Techsean's blog

Boing Boing and Steampunk Theatre

Great to see the show up on Boing Boing . I will be doing lots of updates so please come back and take a look. I have been working on making the props for the stage show and it's been lots of fun and a challenge to do it on low budget. I don't look on it as a bad thing since every penny saved goes to the charities. I have gotten some good practice on my scavenging skills and since I have an extensive prop collection also I can tap that for fill in some spots.

 

 
Me as Robot Monster for halloween. I'll get a better photo up shortly. I made the helmet by costing a beach ball in plaster cloth and using a dog dish as a form for the neck. Some miscellaneous wooden bits and pipe cleaners for wires and 5 dollar antenna from Radio Shack 

My robot costume. The rivets are doll googly eyes and the base is a trash can. Eyes are tap lights, ears are plastic yogurt containers. Video of me wearing it is Here and Here and I can never have enough ventilation.

Makng Goggles

Some dollar store finds and other bits from around the house. My current project is for the stage show so I am keeping the vision on the goggles pretty clear for safety's sake. I'll get some new shot's up soon since I have done some more work in it and added others.

More projects and a site move..

The following are all stage props I have created for the stage play “An Evening of Steampunk and Robot Theatre”

Some goggles I have been working on. I wanted to try some different colors out. Don't think the red and the silver is going to work out without some rub and buff. They just look too shiny. 

Here are some flashlights and a steampunk cell phone or a Ethereal Spirit box as I have taken to calling it .

 

This is a pain. I really need it to have a different look and I have 2 options for this one. It can be a robot head or it can be a mask for someone but how is an actor going to talk through this thing?

Steampunk Cell Phone

Just finished this project to the left of me for the Steampunk Theater project. Figured it might be nice to see a before and after. The base is a cheap wooden coffin ($1.99) and a kazoo in the shape of a saxophone (which cost me 25 cents). Lots of cherry colored varnish some spray paint , scrap booking do dads , and misc wooden objects and we have a Steampunkish cell phone.

Mordor Tower Cake (Epic Fail!!)

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Well Here is a cake I tried to make for my wife. It was a big job while I don't feel bad about what happened it would have been nice to pull this one off. Well I'm going to try again sometime so maybe I will have a better post later.

Creating Steampunk Cell Phones (Spirit Boxes)

This is for a play that I am working on with John Herman. I have been given a number of scripts (about 10 min in length) and from that I am culling out the prop list. Pretty much cherry picking anything I either have on hand or looks fun to build. one of the items is a Steampunk cell phone. The script is currently just referring them as cell phones but I prefer the term a Spirit Boxes (maybe is will catch on).

This is a work in progress so I'm going to add and remove stuff as I go along and figure out that works

Parts list

1. Toy kazoo in the shape of a saxophone
   
2. Tiny wooden coffin 
3. Typewriter keys 

Just stained the coffin and let it dry, now putting on the clear epoxy to give it some shine and harden it up.

My robot showed up in...

My robot showed up in an interview at Zombos Closet of Horror with Cinema Suicide .
Photo taken by Michael G. MacKenzie

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Steampunk prop tests

Some tests I am doing to work out how to make some of the items needed but to do it cheaply. I have taken some old style dials and gauges from the internet and printed them out. Using various items from cake pans, candy tins and small spice storage jars I'm trying to craft them into something convincing for the stage.  The nice black line detail are transparencies from the craft store.
The proper colors still need to be done and I'll probably have to take it all apart so I can prime everything. I really need not to hit the glue to quickly.

I am also working on a large control panel version with knife switches. I'll post that up later.

Working on some test props for the stage

Working on props for a Steampunk/ Robot play with John Herman and others.Trying out some test panels to sharpen my skills in creating steampunk control panels. I have been experimenting with using cake pans from the dollar store and pasting steam gauges images on them. I think for stage usage it will work.  I'll post some photo's up shortly and get the link out for the stage play.

48 hour film project update

We made it to the finals and took the award for Best Costume, which I was personally very happy about. My robot costume was in the film and we created a number of other costumes on the spot that day. The blinking radar dish bra comes to mind as the current nuttiest thing I have had to make on short notice. Lots of fun to work with everyone and I look forward to next year.

Clark Fails Fourth Grade - 48HFP