PROPOLOGY
Shipping Pallet of C-4 Plastic Explosive (simulated)
Project Breakdown
by Richard Molnar - President, lead designer & builder at PROPOLOGY
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 project can sometimes become.
A Signifiant Change of Plan
This project was only one of several assigned to us during the preproduction period, leading up the the season 3 opener of ARROW. All that was required, was the fabrication of a set of simulated blasting caps (x8), and some simulated C-4 plastic explosive blocks (x16). This would then be integrated with a rented timer/detonator device the Prop Department had provided. 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… accomplished many times before.
By Monday morning, this requirement 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! Overnight, all the projects in the workflow had become much more challenging to complete on time.
This project was only one of several assigned to us during the preproduction period, leading up the the season 3 opener of ARROW. All that was required, was the fabrication of a set of simulated blasting caps (x8), and some simulated C-4 plastic explosive blocks (x16). This would then be integrated with a rented timer/detonator device the Prop Department had provided. 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… accomplished many times before.
By Monday morning, this requirement 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! Overnight, all the projects in the workflow had become much more challenging to complete on time.
Suddenly Shorthanded
I was the only one working on the ARROW assignments, and had one small assignment for FLASH pending also. Given the nature of the projects (and the staggered completion dates) these assignments would 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 the project because it could be very 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, and had one small assignment for FLASH pending also. Given the nature of the projects (and the staggered completion dates) these assignments would 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 the project because it could be very 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 (despite setbacks)
By 10:00 Wednesday night, I felt we'd accomplished enough to call it a day. I'd hoped to accomplish 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 going 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. Unfortunately however, he became unavoidably delayed… and did not arrive until 2:30 in the afternoon!
By 10:00 Wednesday night, I felt we'd accomplished enough to call it a day. I'd hoped to accomplish 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 going 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. Unfortunately however, he became unavoidably delayed… and did not arrive until 2:30 in the afternoon!
Getting Things Sorted Out
When he finally arrived (most thoughtfully… with 7 Eleven salt & pepper wings, Dr. Pepper, and pizza) I'd already finished routing V-groves into the panels that had been cut out 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. I chose this method, because there was no scripted action depicting any interaction with separate C-4 slabs. This saved material, time, and made it easier for on-set crew to move around.
When it cam to assembling the panels together, Pete suggested that we use some low-density auto-body filler that was on hand as an adhesive. I liked this idea very much, because of the added benefit, of the gap-filling that it would provide.
When he finally arrived (most thoughtfully… with 7 Eleven salt & pepper wings, Dr. Pepper, and pizza) I'd already finished routing V-groves into the panels that had been cut out 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. I chose this method, because there was no scripted action depicting any interaction with separate C-4 slabs. This saved material, time, and made it easier for on-set crew to move around.
When it cam to assembling the panels together, Pete suggested that we use some low-density auto-body filler that was on hand as an adhesive. I liked this idea very much, because of the added benefit, of the gap-filling that it would provide.
Call From the Prop Master
While Peter started gluing panels together, while I went out to pick up some aluminium tubing for the blasting caps, as well as the paint and primer needed for finishing the C-4 "slabs".
Shorty after arrive back, I got a phone call from Prop Master, Ken Hawryliw. It went something like this:
While Peter started gluing panels together, while I went out to pick up some aluminium tubing for the blasting caps, as well as the paint and primer needed for finishing the C-4 "slabs".
Shorty after arrive back, I got a phone call from Prop Master, Ken Hawryliw. It went something like this:
Ken: "How you doing?"
Richard: "Fine… I guess. We're going to go real late on this." 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… at least I think he wasn't.) 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… so ti 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 it." (The "C-4 HIGH EXPLOSIVE" graphic shown in the 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.
The Final Push (into the night)
As the sun began to set (we were 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 raised… if required.
At some point, I broke away for about an hour, to fabricate the simulated blasting caps. We then worked thorough the rest of the night to finish shaping the line-breaks with countered sanding blocks (Sign Foam can be very easy and quickly shaped in this manner). As the sun rose, we prepped for paint.
This was accomplished fairly quickly via paint-roller, although the primer/sealer did take an hour to dry. The finishing coat went on like dream and dried very rapidly… and without a single trace of the open-cell surface of the foam polyurethane sheet (or filled joints).
As the sun began to set (we were 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 raised… if required.
At some point, I broke away for about an hour, to fabricate the simulated blasting caps. We then worked thorough the rest of the night to finish shaping the line-breaks with countered sanding blocks (Sign Foam can be very easy and quickly shaped in this manner). As the sun rose, we prepped for paint.
This was accomplished fairly quickly via paint-roller, although the primer/sealer did take an hour to dry. The finishing coat went on like dream and dried very rapidly… and without a single trace of the open-cell surface of the foam polyurethane sheet (or 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 rollout a second coat. Unfortunately, someone was already en route.
My good friend Santino Barile had been dispatched, and arrived in his magnificent 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 circumstance, 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 rollout a second coat. Unfortunately, someone was already en route.
My good friend Santino Barile had been dispatched, and arrived in his magnificent 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 circumstance, 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 greatly illustrates of how fluid the process of providing custom built props for television can be.