14
Nov
Farscape Scarran Costume Mannequin & Restoration
Restoration & custom display mannequin for a screen used Farscape Scarran costume
This complex Farscape Scarran costume was brought to our NY studio by a client looking for a larger than life display. The Scarran’s costume, made by Oscar Winner Dave Elsey’s talented team for the show, is different that many others because instead of fitting on the actor’s body like everyday clothing, he wore platforms boots which added several inches to his height as well as the mask which put the alien’s head on top of his own. This meant that when in full costume the Scarran stood around 7 feet tall! In addition, there’s a muscle suit, a special vest to keep the actor cool, and many, many pieces of armor and detailing!
The first step was to restore any of the areas on the mask which had started to deteriorate. Those areas were carefully patched and then only the patches were painted to match the surrounding areas. This allows us to keep as much of the original material as possible, and the patches can help stabilizes any of the surrounding material. We also patched the hands and replaced the finger nails that had become detached, including one replica nail which was made to replace one that had been lost over the years. The rest of the multi layered screen worn costume was carefully repaired and reinforced as needed.
Our goal is always to make these props and costumes look good for their age while respecting the history behind them. We want to ensure that any restorations or replica pieces blend in with the original material so they do not distract from them or stand out.
With the conservation work on the costume complete, we were able to begin the creation of the large sized custom mannequin. With this costume the weight of the mask and chest piece added a bit of a challenge when creating a stable mannequin, we had to be careful to create a body form that was able to compensate for the strange balance distribution and weight of the massive costume. A large base added a full foot of additional height and also helped to give additional stability to the body, and we added a custom cut out pattern inspired by the Scarran ship to bring some of the show’s theming into the display. We then back lit the cut outs to match the look from the series.
Have an original movie or television prop in need of restoration or a unique display? Email or call today and let’s discuss your project!
Loved this imaginative Henson production?
