Imperial Stormtrooper: Choosing your brow height

[CableGuy[TK]]

Hi all,

 

Firstly, I’d like to say that Low and higher brow heights are perfectly acceptable and all members are welcome in the legion. I would just highlight that some appear to reflect Stunt or Hero/Promo troopers.

 

The intention of this post is to share educational reference photos with new and aspiring troopers.

 

Based on watching ANH, viewing the many reference photos and additions behind the scenes and historic photos, there is a clear direction regarding various brow heights in ANH. In the spirit of the CRL, this guide would help improve uniformity across the legion.

 

For those that favour a low brow, I would highly recommend checking out the Hero* or Promo Trooper as an ideal option.

 

*please note that not all Hero helmets had a low brow.

 

Below is the Promo Trooper. This features a hero helmet (this is different to the Stunt helmet) and is an iconic look, featuring a low brow (brow trim essentially ‘on’ the top of the eye sockets). There is essentially zero gap between the bubble lenses and the brow trim. There were just six hero helmets made for ANH, made in gloss ABS, intended for close up shots;

 

 

Luke has a very similar look;

 

Han, on the other hand, had a clear gap (seen here left of shot)

 

50 Stunt helmets were made for ANH. These were made from green HDPE plastic, then primed and painted. The majority of TKs seen in action and group shots in ANH were Stunt helmets and had a visibly different appearance, including a longer painted ‘frown’ with (for the most part) 4 ‘teeth’ either side, 3 screws per ear rather than 2, flat lenses rather than bubble and (for the majority seen on screen) had a consistent gap between the top of the eyes and the brow.

 

First up is a photo taken outside Shepperton Design Studios and shows approximately half of the 50 Stunt helmets primed and ready to send to the studio. The brow height is consistent across these helmets, each having a clear gap between the eyes and the brow.

 

Note below that perhaps 2 or 3 of 26 helmets have a slightly lower brow.

 

 

On to screen used, there are a few lower brow stunts featured through ANH, however they are certainly outnumbered by the conventional look.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Note the same scenario from ESB (re-using ANH Stunt helmets for the most part);

 

 

Even quite a few Hero helmets, including Han’s, had the usual gap.

 

 

 

 

I hope that these reference photos help to show the difference with various helmets. This post,and the information included, comes from a passion for the wonderful character that is the Stormtrooper and is not intended as a negative view on those that choose the low brow. Both have their place in our character lineup. I would simply suggest considering the hero or Promo Trooper as an option for those that prefer the low brow.

 

Best wishes

 

Dan

 

NB - credit to StarWarsHelmets.com for a lot of this information. I’ve learned a lot from there over the last couple of years.

[TheSwede[Staff]]

Great post Dan

[busy_bazza[TK]]

Perhaps this should be pinned as it contains helpful knowledge when choosing which trooper to go for.

[TheSwede[Staff]]

Pinned

[ukswrath[TK]]

Thanks for posting Dan, it brings clarity to confusing topic I hear from so many builders.

 

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

Nice work Dan and this is why I tell people to research  

[Sly11[TK]]

Excellent work Dan!!


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[CableGuy[TK]]

Weekend bump. :-)

[TKSpartan[TK]]

Thank you Dan, excellent post. !! 

[Oztrooper[TK]]

Excellent post...I have seen some of these helmets and can tell you first hand there is no benchmark for brow height...they slapped these together quickly and they for the most part ended up the way they ended up...being background stunt that's the way it was...ironically these were the suits that survived and from where we all have ours derived from...

[CableGuy[TK]]

Excellent post...I have seen some of these helmets and can tell you first hand there is no benchmark for brow height...they slapped these together quickly and they for the most part ended up the way they ended up...being background stunt that's the way it was...ironically these were the suits that survived and from where we all have ours derived from...

Interesting insight, Jeff; however, the above references really do show that the majority were constructed in a similar and quite consistent fashion. Especially the shots outside Shepperton Design Studios.

[gmrhodes13[Staff]]

I think it's important just to mention in regards to basic approval and CRL's (costume reference library) these are made up of consistent information in other words what the majority seen had, this is why "Mr No Stripes" is not approvable, he was a one off.

 

So there may be someone you see in a scene which goes against the norm and you may replicate that look, then it would be entirely up to your GML if they decided they would be approved as is. 

 

Now whether the DO's approved that same look for the higher levels then that's really another question  

 

[ukswrath[TK]]

And the debate continues lol