Shipping Pallet of C-4 Plastic Explosive
For the TV Series ARROW
Project Breakdown
by Richard Molnar
What follows is a fairly detailed account of a typical assignment. I offer this as an example (a case study if you will) of how convoluted a seemingly simple project can sometimes become.
A Simple Assignment
This project was only one of several assigned to us during the preproduction period leading up the season 3 opener of ARROW. Originally, the job required the fabrication of a set of simulated blasting caps and some simulated C-4 plastic explosive blocks. This would then be combined with a rented timer/detonator device the Prop Department had obtained. Given that the bomb was to play later than the other items we'd been assigned, it had not received much attention. After all, it was a simple build… something I'd accomplished many times before.
A Significant Change of Plan
By Monday morning, this had changed... radically. After some due diligence on the part of the Prop Department, it had been determined that the bomb originally conceived would not provide the level of destruction indicated in the script. In fact, the explosives expert they consulted suggested that nothing more than an entire shipping pallet of C-4 would be required. Because of this, all the other projects in the workflow became much more challenging to complete on time.
This project was only one of several assigned to us during the preproduction period leading up the season 3 opener of ARROW. Originally, the job required the fabrication of a set of simulated blasting caps and some simulated C-4 plastic explosive blocks. This would then be combined with a rented timer/detonator device the Prop Department had obtained. Given that the bomb was to play later than the other items we'd been assigned, it had not received much attention. After all, it was a simple build… something I'd accomplished many times before.
A Significant Change of Plan
By Monday morning, this had changed... radically. After some due diligence on the part of the Prop Department, it had been determined that the bomb originally conceived would not provide the level of destruction indicated in the script. In fact, the explosives expert they consulted suggested that nothing more than an entire shipping pallet of C-4 would be required. Because of this, all the other projects in the workflow became much more challenging to complete on time.
Suddenly Shorthanded
I was the only one working on the ARROW assignments as well as having one small assignment for THE FLASH to produce. Given the nature of these projects (and the staggered completion dates) these assignments should have been easy to accomplish on my own. Unfortunately however, I wouldn't be able to start the C-4 project in earnest until the other items were completed. This left me only 2-days to deliver the pallet of C-4 for Thursday 9AM pickup. I decided I would need help.
The only person able to lend a hand with short notice, was my friend Lauren. I was truly grateful for her help handling the 8' x 10' x 1.5" sheets of material required for the build.
I choose a product called Sign Foam for the project because it could be easily shaped with simple tools and was light-weight. This was in consideration of the prop personnel that had to wrangle the item around set.
I was the only one working on the ARROW assignments as well as having one small assignment for THE FLASH to produce. Given the nature of these projects (and the staggered completion dates) these assignments should have been easy to accomplish on my own. Unfortunately however, I wouldn't be able to start the C-4 project in earnest until the other items were completed. This left me only 2-days to deliver the pallet of C-4 for Thursday 9AM pickup. I decided I would need help.
The only person able to lend a hand with short notice, was my friend Lauren. I was truly grateful for her help handling the 8' x 10' x 1.5" sheets of material required for the build.
I choose a product called Sign Foam for the project because it could be easily shaped with simple tools and was light-weight. This was in consideration of the prop personnel that had to wrangle the item around set.
Pressing On
By 10:00 Wednesday night, I felt we'd accomplished enough to call it a day. I'd hoped to accomplish a little more, but the morning had been taken up with client meetings, pickups, etc... as well as obtaining the requisite 3-sheets of Sign Foam for the C-4 build. Thursday was lining up to be a very long day.
I was up at 5 AM the next day. Work started by around 6:30 after a quick breakfast at "Micky D's". Today I was lucky enough to enlist the help of a fellow builder (and best friend) Peter Toporsezyk. The bad news was that he would not be able to join me until noon. As it turned out, he had been unavoidably delayed. He arrived at 2:30 in the afternoon. Not a good start.
By 10:00 Wednesday night, I felt we'd accomplished enough to call it a day. I'd hoped to accomplish a little more, but the morning had been taken up with client meetings, pickups, etc... as well as obtaining the requisite 3-sheets of Sign Foam for the C-4 build. Thursday was lining up to be a very long day.
I was up at 5 AM the next day. Work started by around 6:30 after a quick breakfast at "Micky D's". Today I was lucky enough to enlist the help of a fellow builder (and best friend) Peter Toporsezyk. The bad news was that he would not be able to join me until noon. As it turned out, he had been unavoidably delayed. He arrived at 2:30 in the afternoon. Not a good start.
Getting Things Sorted Out
He did however, arrive with 7 Eleven salt & pepper wings, Dr. Pepper and pizza. Very thoughtful of him.
At that point I'd already finished routing V-groves into the panels that had been cut to size the previous day. Once assembled into a 5-sided box, these groves would create the illusion of a neat stack of ten 6" x 18" x 46" slabs of C-4. I chose this method as there was no scripted action depicting any interaction with separate C-4 slabs. This saved material, time, and would make it easier for on-set crew to move it around.
When it came to assembling the panels together, Pete suggested that we use some low-density auto-body filler that we had on hand as an adhesive. I liked this idea very much, because of the added benefit of the gap-filling at the corners that it would provide.
He did however, arrive with 7 Eleven salt & pepper wings, Dr. Pepper and pizza. Very thoughtful of him.
At that point I'd already finished routing V-groves into the panels that had been cut to size the previous day. Once assembled into a 5-sided box, these groves would create the illusion of a neat stack of ten 6" x 18" x 46" slabs of C-4. I chose this method as there was no scripted action depicting any interaction with separate C-4 slabs. This saved material, time, and would make it easier for on-set crew to move it around.
When it came to assembling the panels together, Pete suggested that we use some low-density auto-body filler that we had on hand as an adhesive. I liked this idea very much, because of the added benefit of the gap-filling at the corners that it would provide.
lA Slightly Confusing Call From the Prop Master
Peter started gluing panels together while I went out to pick up some aluminum tubing for making the blasting caps and the paint and primer needed for finishing the C-4 slabs.
Shortly after arrive back, I got a phone call from Prop Master, Ken Hawryliw. It went something like this:
Peter started gluing panels together while I went out to pick up some aluminum tubing for making the blasting caps and the paint and primer needed for finishing the C-4 slabs.
Shortly after arrive back, I got a phone call from Prop Master, Ken Hawryliw. It went something like this:
Ken: "How you do'n?"
Richard: "Fine I guess. We're going to go real late on this though."
Ken: "Yeah… well… do you remember us talking about wrapping the C-4 in brown paper?"
Richard: "Huh… what are you talking about?… oh, very funny." (Anyone who knows Ken is aware of his sense of humour. I honestly thought he was kidding. He wasn't.)
Richard: "Fine I guess. We're going to go real late on this though."
Ken: "Yeah… well… do you remember us talking about wrapping the C-4 in brown paper?"
Richard: "Huh… what are you talking about?… oh, very funny." (Anyone who knows Ken is aware of his sense of humour. I honestly thought he was kidding. He wasn't.)
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Ken: "We did talk about this, didn't we?"
Richard: "You're kidding… right?" Ken: "No I'm not." Richard: "Ken… you know that there are no separate slabs of C-4 to wrap… it's all just one big box with line-breaks engraved into it. It just looks like separate slabs." Ken: "They're not separate?" Richard: "No Ken… remember… I'd described how this was going to be accomplished… in the sketch I'd sent you." Ken: "Well you'll have to figure out how to wrap it somehow… I'm sending David over with a roll of brown paper…" Richard: "No Ken… it's just not possible at this juncture… there's no practical way to do this the way this thing's been designed… " Ken: "Well, I need to be able to stick labels on |
Approved Concept
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it." (As per the "C-4 HIGH EXPLOSIVE" graphic shown in the Art Department concept rendering.)
Richard: "I know Ken… just put them on the thing." Ken: "Is that going to work?" Richard: "Of course… it's only painted." Ken: "Well… that will have to do then. Carry on!" (and then he hung-up.) Well thankfully (despite some confusion) we still seemed to be on track. |
Art Department rendering... before the C-4 was changed into giant slabs.
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The Final Push... Into the Night
The sun began to set. As we'd been working outside the whole time, out came the work lights.
By now, the assembly of the main "stack" and "single-layer stack" was nearly completed. The single-layer stack had been requested by Props so that the overall height of the main stack could be adjusted, if necessary.
At some point, I broke away for about an hour to fabricate the blasting caps. We worked throughout the rest of the night to finish shaping the line-breaks with contoured sanding blocks (Sign Foam can be quickly shaped in this manner). As the sun rose, we prepped for paint.
We quickly applied primer/sealer via paint-roller. This took an hour an hour to dry before we could apply the finishing coat. This task went like dream, and paint dried very rapidly. The finished surface did not exhibit a single trace of the open-cell surface or the filled joints.
The sun began to set. As we'd been working outside the whole time, out came the work lights.
By now, the assembly of the main "stack" and "single-layer stack" was nearly completed. The single-layer stack had been requested by Props so that the overall height of the main stack could be adjusted, if necessary.
At some point, I broke away for about an hour to fabricate the blasting caps. We worked throughout the rest of the night to finish shaping the line-breaks with contoured sanding blocks (Sign Foam can be quickly shaped in this manner). As the sun rose, we prepped for paint.
We quickly applied primer/sealer via paint-roller. This took an hour an hour to dry before we could apply the finishing coat. This task went like dream, and paint dried very rapidly. The finished surface did not exhibit a single trace of the open-cell surface or the filled joints.
The Extended, Yet Satisfying Finish
Time to call ARROW props to confirm pickup. It was nearly 9 AM, and if they were going to be late, I though I might roll on a second coat of paint. Unfortunately, someone was already en route.
My good friend Santino Barile had been dispatched and arrived in his magnificent, black, BMW SUV. I think I actually shook my head from side-to-side as he pulled up. "Santio" I said, "This thing is never going to fit into your vehicle." Given this, I volunteered to drive it out to set in my van.
So after working 18 hours straight, and into the night, I now had to continue at least another hour or so to deliver the assignment to set. I felt terrible for Peter, who was left alone to clean up.
In any case, the assignment had finally been successfully completed… despite the confusion and setbacks!
Time to call ARROW props to confirm pickup. It was nearly 9 AM, and if they were going to be late, I though I might roll on a second coat of paint. Unfortunately, someone was already en route.
My good friend Santino Barile had been dispatched and arrived in his magnificent, black, BMW SUV. I think I actually shook my head from side-to-side as he pulled up. "Santio" I said, "This thing is never going to fit into your vehicle." Given this, I volunteered to drive it out to set in my van.
So after working 18 hours straight, and into the night, I now had to continue at least another hour or so to deliver the assignment to set. I felt terrible for Peter, who was left alone to clean up.
In any case, the assignment had finally been successfully completed… despite the confusion and setbacks!
The circumstances of this assignment well illustrates how fluid the process of providing custom built props for television can be.