C-3PO Screamin Model Box Layouts

The prototypes in this series are all original artwork, layouts, and proof sheet for the Screamin' Model Company's line of Star Wars models released in the early nineties. These represent some of the first prototypes to emerge from the "Dark Years" of Star Wars collecting - the period between the demise of Kenner's action figure line and the release of the Heir to the Empire novel. Above left is a layout for the C-3PO box front. To make a layout, the designer basically cut and pasted pieces of art, text, and photography onto a mechanical board. Some layouts also include a transparent sheet with more cutouts pasted to them. Handwritten instructions are sometimes scrawled on the top tissue paper overlay, detailing corrections, additions, coloring, and other such instructions. The image on the left is a black and white layout and though it's hard to tell from these photos, all the text is on a transparent film in front of the picture. On the right is a cutout front panel from an actual production box for comparison. The picture above shows two proof sheets for the box sides and end. Below you'll see the two layouts used in the design of these proofs sheets and, ultimately, the box sides. Finally, pictured below are layouts for the smaller 1/6 scale model showing the front and sides of the box. Notice the transparency sheet on the box front layout. The colorings and notes were markups telling the designers what to change, what colors things should be, and any additions to the layout.

Description by:	Chris Fawcett
Photo:	Chris Fawcett
From the collection of:	Anonymous
Country:	United States
Film:	A New Hope
Licensee:	Screamin
Year:	1977
Category:	Prototypes / Prototype Packaging and Proofs

All information © 2014 Star Wars Collectors Archive