Creating the STID Phaser Replica

LOS ANGELES – May 20, 2013 – When QMx was asked to create new phasers for Star Trek Into Darkness, we knew exactly what we wanted to make: a phaser that switched intensity settings without CGI effects.

In the 2009 Star Trek movie, neither of the two hero phasers had a working power control. The spinner in 2009 hero prop used a clockwork mechanism to rotate and rotated only in one direction. The back-and-forth spin effect was added in post-production.

For Star Trek Into Darkness, we partnered with one of Hollywood's most gifted armorers and prop fabricators, Kenneth Palkow of Kenney's Custom Props LLC* to make:

  • Twelve hero props and five super heroes that each features a servo spinner that rotates in both directions at the push of a button. Each phaser also has a working power control with a light that changes from green to orange to red when the dial is turned. The super heroes have machined aluminum grips for maximum realism in closeups. The hero grips are metal-plated plastic.
  • Seven breakaway phasers that can be separated for easy storage and assembled by snapping the top sections and the grips together with the help of magnets. The breakaway phasers have working power controls, but no servo spinners.
  • Many non-electronic stunt phasers with spinners that can be turned manually and locked into place using magnets. The stunt phasers were created by QMx's Artisan model and prop division, QMx FX Cinema Arts.

All phasers featured updated the finishes designed by Kenney to give them an even more realistic and serious look.

A screen-authentic hero phaser is in the works for 2014. But for 2013, we have something very special planned: Through special arrangement with Paramount Pictures and Amazon.com, replicas of the phasers QMx created for the film will be available in special Blu-ray gift packs this fall.

These stunt phasers will feature the new finishes as well as a manual turning spinner.  

 

*Kenney's credits include Battlestar Galactica, Rise of the Planet of The Apes, Continuum, Elysium, Robocop (2014), Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters and Godzilla (2014).
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