Custom props from the art department's files
Printing suits productions because it starts from the designer's own model. Scale changes are a click rather than a re-sculpt, and a second or third copy comes from the same file, so continuity holds across takes. For repeated ornament, railings or brackets, printing removes the most tedious hand work.
What we make for film, TV and theatre:
- Oversized hero props for a scene or commercial, like a giant telephone
- Architectural details: capitals, brackets, ornament and repeated moldings
- Matching duplicates for multiple takes, or separate hero and stunt versions
- Stylized sculpture and set dressing for a stage production
- Lightweight pieces that talent can carry or handle
Oversized set pieces, finished for the lens
Every prop is printed in white or clear PETG, in sections, then joined, filled, sanded, primed and painted. A close-up hero needs more finishing than background dressing, so we agree the level against how close the camera gets. All colour is paint: we can match a reference, age and distress a surface, or use our codes, such as 05 Vermilion.
Large props are hollow and light, which helps grips and talent. We add internal frames or mounting points where a piece will be handled, rigged or bolted to a set. If you would rather your scenic artists paint it, we deliver raw, sanded or primed.
Theatre scenery and props built for the run
For the stage we think about sightlines, weight for crew handling and durability across a run. Clear PETG with a tinted coat can glow when lit from inside, which gives lighting designers another tool. If a piece needs to break on cue, tell us and we design how it comes apart instead of how it holds.
Sections are planned around how the prop moves: through a stage door, into a truck, up a freight elevator to a location. Joins sit where they can be hidden by paint or by the shot, and pieces that need to strike fast are built to come apart by hand. A touch-up kit travels with every delivery for the inevitable knock on set.
Building for a keynote stage? See 3D printing for events and trade shows. For accurate models and replicas, see 3D printing for museums and exhibitions.
How it works
- Send models or drawings, your schedule and how close the camera gets.
- We confirm sections, finish level and a realistic plan, then quote.
- The art department signs off colour and aging approach.
- We print, finish and, if needed, distress or age the surface.
- We deliver to stage, studio or location, ready to dress.
The full workflow is on our process page.
What to send us
Send whatever the art department has:
- Models, drawings or concept art
- Shoot, tech or opening schedule
- Shot notes: close-up hero or background
- Breakaway, stunt or multiple-copy needs
- Paint references or scenic artist notes
Then send the package through Start a print.
Questions
Can you print breakaway props?
We can design printed pieces to come apart in a planned way. For anything that breaks near people, the stunt or safety team should define the requirements and we build to them.
Can you leave props unpainted for our scenic team?
Yes. We can deliver pieces raw, sanded or primed so your scenic artists can paint and age them to match the rest of the set.
Do you need a finished 3D model?
A model is fastest, but drawings, concept art or a reference object can be a starting point. We will tell you what is needed to make it printable.
Can you make several identical copies of a prop?
Yes. Every copy prints from the same file, so hero, backup and stunt versions match in shape. Paint is applied to the same reference for each.