News

Lots of Bamboo Poles for a Major Movie

Thu, 07 Jan 2021 00:00:00 +0000

October 2020 and we were asked by Greens-Team if we could paint almost 200 6-metre-length real bamboo poles for an upcoming movie. We can’t disclose which one just yet, but we’re definitely looking forward to seeing it and the star-studded cast, and not just because we want to see our bamboo poles in action.

We love making film props and bringing stories alive. We had a particularly busy October and November with four large projects all running at the same time and so our workshop was at its full capacity. But we know how to deal with lots going on and have become masters at logistics. At 6 metres long, the bamboo took up quite a large amount of floor space. Film props need to look realistic on screen. Therefore, each pole was hand-painted and sprayed to look like uncut, growing bamboo. They will be dressed in the film studio by Greens-Team as part of a jungle scene. We’ll post pics of them on-site when the movie comes out, keep an eye open for them.

Attract Visitors to Your Exhibition Stand

Mon, 18 Jun 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Exhibitions are a fantastic marketing platform that enables you to leave an impression and interact with your target audience. You want attendees to notice you and in a busy exhibition venue, you’ll need to stand out. To gain valuable leads you’ll first need them to stop at your stand and then have them there long enough to engage in constructive conversation.

Exhibitions and trade shows are extremely important for attaining leads but it’s equally important that you aren’t too sales heavy. It’s a place to be creative and really show off your amazing brand and employees.

Stand Out

You’ll need to portray your brand in the most eye-catching way possible. Blending into the background is the last thing you want.

If you’re all about innovation, you may want a LED video wall screen to showcase this. If your brand focuses on being environmentally friendly, you may go for a smaller, more natural stand. Using AstroTurf grass, wooden boxes, potato sacks and a plant-filled wall would reflect your eco brand identity.

The stand has to fit with your brand and values. People need to immediately identify your brand personality, so it’s crucial that you get this right.

Use Event Props

Event props are another great visual element that can be used to attract the attendees' attention. A giant prop will grab the attendee’s initial attention and may even be the show stopper of the event. Event props don't only draw the eye but they are perfect visual tools to convey your brand personality in a bold and entertaining way.

An example of the successful use of event props: Spur Creative Workshop made a magic tap for The Boat Show; the tap appeared as though it was suspended in mid-air, being supported by the force of the jet water. They used a submersible pump to keep the flow of water coming from the tap spout and to also help the illusion.

If you have any characters that are associated with your brand or product, it’s definitely worth recreating them as event props. Zingy, the orange character associated with EDF energy became popular when he featured in a series of their successful adverts. Recreating Zingy as a real life-size giant prop would work successfully in an exhibition space to attract visitors.

Another example of successful event props: Spur Creative created two game characters for Microsoft’s new game Sea of Thieves.

The sculpts were used to promote the new online platform at a video gaming conference in Los Angeles. The use of sculptured event props was a success, hundreds of gaming fans had their picture taken with the sculpts and it captured many other gamers' attention.

Event props provide a great photo opportunity. This is not only engaging, but it can really help your brand go viral by attendees sharing their photos on social media.

43% of exhibitors spend between £500 and £2000 on their exhibition displays per year. 21% of exhibitors at smaller exhibitions spent between £100 – £500 on their displays. Of course, this does not only include the event props but every design element of the stand.

Of course, the cost depends on the size of your business, what shows you want to participate in, how large your spot is and if you want to integrate expensive technology.

However, whatever the budget, the below image breaks down the percentage of budget you should be spending in each area.

Give Them Something for Free

Giving away free things is often an underrated method. We mentioned earlier that if your values are in line with being eco-friendly, you may have a wall of tiny plants as part of your display. This is where you take this creative idea further; why not let visitors take a small plant home?

Your branding can be on the pot, which encourages the visitors to come over and interact with your stand. And who's not up for a free plant to nurture?

Interactive Games

Using interactive games to draw people in can go hand in hand with giving them a free gift. Why not make them work for it?

You don’t just want people to notice you, come take a free gift and go (although that’s still great) you want to aim for people to come over, play a game, spend some time, engage in conversation and then take a free gift.

McVities recently used an interactive experience where two consumers were required to work together to operate a model crane. The aim was to grab a giant Mcvities ‘prize’ nibble, each prop nibble providing a prize.

This campaign was an effective way for consumers to interact and win prizes associated with their brand, far more successful than just taking a free pack when passing by.

Train Your Staff for the Event

Training your staff that will be manning the stand is vital. Your staff’s behaviour is just as pivotal to the success of the stand as the design is.

You need to look at the part and be the part. 85% of an exhibition's success lies within the performance of the staff.

If you feel like your employees don’t fit the part, or you don’t have enough time to train them, you can always get promotional staff to fill in. They’re great for attracting and opening up conversations with attendees.

There are many ways to attract people to your exhibition stand. Exhibitions are a really great way to show off your business and have fun doing so.

Whether you use games, freebies or event props to catch attention, make sure you convey your brand message and stand out from the crowd.

Make it memorable and don’t be afraid to go big or be different.

Sources:

See Display Wizard website for exhibition stand statistics.

See The Balance Small Business for trade show etiquette.

Prop Art in Theatre (Infographic)

Tue, 17 Apr 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Props play a crucial role in provoking viewer’s emotions and heightening performance.

Theatre props are anything movable or portable on a stage that is distinct from the actors, costumes and scenery. The use of props in British theatre has come a long way since they were first introduced in the 13th century.

In an age where everything is digital, there is something special about humans using only themselves and props to tell a story. It is this element that has helped theatrical productions continue to play a significant role within British culture for thousands of years.

Theatre props help scenes become more realistic and assist in guiding the viewers’ imagination. Some may argue that props and the design behind them are often underappreciated.

They not only help the viewer identify the character that is being displayed but also help the actor get into character – much like how wearing a suit may help a professional get into a business mindset.

Theatre props have the power to take us back and become engrossed in stories that were centuries well before our time.

They often become a part of a character and therefore develop into a vital association with that particular story. These props can often become highly valued collectables.

Robby the Robot from Forbidden Planet first made his film debut in 1956 and later went on to appear in The Twilight Zone and The Addams Family. The robot became the most expensive prop ever sold at auction when it reached $5.375m.

This was closely followed by the Aston Martin that appeared in the James Bond film Goldfinger and Thunderball which was sold for $4.6m.

Theatre props are much more than just an object to assist the eye. We put meaning into objects and use them to symbolise and communicate stories.

How Replica Props Can Add Value to Your Business

Thu, 08 Feb 2018 00:00:00 +0000

Trying to make your company stand out is a common issue. Whether it’s a small business trying to break through in a new industry, or a multi-national company looking for new ways to draw in more customers, getting noticed is something which all business strive for. One of the most popular methods successful businesses use to get noticed is with visual imagery as a form of advertising. Visual advertising comes in many forms; however, we’re going to focus on visual imagery which uses replica props as a focus.

What are replica props?

Replica props are an exact copy of a product that can be made to actual size or larger. Here at Spur Creative, we have created replica props for a wide variety of businesses. Replica props are often used in theatre to literally replicate an object, usually in a smaller form. Replica props can also be used by businesses to provide potential customers with a visual display of their products.

How can businesses use replica props to their advantage?

To improve brand awareness

One of the biggest benefits of using replica props is their ability to improve a business’ brand awareness. This can either be through leaving a visual memory in the mind of potential customers or through improving exposure on social media channels. One of our clients, Maelu Cafe have used replicas of their delicious macrons to increase exposure on social media through posting pictures such as this image below. The ‘fun factor’ of the image increases social media interaction, which in turn improves the exposure of the cafe and could lead to even more customers in the local area visiting the cafe. When customers visit the store, the large replicas can also leave a lasting memory in their minds, which means, when they next plan to visit a cafe in the local area, they will remember Maelu over their competitors. This is an unorthodox way to get ahead of your competition.

Replica props are also used by multi-national companies to promote their popular cereal Krave. We were asked to create a larger than life replica of a Kellogg’s product cereal box and Krave cereal pieces, which was to be installed at Alton Towers to promote a new ride which Kellogg’s had sponsored. The replica needed to be an exact match of their cereal packaging and instantly recognisable to theme park visitors. From detailed CAD drawings, we were able to perfectly re-create the packaging and cereal pieces to exact requirements.

Replica props offer a great, long-term alternative form of advertising which, in the long run, can be more inexpensive than traditional advertising techniques such as television, radio or newspapers. The maximum amount of time a business usually runs an advert of this type is around 3 months. However, with a replica prop, it can continue to promote and advertise your business for years.

To promote a new product

When it comes to promoting a new product, it’s important to maximise the exposure to both existing and new customers. A new product simply isn’t going to sell if nobody knows that it exists. You need to get the product in front of the eyes of potential customers. Using a replica prop of the new product can be a great addition to your marketing strategy. Large, successful businesses know that it’s important to leave an imprint of their product in the eyes of the customer. At Spur Creative, we are constantly working with businesses on creating replicas of their products. A replica product in a popular resort like Alton Towers is a great way to promote a product directly to a specific target market.

Large-scale replica products can help to promote your product to a wide audience. Whatever the product, our team of creative experts pride themselves on being able to complete a job to the highest standards. By using a large replica of a product, potential customers are likely to remember the product the next time they visit a store.

Using replica props at business stands

Marketing stands can be a great, affordable way of drawing in new customers who are interested in your industry. Stands can be effective when displayed at exhibitions or conferences because it is highly likely that the audience will have a direct interest in your industry, with a willingness to engage with you. However, it can be tricky to draw in the crowds, especially when there are rival businesses competing right next to you.

Replica props can be a great way of making your business stall stand out at a busy conference or exhibition. Often, visitors to the exhibition will find it difficult to remember particular aspects of your stall. In one example, a water purification company asked us to create a large tap to help their exhibition stall stand out from their competitors. The client was really happy with the finished product and the stand went down a treat at the exhibition. This project is one of our biggest success stories.

Using replicas in shop window displays

Shop window displays are a major influencing factor in determining whether potential customers visit your store or whether they simply walk past. Often small retailers are guilty of displaying boring, uninspired displays which fail to attract visitors. It’s important that your shop window draws the attention of potential customers. One great way to brighten up any window is to add props that help to create a visual theme. This is a simple way to make your shop window look more interesting to potential customers. Spur Creative are highly experienced in producing props for various well known brands such as Ralph Lauren, Marks & Spencer, Next and Topman. Contact us today to discover how we can help to improve your shop window display.

What types of replica props can Spur Creative design?

Whatever the product or concept, it’s very likely that our design experts will be able to create an exact replica to your requirements. Our creative process begins by looking at the design from either a 2D perspective with hand drawings, 3-D artwork or even from something as simple as photographs of a product. Following on from initial ideas, our design team works out the best way to manufacture the prop then our team of prop makers, carpenters, metal workers and painters make it happen.

An Introductory Guide to Props & Why We Love Them

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 00:00:00 +0000

What does the term “prop” mean?

The term “props” refers to theatrical property and is the shorthand for the various items used to drive forward the narrative of a play, or screen/theatrical production. The first use of the shortened word “prop” appears in the Oxford English Dictionary. A prop’s primary function is to make the setting of a play more realistic for the actors involved.

But more recently, the term “prop” has become a catch-all for life-size replicas of real objects across films, television, theatre and even video games. For example, here at Spur Creative, we have created life-size replicas of film characters, giant water taps, animals, and even breakfast cereals.

Why are props important?

Props have come to matter more and more, especially in a world that is becoming increasingly multi-media. Prop makers and prop designers are increasingly challenged to create props that are as realistic and life-like as possible.

Whilst props may once have been ornamental or incidental to a plot, they are often used in a film or television series in such a way that they say something about a particular character or scene. Consider James Bond’s Aston Martin DB5, or the sonic screwdriver used by the Doctor in “Doctor Who: both are iconic props that have become inexorably linked to their characters’ identity and back-story.

Theatre props

Theatre props are increasingly a major component of a play’s design aesthetic. Gone are the days when British theatre was merely a few people in a room having a conversation for ninety minutes; contemporary British theatre relies on spectacle and big budgets like never before, and props are often crucial to the success of many of the biggest West End shows of the last twenty years; the most famous example being the hit show War Horse!, Its use of model horses is now infamous in the history of modern stage-craft.

Naturalistic/realist props

“Naturalistic” props usually refer to the props in a theatre production which are integral to the play’s narrative. These are most common in plays or productions where the action takes place predominantly in one room, or where the story relies heavily on linear time. These usually take the form of everyday objects and will encompass most of the items on stage at any given time. Most early 20th century plays and productions heavily relied on more naturalistic/stage props.

Film and Television Props

Film and television props have become as iconic and dearly beloved as the characters and actors who use them. We’ve written another blog post all of our own on some of the most iconic film props, and what they tell us about the characters in some of our favourite stories.

Retail display props

No other industry demonstrates the explosion of the prop industry more than the world of retail and brand marketing. Retail and retail display props are often the cornerstones of any brand’s front-of-house campaign and are a great example of how props and prop design have proliferated to the commercial sphere in a way that dramatists’ could never imagine.

The 7 Steps to Creating a Captivating Retail Display

Mon, 14 Aug 2017 00:00:00 +0000

The importance of a truly head-turning, compelling retail display cannot be overstated. A retail display campaign is often the first step in the relationship between you and your customers. It’s an important strategy if you’re to win hearts and minds, and turn the passive window shopper into a very active paying customer. They are the difference between whether the customer walks on by or steps inside your shop.

Before we go any further, it’s worth stopping to consider the two broad categories of shop window display.

Product-focussed displays

These tend to be the retail displays that you would expect for a bakery or cake shop, a florist, a jewellery store, or maybe an electric or home-ware store. They very simply display the products on offer and entice the potential customer with a clear but comprehensive sample of the products that will be on offer when they step into the store.

Brand-focussed/aspirational displays

These tend to be the displays that are more commonly found in clothes shops, department stores and furniture/larger home retail shops. These are the displays that will be more opulent, more complex and will probably aim to tell more of a story about what your products are, and who you are trying to sell them to. They will try to capture the style and brand of your product, whilst also giving the customer an insight into what they will find when they step inside your shop.

The seven steps below are not exhaustive, and they may apply to some kinds of retail displays more than others.

But whether you’re creating a large-scale experiential retail display or a small shop window display, it’s worth thinking of these core principles:

1. What story do you want to tell?

Before you plan your campaign, you will need to think about what story you want to tell, and what theme lies at the centre of your story. To cite a famous example of a shop window display that tells a story, consider the famous Fenwick’s annual Christmas display. A recent contemporary instance was the 2015 Christmas display, which saw the retail giant create a whole set-piece around the story of Santa crashing into Newcastle. The use of a comedic set-piece is a good example of how to create a truly family orientated retail display that appeals to all age groups.

2. Ensure there is a key focal point

The key to creating a focal point for your shop window display is making sure you know that where your customers’ eye line is going to be and how your display can take the maximum advantage of it. There’s no point creating a visual story if your intended audience can’t see it, then your display has failed before it started. A few useful tips for getting your focal point right include:

Make sure you are taking accurate measurements, and that you have a clear idea of what your display will look like from the street.
Ensuring you are structuring your shop window display correctly, making sure your smaller merchandise is in the foreground, and your larger items in the background are essential to establishing eye-lines.
Think about the shapes and lines of your display – do you want your window display to make use of curves or straight lines? Again, think about eye level and how your shop window display is using sightlines and shapes to get your customer looking where you want them to.

It’s also worth noting that the most expensive/luxury items should have as much space as possible, creating a few focal points within the display.

3. Choose a clear and consistent theme

Getting your theme right is crucial for your shop window display. As we discussed above, your theme is the key to ensuring your display is telling your story properly. Choosing a theme can be something as light touch as decorating your display in a particular colour, or deciding on a particular seasonal style.

4. Be Bold

Retail displays need arguably need to capture our imaginations more than ever in a digital era, where social media and online advertising are taking up more and more of our headspace. Let’s imagine that the average person who now walks past a shop window display will have their headphones in, maybe texting or even doing some online browsing while they’re walking.

This means that any retail display needs to be as bold and bright as possible. Again, to cite the example of Fenwick’s Christmas shop window display, the use of a humorous, slapstick narrative helped to draw shoppers in, using the display’s colours and themes to great effect.

Alternatively, let’s take an example from Spur Creative’s own back catalogue when we were commissioned to re-create bronze horse sculptures (emulating the Polo Ralph Lauren logo) for retail display purposes. Whilst this was not a shop window display, it did form the centrepiece of an in-store display, putting a three-dimensional representation of the Ralph Lauren brand at the heart of their stores.

5. Light The Way

A good lighting design is essential for a memorable retail display. Window light doesn’t have to be an afterthought, and its purpose shouldn’t solely be to provide illumination. Again, the purpose of lighting should be to help you with the tone and structure of your shop window display.

The correct angle of light is essential to making sure your display is getting as much attention as possible. Where possible, you want lighting effects to bring out the 3-D effect of the retail display and making sure you are showing potential customers your focal point. Spotlights should be focusing on key areas.

6. Keep It Simple and Balanced

It’s probably a given at this point, that your retail display needs to be as uncluttered as possible. While you want to make sure that the display has lots of things going on and is inviting your prospective to stop and look closer, your display needs simplicity, symmetry and balance in order to get customers’ attention. For example, whilst brighter and smaller items might be better at the front or centre of your display, heavier and darker items might be better suited to the bottom of the display.

As we have already established, clarity of shape and colour in any retail display is vital, as it is more likely to invoke positive feelings and draw attention to your products.

7. Keep your displays up to date

A vital component of any successful retail display is that it remains fresh and up to date; this, in turn, makes your brand look fresh and forward-looking. At the very least, a shop window display needs updating every quarter. Remember that your retail display is the symbol of your brand, and your brand needs to stay as relevant and forward-looking as possible. The same goes for your shop window display…

Fibreglass Sculptures: 7 Perfect Reasons Why You’ll Want One

Thu, 16 Jun 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Fibreglass is an almost revolutionary material in the world of home, garden, or public space decoration. It is a special material that allows for a much finer rendering of statues and sculptures. In fact, fibreglass sculptures are starting to become quite the trend in both interior and outdoor design.

This molten glass allows you, or your designer, to go wild on the imagination and create sculptures that really represent you, or that can be part of a wider vision. It can be representative of your business, decorate your garden or patio, or stand as a much larger urban symbol. But there’s just so much more to be excited about, and I’ve prepared 7 big reasons why you’ll love it!

Fibreglass reflects moulds perfectly

Fibreglass follows the shape and pattern of any mould perfectly, no matter how intricate the design, and no matter the size of the project. This is one of the prime advantages of creating fibreglass sculptures.

The coat we apply to the mould covers every nook and cranny of the mould without air bubbles forming. The final layers of glass matting and resin strengthen the finished piece. The end result is a perfect, full-bodied prop. The fibreglass sculptures then go through sanding, polishing and painting, and they're ready for display.

Fibreglass sculptures are more durable than concrete

In fact, they're better looking too. But fibreglass is first and foremost, more resistant than concrete, which in time chips away, changes colour, and can be easily broken or cracked. Cement is also too thick to fit snuggly into complex patterns, so if you’re looking for a detailed sculpture, fibreglass is your best bet.

Fibreglass sculptures can decorate any type of space

Thanks to its versatility, fibreglass can be used to adorn both private and public spaces. You can use it to create statues for your home, for an elegant office, or, thanks to its durability, for your yard and garden, or for public spaces like parks or squares.

You can order fibreglass sculptures from a manufacturer, and receive a product that follows your specifications to the smallest details. You can even hire an artist or graphic designer to create an original concept for you, then contact a manufacturer and send them the design and specifications. But there are also artists who specialize in fibreglass sculptures, and you can purchase ready-made, original concepts.

It’s the perfect material for a modern artist

If you’re an artist looking to express yourself in new ways and experiment with new materials, fibreglass might be just the thing for you. While the initial investment in the machinery and materials might be a tad hard on your pockets, and there’s a learning curve to mastering the technique of fibreglass moulding, you can end up creating exquisite pieces that you can both exhibit and sell.

Combine your art with starting a business and perhaps you’ll find that perfect life-work balance we’re all looking for.

Fibreglass can be anything you want

One of the things I like best about this substance is not just that it makes great fibreglass sculptures and objects, but that these can come in any shape, size, and colour/s you want. A good manufacturer will be able to render realistic portraits in both colours and proportions, or avant-garde shapes, futuristic angles, caricatures, famous pop icons, and more. Your imagination is the limit!

Fibreglass sculptures can be a perfect gift

Because the possibilities are endless, you can order the creation of special and unique gifts for your friends and loved ones. Perhaps you can surprise your mother and recreate that one statue she loved, but which broke.

Or maybe you’ve got a friend who collects action figures and you want to create a unique rendition of a favourite character for them. Only it will be life-sized and awesome!

It is light and easy to transport

Fibreglass is excellent for creating large sculptures not just because it’s highly resistant, but because it’s light, too. This makes it easier to transport, either by yourself or by a courier or moving service. So whether it’s for a private initiative or a public project, handling is easier and safer.

Concluding

These are just a few of the reasons why I love fibreglass sculptures and consider them far superior to many other materials. Fibreglass allows you to decorate with unique concepts that look and are high quality, of either your own design or a manufacturer’s or artist’s.

But I also love the fact that you can purchase ready-made sculptures from specialized vendors and pick something that truly reflects your preferences or the requirements of the space you’re decorating.

So, what are you waiting for? You’ve seen what fibreglass can do, it’s time to get a sculpture of your own!

The Advantages of Sculpting With Polystyrene

Tue, 26 Apr 2016 00:00:00 +0000

Here at Spur Creative, we’re experts in crafting spectacular sculptures and models for all of your decorative or display needs. We offer a range of services to suit your requirements, but it’s fair to say that we are big fans of using polystyrene in our creative projects. The reason for that? Well…

Polystyrene is something that we all come across on a daily basis – not necessarily in the sculpture form of a retail display in a shop window or at a specific event, but also in the more basic forms of the packaging in your recent online order, or protection, like in the inside of your bike helmet.

On top of the fact that it's available and easily accessible in a variety of forms, ranging in expansion and density, it has a series of other benefits that make it the perfect choice for sculpting and bringing your prop design idea to life.

Versatile

As shown by the multitude of uses of polystyrene that we’ve already talked about, it is a very versatile material. Not only it's available in different forms, but it also is malleable and easy to cut, shape, sculpt and coat – it’s a propmaker’s dream!

It is possible for our creative professionals to create replica sculptures without any problem, as well as curved walls and irregular shapes, giving you limitless options for your project ideas and prop designs.

Fast turnaround

By coming to a professional and dedicated team like us here at Spur Creative, you’re not only guaranteeing the highest quality results, but also a fast turnaround. Thanks to our expertise, your polystyrene-based props and retail displays can be created in very little time. There is no better way to make a visual tweak to a shop window.

But that certainly doesn’t mean we’re skimping on the finer details – we know just how important detail and lifelike details are, and that’s why we make sure all of our projects and sculptures have the wow factor that everyone is looking for.

Scale

The beauty of using polystyrene for sculptures, models, and other props is that there is no limit to its size. However big or small your design is, it’s possible with using polystyrene. From handheld sculptures to grand retail displays or giant props, using polystyrene enables us to produce high-quality props at any scale. Have a look at some of our recent projects and see our polystyrene sculptures for yourself!

Cost-effective

It's a relatively inexpensive material, which is one reason why it’s so widely used. When it comes to using other materials, the amount or time-scale may render a bill that you cannot work with, which is where using polystyrene comes in as the money-saving alternative.

Plus, not only it's cheap to buy, but it’s also durable and performs well for decorative purposes – particularly when it’s teamed with the right coating and finish. This means you’re really getting the most for your money.

Lightweight

As we mentioned already, polystyrene is very versatile; not only in how we can work with it but also in how it can be used. Part of this is down to the fact that it is so lightweight. Being a lightweight material means that it is suitable to manipulate and move around however you want it – for example, if you want your shop window to have a floating polystyrene prop, you can!

Being lightweight means that it’s easy to transport and manoeuvre too. This makes the job easier for that van driver who is taking the sculptures from event to event, as well as for the shop assistant that has to experiment with their set-up in the shop window. Most of the time, one or two people can move even the biggest of polystyrene sculptures quite easily.

Recyclable

On top of being beneficial to you and your budget, using polystyrene is beneficial to the environment too! As a recyclable product, any waste involved whilst crafting up your spectacular project can be recycled. Leftovers can be reformed into reusable polystyrene, either for new creative designs or one of the material’s many other uses…

If you’d like to hear more about polystyrene carving here at Spur Creative, head over to our services page where you can find out more, or get in touch! We’d love to hear from you.

5 Ways Giant Things Can Enrich Your Life

Tue, 09 Feb 2016 00:00:00 +0000

We're not going to sugar-coat things here. We love giant props. That's probably because we make them, which means we are more than a little biased. We love the different things you can do with them, the weird and quirky ways they can be used to complement any event or show. So we thought we'd publish five of the myriad ways that giant props can turn your life around and bring a smile to your face.

1. Giant props can teach you about your history

We're going to cheat a bit on this one, and include giant puppets too. But that's only because we are in awe of how all things gigantic can be used to create a sense of wonder or spectacle, especially if you're looking to put a show on that your audience is going to remember for a long time to come.

Meet the Sea Odyssey team. They've been enchanting the crowds of Liverpool on a number of occasions now. They always appear when Liverpool is commemorating a historical event and they have proven to be a brilliant method of weaving historical facts together with fantastic stories.

First unveiled in 2012, Sea Odyssey saw three marionettes - a 50ft man, a 3ft girl and a 9ft dog take to the streets of Liverpool to mark the anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic.

Commissioned by Liverpool City Council, the success of the event saw the characters return in a different guise in 2014 to mark another anniversary - this time the beginning of the First World War, one hundred years previously. This time, in "Memories of August 1914", it was just the little girl giant and her canine companion who dazzled the crowds.

2. Giant props can (sometimes) tell your story much better than people can

Again, we are technically dealing with puppetry here, but surely by now, everyone is familiar with the Joey puppet, the horse who captured the imaginations of millions of people across the globe as part of the blockbuster theatre hit, War Horse.

Whilst the play is an adaptation of an already successful book as well as a Steven Spielberg film, it is arguably the use of giant props and puppets that has made the stage incarnation that much more memorable. The life-like nature of the props was a testament to the craftsmanship of the people who made them and was surely a contributing factor to the fact that the play has long stayed in the memory of those involved.

3. Our brains go mad when faced with giant food

Here at Spur, we have made a number of different types of giant food props for our clients and collaborators. We think there's something strangely compelling about giant food. Our inner child can't help be wowed when we see our favourite foods in giant form.

Take, for example, this video of kids being treated to their favourite food...

They love it, right? That's because our brains are attracted to novelty: the new, the different, the bizarre. As humans, we are hard-wired to like shiny new things, especially when they happen to resemble something that is already close to our hearts. That's why that giant version of the Krave cereal boxes we created went down a treat. We are often drawn to novelty without being aware of it.

Our love of novelty means that we love anything big, shiny, which means we are especially open to giant objects which can be used as learning tools...this brings us neatly to point number 4.....

4. Giant props can help with our creativity and learning

Learning and creativity can be best served by playing and interactive learning. And what better way to experience learning than through the use of giant learning aids?

Using giant props when giving a lesson or a presentation are a proven method of ensuring that your audience and/or pupils have an enjoyable time. Props can help you land your points and ensure that the lesson will have a visual reference point, making it more memorable for all involved. Participants will have much more of a sense of how the lesson relates back to their lives.

Play and learning are especially vital for children, so giant props are great visual aids for teaching children about spatial awareness and problem-solving. Below is an interesting (visual, see what we did there?) representation, courtesy of Columbia University of just how visual learning engages the brain.

5. Giants have always given us a good scare

Giants have been some of the primary antagonists of some of our most enduring folk tales and stories. With Mark Rylance due to take the title role in Steven Spielberg's new version of The BFG later this year, the appetite for giants as sources of fascination for young people has clearly never been stronger.

Whether it's giants or ogres, children never fail to be enthralled by big characters (both figurative and literal), as they are often so completely "other", so utterly "alien" that they immediately conjure up images of far-away kingdoms and fictional realms.

Giants are often a great way to teach young children about morals and ethics; the lesson from stories such as The Selfish Giant and The BFG is that appearances are not always what they seem; this lesson will often remain burned into our psyche as we reach adulthood. Giants who were initially perceived as fearsome and cruel are actually shown to possess great kindness and inner strength. Here are some images of some of our favourites; the BFG himself and the giant who is the antagonist of Jack and the Beanstalk.

The Brief Guide to Buying Collectable Stage Props

Wed, 25 Nov 2015 00:00:00 +0000

At the intersection between a passion for history, one for anthropology, and another for the theatre stands the time-honoured pastime of collecting stage props. This guide aims to introduce all those new to the scene (pun intended) to the basics of amassing a reputable collection of set, costume, and prop items.

Types of collectable stage props

Tea set made by Ridgway Potteries Ltd. in Staffordshire, England, in the 1950s. They were mass produced at the time and are now among the more popular collectables for the stage. Image source: Yay Retro.

When it comes to categorising collectables, it all depends on you—your goals, your budget, your ultimate reason for becoming a collector. By and large, these are the two main ways of categorising collectables:

- Historically (by era): You may be interested in collecting Victorian, Georgian, or Depression Era stage artefacts. Given their age, which predates mass production, these will come at a steep price. Conversely, the advent of film and television have also made contemporary items very valuable, since you’re not just paying for any old chair, but for one that was used in Hot Fuzz or featured on Coronation Street.

- Functionally (by purpose): Stage sets widely vary in purpose, which makes it entirely safe to say that they can include any regular household item. Other day-to-day items used on-stage include specialised professional inventory (think medical instruments and other expert tools), as well as dedicated theatrical items like costumes, make-up tools, stage weapons, lighting, etc.

Building your own stage props collection

We’ll leave the reasons for which you might want to start a stage props collection for later. For now, let’s take a cursory look at the main types of collectables that are currently very popular, according to some of England’s biggest names in the business:

Glassware. Aside from having been used as stage vintage glass stage props are also intrinsically valuable. Some of the older and more precious items include Studio pieces, and various types of Crystal, among which Murano, Rhiimaakii, Edinburgh, Stuart, Holmegaard and more. The problem with such items is that they usually run on the expensive side—especially if you go thrifting at vintage fairs. As such, the trick is to find a place that usually stocks your favourite manufacturers and visit them often.
China. Tea and coffee China sets have also become increasingly popular of late, especially as 18th/21st birthday presents. Vintage experts note that they’re seeing many such items being upcycled as candle holders, pin cushions, and lampshades. In any case, it’s important to bear in mind that brand names are very important and add value to your purchase. Some names you should know and watch out for: Ridgway Homemaker, Royal Worcester, Royal Albert, Shelley, and Johnsons.
Other Household Items: decanters, candlesticks, various decorative figurines, cutlery, picnic items, etc.
Advertising signs. enamel signs, luminous signs, fluorescent and neon signs, etc.
Taxidermy: believe it or not, stuffed animals are always in demand, especially mounted animal heads (foxes, deer, boars, etc.).
Stage Costumes Vintage fashion has always sold well, but it’s all the more valuable when it’s been worn on-stage. In terms of male fashion, anything tweed is all the rage (it never really stopped being in fashion, actually).
British chaps should also keep an eye on uniforms, dinner jackets, tailcoats, cravats, bow ties.
For the Ladies, although stage costumes per se are increasingly rare; however, there’s a wide range of furs still available on the market. Valuable pieces include mink, fox, ermine, sable, coney, and much more.
Finally, certain designer names come with a high value (and respective price tag). Aside from hugely popular brands like Chanel and Dior, look for Biba, Vivienne Westwood, Jean Muir, Diane Freis, and their ilk.
Military Artefacts: for the stage: Aside from uniforms, these can include armour pieces, rifles, pistols, swords, bows, shields, etc.

Popular Stage Prop Collections

Collecting is serious business—it takes a lot of money, commitment, and energy. So, before you set out, it’s worth asking yourself a couple of questions:

What are your goals with the collection? Fancy building your very own Victorian era stage setting? You will need to research the era carefully and make sure your collection recreates a set to the tiniest of details—including the fabrics and materials used at the time. You can also choose to specialise in lighting fixtures, theatre curtains, furniture, or decorative items to use as set pieces for a bar.
What’s the budget you’re willing to invest into collecting? While collecting can be intrinsically very rewarding, it’s also an expensive hobby to maintain. Make sure you don’t let it turn into an addiction, eating away at the family budget.
Are you willing to travel for your collection? The advent and increased accessibility of the Internet has both democratised and globalised collecting. That being said, it is now more than ever that you might find a very valuable piece for your collection located as far away as Japan. Would you be up for flying there, to negotiate a sale or attend an auction?

The collectors’ edition: Buying, Bidding & Beyond

Genuine 19th century Punch and Judy show in wood. The collectors, Mel and Eunice Birnkrant, hunted down original Victorian era fabrics for years, just so they could recreate the 20 tiny characters’ costumes. Image source: Mel Birnkrant

The most important thing when building a collection, no matter its focus or scope, is to amass expertise in your niche. Only when you’re sure on your feet about what you’re buying can you expertly negotiate a purchase. Here are some of our practical tips and tricks for stage prop collectors:

Fake one out? Knowing how to tell a replica from a genuine item is, of course, far easier said than done—but with the right mix of knowledge in the fields of history, anthropology, art, and science it’s feasible. Here’s what to look for:
Manufacturing techniques. Rule of thumb: the older the item, the more imperfect you can expect it to be. Also, come equipped with a solid working knowledge of artistic styles and aesthetic trends influencing the era you’re interested in.
Market value. Nowadays, Victorian stage costumes have become increasingly rare, as textile fabrics naturally deteriorate and restoring them is an expensive expert skill.
Materials. Plastic hasn’t been around forever and this is especially true when it comes to furniture. Metal and glass come with a waxing and waning track record of popularity and mass use. Know what materials were in use in which era. If you find them for sale at four-figure prices in most places, don't expect that £200 bodice dress worn by Sarah Bernhardt to be genuine.
Know thine niche. Everyone does everything online these days. However, since collecting deals with the past, it might just end up surviving as the last pastime best enjoyed offline. The trick is not to go to the most popular venues (see below), but to scour the lesser-known gems of whatever city you should happen to live in. Bear in mind that some of the best sellers of collectables are also collectors themselves, so they should know how to direct you to what you’re looking for, irrespective of niche.

A costume designed by Wilhelm in New York, for La Danse—a stage play recreating the history of dance. The costume painstakingly tries to recreate 17th century stage costume fashions and was based on a print of Marie de Subligny, a 1680s popular dancer. The heavy costume attempts to replicate 17th-18th century styles, where dresses were boned so that their weight would restrict the female dancers’ freedom of movement. Image source: VAM

Insider Tips on Starting Your Collection

Greenwich Market, established in 1737, is the only London market that has been classified as a UNESCO World Heritage site. For the seasoned collector, it’s somewhat too mainstream to still be relevant. However, tourists and beginner collectors can find an interesting range of vintage and antique items here on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.

Polish your bidding netiquette. If you do decide to bid online, it’s important to know when to hold, fold, and be bold. The following tips refer mainly to trading on eBay, but the underlying principles behind them can easily be translated to auctions held live or over the telephone. Perhaps the most important thing to remember here is that bidding is a lesser form of warfare—it’s not a matter of who plays nicest, but of who acts the swiftest.
Bid low, hope for slow. One way to go about it, especially if it’s not an item you had been vying for, is to start out with a very low bid, then withdraw early on in the game. In most cases, your puny bid will be topped. However, there’s also the chance you get lucky and bidding goes slow. That’s when you can call your purchase a steal.
The hasta la vista, baby! This is a bidding strategy in which you start out with a fairly reasonable early bid, then get out of the game, only to come in at the end and nab the goods in one fell swoop with a high ending bid. This way, you avoid outbidding yourself in the process.
Auto-bid. These days, most of the big online auction platforms come with a ‘proxy’/’automatic’ feature. This mechanism will allow you to raise your bid by the smallest allowed increment, each time someone tries to outbid you. You also get to set a threshold, which, once exceeded, lets you decide if you want to carry on bidding or not. This method allows you to avoid wasting too much time on the auction itself, as well as to steer clear of bidding wars gone haywire.

Create Suspense in Your Play

Tue, 17 Nov 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The ability to keep your audience on the edge on the edge of their seats can turn your play into a memorable event that people will remember and recommend to their friends. There are many factors that go into creating suspense, from the initial screen writing to the actors performing the role and the stage decorations. Here’s how to create suspense in your play and put on a show to remember.

Allow your audience to relate

Ensure you have sympathetic characters that the audience can relate to. Offering characters a chance of redemption is a good way to do this, as the audience will support them and see themselves in the character.

Provide some sort of opposition or conflict

This may drive your plot, especially when the opposition or conflict stands in the way of your characters achieving their goal. The feeling of doom when it seems like your character may lose can be mirrored in stage props and sound effects to really set a tense feeling in your audience’s stomachs.

Increase the tension further

At this point, you may want to increase the tension even more. A classic way to do this is to let your audience know something your protagonist doesn’t. You can do this in some great ways, using soliloquies, split stages and stage effects. As the character gets into turmoil or lacks essential knowledge, the audience will be urging them to find out.

Create consequences

From increasing tension, make it clear to your audience that there will be terrible consequences if your character doesn’t succeed. As the audience comes to support your character more and more, they will become tenser when the character isn’t finding the answer to the conflict of the play.

Use time as another conflict

By setting a time limit for your character to work against, you will increase suspense. You can do this in a number of ways, such as mentioning it in dialogue, or using set props with a time motif. You will also find that by having a fixed time, your plot will move at a good pace and avoid going nowhere.

Maintain doubt

The moment your audience know the conclusion of your play, all suspense will go and your hard work will be for nothing. You will frustrate and annoy your audience if you fill your plot with unnecessary twists and turns, but by leaving room for doubt, you will draw in your audience and keep them guessing.

Your script, along with the way you dress your stage and utilise stage props can all factor into building suspense in your play. When done correctly, you will be able to build a compelling story with characters that the audience will love and want to see succeed.

Things to Think About When Preparing a Scenic Drop

Tue, 10 Nov 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Before you even start to plan your scenic drop, you will need to assess whether you have a realistic chance of completing it. As with many things in life, time, space and money will be your main limitations, so you need to carefully assess each one before you say yes.

Time

Painting a scenic drop isn’t a one day process. You will not only need time to prepare for the creation of the drop, but you’ll need plenty of time to create it. Far from being a one day process, you will need enough time to paint, time for the paint to dry and time to add another coat of paint. A small drop could be completed in two days at a push, but you definitely won’t be able to paint something 45’X20’ in a day or two. If you’re painting outside, you’ll have to factor in difficulty painting after dark and bad weather conditions potentially adding to the amount of time you need.

Space

Drops are seriously huge pieces of artwork, so you’ll need to find somewhere with adequate space to paint in. The majority of apartments, houses and roofs won’t give you the space you need to paint a drop, so you’ll need to find somewhere where you can lay the drop out on the floor or hang it on a frame

Money

Money is often an issue with people wanting everything for as little money as possible. When you quote a price, make sure you’ve run a thorough estimate for everything you need. This includes buying the fabric, staples, paintbrushes, rollers, chalk, pencils, mixing buckets, paint trays, drop cloths, paint trays, other expenses you may need, and most importantly, paint itself. The bigger surface you’re painting, the more paint you’ll need, especially if the drop requires a multitude of colours. You may want to hire more people to help you out if it’s an especially big drop.

At Spur Creative, we understand all the factors needed to create a drop, from the initial concept to the final stage of painting. Whether you want a complex scene or paint effects, our expert team are at hand to take on the concept whilst you focus on other aspects of your production.

We stock every type of paint possible and know which is going to work the best for every type of scenic drop. Our range of frames allows us to paint drops of the size you need, and we have a dedicated spray booth with a pressurised cellular paint system and a refrigerated drier, especially for high gloss, high quality precision paint finishes.

If you want a professional, high quality scenic painting service for your production, call us today on 01892 890 608 or contact us.

Ways Theatre Props Can Enhance Your Performance

Tue, 27 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

From chairs to footballs, props are the physical objects used on stage in drama productions. Used correctly, they can add to your performance in a unique and profound way, with audience members thinking about your performance long after it’s finished. There are certain ways you can make use of props to ensure you get the most out of them.

Your props can be either real or symbolic

Props in drama can be used as either literal items, such as a characters putting their keys on a table, or they can be symbolic- metaphors used to indicate something else.
Using literal props, and actions to go with them, create a visceral quality. This makes the plot spring to life, and can emphasise important movements.
By using props symbolically, you can create powerful and profound images in the heads of you audience members. For example, if you wanted to demonstrate the separation of two people, a knife could be used to solemnly cut the air. You could also have a picture of the two characters torn apart.

Props can help to pace your story

Props can be used to have a powerful impact on what characters are saying or doing, but these ‘silver-bullet’ props can only be used once to maintain their importance. You will have to think carefully about where to use important props that move the story forward or add a new level.

Like a hook in music, props can be used to create a memorable drama sequence, engaging the audience and igniting the imagination. This helps to immerse the audience in the universe of your story, making even the most fantastical of settings come closer to being reality.

Selling your story with props

If your performance involves an element of interacting with the audience, you can use props in drama to sell your story to them, giving them a physical metaphor to really involve them in your vision. There is an example involving a marble, a baseball and a beach ball when talking about financial policies. Firstly, ask an audience member to keep a marble in their pocket, telling them how easy it would be to forget it. Next, you ask your audience member to keep a baseball in their pocket, remarking how much more difficult it is to forget it. Finally, the audience member is asked to put the beach ball in their pocket, which they can’t.

This is where the metaphorical leap happens. By taking out the financial policy early, it would be like the marble, bought somewhat later, it would be like the baseball, noticeable but able to be carried. If left too late you wouldn’t be able to carry it. By involving the audience with symbolic prop use, the story becomes a lot more believable, and will stay with the audience for a long time.

How to Create a Breathtaking Window Display for Your Shop Front

Tue, 20 Oct 2015 00:00:00 +0000

Even with a small amount of merchandise, you can have a lot of fun creating an interesting window design. The use of brightly coloured props will draw people in and create customer intrigue that will transform into increased revenue and customer base. These are our recommendations for creating a great window display.

A great retail window takes time to create, so always plan your window at least one month in advance.
A firm setting, such as a woodland, beach or disco will engage with your customers’ imagination and sell them a lifestyle along with your product.
Use props to support your display. Relevant and interesting props will complement your window set and make your products really stand out.
Choose your key products to feature in your window display, this works especially well with clothing that looks better on, rather than folded or on a hanger.
Use multiple layers of height in your display as it allows the customer to discover various items in your window.
Keep your key products at eye level so that passersby will be able to see your display. If your shopfront faces out to a road, consider placing your products so that cars will have a good view.
Try to use three colours. Whilst a monochrome or single colour window display may look chic, it won’t catch the eye of passing potential customers, putting your work to waste.
That being said, too many patterns or colours can distract potential customers from the product you’re trying to market. By sticking to three colours, you can make a colourful display that focuses on the product you’re selling.
Try to show the product being used, if possible. By having photographs in the display showing the product being used or worn, you make it easier for potential customers to imagine themselves owning and using the product. A good window display will not only display the product, but create an aspirational lifestyle for your customers.
Sell the items your customer wants. By focusing on luxury products, rather than necessities, you will capture the interest of more people looking to buy something nice for themselves after a long week at work.
It’s essential to make sure before you install your window display, you thoroughly clean both sides of the window and the floor of your display. No one will want to buy anything from your shop if it looks dirty and uncared for.
Whilst you’re using your window display to highlight the products you want to sell, resist the temptation to fill your window with everything you have to offer. Remember that your window display is not your stockroom.
Remember to change your window display every month. By regularly changing your display, you will be engaging your customers and keeping them interested in the products you sell.

The Importance of Props in Film

Thu, 09 Jul 2015 00:00:00 +0000

A property (commonly shortened to prop) is an item used on screen or stage to help enhance performance. It can make a scene feel more authentic or help actors play their role more adequately.

Put simply: they’re a vital part of film, TV, and theatre.

But why?

Circumstance

Props are most commonly used in conveying the time and place the narrative is set. Props are often the only indicator of what decade, or cultural movement a story is set in.

For example, if a narrative is set in Ancient Rome, certain props will be used to show that. The prop maker will have to thoroughly research that time period to convey this to an audience.

It helps the story come alive, and helps viewers activate their imagination more readily.

Imagine a sci-fi film without a prop. It’d be a pretty drab affair.

Atmosphere

As well as helping the audience understand the narrative, a prop can also help actors get a feel for their role. An actor will find getting into their Native American role; if they have they’re dressed similar and holding weapons and tools used in that time period.

Today, films rely more and more on shooting in front of a green screen. This can make it extremely hard for actors to get into their role. A prop can help them do that.

Character

Film characters often become instantly recognisable through their props. Think Indiana Jones’s hat and bullwhip. These two props serve as an extension of this character's personality and help him become recognisable instantly.

Safety

This is often overlooked, but props can help ensure the safety of actors. A fake knife or gun can look just as intimidating as the real thing when done well, and don’t put actors in any immediate threat.

Looking for props in your next theatre production or film? Spur Creative has worked with some huge industry names creating lifelike props.

Three Ways to Attract Customers to Your Retail Store

Thu, 04 Jun 2015 00:00:00 +0000

You finally did it. You opened your very own retail store. Congratulations.

But that’s the easy bit done. Now you have to make that store a success, and that’s all about bringing customers to your door.

But how can you do that? What can you do to make your bricks and mortar retail store stand out and attract customers?

Let’s have a look.

Know your competition

It’s unlikely that you have opened up a retail store that is without competition and to become a success, you need to get ahead of the game. The first step in doing that is to know your competition inside out. What makes them a success? How do they attract customers? What aren’t they doing that you could do?

If you can beat the competition, you can attract customers from them.

Look the part

No one wants to walk into a store that looks like it’s endured the blitz. So spruce up your storefront to attract customers. Don’t be afraid to advertise outside either. When you walk down the street, how many signs directing you towards a certain retail store do you see?

Make the most of retail displays too. We can help with that. A good retail display will show your products off at their best and bring people through your door. We guarantee it.

The average consumer spends around 30 seconds looking at an item they would like to purchase before moving on. This means that the merchandising of your retail store has to be absolutely top-notch in order to attract customers and keep them engaged and interested in what you’re selling. That’s where display props come in! A shop window display can bring life and energy to your retail store and make customers excited about what you have to offer, resulting in higher sales, increased foot traffic, and happier employees. Using engaging display props will ensure that your retail store stands out from the rest!

Offer something for free

Okay, okay, this does sound a little backwards. You’re trying to make money after all. But sometimes to get customers through the door, you need to give something away for nothing. You could perhaps give a free giveaway with every purchase over a certain price. Or maybe you could give away prizes to first-time customers. It gets people shopping, and most importantly, gets them in your store!

As we said, here at Spur Creative we can help create retail displays that help customers imagine themselves with your product. We have a wealth of experience doing it too. To learn more... get in touch.

Our Top Visual Merchandising Tips

Thu, 28 May 2015 00:00:00 +0000

The world of retail is a tough one. You have a whole lot of competition. To be a success, you need to think sales, sales, sales. That includes sales per square footage. This effectively means that your best salesman is the store itself, but you’ll be surprised at how many businesses ignore this fact.

To achieve maximum results you need to turn your showroom into your best sales weapon.

Here are our top visual merchandising tips.

Know your audience

The first step towards getting your sales floor right is to completely understand your target audience. To create a visual merchandising retail display that works, you need to know what your audience like. We aren’t talking about surface-level stuff here either. You need to know detailed demographic stuff. Things like their age, their income, their education, their lifestyles – knowing this info will help!

Appeal to all five senses

When you’re thinking of visual merchandising, it’s easy to only concentrate on one sense – sight. But people have five senses, and they use all of them to assess situations and make decisions.

This is called sensory branding and appeals to customer’s sight, hearing, touch, and smell.

Help people imagine

Customers want to be able to imagine what your product will look or feel like in their home, or in their possession, so help them imagine. You’ll notice in furniture stores, the sales floor is set up with retail displays that show homeowners how they could use the product. That’s because it sells products.

Use light to your advantage

To attract customers towards your displays, put light to use. You can experiment with light in a number of different ways. You can light the products up, you can introduce natural light through windows, or you can bring some lamps in.

Just don’t underestimate how useful light can be.

Retail display props

Adding display props to your visual merchandising can help you convey a consistent brand image across all of your marketing channels, including everything from the shop window to social media. No matter how much time you spend on social media advertising, that exposure is never going to be as strong as an Instagram post about how awesome and trendy your store looks, complete with an eye-catching display prop that helps showcase your brand’s visual identity. If you want customers to connect with your business via Instagram and other social networks, you need display props.

At Spur Creative we have a wide range of experience working directly for companies helping create outstanding retail display props for their visual merchandising. The importance of high-quality display props in visual merchandising is unparalleled, so make sure you have the best person helping you create a truly eye-catching retail display.

Our Guide to Creating a Great Retail Display

Wed, 13 May 2015 00:00:00 +0000

If you’re looking to sell products quick, or show off new merchandise, you need a great retail display. But creating a display that exhibits your products well can be tricky, and many businesses create cluttered displays that hinder rather than help.

So, to ensure that you get it right, we’ve put together a quick guide on creating a killer retail display.

Know your purpose

To create a really good retail display, you need to clarify the purpose of that display. It must be a unified message, not a cluster of ideas. Are you trying to announce that you have a new brand in store? Do you want to let customers know you have a sale on? Or are you trying to create a display to tie into an upcoming holiday?

Figure out the purpose, and then work from there.

Think 3-D

If your display is in the centre of your store remember that it’s going to be seen from all angles. So don’t put the focus on one part of it. You should angle mannequins, display props, and signs in such a way that a passerby can instantly understand its purpose, no matter what angle they’re coming from.

Mix product and retail display props

Retail display props help customers visualise how a product will look or be used and are often a great help when selling. So make sure that you mix props into your display alongside your product. For example, if you sell camping gear, you may want to create a display that shows a camping scenario, for which you’ll need good display props.

Here at Spur Creative, we can help create retail display props and offer ideas on your display. Contact us today to find out more.

Light it up

Don’t put your trust in the store’s overhead lights. They aren’t always particularly flattering when it comes to displays, so consider purchasing or hiring other lights that can cast colour, or create an atmosphere for your display.

Think outside the box

Go into competitor stores and look at what they’ve done. Chances are, they’ve stuck to the rules and created conventional retail displays. Sure, they work, but they don’t garner a tonne of interest. Most of the time, customers just stroll past them.

So try and think different. How can you make your retail display stand out? What can you do to grab the attention of passersby?

Don’t be afraid to try new things!

Sports Car Crashes

Mon, 21 Jun 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Project Brief

We are working with our client Niche projects to make something really exciting. We love a prop making challenge here at Spur Creative. Niche Projects came to us at the last minute to ask if we could help as they'd been let down by another supplier and with our can-do attitude, we said yes. As this is an exciting prop making project to work on, we were only too happy to get involved. For all you car lovers out there, can you see what this prop is going to be?

Putting the car body parts together

We have now fitted the main body parts together and are working on the metal frame inside. This needs to be strong enough to hold the weight of the finished car, as we will be suspending it somewhere...Watch this space for more updates on the prop making.

Ready to fibreglass the windscreen

We now have the windscreen sculpted in polystyrene and placed in the Lamborghini ready for us to hard-coat with fibreglass. The car body has been primed white ready for its colour to be sprayed on later in the week.

Just another brick in the wall

What will be crashing through this wall built using MDF and polystyrene sculpted bricks?

The wall is built to come apart in sections so that we can easily install it onsite. The majority of the bricks were cut out of MDF sheets and those bricks exploding out from the wall were sculpted in polystyrene with a hard coat resin finish. Then we painted it ready for the grand finale. See the finished product here

Outdoor Marketing Tips for the Summer – Sweep your Audience off their Feet by Using Props

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Summer is the time for barbecues, beach trips, festivals, and all sorts of outdoor events. Therefore, this is a prime season for most brands to showcase their products or services to a wide audience outdoors. It’s the perfect time to show off your creativity and accentuate your brand message. Promoting your brand in the proximity of sightseeing landmarks or at summer events can be particularly useful for your brand to attain leads.

In our day and age, it is more important than ever to make your campaign stand out from the crowd. After all, with everyone advertising their products on social media, blogs, websites, and more, it is getting harder to compete on the digital platforms. To help give your brand a boost, you should not overlook the power of traditional outdoor marketing.

So how can you make the most out of your outdoor marketing campaign using props? Let’s dive in!

What is outdoor marketing?

Outdoor marketing refers to advertising through outdoor media, such as billboards, vehicles, or outdoor signs. It also includes a brand’s promotional activities and experiential marketing events which are taking place outdoors. These can either be small taster kiosks or huge sponsored events; the aim is always to grab the attention of potential customers and establish an emotional connection with them.

Why use props for your outdoor marketing campaign?

The idea behind using promotional props is that they create intrigue by getting people's attention. Well-designed promotional and marketing props can be used as a conversation starter about the brand.

How to use promotional props effectively?

Here are the three key considerations to utilise props effectively in your outdoor marketing campaign.

1. Make your campaign viral-worthy

Word of mouth is the most powerful way of increasing brand awareness and consideration. When planning your outdoor campaign, try to emphasise experimental activities and appealing visuals that can be shared on social media. This is a great way to increase reach and engagement with your target audience.

There are many ways giant promotional props can help you with this. The first thing you need to decide is what it is that you want people to remember about your brand and how you want your audience to interact with it. If they have fun, so will you!

For example, if your goal is to stand out among other competitors at an event, then giant sculptures of your product could do just that. Our experienced prop makers have created various retail display props from giant cereal boxes and chia pots through stunning sports cars. These giant props provide a great photo opportunity and can help your brand go viral by people sharing their photos on social media.

In addition, certain shapes work well for different purposes; for example, if you're trying to encourage more visitors from social media sites, placing oversized Twitter or Facebook logos around might be enough of an incentive for visitors who take pictures of them from all angles and share them on their networks.

2. Choose your location wisely

If you aim to attract new customers, at first, think about who your target audience is and where you can find them. Secondly, the location needs to resonate with your product and brand message. As an example, we at Spur Creative have created a spectacular giant Pimm's glass prop to be used for a post-pandemic Pimm's promotion for their new drink, Sundowner. Pimm’s has found the perfect location for its outdoor marketing campaign. The display was situated on the deck of the Tattershall Castle boat on the River Thames. This is, of course, a perfect location due to the high number of tourists in the area. But also, because the Tattershall Castle boat is a floating pub, which resonates perfectly with the advertised product.

3. Be bold - make a lasting impression

Undeniably, the most effective way of making a lasting impression is using spectacular decoration elements, including promotional props. Props can grab the attention instantly and can be the dominant visual element of any outdoor promotional event, exhibition, party or festival. They can be used to make just about any theme come alive.

One of our works for our client Hot Pickle is an excellent example of this. They asked us to make three giant animal heads for a promotion for Magnum ice cream. Magnum’s mascot animal heads were suspended above the busy Regent Street in London, during Magnum’s Design your own Magnum Pop-up week. The stunning sculptures were not only in line with the brand message, but they instantly grabbed the viewers’ attention and made a lasting impression. Not surprisingly, the campaign was a huge success.

If you take on board the above tips for the effective use of marketing props, you can make a great addition to your marketing activities.

The Most Famous Movie Props in Hollywood History and the Stories Behind Them

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Certain things are more effective when they’re larger than life, and giant props are no exception to this rule. Giant sculptures are all the rage in Hollywood these days. The latest blockbuster movies generally feature them to emphasise the movie’s setting and theme. However, props have been around in the film industry since the earliest days, when they were used to add an element of realism to dramatic scenes such as battles and fires.

Today, we take a look at six of the most famous movie props in Hollywood history, along with the stories behind them.

1. Godzilla in Japan

Did you know that the giant inflatable Godzilla that sits on top of the Tokyo Tower was originally created to advertise the American Godzilla film? With its enormous size and menacing face, this giant replica is one of the most famous props in Japan.

2. Gulliver's Travels

The Gulliver's Travels prop is a large-scale replica of Lilliput, a fictional island from Jonathan Swift's classic satirical novel Gulliver's Travels. In order to portray a miniature society, all of the buildings were constructed on a 1:15 scale. The country covers an area of approximately 500 square meters and was built by 60 workers in four months using 130 tons of steel and wood.

3. Indiana Jones Adventure

Indiana Jones Adventure is a favourite among Disneyland visitors. Two of our favourite props from Indiana Jones Adventure include Indy’s bag of snakes and a giant boulder. The bag of snakes is one of those things that you can’t quite believe exists...until you see it with your own eyes! The giant boulder prop, on the other hand, looks so realistic that some guests have been known to try and push it over—there is a whole show just for watching people trying to knock down a fake rock!

4. Jaws

The movie Jaws may have been released more than 35 years ago, but one of its most memorable props is still as popular as ever: a full-size mechanical shark head used in multiple scenes of Steven Spielberg's 1975 blockbuster. The 17-foot prop—nicknamed Bruce after Spielberg's lawyer, Bruce Ramer—has become a fixture at theme parks and film exhibitions around the world.

5. Jabba's Sail Barge (Star Wars)

The Jabba’s Sail Barge is a replica of an ancient Egyptian royal barge designed by George Lucas for his 1985 movie, Return of The Jedi. The full-size prop took three months to build and was 24 feet long.

6. Tony Stark's Reactor (Iron Man)

In 2008, Marvel Studios began production on Iron Man, a movie that would become a worldwide sensation and would kick-start one of cinema’s greatest superhero franchises. In creating Tony Stark’s world, director Jon Favreau knew he wanted to incorporate state-of-the-art visual effects that weren’t possible just five years prior. Marvel decided to build its own arc reactor prop—which is almost nine feet tall and weighs more than 200 pounds. They needed three people to lift it.

We at Spur Creative are also excited to create giant Hollywood props. One of our favourite projects was sculpting five life-size Birdman props for the promotion of the movie, Birdman across London and the South of England.

Alongside Hollywood movies, giant props are also popular decoration elements of video gaming events and conferences. We have created numerous giant game character props for our client Microsoft-Rare over the years. Some of our favourites were the Retro Games characters, Battletoad sculptures and the Sea of Thieves characters for the E3 Gaming Expo in Los Angeles.

We are currently working on six new sculptures for Microsoft-Rare and we are looking forward to sharing the details of this project shortly...

How to Use Retail Display Props to Draw Customers

Tue, 19 Oct 2021 00:00:00 +0000

As the festive season is slowly approaching, retailers turn their thoughts to boosting their sales. It is, therefore, important to talk about how visual merchandising can increase per square foot traffic by making the store look more attractive.

Display props have an important role in visual merchandising, as they can make your retail store look more appealing to the customers. It means that they may stay longer and purchase more products. As with most marketing strategies, it’s important to know how to use display props to gain the most benefit.

You can ask your customers

Asking your customers what they’d like to see in-store is a great place to start when looking for new ways to enhance their shopping experience. It can also help you determine whether certain display elements are practical, or if you’re simply chasing trends.

For example, pop-up shops were all over social media last year, but retail experts say they may not be quite as effective as they seem. If you want to give your customers an unparalleled experience, it might be worthwhile considering some of their inputs.

Understand your target audience

Retail props come in different shapes, sizes, and colours. Some of them are merely decorative, why others are functional. However, you need to ensure that your store display resonates with your customer persona. For example, if you’re targeting younger customers—let’s say, those between 18 and 25 years old—you may want to emphasise energy and playfulness with pop music and cartoonish displays.

If you’re aiming for an older demographic (45-plus), consider a classier approach. You can think of melodic tunes and muted colour shades, for example. Paying attention to the demographics and psychographics of your target audience is vital. This can help you ensure that your displays will grab more than just a customer’s attention—they’ll also grab their interest!

Choose your props in line with your brand personality

Regardless of your industry, you need to make sure that your display props communicate the same brand message as all other aspects of your marketing communication. In other words, your store display needs to convey your brand essence.

Not only this, but your props need to match the product category your store is offering. For example, if you’re selling luxury watches at a high-end department store, it probably wouldn’t make sense to display designer handbags alongside them (unless they were part of a collection). On another note, some displays can be used for both practical and aesthetic purposes. When choosing your props, don’t forget about function—in addition to the visual appeal. One way or another, these items will help attract potential customers and highlight your brand image.

Catch customer attention with strategic visual merchandising

When using visual merchandising, you need to find the right balance to be obvious, yet subtle. It’s important not to overwhelm customers with tons of visual noise. If there is too much stuff everywhere, shoppers don’t know what they should focus on first. It can result in so-called shopper fatigue. The same rules apply to store and window displays. They should catch your eye, but they shouldn’t take over.

To successfully use retail display props for maximum impact, place them strategically within your space, so they catch attention without overwhelming it.

Some of our favourite retail props

We at Spur Creative have sculpted various retail props over the years. It's difficult to choose one single favourite, but we definitely loved making the giant lollipops and balloons for Ralph Lauren's window display. Some other very much loved examples include the giant macarons and gold stilettos we have created for Value Retail. You can see that both of these brands managed to adjust their visual displays to their brand image and the characteristics of their target audience.

Introduction to the World of Giant Props

Mon, 22 Nov 2021 00:00:00 +0000

Giants have played a key role in many works of fiction, from Greek mythology to the latest blockbusters. This is why giant props are always awe-inspiring. This blog post will discover their most common appearance in our lives.

Whether you’re looking to purchase your own giant sculpture for a project or just want to gain a deeper understanding, this article will help you appreciate prop design and creation in various industries.

So where can we see giant props around us?

1. In Marketing

Marketing is an increasingly complex area. This means that brands are looking for more and more unique ways to draw attention to their products. One of the very popular trends is using massive branded props to attract the audience.

Many brands now use these sculptures as 'photo opportunities' as a part of their social media marketing campaigns. Props can also be used to grab attention at various events, such as new product launches, gaming expos or mall openings. Giant props are certainly getting noticed by consumers, which means that the companies behind them are making a profit thanks to the increased brand awareness.

We at Spur Creative have designed numerous giant marketing props over the years. One of our most recent examples is the 1.8-metre diameter Stardust Globe prop for the Goodwood Revival Ball. The giant Globe was sculpted in polystyrene and suspended 24 feet in the air, just above the main entrance.

2. In Movies and TV Shows

Some of the world's biggest props are definitely on screen: cars, spaceships, time machines, sea monsters — these all make up some of our favourite movie props. This year’s most talked-about film prop all around the world is probably the popular Netflix show Squid Game’s terrifying giant doll. Unless you've been living under a rock, you've probably seen pictures or videos of the robot doll somewhere on social media, especially around Halloween. The creepy doll has become a sensation as soon as the Netflix show went viral earlier this year. Of course, some brands have jumped on the bandwagon and used the prop's popularity to draw attention to themselves. A Thai shopping mall, for example, has erected a replica of this doll at the pedestrian cross by their entrance. They say the doll is to 'deter shoppers from jaywalking', however, we know that it must have brought many tourists to the shopping mall to take photos and videos. On the other hand, not many people know that the original Squid Game doll is publicly exhibited in South Korea, so we can take a selfie with the real terrifying thing (if we really want to).

Spur Creative has also created numerous film-related sculptures to be displayed in various cities. For example, we have created giant Birdman props to promote the Marvel movie in London.

We have also made some giant props for actual movie sets. One of our recent projects was sculpting 200 6-metre-long bamboo poles for an upcoming film.

3. In Museums

Giant props are also very common in museums. Want to go see Titanic but don’t want to actually get on a boat? Museums like Chicago’s Adler Planetarium (which is actually in Illinois, not at all related to Indiana) will let you do just that. The Adler hosts an exhibit called 'Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition', where visitors can see some of the actual memorabilia that survived when Titanic went down. Can’t make it out to Illinois? Good news! There's a 1:25 scale interactive model of the Titanic in the UK as well. You just need to pop down to the 'SeaCity Museum' in Southampton, Hampshire. For those who don't know, Southampton is the city from where the Titanic departed before tragically striking an iceberg during her maiden voyage to New York in 1912.

We at Spur Creative have also been involved in various museum exhibition projects. One of our favourite ones was sculpting three life-size horses for The National War Museum.

We can say that giant props are literally everywhere around us. Props play an important role in marketing, movies and various exhibitions. These sculptures can be used to create awareness of brands, events or even historical and cultural heritage.

Make the Most out of Your Christmas Store Display

Mon, 20 Dec 2021 00:00:00 +0000

It’s that time of year again, retailers everywhere are pulling out all the stops to entice shoppers into their stores. Wherever we look in December, we'll see hundreds of shops trying to outcompete each other with their Christmas displays.

One thing is for sure, having a seasonal theme and fun décor can bring positive attention to any store. If you’re looking to help your business stand out from the crowd during the holidays, retail display props are one of the most effective ways to do so.

From toy soldiers to snowmen and reindeers, there are many popular Christmas props around, the only limit is your imagination.

Why Christmas Display is Important

Retail displays and mannequins play a major role in inspiring customers to buy, even if they’re not exactly sure what they want. Christmas props help make the customers more in a holiday-like state of mind when shopping, thus engaging them emotionally. These props can come in many forms, from deers and snowmen to festive signs or giant baubles. However, you need to be careful with the festive cheer. Your holiday-themed decorations should never be overpowering or tacky. When planning your Christmas display, you need to make sure that it's aligned with your shop aesthetics and brand personality. Ralph Lauren's Christmas shop window display (below) is a great example of this harmony between the festive elements and the brand positioning.

The Use of Scented Candles and Essential Oils

Once, you've planned your Christmas display, you can complement the visual appeal by using festive scents. Diffusing strategically chosen fragrances at customer touchpoints is called ‘scent marketing’. The right fragrance will increase sales by creating a unique customer experience. Utilising scents is particularly useful during the festive season. Retailers have become well-versed in how well-placed scented candles or essential oils can help shoppers relax and enjoy their festive shopping experience.

You can use either aroma diffuser or scented candles. If you choose to use candles, consider placing them on a stand that complements their colour.

Delivery Truck Decorations

Although it’s not very common in the UK, US retailers traditionally deck out their delivery trucks with festive lights to get shoppers excited about Black Friday. Why not use Christmas decorations to deck out your own delivery truck as a clever way to advertise your retail store? Your customers will see you’re serious about holiday sales and are ready for business.

Christmas Display Prop Examples

We at Spur Creative have created props for various brands’ Christmas displays and promotions over the years. One of our most recent works was making 100 cork and wax seal Christmas decoration props for Moet & Chandon.

These were to be hung from the stunning Christmas tree at Somerset House (picture below).

Another Christmas display prop we made this year was this stack of giant Christmas presents for our client Selfie Factory. The gift boxes have been designed to provide a selfie opportunity for bypassers.

Utilising props as a photo opportunity has become increasingly popular since the advance of social media marketing. This is because consumers posting their selfies on social media can help the brand go viral by 'word of mouse'.

Another Christmas display we have recently worked on was the aforementioned Ralph Lauren's Christmas window display. We have sculpted a variety of giant Christmas sweets and glitter lollipops to create a sleek festive look for our high-end client.

What are Theatrical Props and Where to Get Them?

Tue, 18 Jan 2022 00:00:00 +0000

In theatre, props are an important part of creating the scene. Even in the simplest productions, props can help to set the mood and create an overall sense of place for your audience to enjoy.

Whether you’re in charge of providing equipment for the play your drama club is putting on or you’re one of many West End props assistants, realistic theatrical props are always crucial to your show’s success. In this article, we’ll explore what these valuable theatrical elements are and what to pay attention to when purchasing them.

An Introduction to Stage Props

What are props in theatre? Well, they’re pretty much what they sound like: objects used to enhance a theatrical performance. The scenery is something that we picture as being more permanent, but if you’ve ever been to a live performance, you know that theatres don’t actually have any kind of physical setting for their shows (besides perhaps some curtains).

It might seem strange to go see a show where there are no set changes or backdrops. You might wonder how people manage to tell stories or act out scenes without any change in scenery. This is where stage props come into play. Although you might think of them as mere accessories, they are essential components of theatrical performances.

Where do You Get Your Stage Props From?

A seemingly obvious question, but if you've never thought about it before, you should probably start there. If you’re an amateur enthusiast (-e.g., you’re a member of an amateur theatre group-) there are several places that you can source reasonably low-cost stage props. These include garage sales, charity shops, off-the-shelf items from retailers, Facebook Marketplace or online retail sites, such as Amazon or eBay. If you're on a slightly higher budget, you can find many retailers specialising in selling props. Wherever you get your equipment from, always look for durable and good quality materials. You definitely don’t want to buy props that look unrealistic or will break after one use. As such, do your research before buying.

If you’re a theatre professional, you’ll be more likely to use bespoke props that are tailor-made for a particular play, taking the set narrative and the technical requirements into consideration.

If you’re looking to use custom made stage props, you will need to contact a professional prop maker. However, the same rules apply here; always do your research before commissioning someone to make your props. It’s also important to have an initial chat with your chosen prop maker where you can discuss all the details and see examples of their previous work. A reputable prop maker will always be happy to show you their work portfolio.

We at Spur Creative are not only happy to show our portfolio to our prospective clients, but we also show them around our workshop.

When looking at your chosen prop maker's portfolio, always check the realism and the attention to detail in their work. Realism is very important when it comes to stage props, hence we are very keen to make our film and theatre props as detailed and authentic as possible.

We have designed many theatre props for famous theatres and arts organisations in the past, including the National Theatre and the Glyndebourne Opera.

How Can You Maintain and Preserve Your Props?

Theatre props are often incredibly delicate, which is why it’s important to store them in a way that maintains their quality. If you aren’t careful, they can become permanently damaged during transportation or (most commonly) storage. Fortunately, there are ways you can minimise those risks.

It is important that you create a designated 'props area' (shelf, table, room etc.) backstage. You can mark the space for each prop with a Sharpie or painter’s tape. Make sure that each prop is placed on the top of the label, so everyone can see if a prop is missing. You can also create a temporary props area for smaller props by using a trestle table. You also need to remind everyone that the props area is for props only. If people start eating, drinking, storing things etc. around the equipment, that can easily lead to a risk of damage. If you can, also install blue light in the props area, so the actors can easily find what they are looking for, even when it’s dark during a play.

Last but not least, always make sure that your props are sufficiently packaged during transportation. When using a third party company to deliver your theatre equipment, always give them clear instructions on how to safely handle the props.

We hope you've found this article helpful. If you are looking for professional theatre props, we can provide bespoke design and sculpting in polystyrene, fibreglass, and other materials. We also offer theatrical scenic painting using a number of painting techniques (see the picture below).

Feel free to contact us via phone or email. You can also check out our social media channels to get a better idea of what we do at Spur Creatives.

The Importance of Event Theming

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 00:00:00 +0000

When planning an event, it’s important to remember that the experience your guests have starts well before they enter the venue and continues well after they leave.

Everything from the feeling they get while driving up to the venue, to what they see once they arrive and walk inside, to the food and drink they enjoy at the party are all carefully chosen elements of your theme. Finding ways to reinforce both your event objective and your brand message throughout each aspect will help ensure that your guests have a memorable time at your party, no matter how big or small it may be.

What is event theming?

The term event theming is used to describe a creative delivery for an event that is based on a certain theme. Depending on the event’s objective, the theme can be based on a wide variety of things including books, films, cultural or company events.

There are a number of different approaches that can be used to deliver an event theme. A typical approach is to create a themed environment by using props, set design and decorations which give a venue an overall look and feel in line with the company’s brand or event objectives. A themed environment can make all the difference when it comes to creating a memorable experience for your guests.

Your aim should be to use props, lights and sounds to engage attendees during breaks in their agenda, as well as help people to identify key locations such as the reception and meeting areas.

Why is theming important for an event?

Well, the fun of an event is a big selling point for the concept itself. Some companies are very niche and have dedicated followers who attend annual conferences or expos (e.g. video game studios). If you find yourself in that situation, then theming can be important to keep your loyal following pumped and enthusiastic.

But even if you’re planning something like a corporate event, theming can still be effective at conveying the objectives of an event in a cheerful way. For example, let’s say you want to show off your company's new product line. You could theme your event around a food court where each stand represents one of your products. Or maybe you just want to reward employees with a day out; why not theme it as an amusement park? There are many different ways to use theming effectively besides promotional events.

Ways to incorporate the theme into your event

There are tons of ways to incorporate your theme into your event's decor. One way is to choose a colour scheme and then use those colours throughout your décor. You can also try creating centrepieces around a central object that has something to do with your theme. For example, if you’re having an Alice in Wonderland-themed party, make a centrepiece out of a large white clock and attach some brightly coloured balloons for an interesting effect. As mentioned earlier, you can enhance the visual effect by using props. Your guests will respond positively to attention-grabbing props, but they also serve another purpose; they allow you to communicate key messages about your event or brand through visual means.

Finally, don't forget about the food! Food and drink are often one of our favourite parts of any themed event, so take advantage of your brand’s style by creating a signature cocktail that ties into your theme. And remember: it doesn't have to be complicated! Simple things like serving mini versions of desserts on tiny plates (like cupcakes on little dessert plates) will bring everything together without breaking a sweat.

Convey your brand image and event theme through props

What’s so special about event props is that they can convey a brand message in an almost subtle way. If you want to incorporate props into your next event design, we recommend you start by thinking about why you need them and how they will be used to promote your brand. Props can be incredibly effective at conveying a brand message, but only if they are used correctly and don’t go against what you are trying to get across. Think of event props as an extra tool that allows for more creativity; instead of just relying on decoration and space design. These little extras help break up a space and make it feel less empty. One great example of effective event props is the 'Magic Tap' prop we have created for a water filtration system company for The Boast Show. We used a real submersible pump to keep the flow of water coming from the tap. The prop design was perfectly in line with both the essence of the company and the theme of the event. It was, of course, also a perfect way of impressing the attendees and catching their attention.

It’s important to think about which elements from your brand you want to include in your event theme. This should be based on who your target audience is and where you expect them to interact with your theme. It might seem obvious, but choosing custom made props can really help with branding efforts.

How you can pick a brand-related theme for your event

Themed events are key parts of experiential marketing. Marketers have been using event theming for years to create memorable brand experiences that keep customers engaged long after their campaigns have ended.

Here is a recent example from the US: the Taco Bell 'Fourth Meal Campaign'. As part of its overall campaign targeting late-night snacking, Taco Bell developed a tagline called 'Fourth Meal' to emphasise that people should eat whenever they're hungry - whether it's breakfast, lunch or dinner. To promote their campaign, they organised a ‘Taco Night’ event with DJ-s, celebrities and of course, plenty of tacos.

So, why does it work? Because it taps into something that everyone understands and relates to: Snacking on a schedule. It's an experience that is both relatable and relevant. It creates a sense of connection with your audience by speaking directly to them in terms of what they already know and do every day.

Of course, Taco Bell is not the only company utilising branded events. We at Spur Creative have sculpted props for a similar experiential marketing campaign organised by Magnum ice cream. Magnum organised a pop-up week in Regent Street in London, where anyone could design their own Magnum ice cream.

In short, thematic events allow you to create an experience around your product or service that is personal and relevant; one that your customer will be able to recall later when considering your product/service again. By creating an experience centred around your brand, you give you a greater opportunity for someone to connect with you on a deeper level – which is exactly what you want from any marketing campaign in general. And because these types of connections are so much more powerful than simple advertising (which gets tuned out), you also increase your chances of building loyalty among repeat customers – which means more sales in the future!

Interested in crafting an unforgettable experience with props that resonate with your brand's story? Reach out to our team at Spur Creative and let's bring your vision to life!

From Back to the Future's Hoverboard to Darth Vader's Lightsaber - The Coolest Collectable Movie Props of All Time - Part I

Tue, 31 May 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Movie props are the ultimate collectable items, especially when they come from sci-fi and fantasy movies like Star Wars or The Terminator. Fans pay top dollar to buy these props at auctions and there's a whole industry built on producing and selling collectable replicas.

We’ve put together a list of 10 iconic movie props in Part I and Part II. Let’s dive in and see the first five from the list.

Back to the Future (1985)

The Hoverboard in Back to the Future Part II wasn't just a fun concept, but a real prop created by George Barris. There were multiple, made-for-the-movie hoverboards. Unlike in the film, they didn't really float but rather had wheels with magnetic levitation. It was designed and built by Garrett Brown (who also invented Steadicam) and Barris. Brown worked on it for two years and eventually won an Academy Award for his development of the electronic motion control system used in conjunction with a camera support device.

A replica of the Hoverboard is actually on the market as a 'collector's toy' produced and distributed by Mattel:

Star Wars Franchise (1977 – Present)

George Lucas' Star Wars series is one of Hollywood's most iconic movie franchises. However, few people know that much of what we've come to love was inspired by real-life items. While filming Star Wars, some prop designers visited museums and did research on real-world designs. They studied the design of numerous samurai swords and World War II fighter planes in order to get an idea of how they could create things that felt real.

Let's take a look at one of our favourite Star Wars props: Darth Vader's lightsaber. For many fans, Darth Vader’s lightsaber is one of the coolest props in film history. Designed by Ralph McQuarrie (who worked as an illustrator for Lucasfilm), it went through several iterations before landing on its final design: two beams intersecting with a handle jutting out of them diagonally. It has since become one of pop culture’s most recognisable symbols.

Here's a video of a remarkable collectable replica here:

Titanic (1997)

The heartbreaking love story was one of Hollywood’s most powerful tales. Released in December 1997, Titanic won 11 Oscars and spent a record-breaking 15 weeks as number one at box offices across America. With a budget of $200 million and grossing over $2 billion worldwide, James Cameron’s masterpiece about star-crossed lovers has broken records time and time again. Titanic also created three iconic movie props that have become highly sought after by collectors around the world: Rose’s Heart Necklace, Jack Dawson’s Jacket and Rose’s Floating Dress. These three items sold for a combined total of $900,000 at an auction on eBay in 2015.

The 'Rose’s Heart' necklace is believed to be one of only two ever made (the other belonging to Kate Winslet). One side features a carving of Jack while on the other side, there is a carving of Rose with her name inscribed below it. These words are inscribed on either side: ‘I jump into the ocean, and I swim for you.’

Forrest Gump (1994)

A box of chocolates, a shrimp-shaped key chain and Lieutenant Dan’s leg. These are but a few movie props that have achieved status as real collectables since Forrest Gump hit theatres in 1994. Tom Hanks’ character goes through so many adventures and misadventures in Robert Zemeckis’ classic comedy-drama that you would think he would never be able to gather enough stuff to fill up even one drawer (let alone hundreds). But now, all these years later, you can buy your own piece of history from Forrest’s adventure-filled life.

So if you ever wanted to eat chocolate while sitting on a bench next to Bubba or show off your love for Lt. Dan by wearing his fake leg around town, now is your chance!

Lord of the Rings Franchise (2001–2003)

It might not be quite as flashy as a lightsaber, but Frodo’s sword Sting was made from an iron blade found in the heart of a troll. In Norse mythology, trolls were thought to have special powers, including that they could grow swords from their own bones. It makes sense then that Bilbo Baggins would use one to fight off orcs and goblins (though his must have been made from goblin bone since he killed his first one at least). Sting would come in handy for Bilbo’s nephew Frodo too; it glows blue when orcs are near and can detect their presence if left by its wielder’s side. Like we said earlier: Star Wars is not alone when it comes to intergalactic cool-factor.

And of course, we must mention the most famous ring in movie history: Sauron’s One Ring. No prop list would be complete without mentioning Sauron’s One Ring. Arguably, it is what kicked off many fan's love affair with movie props.

Here's is a video of a jewellery maker Youtuber making a breathtaking replica of Sauron's One Ring:

We can see that from costumes to weapons, movie props are an integral part of making iconic films like Star Wars and Lord of the Rings seem realistic - in some cases, even more so than their digital counterparts!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this list and stay tuned for Part II, where we’ll introduce five more of the coolest collectable movie props. In the meantime, check out our other articles. Dipping your toes into the prop universe? We're here if you need a chat.

The Coolest Collectable Movie Props of All Time - Part II

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Movie fans know that props can make or break a film, with their significance often outweighing the importance of the actors themselves. (We’re looking at you, Harrison Ford!) Some movie props are so memorable that fans will seek them out and pay large sums of money to add them to their own collections.

We’ve already listed 5 iconic movie props in our Part I. In this article, we’ll bring 5 more fascinating collectables to complete our list.

Indiana Jones Franchise (1981 – Present)

As we have already mentioned Harrison Ford, let’s start with this real Hollywood classic. The Indiana Jones franchise is one of the most popular and well-known in movie history. A big part of what makes these movies so great is the amazing props that are used throughout. From the iconic whip that Indiana Jones uses to the magical Ark of the Covenant, these props help bring the movies to life. First up is Indy's whip. Used by Harrison Ford as a weapon against his enemies or a tool for exploration, this accessory really helped define the character of Indiana Jones. Next up is the most famous object in all six films: The Holy Grail!

Now you're probably wondering how something like this could be a prop when it was what Indy was always after. Well, it turns out that it wasn't just an idea or a concept but rather a tangible item with multiple appearances throughout all six films! Here's the famous special effect designer Adam Savage's amazing video on carefully recreating the Diary Grail prop, one of the most famous appearances of the Holy Grail in the Indiana Jones movies.

Jurassic Park Franchise (1993 – Present)

Almost 30 years on, the original Jurassic Park movie has yet to be topped. Steven Spielberg's 1993 thriller is genuinely brilliant, combining sci-fi action with scares. It might have been a big hit on release, but it wasn't a smash hit at first. Many cinemas refused to screen it because they feared dinosaurs would put off viewers and insurers charged studios millions of dollars for special cover in case any incidents occurred. Thankfully, they were all proven wrong: Jurassic Park became one of Hollywood's biggest hits and sparked four sequels. For its time, Jurassic Park was very advanced technologically. Instead of relying solely on CGI, Jurassic Park used animatronic puppetry to bring their dinosaurs alive. Before creating an animatronic version of a dinosaur for filming, ILM studied hundreds of hours of footage from nature documentaries so they could accurately replicate how each animal moved.

If you'd like to get your hand on a collectable dinosaur replica, you have plenty of opportunities to buy one online or at a Comic-Con.

However, you don't have to settle with prop replicas. If you would like a piece of cinematic history in your back garden, the original raptor cage used in the first Jurassic Park movie is now up for grabs at a bargain price of £86,031.

Jaws (1975)

Although we’ve already talked about the famous shark prop ‘Bruce’ in a previous blog article, we can’t resist putting Jaws onto our list when it comes to movie props. The mechanical shark, nicknamed Bruce after Spielberg's lawyer, was actually made up of three different shark sculptures, each with its own unique set of features. The biggest (25 -foot) and most famous of the three was used for this iconic scene below where the shark attacks the boat.

The other two sharks were used for close-ups and shots where the shark's mouth was open. Despite being a mechanical prop, Spielberg insisted that it be filmed in a way that gave the impression that it was real. In order to do this, he had to film it at a higher frame rate than normal and shot from farther away than usual so that he could use camera tricks such as water spraying on the lens or having crew members jump into the water from the off-camera when there was an attack. However, working with animatronic sharks was not the easiest task. The famously suspenseful atmosphere of Jaws was actually a result of Spielberg having to make the shark less visible in the movie than he had originally planned due to the prop's malfunctioning in the water.

Today, you can see Bruce on display in the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures in Los Angeles, after adding the 25-foot model to their collection in November 2020.

Harry Potter Franchise (2001 – 2011)

The Harry Potter franchise is home to some of the coolest movie props of all time. From the Deathly Hallows symbol to the Elder Wand, each item in the films is special and has a fascinating backstory. Here are just a few of our favourites -The Golden Snitch: The golden snitch is arguably one of the most important items in the series as it serves as an essential part of Quidditch. But before we saw it on screen, a London-based replica company called Noble Collection made one for Warner Bros. to use in merchandising campaigns. The other most widely demanded collectables in a prop lover's collection are arguable Voldemort’s Horcruxes. In order to achieve immortality, Voldemort created seven Horcruxes from everyday objects which held pieces of his soul that he needed to be separated from his body. As a result, he could never die even if his body was destroyed. You can see a video of all 7 Harry Potter Voldemort Horcrux replicas below.

Cast Away (2001)

Last but not least our personal favourite - Wilson. While there are many iconic movie props, Wilson the volleyball definitely stands out with his personality. This prop was essential to the story of Cast Away, as it was a constant reminder of the protagonist's lost love and loneliness while being stuck on an island. Not only did it serve as a plot device, but it also became a character in its own right with many fans feeling attached to Wilson.

In fact, the volleyball was the first prop in history to win multiple Critics Choice Awards in his own right, including a shared award with Tom Hanks for ‘Choice Chemistry’ (2001) and a sole award for ‘Best Inanimate Object’ (2001). Tom Hanks and Wilson were also nominated for ‘Best On-Screen Team’ award in 2001. Of course, the famous ball has his very own IMDB profile and he was also invited to Saturday Night Live.

And so, Wilson the volleyball went from being an imaginary object to an Academy Award-winning, talk show guest-starring celebrity prop. The superstar was actually put on a London auction in 2021, 21 years after its famous supporting role. Prop Store sold the original Wilson for over $308,000, which exceeded all expectations. Although this is not an Academy Award nomination, it feels as close as a volleyball could get to Hollywood recognition. The good news is that you can pick up your very own Wilson even if you don’t have $308,000 laying around. Wilson Sporting Goods sells a volleyball for $20 with the movie star’s red face printed on it. Although it’s not the original prop, we're sure he'll make you feel better about life (especially if you're currently stranded on an island).

We hope that you've enjoyed our list. From the whimsical world of Harry Potter to the isolated shores of Cast Away, movie props hold a special place in our hearts, tying us deeply to the stories we love. If you're ever curious about the world of prop making or have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Thanks for joining us at Spur Creative on this cinematic journey, and be sure to check out our other articles!

Practical Effects vs CGI – What Makes a Better Movie?

Mon, 31 Oct 2022 00:00:00 +0000

We are obviously a little biased because we love props! But it’s not a secret that the film industry has gradually shifted away from using practical sets in favour of computer-generated imagery.

There is a never-ending discussion about whether it’s a good or a bad thing. So let's dive into the topic!

How did it all start?

CGI has been present since the late 1950s, but it had major limitations in the first decades. It was only used as a last resource when everything else failed.

The real pioneer in using CGI technology was the first Jurassic Park movie in 1993. It was one of the first movies to use a combination of CGI and animatronics so effectively that the film still looks realistic today.

Originally Spielberg wanted to use only animatronic props, but the robotic dinosaurs couldn’t walk around for the wide shots. So eventually he decided to combine animatronics with CGI. The film has only four minutes of CGI in total, but it changed the way computer graphics were perceived by filmmakers.

After the success of Jurassic Park, CGI has become a standard to complement animatronics, until it started to take over in the late 90s. By the early 00s, Hollywood turned to CGI as the first resort when it came to special effects.

Why has the movie industry shifted in favour of CGI?

In short, with the advancement of technology, it has become cheaper and easier to use CGI than animatronics. CGI allows more control and is easier to modify and build.

Let’s see an example. We all remember the scene from the first Jurassic Park movie where the T-Rex attacks the vehicles in the pouring rain. The robotic dinosaur looked absolutely breathtaking in the film, but the crew had to face some very difficult moments during the shoots.

First of all, it took months to design and build the two props they used. These were huge, 9,000-pound hydraulic robots. It took a real effort to move and operate them.

There were also many technical difficulties arising during shoots. The latex skin of the Rex wasn’t waterproof. It absorbed a lot of water from the simulated rain, thus becoming heavy like a wet sponge. As a result, the hydraulic system stopped working reliably. The crew had to pause the shoots multiple times because the robot would start shaking uncontrollably. On one occasion a crew member even got stuck inside the T-Rex.

The advanced use of CGI technology has eliminated all of these issues. It simply makes production easier, more reliable and more predictable.

So why do people hate modern CGI?

To put it short, the main argument is that CGI has gone out of hand. As technology advanced throughout the years, it diverted from its original purpose of making scenes more realistic.

In an ideal world, CGI should be grounded so well with the reality that we wouldn’t even notice it. But this is most often not the case. Production studios are competing with each other on creating more and more spectacular action scenes with CGI instead of trying to fool us that what we are seeing is real.

This inevitably makes films less relatable. In other words, modern CGI actually distracts the story instead of pulling us into it.

Of course, there are some technological factors that often make CGI less realistic in modern movies:

1. High Resolution

Obviously moving to HD and 4K makes it much easier to see any flaws in computer imagery.

2. Saturated Colours

Another common thing that makes CGI look artificial is the use of stylised grades. Most action movies use an over-saturated colour scheme, which looks unrealistic already before CGI. The use of computer imagery just takes it to a new level. We can simply compare the aesthetics of the first Jurassic Park movie with the newest Jurassic World. The former uses natural hues and unsaturated tones, which makes it look very realistic. While the last Jurassic World movie’s saturated colours make it look like a Marvel fiction superhero movie rather than a classic sci-fi.

3. Lack of Natural Lights

When a movie uses an extensive amount of CGI, the majority of shoots are done in a studio, in front of a green screen. This artificial setting can become very obvious on screen, as the subtle reflections of natural lights are very difficult to recreate in a studio environment. Here’s a video that explains this issue, while comparing the visual effects of the best VFX winner ‘Dune’ with the Marvel Blockbuster ‘Black Widow’.

Spectacular vs emotionally relatable

Of course, Hollywood has not only received sharp criticism because of the way CGI looks. There is a more complex issue in filmmaking that many of us attribute to the excessive use of computer imagery.

The widespread use of CGI has simply made filmmakers lazy. As most things can be fixed post-production, this has led to a “let’s do something vaguely similar, then we will fix it post-production” attitude.

Hollywood has also been accused of shifting its focus in favour of the pixel-perfect view rather than the films’ ability to tell a story. Filmmakers tend to put too much emphasis on sweeping the audience off their feet rather than resonating with them on an emotional level.

The “live-action” adaptation of The Lion King is a perfect example of this. The reported budget of the 2019 remake was $260 million, which made it one of the most expensive movies ever made.

Yet, it has only a rating of 52% on Rotten Tomatoes. (In comparison, the romantic comedy Never Been Kissed has 55%). Tomatoers widely criticise the movie for being rigid, artificial and emotionless despite the stunning effects under its belt.

While the CGI animals are hyper-realistic, they are unable to communicate the hurricane of emotions in the same way as the original 1994 cartoon (which has a rating of 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 8.5 on IMDb).

In comparison, the Lion King Broadway musical uses the opposite approach when it comes to realism vs storytelling. Yet it has been the highest-grossing Broadway production of all time at over $8 billion since opening in October 1997. It is the current Guinness World Record holder as the "Highest-grossing musical theatre franchise". It has also won 6 Tony awards, including one for “Best Musical”. All this without having any real animals in the show or trying to imitate them in a realistic manner.

Take a visit to Pride Rock with new photos of Broadway's @TheLionKing in honor of the long-running musical's 25th anniversary! https://t.co/7Om8T6vXFA
— broadway.com (@broadwaycom) October 26, 2022

We can see that these anthropic emotions are exactly what the live-action movie is lacking despite the stunning CGI work.

Of course, we also love The Lion King musical, because it presents the most magnificent giant puppets and stage props one can ever imagine. If you don’t believe it, just check out this video:

But unfortunately, Disney did not seem to learn its lesson from the unfavourable reception of its The Lion King “live-action” remake.

They’ve reached even deeper into the beehive with their most recent live-action remake: Pinocchio. It has only scored an eye-popping 27% on Rotten Tomatoes and 5.1 on IMDb. The film has received strong criticism from critics and moviegoers alike; not only for using CGI to create almost every “real” character but also for its dull plot.

Of course, Disney is not the only big studio that has been accused of doing old classics dirty with “bad CGI remakes”. For example, everyone who hasn’t been living under a rock over the past several years remembers Universal Pictures’ highly controversial Cats adaptation from 2019.

The film is one of history’s worst-rated super production receiving a rating of 19% on Rotten Tomatoes and only 2.8 (!) on IMDb. (Wow!) What makes it even more bizarre, is that the movie has a star-studded cast including names such as Taylor Swift, Judi Dench, Idris Elba, James Corden, Jennifer Hudson and the list could go on…

Besides the flat storyline, the film was mainly slammed for its jarring visual aesthetics. The infamous character design that was labelled a “CGI catastrophe” turned the actors into nightmarish half-human, half-cat hybrids.

So what next?

To be really honest, we don’t know. We can see a strong tendency of critics and audiences falling out of love with the extensive use of CGI in movies. Will it lead to a new renaissance of the use of practical effects in films? It might. Hollywood will definitely not use them to the extent as they did back in the 90s, but we can see the signs of a slow awakening. More and more new productions are reaching back to the roots of combining CGI with practical effects.

The previously mentioned Dune is a good example of this. The 2021 film has thoroughly impressed both critics and moviegoers with its realistic scenes achieved by a combination of practical and CGI effects.

Dune has won multiple awards for its effects, which reinforces the theory that CGI works better when it tries to be realistic and is used in conjunction with practical effects.

But some of the real classics have also jumped on the retro bandwagon. Both directors of the new Star Wars sequels emphasised that they want to use less CGI and more practical effects and puppetry in their upcoming Star Wars movies, as they don’t want to make the same mistake as the prequels.

The Star Wars prequels received a huge backlash back in the early 00s for the amount of CGI used. Fans said that while the original trilogy’s puppets and animatronic props had an authentic vibe, the then-new prequels were obviously done in front of a green screen. Fans argued that this has caused a disconnect between the actors and their surroundings, making everything look lacksture and “sterilised”.

What is your take on this? If you ever find yourself diving into the world of movie props and have some questions, feel free to give us a shout. In the meantime, let’s sum up our article with the words of Rian Johnson, the director of Star Wars Episode VIII and IX:

I think people are coming back around to [practical effects]. It feels like there is sort of that gravity pulling us back toward it. I think that more and more people are hitting kind of a critical mass in terms of the CG-driven action scene lending itself to a very specific type of action scene, where physics go out the window and it becomes so big so quick.

Rian Johnson, the director of Star Wars Episode VIII and IX

The Most Spectacular Christmas Light Displays in the UK

Fri, 25 Nov 2022 00:00:00 +0000

As prop makers having worked on various Christmas displays ourselves, we love seeing how happy it makes people when they see their favourite Christmas decorations in their hometowns.

Christmas is undeniably the most beautiful time of the year in the UK. There is no shortage of excellent lighting displays during this season. There are strings of glistening lights and breathtaking Christmas displays decorating every city and town across the country.

We've compiled a list of some of the best Christmas illuminations, whether you're interested in exploring the annual favourites in London or visiting lesser-known displays elsewhere in the UK.

Oxford Street, London

For a festive experience that is quintessentially British, look no further than Oxford Street. Not only does it have a huge selection of upmarket high street stores to spend your hard-earned cash in, but it also has one of the most spectacular light displays around. From November until January, shoppers will be treated to over 500 traditional (and some modern) designs from different artists displayed on buildings and landmarks across Oxford Street and surrounding areas. With all sorts of designs from traditional stars to snowflakes and angels, there is something for everyone.

Buchanan Street, Glasgow

Some of Scotland's most spectacular light displays are found on Buchanan Street, Glasgow. Visitors to this street can enjoy an experience that's different every day in December. One day there might be a display of snowflakes falling and another might be themed around a nativity scene. No matter what day it is, visitors to Buchanan Street will find more than enough lights and decorations to take their breath away.

George Street, Edinburgh

The Dome on Edinburgh’s George Street always has the most beautiful Christmas lights! 🎄🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #Christmas #xmas #festive #thedome #lights #Edinburgh #Scotland #paimages pic.twitter.com/Z0b7uk8JiD
— Jane Barlow (@belperbarlow) December 18, 2020

George Street is a long and historic shopping street, but it's also home to some of the most spectacular Christmas light displays. From November to December, the lights are switched on nightly at 17:30, illuminating not just George Street but a large part of Edinburgh. This year's display includes over 4 million fairy lights. It's been so popular that people started camping out overnight before the switch-on event, so they could bag a good viewing position for when it started.

Old Hall Street, Liverpool

Take a drive to Liverpool and you'll find more than just some of the most spectacular Christmas light displays in the UK. Along with twinkling lights and festive decorations, there's also a chance to take part in some seasonal activities. Some of the roads are closed to cars for the evening so you can stroll through this winter wonderland without worrying about traffic. You'll also find entertainment along with hot drinks at various cafes on your route. Some of these light displays are set up by local charities and funds raised go towards helping those less fortunate during difficult times, such as when facing illness or job loss. And for those feeling festive but unable to buy their own decorations, they're donated here too! There's something for everyone here.

Birmingham's Frankfurt Christmas Market

Birmingham has a reputation for being home to some of the best shopping centres and high streets in Britain. However, it’s not just about retail therapy, as this city also boasts some of the most spectacular and largest outdoor Christmas light displays in the UK. Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market is one of these, bringing you German-style decorations, festive food and drink and live entertainment. Highlighting that Birmingham has more than shopping on offer during December, it’s also worth checking out its other fantastic festive attractions too. First up is Centenary Square where up to 150,000 twinkling lights create a dazzling display which changes throughout the day. Next, there’s Spaghetti Junction with thousands of lights illuminating one side at night-time.

The Rules of Creating Effective Retail Window Displays (Through a Prop Maker's Eyes)

Fri, 23 Dec 2022 00:00:00 +0000

Shop windows are one of the most important marketing tools for high street retailers, which were utilised long before the advent of the Internet. They have a very important effect on sales performance to this day.

For this reason, it is important to follow some unwritten rules of window merchandising to create impactful retail window displays.

In this post, we have collected the most important ones for you.

What is the purpose of a window display, and what does it tell about the business?

Window displays encourage people to shop. They have an impact on bypassers through their atmosphere.

The secret to creating an appealing atmosphere is to display the right products, props and decoration elements in the right place at the right time.

A retail window display is like a book cover. It is what the potential customer sees for the first time, on the basis of which they form an opinion without even setting foot in the store. It has the power to make them buy from you even without originally planning to.

A well-decorated shop window with aesthetically placed products and display props is a great opportunity to attract customers. You can present the style of the store, display your most popular products, draw attention to sales and give a little insight into your store. If you're good at it, you can get a lot of customers.

Why is window merchandising important from a marketing point of view?

A good retail window display supports the promotion of your business in many ways. That is, if you use it skillfully, can be a great marketing tool.

One of the most important things about shop windows is that they have an effect outside of opening hours.

When the store is closed, passers-by can still view the window, find out about the prices and see the current product range. Hence, the shop window is a permanent advertising space.

In addition, the shop window also greatly contributes to impulse buying. Someone may have just gone to the bakery, but spotting a discounted handbag in the shop window can make them change their original plan and come to you.

In addition to these, a shop window is a tool that can be changed quickly and easily, so it can always be current. Numerous pieces of research have concluded that just after rearranging a store’s window, its traffic increased significantly compared to the days before. This increase is mainly aimed at displayed goods, but it has a knock-off effect on other products as well.

What should you pay attention to when planning your product display?

It is worth following some basic rules in order to get the most out of the store window design.

Let's see what the rules of window merchandising are:

1. Assessment of the available space

Even before you start doing anything, it is very important to measure how much space you have available and what you can aesthetically achieve from your ideas. Keep in mind that while attention-grabbing is important, crowding should definitely be avoided.

2. Selection of products

It is worth choosing the products according to a certain concept. This way you can create unity in this area as well as make your work easier. It is not an easy task to choose to display products.

Tip: you can focus on the current sales or the upcoming festive mood, whether it's Valentine's Day, Easter or Christmas. This way you already have a guiding thread, based on which you can choose the right products.

It is worth first listing all the products to be displayed and only then starting to organise how they are showcased, so it is easier to maintain the basic concept.

3. Development of the design concept

There are golden rules for setting up a shop window that goes beyond simple product display, and you should stick to them.

Harmony

This is the first and most important thing! The goal is that the window display catches the eye and radiates harmony. If you don't have the balance and you see a little chaos in front of you, you've already lost a potential customer.

Focus point

It is also important to have a focal point of the space, on which the eye is first drawn, and to prepare the rest of the display accordingly. The most important design element, the most valuable information or the best-selling product can go here.

Contrast

In terms of appearance, the existence of contrasts is also important. With this, you can not only add a lot to the harmony, but at the same time, it also makes the set of goods displayed more transparent. If you place light goods and props in front of a white background, you will certainly achieve less success than if you include a darker shade in the story.

Appropriate colours

And at this point, we have come to the issue of colours, which are also very important. Make sure that you choose no more than three-four matching colours for the shop window.

Another aspect is that these colours must also resonate with the brand image and store colours. If the shades used are clashing with the colours of the rest of the store, then no matter how hard you try, the overall image will never look good.

For example, even though red, white and green are the colours of Christmas if the shop's colour scheme is dominated by purple, it is worth designing the overall look of the festive shop window accordingly.

4. Grouping of products

Sort the products into groups according to a rule you define before placing them in the display window.

If, for example, you organise them by size, colour or type, you help the viewer to see more easily all the goods that you want to show them through your window display. In addition, thanks to this, the entire composition will convey an organised overall picture.

5. Arrangement of the products

The most popular way of placing products is the pyramid shape. The essence of this is that you place the largest product in the centre and, moving sideways, increasingly smaller ones are placed next to it.

If the goods are almost the same size, then it is worth including decorative elements, so you do not have to give up this form of arrangement.

If the pyramid is symmetrical, it radiates calmness, if it is asymmetrical, it creates a much more energetic and moving effect.

In addition, if you are thinking about more serious decor elements and backgrounds, you can also choose the method of placing the products in an airy manner. In accordance with the created space, you can also line them up according to the extent of the sale.

What are the biggest no-nos in window merchandising?

If you display products in the shop window without a concept or thought, it can easily create the feeling that you are looking into a warehouse.

The most important thing is not to try to show everything at once on this platform, leave products in the store as well.

Whatever concept you decide on, the biggest mistake you can make is if your shop window gives the impression of being unpretentious. In order to avoid this, it is important to have the right arrangement, the preliminary selection of decorative elements and colours and the creation of harmony.

Remember, the shop window is an important marketing channel that tries to capture the attention of your potential customers every minute of the week, so a lot of emphasis should be placed on making it look good.

As you can see from some of our previous work above, we at Spur Creative have worked with various high-end retailers to help them make their shop windows spectacular with custom-made retail props. You can see a wider selection of our work here.

The Magic of Marketing Props: Bringing Your Brand to Life

Fri, 24 Mar 2023 00:00:00 +0000

In an age where digital marketing and online presence have become the norm, it's easy to overlook the power of physical representations. However, we at Spur Creative love making bespoke marketing props for various brands. This is because props can help create memorable, tangible experiences that make a brand really stand out.

In this article, we'll explore the magic of props and why you should consider investing in them for your promotional activities.

Brand Identity and Recognition

Using custom sculptures serves as a perfect opportunity to showcase your brand's identity and increase recognition. By designing a one-of-a-kind piece, your brand becomes visually distinctive and easily remembered. Whether it's a giant logo or a 3D representation of your product, custom props ensure that your brand captures the attention of your target audience.

Engaging and Interactive

Branded event props can create a sense of physical interaction and engagement that standard advertising methods simply cannot. With a 'real-life' piece, audiences can engage with your brand, take photos, and share their experiences on social media. This kind of user-generated content can lead to more organic reach and brand exposure.

Versatility

Promotional props are incredibly versatile and can be used for various purposes. They can serve as a centrepiece for events, product launches, trade shows, and exhibitions. Moreover, they can also be displayed in your office space, creating a unique and inviting environment that reflects your brand's ethos.

Long-lasting Impact

While digital marketing campaigns can be fleeting, props have a lasting impact. Their physical presence ensures that they continue to generate buzz and conversation long after the initial unveiling. Additionally, they can be repurposed for future events, maximising your investment.

Customisation and Collaboration

One of the best aspects of working with a creative workshop like we at Spur Creative is the opportunity to collaborate on your prop design. Our team will work closely with you to bring your vision to life, ensuring the final product is a true reflection of your brand.

Case Study: A Success Story

A well-known beverage company approached Spur Creative to create a giant, custom-made polystyrene sculpture for an upcoming event. The client wanted a visually striking piece that would attract attention and encourage attendees to engage with the brand and create a captivating and memorable experience.

The Spur Creative team collaborated with the client to design a 3D replica of the iconic Tanqueray bottle. The giant prop became the focal point of the event, generating buzz and social media shares.

Investing in a custom sculpture is an effective and unique way to elevate your brand and create memorable experiences for your target audience. Don't miss out on the magic of marketing props – contact Spur Creative today to begin your journey.

A Glimpse Into Our Spellbinding Project Portfolio

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Welcome to the magical world of Spur Creative, where our team of talented prop makers bring extraordinary visions to life.

Our project portfolio showcases our commitment to transforming ordinary spaces into realms of imagination and wonder. So, grab a cuppa, sit back, and let us take you on a journey through some of our most enchanting creations.

A Roaring Adventure

As prop makers, we're always up for a challenge, and our collaboration with Chessington World of Adventures was no exception. Tasked with creating a hot air balloon basket to be displayed in the foyer of The Safari Hotel, we poured our hearts and souls into crafting it. Our attention to detail ensured that the giant balloon looked strikingly realistic, providing an immersive experience for visitors.

An Out-of-this-World Experience

When tasked with creating our very own UFO spaceship prop design for the 2022 Goodwood Festival Revival, we were over the moon. Our team expertly fashioned every intricate detail of the spacecraft, constructing a stunningly accurate replica that would delight any space aficionado. The spaceship we brought to life was adorned with ultra-bright LEDs and equipped with a smoke machine, making it look just like the 'real deal'.

This foray into the extraterrestrial realm was not our first. In 2021, we proudly crafted two captivating crashed spaceships for the John Lewis Christmas advertisement.

Percy Pig Scales New Heights

We took on the colossal task of creating a 4-metre-high Percy Pig prop for Marks and Spencer's new store. Our team sculpted, laminated, and reinforced Percy, preparing him for his unique rooftop installation. Seamless collaboration between our team and engineers ensured public safety and exact specifications. The result? A larger-than-life, waving Percy Pig that delights customers and passersby alike.

A Giant Snoopy Comes to Life

Faced with a tight deadline, we embraced the challenge of creating a 4.5-metre-high giant Snoopy prop for Goodwood's inaugural Goodwoof dog event. Collaborating closely with the Peanuts brand team, we meticulously crafted Snoopy and his iconic house, meeting stringent brand guidelines.

The final result, a colossal Snoopy lying on top of his house, was a huge hit, earning praise from both Goodwood and the Peanuts team.

Unforgettable Giveaways and a Giant Goat

Tasked with creating an eye-catching display and 500 giveaway props for Goat Simulator 3 at Gamescon 2022, we rose to the challenge. In just seven weeks, we crafted an 8-foot-high fibreglass goat named Pilgor and giveaway items including masks, wearable comedy udders, edible grass, bell necklaces, and stickers, all presented in hessian drawstring bags. Our attention to detail and commitment to quality resulted in delighted clients and a memorable gaming expo experience.

Bringing a Children's Classic to Life at Dartmoor Zoo

Tasked with creating durable, interactive, and oversized prop versions of Rod Campbell's beloved lift-the-flap book, Dear Zoo, we successfully crafted giant books that delighted children visiting the zoo throughout the summer. The sturdy construction, weather-resistant materials, and attention to detail impressed our clients and the book's author and publisher, Macmillan Children's Books. Our giant prop books provided an engaging and immersive experience for young visitors, making the project a resounding success.

As we close the magical storybook of our project portfolio, we are proud of the passion and craftsmanship our team has poured into every creation. Each project is a testament to our commitment to transporting people to worlds of endless possibilities. So, whether it's an adventure in the animal kingdom, a journey to the stars, or a walk through history, our enchanting props will take you there.

Until next time, happy adventuring!

Captivated by the spellbinding tales our props weave? Reach out to Spur Creative and let's craft a story that leaves a lasting imprint on your audience's hearts.

Inside Spur Creative: The Art and Craft of Prop Making for Film and TV

Wed, 21 Jun 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Greetings from the Spur Creative workshop, where imagination turns into reality! We are thrilled to take you behind the scenes of our passion-filled workspace, to give you a taste of what it’s like to craft props for film, television, and theatre.

Let's dive into the fascinating universe of prop making, where creativity, technical skills, and storytelling converge.

What is prop making?

Prop making might seem like an obscure craft to many, but in reality, it’s an intricate process involving a blend of creativity, precision, and technical knowledge. Imagine for a moment your favourite film or television show without the lightsabers of Star Wars, the Iron Throne of Game of Thrones, or the wands in Harry Potter - not quite the same, is it? These props are pivotal to our beloved stories, transforming them from mere scripts into immersive experiences.

Let's begin by addressing the elephant in the room: What exactly is a prop? The term "prop" is short for "property," and in film, television, and theatre, a prop is essentially any object that the actors interact with on set. It could be as grand as a replica of the Titanic or as modest as a vintage tea cup. These objects play a critical role in setting the scene, reflecting character personalities, and adding depth to the storyline.

How do we get started?

At Spur Creative, the prop making process begins with a brief from the client, a kind of wishlist detailing what they envision for their project. This could range from fantastical creatures to specific period furniture. Once the brief is understood, the team moves to the drawing board, sketching, designing and modelling the props before starting to build in the real world.

What do we love the most?

The beauty of prop making lies in its diversity. One day, you could be meticulously painting a foam sculpture, and the next, programming LED lights into a futuristic gadget. This field requires mastery in a variety of skills, such as sculpting, moulding, painting, and even electronics. The ultimate goal is always the same though: to create something extraordinary that adds value to the production and helps tell the story.

To the untrained eye, it may seem that once a prop is made, it is ready for its moment in the spotlight. However, the journey from workshop to set is often one filled with alterations and adjustments. For instance, if a prop is too heavy for an actor to comfortably use, or if it doesn’t look quite right on camera, modifications must be made. Feedback loops between the prop makers and the production team are vital to ensure that the final product seamlessly fits into the narrative.

Working on props can sometimes feel like a thankless job. The artistry and effort that go into crafting them are often overlooked by viewers who are captivated by the drama unfolding on screen. Yet, we at Spur Creative find satisfaction in knowing they have created something tangible that contributes to the magic of storytelling. When the lights dim, the music swells, and the story begins to unfold, it is their creations that help transport audiences to another place and time.

Prop making is a perfect amalgamation of creativity, practical skills, and storytelling. It’s the silent art that speaks volumes on screen. So we invite you to see beyond the actors next time you're engrossed in a film or TV show. Props are not just objects, they are integral parts of the narrative.

At Spur Creative, we are a team of dedicated artists and technicians who pour our hearts and soul into each prop we create. Our commitment to our craft ensures that we keep adding to the magic of storytelling, helping bring stories to life, one prop at a time. So, the next time you see a unique object on the screen, remember there's a team like us who've lovingly created it to enhance your viewing experience.

Enthralled by the magic of props and the stories they tell? Reach out to the Spur Creative team and let's shape your narrative with precision and passion!

Creating Unforgettable Events with Props

Fri, 21 Jul 2023 00:00:00 +0000

When it comes to promotional events, the devil is indeed in the details. Among these, props hold a pivotal role, with the power to not only grab attention but also enhance your brand's storytelling.

In this article, we at Spur Creative are here to delve into the magic that props can weave. Let's see why they are such a game-changer for your promotional event.

Why Props?

Props are more than mere ornaments for your event – they're the vehicles driving your brand's narrative. A well-crafted prop can do wonders in elevating your event's ambience, grabbing your audience's attention, and immersing them in your brand's universe. It gives them something tangible to interact with, thereby deepening their connection with your brand.

Making Your Brand Stand Out

In an age where we're inundated with digital noise, a beautifully designed and strategically placed prop can make your brand stand out. Imagine an event for a video game launch. Instead of solely relying on digital screens, a life-sized sculpture of the game's main character will undoubtedly turn heads. This isn't just about creating a spectacle; it's about giving your brand a distinct personality and making your event an unforgettable experience.

Interactive Experiences

Props offer an interactive experience, which is paramount in the digital age where experience trumps everything. They encourage guests to interact physically, take photos, and share them on their social media platforms. This not only enhances the guest experience but also extends the reach of your promotional event, generating more exposure for your brand.

Props Tell a Story

The power of storytelling cannot be overstated, and props can serve as compelling visual storytellers. By conveying your brand’s narrative through unique, custom-made props, you give your audience a deeper understanding and appreciation of your brand, its ethos, and its story. Whether it's an oversized book that tells the story of your brand or a series of props that illustrate your company's evolution, these elements can make your promotional event more meaningful and engaging.

Investing in Quality

When it comes to props, quality and craftsmanship matter. A prop that's well-designed and meticulously crafted not only looks better but also sends a message about your brand's commitment to quality.

At Spur Creative, our team of skilled prop makers pour their passion, creativity, and expertise into every project, crafting high-quality, durable props that truly represent your brand and resonate with your audience.

Wrapping Up

As we navigate a fast-paced, digital world, the significance of the tangible, the tactile, and the real becomes even more critical. And that's where the magic of props comes in. They offer an opportunity to create a lasting impression and provide your audience with a memorable, engaging experience. Remember, props are more than mere decorations; they're a vital part of your promotional event that can amplify your brand's message, create a powerful impact and give your audience a story to tell.

So, when planning your next event, consider the power of props and how they can take your message from good to extraordinary.

Until next time, keep dreaming big and crafting experiences that make a difference.

Interested in crafting a memorable event with the magic of props? Our team at Spur Creative is here to help. Connect with our prop-making experts and let's bring your brand's story to life!

Why Big Brands Use Giant Props in Their Marketing

Fri, 15 Sep 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Let's face it, we're all a bit ad-weary these days, aren't we? Whether we're scrolling away on our phones or taking a stroll down the high street, we're bombarded with ads left and right.

So much so, we've become pros at tuning them out. Brands, sensing our indifference, are increasingly focused on crafting experiences that resonate with us emotionally. Because let's be honest, we might forget a snazzy tagline, but we're much less likely to forget an experience that really made us feel something special. That's where the magic of giant props waltzes in.

Giants Stand Above the Clutter

Imagine walking through a shopping centre and coming face-to-face with a towering replica of your all-time favourite chocolate bar or seeing a gigantic logo perched atop a city building. Now that's a head-turner!

First, these mammoth sculptures grab our attention simply by their sheer size. Who wouldn't stop and gawk? Then they win us over with their impeccable craftsmanship. If it looks like the real deal, only super-sized, we're sold.

Snap, Share and Engage

But there's more! Giant props are like social media goldmines. They make fantastic backdrops for selfies and group photos, sparking chatter online and bringing that much-coveted user-generated content into the mix. And if there's a pop-up event happening nearby? Even better. The prop acts like a magnet, drawing us into the experience and making us part of the story. It's a little like social proof; if we see others engaging with a brand in a fun and meaningful way, we're more likely to hop on the bandwagon ourselves.

Case Study 1: A Giant Toast to Pimm's Creative Flair

Remember Stagecraft's Giant Pimm's Glass Prop? Created to a towering 3 metres, this was no ordinary glass - it was an icon of British summer. Designed for Pimm's’ summer promotion in London, this colossal cocktail glass did more than just advertise—it became a hub of activity.

Tourists and locals alike flocked to its location on the River Thames, not just to see the giant glass, but also to pose for photos, share on social media, and engage in Pimm's' pop-up event. In essence, it served as a billboard, a photo backdrop, and an event all rolled into one. It perfectly encapsulated the experience of enjoying a glass of Pimm's and Lemonade on a beautiful summer day in the British capital.

Case Study 2: Turning Pop Culture into Props: Percy Pig

And let's talk about fun, shall we? Marks and Spencer's giant Percy Pig was one of the most fun projects we at Spur Creatives have ever worked on. Placed atop their new M&S store in Stevenage, this 4-metre-high iconic pig wasn't just eye-catching—it was a conversation starter, a photo backdrop, and a headline-maker all in one.

Designed and created with immense craftsmanship from the initial sketches to its fibreglass finish, Percy Pig easily became a local sensation delighting fans of all ages. (Of course, our engineers made sure he was safely anchored, so there's no flying pig scenario.)

The Takeaway: Go Big or Go Home

So, if you're looking to make a marketing splash that's bound to be remembered, a giant prop might just be your ticket to unforgettable brand experiences. After all, in a world full of clutter, sometimes going big is the best way to stand out and be seen.

Curious about how giant props could give your brand the spotlight it deserves? Feel free to reach out to our prop maker specialists!

From Carved Pumpkins to Pirate Ships: A Prop Maker's Take on Halloween's Grand Evolution

Thu, 26 Oct 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Halloween – once a night of mischief and sweets, it’s now become an all-out production. It's hard not to see that the scale and spectacle of some neighbourhoods' Halloween decorations are reaching cinematic proportions these days.

Long gone are the days when Halloween decorations meant just a carved pumpkin and a few paper bats. Nowadays, not only the big brands but also the local neighbourhoods are going all out, transforming spaces into hauntingly beautiful realms. Believe it or not, some people invest more in Halloween than Christmas, and we're not just talking about bags of sweets!

The Halloween Revolution

From private homes showcasing life-sized pirate ships, complete with animatronic pirates hoisting the Jolly Roger, to gardens that seem to come alive with projectors casting eerie shadows and spectres – Halloween is the new frontier of festive creativity. It’s not just about the scare factor anymore; it's about building an atmosphere, an experience.

When Props Set the Mood

Our journey in prop-making has shown us the limitless possibilities of what can be crafted. Do you remember that giant Halloween pumpkin we’ve sculpted for a Glasgow supermarket? Or the eerie Sea of Thieves characters we designed for Microsoft's Gaming Expo?

Now imagine your garden transformed with a custom-made witch’s cauldron, bubbling away under a faux full moon. Or your hallway hosting a life-sized ghoul, its hand movements synced perfectly with the flickering lights above. The beauty of props is that they’re not just about dressing up a space – they’re about whisking everyone off to a whole different world.

Brands Bewitched by Halloween

Brands aren't immune to the Halloween allure either. With custom props and set designs, businesses can create unforgettable brand experiences, intertwining their identity with the Halloween spirit. A retail window might feature a ghostly apparition showcasing the latest product, or perhaps a restaurant hosts a haunted feast, complete with themed props that elevate the dining experience.

Safety in Spookiness

Crafting the supernatural requires a grounded approach. We ensure that every prop, no matter how spine-chilling, meets our stringent safety standards. And while we promise a hauntingly good time, we can assure you that no supernatural entities are involved in our process (though our midnight tea breaks might sometimes suggest otherwise!).

Redefining Halloween

Halloween's got a whole new vibe these days, with celebrations getting bigger and bolder year by year. If you fancy us crafting an otherworldly experience that'll be the talk of the spectral town, drop by for a brew (or potion!) with us. Until then, keep the spirits high and the spells ready!

Christmas Display Tactics for Luxury Brands

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 00:00:00 +0000

Luxury brands have a unique opportunity during the Christmas season to captivate their audience with exquisite displays and immersive experiences.

Let’s explore how luxury retailers can use Christmas displays and props to attract more customers during the festive season.

1. Elevating the Storefront with Bespoke Props

Custom-made props can transform a luxury brand's storefront into a Christmas spectacle. Elegant, brand-aligned decorations create an inviting and memorable experience, encouraging passersby to step inside.

2. Hosting a Pop-Up Event

Pop-up events offer an exclusive shopping experience. Luxury brands can use these events to showcase limited edition products or offer personalised services, creating buzz and attracting niche customers.

3. Sponsoring Christmas Events

Sponsoring local Christmas events or Christmas markets is an effective way to increase brand visibility. Luxury brands can integrate their logos and branding into event decorations, including Christmas trees and light displays, to create a consistent brand presence.

4. Collaborations and Limited Editions

Collaborating with artists or releasing limited edition Christmas-themed products can generate excitement and exclusivity, drawing in collectors and enthusiasts.

Our Case Studies

To give some inspiration, we at Spur Creative proudly present two case studies showcasing our bespoke Moët & Chandon props for the Somerset House Christmas Event. These projects exemplify the power of innovative displays in captivating customers and enhancing the prestige of a brand during a high-profile Christmas sponsorship.

Somerset House Christmas Event 2021

In 2021, the Somerset House Christmas Event brilliantly merged luxury with the festive season. Spur Creative was entrusted with the task of creating 100 cork and wax seal Christmas decoration props for the event's Christmas tree.

These props were more than mere ornaments; they embodied a narrative of elegance and celebration.

They not only amplified Moët & Chandon's festive presence but also added to the luxurious and festive ambience of the Somerset House Christmas Event.

Somerset House Christmas Event 2022

For the Christmas event at Somerset House in 2022, we meticulously crafted and adorned the majestic Christmas tree with our bespoke giant gold baubles.

These elegant fibreglass pieces, ranging in size from 600mm to 1600mm, bestowed a touch of luxury upon the historic venue, enhancing the charm and festive feel of the event.

Takeaway

The Christmas season is a golden opportunity for luxury brands to engage with customers through creative displays and unique experiences. By strategically using decoration displays, props, pop-up events, and sponsorships, luxury retailers can create a festive buzz, enhancing their brand’s prestige and allure.

Interested in elevating your brand's festive appeal? Contact Spur Creative to explore our portfolio and find out more about our bespoke prop design services for your next Christmas event.

Crafting History - Prop Making for Museums

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In the world of prop making, each project is a unique journey. As a prop maker, the excitement of bringing history to life through museum artefacts, props, and replicas is unmatched.

Our craft goes beyond mere replication It's about creating an experience, an immersion into history that makes visitors feel as if they've stepped back in times.

The Process of Creation

Our process is deeply collaborative and begins with understanding the vision of our clients. Whether we start from detailed 3-D drawings or a simple sketch, our goal is to bring that vision to life. We employ a wide range of techniques, from sculpting, moulding, and casting to paint spraying and finishing. Our choice of materials is just as diverse, allowing us to create the most authentic and durable replicas.

Case Studies of Our Museum Props

Imperial War Museum WW2 Loan Boxes

Working on this project was a profound experience. The challenge was to create replicas that resonated with the gravitas of World War II. Our team utilised a blend of traditional and modern techniques to craft items that not only represented the era accurately but also evoked the emotional context of the time.

These loan boxes are now tools for education, helping to narrate the poignant stories of the war. You can read more about this exciting project here.

War Horse Exhibition at The National Army Museum

The creation of giant horse props for this exhibition was a task that demanded meticulous attention to detail. We had to ensure that each prop accurately reflected the majesty and role of horses in warfare. The result was a breathtaking display that captured the essence of these noble creatures and their contribution to history. You can find more details about this project here.

Warhammer Games Props

Entering the fantastical world of Warhammer was a delightful shift from our usual historical reproductions. Crafting game props of weapons and furniture for this universe required a different kind of creativity – one that blended historical accuracy with the mythical elements of the game. This project showcased our versatility and ability to adapt to different thematic requirements. You can immerse yourself in this project here.

Challenges and Triumphs

Every project of designing and creating museum props and replicas comes with its challenges, but these are opportunities for us to push the boundaries of our craft. For instance, when we created the war horses, we had to figure out how to place the metal poles into the sculptures to allow the horses to convey a sense of dynamic motion when exhibited in the museum. This required us to delve into the intricate anatomy of horses to ensure authenticity. Similarly, when we crafted the World War II. Loan Boxes, we needed to do proper historical research to make sure that everything we produced looked and felt authentic.

Collaboration and Innovation

Our work on the WW2 project is a testament to the power of collaboration and resourcefulness. Working with a tight budget, we had to be creative in our approach to deliver an impeccable presentation of props and replicas. The client's detailed vision dovetailed perfectly with our expertise, resulting in a project that powerfully conveyed personal wartime stories.

Conclusion

As prop makers, we don't just create objects; we create experiences. Each artefact, prop or replica is a story waiting to be told, a history waiting to be relived. Our passion lies in making these stories tangible, in crafting pieces that transport people to different times and worlds. It's not just a job, it's an art – the art of crafting history.

You can explore more of our captivating projects here. If you're in need of historical artefacts or immersive props for your museum, get in touch with us here to bring your vision to life.

Prop Making for Different Industries

Thu, 25 Apr 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Prop making is a versatile and creative field that serves a broad spectrum of industries. Each sector presents unique demands and challenges that require specific skills, knowledge, and techniques.

Here, we explore how prop making varies between film, theatre, and events, highlighting the distinct requirements and obstacles encountered in each.

Film Props

In the film industry, the realism and detail of props are very important. Props must withstand close-up shots and high-definition scrutiny, necessitating careful craftsmanship and realistic finishes. Materials are chosen not only for their aesthetic qualities but also for their durability, as film props often endure rigorous use on set. For instance, a prop sword used in an action-packed British historical drama must look authentic to the period and withstand choreographed combat scenes.

Challenges in film prop making include the tight deadlines often dictated by shooting schedules and the need for multiples of the same item to account for breakages or different stages of 'wear' throughout the film. Additionally, prop makers must often work closely with special effects teams to integrate technology, such as embedded electronics for interactive props.

Theatre Props

Theatre prop making prioritises durability and functionality, as items are typically used repeatedly over long runs of a production. Unlike film, theatre props need to look convincing from the distance of the audience, which allows for broader strokes in the design and finishing techniques. Materials must be lightweight for quick scene changes and sometimes oversized to be visible from the back rows.

One challenge in theatre is the need for props to be versatile and often multi-functional, as backstage space is limited. A single prop might need to serve several purposes within a show, such as a bookshelf that turns into a hidden door. Another consideration is the speed of repairs and alterations. Props might need to be adjusted or fixed quickly between performances.

Event Props

Prop making for events such as exhibitions, trade shows, and public displays leans heavily towards creating impactful, eye-catching pieces that attract attention and communicate messages instantly. Durability is still important, but the focus often shifts towards aesthetics and the ability to draw in an audience. Props may be designed to interact with visitors, incorporating elements such as touch-activated sounds or lights.

Challenges here include the scale of props, which can be much larger to fill expansive event spaces. Transportability is also a key concern, as props may need to be designed in sections for easy assembly and disassembly at different venues. Additionally, because events are often temporary, materials and construction methods may need to be cost-effective while still achieving a high-impact visual appeal.

while the core skills of prop making are applicable across film, theatre, and events, the specifics of the craft can vary widely. A successful prop maker must adapt to the diverse needs of these industries, combining artistic talent with practical problem-solving to create items that not only look the part but perform flawlessly in their intended environment.

While the core skills of prop making are applicable across film, theatre, and events, the specifics of the craft can vary widely. A successful prop maker must adapt to the diverse needs of these industries, combining artistic talent with practical problem-solving to create items that not only look the part but perform flawlessly in their intended environment.

If you're looking for bespoke props crafted with care, explore our work at Spur Creative and contact us to see how we can bring your vision to life.

Choosing the Right Material for Each Prop

Thu, 23 May 2024 00:00:00 +0000

In the intricate world of prop making, selecting the right material is crucial to achieving the perfect balance of aesthetics, durability, and functionality.

At Spur Creative, our extensive experience with various materials is what allows us to craft props that meet our clients’ expectations whatever they have in mind. Let's dive into some of the key materials we use and their unique applications.

Polystyrene: Lightweight and Versatile

Polystyrene is a staple in prop making due to its lightweight and easily mouldable properties. This material is perfect for creating large-scale models and intricate designs. A prime example of our work with polystyrene is the Giant Percy Pig prop for Marks & Spencer.

This cheerful giant prop which is created for promotional purposes, showcases polystyrene's ability to be intricately carved and painted to create a delightful and engaging character.

Fibreglass: Shiny and Durable

Fibreglass is the material of choice when strength and durability are paramount. We primarily use it to hardcoat our polystyrene props. Its robust nature makes it ideal for props that need to withstand handling and various environmental conditions. For instance, we created a giant 3-metre-tall Tanqueray gin bottle for a marketing campaign by the River Thames.

The fibreglass construction ensured that the prop was not only durable but also had a high-quality, smooth finish.

Wood: Traditional and Timeless

Wood is often used when a natural, authentic look is needed. It provides a sturdy foundation and is versatile in terms of finishing options. A prime example of our work with wood is the creation of WWII loan boxes for the Imperial War Museum. The use of wood here provided the necessary durability and authenticity for the museum replicas.

Metal: Reliable and Strong

Metal is often used as a frame for more complex prop installations, providing the necessary support and stability. For instance, in our Waitrose arrow prop, we built a metal frame welded to a 20mm thick metal base. This frame was then moulded and cast in fibreglass to create a robust and visually appealing sign. The final prop was painted with Waitrose green and had printed vinyl applied, ensuring durability and aesthetic appeal.

Combining Materials for the Best Results

Most often, the best approach is to combine materials to leverage their individual strengths. Our Snoopy props for Goodwood Racing Company's Goodwoof events are a good example of this method. For these projects, we used a combination of polystyrene for the detailed sculpture of Snoopy, fibreglass coating for added durability, and metal elements for structural support.

The metal frame provided the necessary stability for the prop, while the polystyrene allowed for fine detailing and easy carving. The fibreglass coating ensured the prop could withstand outdoor conditions and be handled frequently. This combination resulted in an adorable and sturdy prop that was easy to transport and install.

The Bottom Line

Choosing the right material is an essential part of the prop-making process. By understanding the unique properties of materials like polystyrene, fibreglass, wood, and metal, we can create props that are not only visually stunning but also durable and functional. Each project - whether it’s a giant Percy Pig for a promotional event or intricate museum replicas - benefits from our careful selection of materials.

For more insights into our projects and the materials we use, visit our portfolio. If you have a project in mind and would like to discuss how we can bring it to life, feel free to contact us. We'd love to hear from you!

The Art of Cosy Autumn Window Displays

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

Autumn is a season of change, bringing a rich palette of colours, cosy textures, and natural beauty to the forefront. For retail businesses, it’s also a fantastic opportunity to refresh shop window displays and create an inviting atmosphere that draws in customers.

A well-designed autumn window display can evoke the warmth and charm of the season, capturing the attention of passers-by and encouraging them to step inside. At Spur Creative, we specialise in creating bespoke props that bring window displays to life. Here, we share some expert tips on how to design a stunning autumn-themed retail window display that captures the essence of the season and boosts foot traffic.

1. Embrace the Colours and Textures of Autumn

Autumn is synonymous with warm, earthy tones - think deep reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. Incorporating these colours into your window display is a simple yet effective way to set the seasonal tone. Natural materials like wood, leaves, and hay also evoke a sense of autumnal cosiness.

At Spur Creative, we often design props that mirror the textures and colours of the season. Custom-made autumn leaves, faux wood elements, or even handcrafted pumpkins can serve as centrepieces in your display, adding an authentic touch to your window. By layering these elements with soft fabrics like wool and felt, you create a visual experience that feels warm and welcoming.

Tip: Consider adding a backdrop or base in rich, autumnal tones to anchor your display. A fabric or printed backdrop featuring an autumn forest, falling leaves, or rustic countryside can create a dramatic setting for your products.

2. Use Props to Tell a Story

Window displays are more than just an arrangement of products - they are a chance to tell a story. For autumn, think about the themes that resonate with the season: harvest, change, cosiness, and warmth. How can these themes tie into your brand and products?

At Spur Creative, we’ve helped clients create props that tell a seasonal story. For example, an outdoor clothing brand might use props like faux trees, autumn leaves, and vintage lanterns to create a woodland scene. A bakery might design a harvest-themed display with wheat sheaves, baskets of faux apples, and wooden crates.

By creating a narrative through your props, you give customers a reason to pause and engage with your display. A story can also guide them through your product offering, making your window display more memorable and impactful.

3. Highlight Key Products with Seasonal Props

Your autumn window display is not just about setting the mood - it’s also a powerful sales tool. Highlight key products that you want to promote, and use props to draw attention to them.

For example, we often design custom props that frame or complement certain products. Imagine an autumn window display featuring your latest collection of knitwear, with each sweater showcased on a mannequin nestled among piles of faux autumn leaves or displayed against a backdrop of wooden logs. These subtle details enhance the product and align it with the seasonal theme, encouraging customers to see your items in a new light.

Tip: Keep the product front and centre. Props should enhance but never overwhelm the items you're selling. Use lighting strategically to ensure that your key products are well-illuminated and draw the customer’s eye.

4. Think About the Bigger Picture

Autumn is a time for celebration, and your window display should reflect the mood of the season. Think about how your window fits into the overall atmosphere of your store and how it contributes to the customer’s experience as they step inside. Seasonal props don’t just have to be limited to the window - they can extend into the store to create a cohesive look.

At Spur Creative, we often help our clients create seasonal themes that span both the window display and the interior of the store. By using complementary props and decorations inside, you create a seamless transition that enhances the overall shopping experience.

Tip: Incorporate props like autumn wreaths, hanging lanterns, or rustic signage to bring the seasonal theme indoors. This reinforces the sense of seasonality and gives your store a warm, welcoming feel.

Conclusion: Let your Creativity Craft your Perfect Autumn Display

By using seasonal colours, telling a compelling story and incorporating custom props, you can create a window display that not only attracts foot traffic but also enhances the overall shopping experience.

At Spur Creative, we specialise in creating bespoke props that bring shop windows to life. Our team of experienced designers and craftsmen can help you craft a visually stunning and engaging autumn-themed display that captures the essence of the season while highlighting your products.

Explore our design portfolio here and don’t hesitate to reach out if you need assistance transforming your retail shop window display. We're here to help bring your vision to life.

Use Visual Storytelling to Make your Brand Events Memorable

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 00:00:00 +0000

The power of visual storytelling can make or break a corporate event or product launch. While sleek venues and tech-savvy presentations certainly play their part, nothing commands attention quite like a well-crafted, bespoke prop.

Whether it’s a life-sized product replica or an immersive stage setup, custom props bring a new level of creativity, engagement, and memorability to corporate events. Here’s how they do it.

1. Brand Identity in 3D

Bespoke props provide a unique opportunity to make your brand’s identity tangible. Whether you’re launching a new product or hosting a major corporate event, the ability to translate your brand’s core message into a physical form can resonate deeply with your audience.

For example, we’ve worked on corporate events where the brand’s logo was turned into an interactive feature, allowing attendees to engage with it directly. For product launches, we’ve crafted life-sized, or even giant replicas of new products that not only drew attention but also provided perfect photo opportunities—turning props into shareable moments across social media.

By working with your team to fully understand your brand and event goals, we design props that reflect your brand’s values and aesthetics. Whether it’s sleek and modern or bold and playful, we create something that speaks your language.

2. Creating Immersive Experiences

In the world of corporate events, immersion is key. With so many competing for audience attention, your event needs to stand out from the rest. Bespoke props allow you to transform an ordinary space into an extraordinary experience, transporting attendees into your brand’s world.

Imagine entering a product launch where every corner of the room tells a part of the story. With a mix of lighting, decorations and interactive installations, we’ve helped companies create environments that feel more like an adventure than a business function. Props like replicas of the products, thematic stage sets, branded installations (or even a brand-themed Santa Claus helicopter) allow guests to fully engage with your message on a visual and emotional level.

By adding that tactile, immersive element, you invite your audience not just to see your product but to experience it.

3. Engagement and Interactivity

Props aren’t just for decoration - they’re conversation starters. In today’s fast-paced corporate environment, grabbing attention is one thing, but keeping it is another. Interactive props give attendees a reason to explore, engage, and participate.

At Spur Creative, we design props that not only look impressive but also invite interaction. From touchable elements to motion-sensitive features, our props become focal points that guests naturally gravitate towards. This level of engagement turns passive observers into active participants.

By offering a memorable, hands-on experience, you make a lasting impression that extends beyond the event itself.

4. Photogenic and Shareable Moments

In today’s corporate events, social media plays a major role in expanding your reach. Props serve as the perfect backdrop for photo opportunities that not only capture the moment but also promote your brand far beyond the venue.

Exhibition props give your event visual appeal that encourages attendees to snap and share photos. A giant version of your product or a striking logo sculpture with built-in lighting creates a “wow” factor that draws the cameras out. These photos, often shared across social media platforms, act as free promotion, increasing brand visibility while adding a playful, human touch to your corporate image.

At Spur Creative, we’ve seen firsthand how bespoke props can take over Instagram feeds, creating organic buzz and broadening the reach of your event.

Partnering with Spur Creative

At Spur Creative, we specialise in bringing your ideas to life. We work closely with our corporate clients to design and fabricate bespoke props that enhance their events, reflect their brand identity, and engage their audience on a deeper level. From initial concept through to final installation, we ensure that every prop we create is crafted to the highest standards of quality and impact.

If you’re planning a corporate event or product launch and want to elevate it with custom-made props, we’re here to help you turn your vision into reality. Contact us today to discuss how we can help you create a visual experience that your attendees won’t forget.