Video: If you’re planning to build your own lightsaber, droid or time-travelling DeLorean replica, the first place you need to visit is the Replica Prop Forum. It’s the online hangout for builders to share tips and photos of their creations. It’s also where you’ll find Darren Moser detailing his build of a life-size K-2SO puppet from Star Wars: Rogue One.
Given how tall and lanky the Imperial droid turned rebel is, Moser had to abandon plans to build his K-2SO as a costume, opting instead to turn it into a wearable puppet he could operate from behind. YouTube’s Tested channel had a chance to check out how far Moser’s creation has come at a recent RPF party where builders gathered to show off their props and replicas.
A frame made of PVC plumbing pipe covered in black sculpted foam helps keep the towering puppet’s body from getting too heavy, but to perfectly recreate all of the details in K-2SO’s head, Moser opted to 3D print a replica he found online. To ensure he can see where he’s going while walking around a convention, Moser even hid a wireless spy camera in the droid’s head that feeds a live video signal to an iPad on the back — not unlike a reverse version of the backup cameras many cars now come with.
[YouTube via The Awesomer]