Conceptualized 24 years ago by Icons Jim Latta & rendered by Daren Dochterman, these are early concept designs for the first announcement of Icons licensed line of Star Wars prop replicas. Icons was the first collectibles company to be granted a license by Lucasfilm LTD. to produce 1:1 scale Star Wars prop and miniature replicas (1995-2000), after LFL had received over 1,000 proposals.
Interestingly, Icons preferred the open wood door ad concept (above) with the illuminated eyes of C3-PO and a Jawa peaking out, and Darth Vader's lightsaber glowing in the darkness, but Lucasfilm felt the wood door concept appeared "too unsecure and could lead to break-ins by fans", so a bank-vault style door was created by Dochterman as requested by Lucasfilm. The Icons wood door version of this advert has never before been shown until posted here on this blog.
Stormtrooper's guarding the vault door (above) were added to feature more of a Star Wars theme to the advert but eventually Lucasfilm chose the simple bank-vault door design. Variations on this theme were rendered by Daren, before the final design appeared in a 1996 issue of the Official Star Wars Fan Club publication - "The Star Wars Insider".
SO COOL FRED! CAN'T WAIT TO SEE THE PROPS GUYS AND BEHIND THE SCENES
ReplyDeleteHard to believe that Lucasfil rejected this wonderful concept and insisted upon the safe vault door version. From what I was told, LFL was afraid fans would break in to the Skywalker Ranch archives if a simple door was shown in the ad. Yeah, right.
ReplyDeleteI agree. This concept blows away the one that was published in the Star Wars Insider. Still have that issue.
ReplyDelete