New Technology - 3D Printers

One piece of technology I have lusted after ever since I first discovered the wonders of the lazar cutter; is the 3D printer. After going to see Jupiter Ascending I was bewitched by its beautiful costumes and was thrilled to hear that they had used 3D printing to create some key pieces of costume. Once I discovered this, I wanted to explore the use of 3D printing in the Film industry as the theory of it and its use has beguiled me so.

The 3D printer is the latest advancement in manufacturing that is starting to be used in Hollywood. 3D printing is allowing designers to be more adventurous as 3D printers can create amazing things quicker and for lower budgets than traditional craft techniques but still retaining the impressive detail.

The Prototype for Ironman's Glove made with a 3D printer, signalled Hollywood's move to 3D printing

Jason Lopes has pioneered the use of 3D printing in the industry and he believes that it will “help make movies more efficiently and quickly than ever”. From creating models needed for CGI to props used in live action, you no longer need handcrafted foam models all you need is a digital artist and the 3d printer. “Lopes said that though Hollywood has been slow to recognize the value of 3D printing, producers are starting to catch on to what the technology has to offer”.

David Leigh, president of Harvest Technologies said. “3D printing provides the best of both - it's an exact replica of the CGI model crafted in a digital space that can now be brought to reality, facilitating a better cinematic experience." With CGI being used more and more 3D printing is making the cuts between CGI and live action seamless as it can take 3D scans of the live action and can create models that can then be used in CGI.

However it is not just CGI that is benefitting as Jet Cooper (3D Supervisor ) says, "The resolution on the printers we're using now is unbelievable. You can print someone's face at quarter scale and see all the wrinkles and lines.” With these machines creating such exquisite detail it means they can be used for props and even costumes. With higher resolution cameras now picking up on every minute detail the 3D printers had to offer the same level of detail before they could be used.

Amazing detail on this miniature 3D printed Warhammer Piece

3D printers have already been used to create elements for the costumes in Guardians of The Galaxy and weapons used in Men in Black 3. "In Zero Dark Thirty", says Cooper, "the filmmakers couldn't get the right night-vision goggles because they were $60,000 per unit and also the US Department of Defence didn't want to release them. So I modelled [digitally] them from some photos that had leaked on the internet," and then he printed them out on a 3D printer.  And incredibly in James Bond, a “1.6 metre 3D printed” replica Aston Martin was made so they could blow it up. As I said at the start, 3D printing has most recently been used in Jupiter Ascending to create elements of the costume.

Star-Lord's Helmet was printed for Guardians of The Galaxy

3D Printed Aston Martin for Skyfall

This website: http://sharonsmith.carbonmade.com/projects/5495625, shows how designs were turned into practical jewellery for Jupiter Ascending.

The pieces of jewellery on Eddie Redmayne's costume were 3D printed

While at the moment 3D printers can only create rigid things like props, jewellery and armour but as this video shows the company Nervous System from Massachusetts have been working out how to 3D print fabric.

It is not quite a wearable garment but it is starting to show the real possibility of the technology to move into costume construction, once again taking more jobs away from craftsmen.

However that is not the only issue, “3D-printing is becoming an increasing headache for companies trying to protect their intellectual property.” You can now pick up a 3D printer for less than £500 and with digital models being leaked online it is now easier than ever to create high quality ‘knock off’ merchandise. This is a real problem because as we saw in previous blogs, revenue from merchandise is really important for film successes, as it is a relatively riskless form of income for the studio.

Fernando Sosa's model of Left Shark, which attracted the attention of Katy Perry's Lawyers

However it is the implication on craftsman that poses a more immediate threat. The Prop Shop's Amanda Amphlett says, "We are changing the way that props are being made, because we design in digital; everything we do is 100 per cent digital. We can scan something, model it, and then print it as a prop.” 'But film props are changing fast and the days of safety goggles may soon be gone, because 3D printing is the hottest new thing in town and it promises to change the physical side of film production forever’, as “If you work it out it's cheaper because you don't need to have an entire team in a workshop," claims Amphlett.

While 3D printers are a long way off creating believable period costumes they are making tremendous headway in making props and plastic costumes like armour or costume props. So while cutters and costume makers are not under direct threat, other skilled craftsmen and women that had made these items are now being made redundant by the 3D printer. So while the possibly for designers is vast the move towards 3D printing may not be a popular one in Hollywood among the craftsmen and women behind the scenes.