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Every effort was made to keep the style and "look" of the finished pieces in-line with Stuart and Kay Freeborn's methods used on Return of the Jedi (though some small steps were taken to ensure that no one could pass these off as screen-used).
Each one is unique in some way. Stuart’s team created a wide variety of sculpts for the faces and ears.
Outside of a few which required reproduction teeth (which we molded from original Ewok teeth), all of the parts used (fur, eyes, foam face & ears, etc) were created by Freeborn’s team for the production of Return of the Jedi back in 1983. The pieces were then trimmed, patched, painted and furred by Tom Spina to create "brothers" to the film-used Ewoks, over 20 years later!
Stuart and Kay are effects makeup legends and it was a tremendous honor to be a part of these projects!
Revenge of the Ewoks!
Catch a ride on the Endor Express!
Back in 2004 we started work on several really amazing projects. The Propstore of London ( www.Propstore.com ) was helping Stuart Freeborn find homes for some incredible movie props and production materials. Among the items Freeborn had saved back in 1983 were production made Ewok parts from Star Wars, Return of the Jedi.
The fur, faces, eyes, ears and other bits he'd saved were cool in their own right, but Propstore wanted to see if they could be assembled to create a more substantial collectible that nicely reflected what people remembered seeing on screen. They came to us and the results can be seen in the photos below!
Return of the Jedi Ewok mask created using original production-made materials. Paint and assembly by TSD
Another mask. Note how each has a different face sculpture.
Makeup legend, Stuart Freeborn, with an Ewok Tom Spina Designs assembled using parts he saved from 1983.
This is how the original, production-made Ewok faces, fur, ears, eyes & dental pieces arrived.
The back of the heads needed to be created. After patching and paint, ears are added and then comes the fur
Fur needed to be carefully applied to capture the right look and flow
hmmm.... not quite done! He still needs some fur on lip and ears (the Ewok, not Tom!)
A set of Ewok parts, made during the production of 1983's Return of the Jedi.
Tom applying paint to a pair of Ewok faces.
Little by little, the fur is glued into place.
Happy client displays the finished mask (and a matching pair of hands) in a home curio cabinet...
The one on the left needs a shave! ;)
An interesting display... a 50/50 split which nicely showcases the "behind the scenes" as well as the "as seen on screen"
A Baby Ewok built recently for a client. The unfinished parts are seen at left.
Mike Thomas did the paint work which Tom Spina did the assembly, body, fur work and themed base.
