Movie Prop Collecting with Jason DeBord's Original Prop Blog Film & TV Prop, Costume, Hollywood Memorablia Pop Culture Resource

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San Diego Comic-Con 2019: Regal Robot (by Tom Spina)

This is part of my ongoing coverage of San Diego Comic-Con 2019. Tom Spina was one of the first collectors I came into contact with back in 2002, and one of the first guys I met in person in 2005.  As Tom and his businesses – Regal Robot (“art decor and furniture”) and Tom Spina Designs (“unique creations for marketing, trade shows, theme parks, film/video, collectors, museums… anyone!”)- are based on the east coast, I was thrilled to learn that he was not only attending San Diego Comic Con this year, but also exhibiting as Regal Robot.  He brought along a lot of cool merch (as an official licensee for his Star Wars products).  Of course, Tom is know all around the world for the peerless work of he and his colleagues in not only their creative work but restoration and display work for original props, costumes, and other film and television production assets. [Read more…]

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Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2015: “Star Wars Original Props and Costumes” Discussion Panel

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From Luke’s yellow ladder A New Hope and Empire Strikes Back to his hero lightsaber from Return of the Jedi, the “Star Wars Original Props and Costumes” discussion panel at Star Wars Celebration 2015 in Anaheim ran the gamut of obscure background props to the best of the best.  Participants included Stephen Lane and Brandon Alinger from Prop Store, Tom Spina from Tom Spina Designs, and legendary collector Gus Lopez, creator of the Star Wars Collectors Archive.  Each panelist took us through one of their own “prop story” tales, showcasing the background of one of the prized pieces in their own collection.  Of note was that this was the first public announcement by Brandon Alinger that he owns what is essentially the hero Luke Skywalker lightsaber from Return of the Jedi, which was also used by Sir Alec Guiness in A New Hope as a fighting lightsaber (and not to be left out, it was also a practice dueling saber employed in The Empire Strikes Back).  It was an incredible display of both knowledge and images, and overall it underscored the importance of collectors in tracking down, identifying, restoring and preserving these important pop culture artifacts. [Read more…]

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Star Wars Celebration Anaheim 2015: “Secrets of the Cantina” Discussion Panel

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The “Secrets of the Cantina” panel at Star Wars Celebration was one of the events that I was most looking forward to, and it did not disappoint.  Featuring co-presenters Pablo Hidalgo from the Lucasfilm Story Group and Tom Spina of Tom Spina Designs, they delved deep into the mythos of one of the most popular scenes from Star Wars: A New Hope, talking exclusively about those creatures (and ugly humans) that inhabited that infamous bar.  At times playing out like a spoken word CSI: Tatooine, they talked about some of the crazy methods they’ve developed to identify some of the actors behind the monsters, as well as the actors who played parts with make-up but without the masks. [Read more…]

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Star Wars Celebration Preview: Original Movie Props, Costumes, & Artwork Discussion Panels and Events

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Star Wars Celebration, the world’s only official Star Wars convention, is coming to Anaheim, California from April 16th to 19th.  It is anticipated that 150,000 fans will be in attendance, which rivals San Diego Comic Con numbers.  With much to see and do and a focus on the upcoming Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens, there is still quite a bit to look forward to for those focused on original props and costumes.  I’ve gone through the published scheduled and put together the highlights below, which might be of interest to readers of the Original Prop Blog who also are fans of Star Wars. [Read more…]

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Congratulations to Tom Spina Designs on ‘The Dog Strikes Back’ 2012 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial (Star Wars Mos Eisley Cantina Creatures)

I just wanted to give a public congratulations to my friend Tom Spina and all his cohorts over at Tom Spina Designs for their outstanding work on the new Star Wars themed commercial produced for the Superbowl this month.  The ad, “The Dog Strikes Back: 2012 Volkswagen Game Day Commercial” features a cut to a stunning recreation of the A New Hope Mos Eisley Cantina, with creature masks, prosthetics, and some costumes made by the Tom Spina Designs team (10 aliens in total).  Incredible. [Read more…]

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The Latest Tom Spina Designs Restoration & Custom Display Project – ALIEN Costume Elements

Tom Spina and Mike Thomas of Tom Spina Designs have worked their special restoration magic again, this time with some costume elements from the Ridley Scott sci-fi classic, ALIEN (1979).  The arm and chest pieces were carefully restored and built onto a custom display. [Read more…]

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Tom Spina Designs “Stay Puft Marshmellow Man” Ghostbusters Prop Display Fuses Innovation and Style

Tom Spina Designs has added a new page to their website which showcases one of their latest impressive display pieces, designed to showcase an original animatronic piece from Ghosbusters as well an create a compelling and unique way to make it recognizable while still revealing the inner workings of the puppet.  [Read more…]

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Tom Spina Designs Video Features Bob Burns and ‘American Werewolf in London’ Restoration

Tom Spina and his amazing restoration of an original American Werewolf in London piece created by Academy Award-winning special effects master Rick Baker and owned by Bob Burns, as covered back in 2008, is now the focus of a new video feature published by Tom Spina Designs on YouTube. [Read more…]