Drop Box Placement

[Sgt Steve]

According to the promo pics and most ANH screencaps I can find, I say that option C ist most accurate:

If you look at the rear rank, the first trooper show's it best, the drop box is in line with the side of the thigh plate, and cover's the spot where the top of the thigh plate and the bottom of the cod/but plates don't cover. So yes the point of the drop box is to protect the body(and body glove) that is not covered by armour.

[Billhag]

It's got to be 'C' and I really can't see where there should be any debate.

Parts of the costume shouldn't be open for interpretation and be placed were 'you think' they should be

if we have undeniable evidence showing exactly were they should go.

 

 

[tkrestonva[TK]]

But that's the thing - there really isn't undeniable evidence, not anything consistent anyway.

 

I have a life-sized cardboard cutout of an ANH stormtrooper in my garage - the promo picture that has him wearing a Hero helmet and pointing an SE-14R at the camera. If you look at his left drop box, it clearly doesn't align like Option C. The outer edge of the drop box aligns about half way between Option A and Option C - right where the belt begins to taper.

 

Let's consider a (not-so) hypothetical scenario: A small-built would-be trooper, say around 5'1", 100lbs, with a waist measurement in the low 20-inches, wants to wear accurate armor (TM, TE2, etc.), build it in a screen-used fashion, and look good. If that trooper says "Option C - no matter what!" is it really the right choice - even if the drop boxes end up on their buttocks? Or should they do what the costume department did back then - take the suit and fit it for the best possible look taking into account the individual's unique physique? I say the latter - that's behind the whole idea of taking a kit and building it to your unique specs for the best possible fit.

 

I agree that the default answer should be Option C. However, I also think one should not allow onself to be enslaved by it if it obviously doesn't work. Especially if you end up violating the intent of the drop boxes - to cover the triangle-shaped area of black undersuit showing between the thigh, cod, and butt armor. The costume department (I believe) did what they needed to do to get the best fit for each actor, realizing not all of their actors were built identically. So should we.

[Daetrin[Admin]]

Brian - you make an excellent point. Even if option C were "official", allowances should be made for people who are not of a similar body type.

 

The Air Force has a saying "if it looks right, flies right". While screen accuracy is strongly sought after and should be identified as goals, it's not always possible or desirable, and both the 501st and FISD do make allowances to deviate.

 

Heck, the 501st still has a lot of TK's running around with

a) black straps for their drop boxes

no backs on the drop boxes

c) plastic belts

d) inconsistent helmet detailing (e.g. ROTJ decals with an ANH hero frown)

e) Silver tape on thermal detonators

f) holsters that are mounted on the right for ANH troopers

 

The list goes on, and these are more visible than whether someone chooses option B or C.

 

I love that the level of costuming in the Legion is getting so good we start sweating the small details like this, and again am 100% behind that we should have accuracy targets to shoot for (e.g. EIB even has "should haves"). However we also need to ensure that we're not so slavish to screen accuracy we alienate the majority of our membership.

[ajax407[TK]]

Yeah, what he said. :-)

[troopermaster]

"Option C - no matter what!"

 

Absolutely!

 

So, would it be acceptable for someone with a 40"+ waist to have their drop boxes hanging past their plastic front belt to cover there gap?

[tkrestonva[TK]]

In all likelihood, that's no more acceptable than having someone with a 20" waist with their drop boxes against their butt. Without the benefit of an example photo, I think it would be acceptable to move the drop box as far out as Option B (or even a tiny bit further) if it enhances the overall costume appearance.

 

You have to look at the individual and make a judgement call on what looks best, while sticking to what is seen on film (be it still photography or video) as much as possible. What we're trying to do here is get as many people into accurate costumes as possible and have them look good doing so. By contrast, I don't believe that numbers were an issue during filming - if the actor wasn't the proper height/weight proportion he was simply passed over for the next guy.

 

It is possible to get so caught up on the small details that you lose sight of the overall picture - "missing the forest for the trees" if you will - and the overall appearance is really what most people outside of us stormtrooper fanatics see in the films. That's what we're really trying to achieve in attempting to nail as many details as possible - the big picture. That's why even a beat-to-hell screen-used suit that looks like a complete pile of junk up-close can look stunning - from a distance. It's the sum total of the details and how they come together - not the details themselves - that really make for an outstanding costume.

[Dmian]

All I am saying is to truly look like a stormtrooper you need to copy what you see on screen.

Well, that's one of the reasons I try to keep slim...

 

I have option B on my belt (it's more practical) but it's clear that option C was what they used in the movies. (Jee! another upgrade to my suit to put on the list. )

 

As always: it's only important if you want that level of accuracy.

Bear in mind that we use the armor for longer periods of time, without taking it out. At least the stunts were allowed to take out most of the suit in between takes. I think the longer I've used my armor was almost 4 hours straight (without using the restroom!)

You have to reach a compromise between confort and accuracy somewhere.

And also, you have to reach a personal compromise between looking as good as your body allows and be screen accurate.

All are personal decisions.

 

Edit: if we really want to be accurate, we should use kaki green HDPE helmets painted white for stunts. White ABS helmets should only be used for Hero suits (always talking about ANH, of course).

I think we should make a distinction between looking accurate and being accurate.

You can look accurate without duplicating every single detail of the original armor (like HDPE helmets or hidden features). But if you want to be screen accurate, you should strive to replicate as closely as possible every detail and nuance of the screen used suits.

Edited August 23, 2010 by Dmian

[lightside]

I think the point is we all should be 180cm tall to be movie accurate. So I agree with the ones who say that the armor must be built to fit their body as best as possibile. Infact, if the movie accurate style gives at the whole armor a bad look because the man under it is too small, it naturally becames movie inaccurate to my sight.

But.. there's one thing I don't understand, sincerly... Someone spoke about the drop boxes placed there to cover black spaces... but what about the sandtroopers? They don't have the drop boxes; shouldn't they have the same problem?

Edited August 23, 2010 by lightside

[Midnyt17]

Is there an Option D?

 

I'd say C is more "accurate" while B is more convenient to produce since you only need 1 rivet instead of 2. I know it only takes a few seconds to pop in that 2nd rivet but...

[carbonitekid]

Is there an Option D?

 

I'd say C is more "accurate" while B is more convenient to produce since you only need 1 rivet instead of 2. I know it only takes a few seconds to pop in that 2nd rivet but...

 

 

But what?

As you say , it only takes a few seconds.

 

As for height/personal build argument others have mentioned as being an issue........ perhaps that could be an indication you have the wrong body type for this costume and should explore other options.

 

Not politically correct or likley to endear me to the populace but what the hey.

 

I know the 501st is not allowed to discriminate on the basis of age/sex/height or weight but when you see some TK's out there with legs the size of many pepoles waists it does make you wonder if they perhaps should have picked a better suited costume.

[Sonnenschein]

Is there an Option D?

 

I'd say C is more "accurate" while B is more convenient to produce since you only need 1 rivet instead of 2. I know it only takes a few seconds to pop in that 2nd rivet but...

 

Actually, you don't need any rivets at all. They're just looped over the belt and fixed with the snap which goes on the ab plate.

 

As TM once said, there where no pop rivets used at all on ANH armor

 

 

Karin

 

 

[troopermaster]

As you can see above, the looped strap goes between the rivet and snap. The snaps are behind the first box on the belt so the strap has to be in the same spot on all belts, otherwise it would be in the way of the snap and the canvas belt wouldn't be able to attach to the abdomen properly.

 

All I can say is that you should try and get your drop boxes to line up with the ends of your belt like they did in the movies. If you want to deviate from the original costume then that's your choice.

[tkrestonva[TK]]

All I can say is that you should try and get your drop boxes to line up with the ends of your belt like they did in the movies. If you want to deviate from the original costume then that's your choice.

 

On that - we are in agreement.