As seen at STAR WARS CELEBRATION VI • RETURN TO TATOOINE DIORAMA BUILDERS
Orlando, FL, USA from August 16 to 19 2012
pre production Celebration VI WEDNESDAY FINAL SET UP
Welcome to the OFFICIAL Star Wars Celebration VI Return to Tatooine Diorama Builders workshop site featuring my EXCLUSIVE CREW COVERAGE not seen anywhere else on the web.
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Wednesday, August 15 2012
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This year for the first time I arrived an extra day early ( TUESDAY ARRIVAL & SET UP ) so that I could do all the driving, pick up and delivery caca chores on the Tuesday so that today, Wednesday, my core crew and I can concentrate on everything that is inside the convention center and no need to waste time driving around in a city we know nothing about :P. Today we had our work cut out for us, in our biggest booth, floor space EVER, our first time Crew War Room, and some cool signage we needed to have wood delivered so we could actually hang the signs for the public to see 🙂 On top of that, Pat and Simon had to build the entire CORE of the 100% Hasbro Scale Jawa Sandcrawler so that fans could help add the details and paint it all in 3 days.
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Some of the photos below are direct grabs from the Time Lapse cameras that gave out EXTREME Chromatic Aberration – the blue glows that extend from all that is white and bright – so I appologise for that ahead of time, so busy, hard to stop and take lots photos while getting things done. Frank.
- As we get closer, I install my brand new Timelapse cameras in the corners of the Diorama Booth. These screen grabs are a little fuzzy and glowy, but look cool in motion.
- Here I am on the phone ordering wood for the signs as the crew pow wows a construction plan
- YES !! Our 2"x2" pieces of wood have arrived, our architect Alissa can start her magic.
- One of the GIANT Banners I created for the booth.
- Duke starts to place tan colored paper on top of all table surfaces to blend better with patch holes caused by uneaven woodchip "sand" - Alissa starts her magic building the first frame prototype
- Discussion time, do we like the height ? Patricia comes to help hold sign up so I can get a better view from far away.
- Prepping up the frame, we realise that as light as it is, it's very wobly, so we may need to secure these frames to the table ends to prevent fan concussions 😛
- Pat and Simon working on the Sandcrawler
- Alissa working on more supports to the left as Pat and Simon continue the Sancrawler to the right
- Fellow Montrealer, Fred arrives to start helping out
- Large view shows the guys starting to put the framing of the staff's center war room. You can see curtains hanging in between Mark and Patricia.
- War room is ready, Signs layed out on tables ready for stapling to the supports. You can see above Patricia, the progress of the Jawa Sandcrawler so far.
- Time for a lunch break, got a lot done so far.
- I am making sure the signs won't fall on fans heads as they build tomorrow 🙂
- Last minute touches on each side of the entrance and we are done.
- Signs looking good. Adding numbers will hopefully help the fans know what tables to go to next and create a better flow of circulation allowing the maximum number of fan participation.
- Scraps of foamcore you say ? it may look that way, but it is actually a giant 1:1 scale Jawa Sandcrawler puzzle 🙂
- Designed and pre-built in Montreal, I had to mark all connections, dismantle and pack in boxes to rebuild and complete it with the fans this week.
- Simon & Patricia start the long process (took ALL DAY) to assemble my precut skeleton pieces of the Jawa Sandcrawler. All the Detail panels and paint will be done LIVE with the fans during the show.
- All this took 2 hours ! 🙂
- The Jawa Sandcrawler base is put together. On top of this will go the 3 BIG geometric sections and below, the 4 sets of treads.
- Center top core box being assembled.
- Patricia and Simon start gluing the huge CENTER box of the Jawa Sandcrawler.
- Continue to assemble the sign frames and Sandcrawler as more staffers arrive to help out.
- After 15 years, Duke, John and Chris (right frame) are more like family then just regular staffers. That is the BEST gift I got from having the opportunity to produce and design these workshops.
- Looking good 🙂 Glad I pre cut all these pieces in Montreal.
- Are you starting to see it ? The rear HUGE box is secured into place.
- Time to tackle the nose of the Sandcrawler.
- Hot Glueing the front part of the Jawa Sandcrawler.
- Simon doing some slight calculations for pieces I didn't have time to finalise back home before shipping this beast.
- Putting up the last sign, GROUP BUILDS - Sandcrawler and Sailbarge. Daunting tasks for sure, will we make it on time of crash and burn ?
- Assembling the front third of the main Sandcrawler body.
- Sweet looking cards 🙂
- No Diorama Builders workshop wouyld be a success without the generosity of the Star Wars FANS !!! Here are some of this years donations to help populate the streets of Tatooine.
- Another table full of ships donated by the fans for the fans. Hey these are the toys I donated 🙂
- Do you think we have enough hot glue guns ? 🙂
- The day is done, almost, this is what you guys will see when you show up at the booth this week. Hopefully it will help fans find us a little easier then in past years. Fan giveaways on the left and What to build on the right.
- John (his 2nd with us) and Duke (3rd times a charm) in deep thoughts pre-stress of Day ONE 🙂
- Always the jokesters 🙂 What shall we eat for dinner? Are we done yet ? 🙂
- Signs looking great. My little contribution to the booth budget 🙂
- As we leave to go for dinner, looking back, looking good, ready for the fans in the morning.
- As the day ends, we have our FIRST BLISTER of 2012 !!! 🙂 Way to go Patricia LOL. Did I tell you how hard my team works for you guys to have a great time ? 😛
Rodger Smith
August 19, 2018 @ 8:06 pm
If I was there the Sandcrawler would be alive today on a custom stand. Whaaa. 🙁
Frank Diorio
August 19, 2018 @ 11:20 pm
Yeah it’s sad that the rain destroyed it and it ended up in the garbage bin 🙁