you know huge professional Pantone books we will try to get every color um you know absolutely perfect and you know make sure that you know it's not just size shape and weight but that the the coloration is identical our goal is that uh you know if you have the original at the Lucas film archive and mine next to it and uh you don't know which is the original and which is the replica because they're going to look so similar yeah and and even though these are there display pieces and high-end Collectibles you know fans are going to be they're going to be kind of handling them differently whether it's a helmet or a or or a miniature or lightsaber that you know that that's up to the uh the fan and The Collector uh obviously they are they are collector's items but uh you know many of our uh of our customers and our fans have have trouble just letting them sit on the shelf and they uh they pick them up and they they swing them once in a while they put on the helmets um because it's it's just so much fun not to can't blame them can't blame them and when you said you have a a list of your you know your wish list of things to to work on you know and understanding the realities of a product development cycle you know where are you and EFX gravitating toward is it more toward helmets more toward hilts more toward Miniatures like what's most exciting you know without saying exactly what's coming up sure well we have you know the the license for for prop replicas but that includes you know fullsize Studio scale uh we're allowed to do scaled versions uh of the fullsize studio scale uh we're able to do lightsabers and you know helmets and and really any other props but those are the main sort of four categories that that we focus on uh but what we try to do is really do a a variety of items uh because we know that you know there's some people that that collect everything there's some people that only collect Studio scale only collect lightsabers only collect helmets so we try to have a good mix within our our product development of of those four categories of items uh so that you know no matter where you fall on the uh on the spectrum of of collecting our items that there's always going to be something new for us Star Wars isn't the only license that you guys work with you guys are lenses for other IP or there other brands that you want to talk about we have other ones I I can't show you but uh if if you come to the booth here at San Diego Comic Con we recently signed uh a licensing agreement with Subara uh which is Ultram man we have uh we have some helmets here we have a new Breaking Glass concept that we're very excited about which is a a wall item uh and we're thinking of doing some other things that we're just not quite ready in the uh the prototyping process yet uh we're going to be working on uh an item under the uh macros uh license uh along with toyami that we're uh we're doing that together so we have a lot of exciting things that are uh that are here in the works for uh EF Collectibles that's very cool taking all that expertise the you know the company that Brian built up and all those years of institutional knowledge and spreading the love to other brands absolutely awesome Evan thank you so much thank you so much for coming by and I really appreciate you taking the time to uh to look at our new items thank you guys so much for watching that video we have some brand new merch available at the store a dog's age ago I mean like 2018 2019 this wonderful graphic designer named Brian arer reached out to us and sent us some stickers he has a design firm called D3 dots and we loved his stickers so much we wanted to sell them on the merch store well he updated them with our new logo and we've got Adam in Martian space suit sticker we've got Adam in the shuttle suit sticker we've got Adam in the Apollo suit sticker and my personal favorite Adam in the alien spacit sticker get yours now tested dstore decom heyhey everybody Norm from tested here at San Diego ComicCon I'm here at the EFX Booth my first time meeting Evan Evan burger here Norm it's a pleasure pleasure to meet you you know the last time I did a video with you guys a couple years ago it was with your previous owner Brian Ono who sadly passed away um shortly after Comic Con and so first of all my condolences to the team here you know very terrible that uh you know he passed away so soon uh and unexpectedly after Comic Con but uh you know we're now uh trying our best to to carry on his legacy because everyone that knew Brian knew that uh he was synonymous with Star Wars and not only Star Wars but Star Wars collectibles highend you know helmets hilts the Miniatures the studio scale replicas that you guys are so well known for um I want to chat about some of the new stuff you guys have here um absolutely so this is an atst obviously my recollection is that you guys had a version of an atst a couple years ago uh this is this a complete redo as a new version so this is a uh a completely new version than the one that we've uh We've shown in the past uh this one we actually went into the lucasfilm archive uh we scanned the original that was used in Return of the Jedi uh we did paint matching of uh of all the colors that you see here um it's a 100% accurate replica of the one that you saw on screen which is the one that's in the lucasfilm archive uh something else that's interesting about this is uh the wooden stand that we have here um we're not sure if it's going to be uh an option or the only stand that we do but this is actually the uh a replica of the stand that the atst is uh is standing on at the Lucas film archive as it is being preserved and stored it is it's bolted on to that archival stand exactly if if you went into the archive and asked to see the atst this is uh pretty much what you would see but you're still also adding a little bit of a dressing and foliage was that part of it as well so that's that's part of it uh within the archive and even the to um you know felt uh stands that uh that the feed are on uh that's exactly how it is at the archive that that miniature it was it's a puppet right it's a stop motion puppet that they they animated for the film I'm noticing that you're retaining some of these mounting post is that just so we have we have exactly as it is in the archive you know mounting post colors every little you know bit and piece is exactly 100% authentic to uh how it is at the archive which is which translates to how it was shown on screen that that puppet was constituted of dozens hundreds of different components as you're scanning it and then your modelers are refining and and turning into something that you can manufacture how much does like a leg you want how much movement I guess do you want to incorporate into this like are these joints actually movable so they will be we're not sure if they're going to be movable or not actually we're we're still working out some of those details um I can tell you from a production standpoint it will be a combination of uh of resin and 3D printed materials uh we're working on the articulation as well as uh the internal structure because we sometimes put uh you know metal supports on the inside to just ensure that uh the collectible that someone is spending so much money for will uh will be resilient for years to come right and it's a little like said mixed media using a variety of processes and making still then those processes like that those type of 3D printers weren't available you know 3D printing back then but still retaining as much Fidelity as you can exactly um and this is what is this representative of is this like a a prototype for pain prototype for you know skill for approval so this is our uh many if not all of those things this is our paint master um the actual structure of it is about 98 99% complete uh there's still a few things that we are working on the tweaking of uh it was painted so this is our paint Master the reference material were hundreds of pictures that we took at the Lucas film archive uh basically every angle uh of the atst we we took multiple pictures of it uh we did it in a certain type of light that we then replicated uh for when we did the paint Master to ensure you know Apples to Apples that you know the paint looks the same under the same lighting conditions and the artists that you work with you you know experts in the field people with a lot of credibility in in the Star Wars space AB absolutely we work with you know experts and and professionals that uh that know the space well and are just incredibly talented artists um so that's the atst I mean it's it's a gorgeous piece I love maintaining that stand just exactly as it currently is um talk about now the snow speeder um all right well we have here this is something that we're we're really excited about um as some of you may have known or seen because these these do come up for auction uh every once in a while uh for Empire Strikes Back uh everyone that worked on it uh whether it was on on the movie at ilm got a crew gift at the end and the crew gift was a mini snow speeder that was affixed to a uh a plexiglass uh style um you know Mount here and uh We've replicated not only the uh the miniature snow speeder but the uh the mount that it's on uh for everyone that worked on the crew that that got this is a gift uh this is actually extremely accurate because we were able to uh mold one of the crew gifts that was given to someone uh so this is going to be again you know authenticity and and authenticity and accuracy are what we strive for at EFX and uh you know this was molded off of in the original and when you have that option obviously to mold something that's at lucasfilm not possible so the touchless digital scanning is what you use but if you can put rubber on and on silicone on an original prop and the owner will let you do it then that's the best case scenario that is you know honestly it's it's pretty equal at this point with you know how far scanning technology has become in the sophistication uh but you know obviously the the tried and true is to mold the original yeah amazing where are these products along in terms of the development timeline so that people start be able to purchase these pre-order these and get them certainly so the uh the snow speeder is actually very far along we've already ordered all of the uh the tooling for it uh it's going to go on sale probably in the next uh couple of weeks uh once we return from ComiCon uh we're going to have two versions of it um the version will be the same but we're offering a uh a signature series option for this one uh which will be signed by Joe Johnson Wonder we're extremely excited about that we've announced it here for the first time uh as well uh this will probably ship sometime in October or November uh just depending on the uh the production timeline so uh we're going to have this into our our collectors in our fans hands very soon uh as far as the atst that will probably go on sale in in about two months um we don't have a a truly precise uh you know timeline for for producing it but we're hoping December January uh we can start to get into collector's hands you guys obviously don't do just the studio scale Miniatures there are helmets there are hilts is that development process very similar in terms of making a replica Hilt or a helmet where you're doing the same digital scanning and and working through that process so the the initial upfront process is is very similar uh the way that we do everything is we go to Lucas film well we first we come up with a list of items that we want to uh that we want to reproduce uh we go to Lucas film they uh they pull the items for us uh it begins with you know having the item on on a table that's a little longer than this uh first we we scan it which uh we do multiple passes and you know just get every every single angle possible uh we will do measurements with calipers uh we weigh the item uh because we again we want it to be you know as authentic and true as as possible and then we spend a lot of time doing color matching uh with you know huge professional Pantone books we will try to get every color um you know absolutely perfect and you know make sure that you know it's not just size shape and weight but that the the coloration is identical our goal is that uh you know if you have the original at the Lucas film archive and mine next to it and uh you don't know which is the original and which is the replica because they're going to look so similar yeah and and even though these are there display pieces and high-end Collectibles you know fans are going to be they're going to be kind of handling them differently whether it's a helmet or a or or a miniature or lightsaber that you know that that's up to the uh the fan and The Collector uh obviously they are they are collector's items but uh you know many of our uh of our customers and our fans have have trouble just letting them sit on the shelf and they uh they pick them up and they they swing them once in a while they put on the helmets um because it's it's just so much fun not to can't blame them can't blame them and when you said you have a a list of your you know your wish list of things to to work on you know and understanding the realities of a product development cycle you know where are you and EFX gravitating toward is it more toward helmets more toward hilts more toward Miniatures like what's most exciting you know without saying exactly what's coming up sure well we have you know the the license for for prop replicas but that includes you know fullsize Studio scale uh we're allowed to do scaled versions uh of the fullsize studio scale uh we're able to do lightsabers and you know helmets and and really any other props but those are the main sort of four categories that that we focus on uh but what we try to do is really do a a variety of items uh because we know that you know there's some people that that collect everything there's some people that only collect Studio scale only collect lightsabers only collect helmets so we try to have a good mix within our our product development of of those four categories of items uh so that you know no matter where you fall on the uh on the spectrum of of collecting our items that there's always going to be something new for us Star Wars isn't the only license that you guys work with you guys are lenses for other IP or there other brands that you want to talk about we have other ones I I can't show you but uh if if you come to the booth here at San Diego Comic Con we recently signed uh a licensing agreement with Subara uh which is Ultram man we have uh we have some helmets here we have a new Breaking Glass concept that we're very excited about which is a a wall item uh and we're thinking of doing some other things that we're just not quite ready in the uh the prototyping process yet uh we're going to be working on uh an item under the uh macros uh license uh along with toyami that we're uh we're doing that together so we have a lot of exciting things that are uh that are here in the works for uh EF Collectibles that's very cool taking all that expertise the you know the company that Brian built up and all those years of institutional knowledge and spreading the love to other brands absolutely awesome Evan thank you so much thank you so much for coming by and I really appreciate you taking the time to uh to look at our new items thank you guys so much for watching that video we have some brand new merch available at the store a dog's age ago I mean like 2018 2019 this wonderful graphic designer named Brian arer reached out to us and sent us some stickers he has a design firm called D3 dots and we loved his stickers so much we wanted to sell them on the merch store well he updated them with our new logo and we've got Adam in Martian space suit sticker we've got Adam in the shuttle suit sticker we've got Adam in the Apollo suit sticker and my personal favorite Adam in the alien spacit sticker get yours now tested dstore decom hey\n"