I knew my number one challenge would be getting the images out of the camera to the level that I envisioned (which was/is set extremely high). I was not prepared to give this project the green light unless I was able to achieve the Professional Photo Studio high standard that I needed to make this book something special.
Back in 2002, I met with another collector that published a successful Star Wars book. I walked away from the many conversations thinking that I only needed to spend a couple of weekends, a few thousand shutter clicks and out of the camera the final images would emerge. I was under the assumption that the only post-production photography step needed would be to delete the backgrounds.
When Steve, the photographer, was asked what post-production steps he takes to deliver the final images to the designer, his response was the following:
“I start up the hard drive, open up photoshop, open up the raw file and set my initial exposure/color temperature, straighten the image according to a grid overlay, check various points in the image to ensure accurate color rendition and remove any color shifts, check the levels for correct density in light and dark areas, make a selection around the item and delete the background, save the layered file as a master psd file, flatten the file and add a mild amount of sharpening, and save the finished file as a tiff.”
From Steve’s response above and as you can clearly see from the images presented below, a lot more work is involved than originally anticipated to achieve, what we hope, to be a new standard in photo quality for Star Wars collectible books.
Vintage Example - RAW to final TIFF:
Modern Example - RAW to final TIFF:
From the before and after examples shown above, I want everyone to get a glimpse of what goes on behind the scenes once the pictures exit the camera. The above examples are only 2 out of over 10,000 images that we shot so Steve has been extremely busy over the last 2 years. He is scheduled to finish the post-production photography in about 4 - 6 months.
- Todd DeMartino
Happy New Year everyone and thank you for your continued interest and support for our cutting edge book project!
We are working tirelessly to put together the finest Star Wars book ever published and have made a decision to add hundreds of new items, charts, matrices and catalog scans that go far beyond the amazing scope we had originally planned. These additional enhancements, while fantastic, have increased both the size of the book and the time involved in getting it to the printer.
We’re managing 10,000 RAW images and converting them to the final published TIFF files by adjusting levels, deleting backgrounds, and making other color enhancements to provide quality which is truly unparalleled. To put it simply, the photographs in this book will look far better than anything the Star Wars collecting world has ever seen before. The sheer size of this project, while constantly expanding, and never sacrificing quality, has proven to be a much larger task than originally anticipated. Like a major movie production, we are periodically going back and doing re-shoots of items to get different views or shots that we feel will aesthetically enhance the design of sections throughout the book. The result is nothing less than spectacular, so we’re happy to spend the extra time to accomplish the closest thing to visual perfection humanly possible.
We’ve also added another chapter to the book by separating action figures from other types of figures. We now have an "Action Figures" chapter exclusively for 3 3/4" articulated figures and a "Figures" chapter for 5" and up figures with limited articulation. All of the items are listed by order of release and sorted by the assortment number printed on each package in order to provide an easy chronological flow to the book’s chapters. Each chapter also has its own designated color scheme for easy location, as well as matching charts, matrices and catalog product scans at the chapter end to provide quick reference guides.
Please visit the SAMPLE PAGES section of our website to view recently added page samples from ROTJ 2-Packs, Multi-Packs, Role-Play, Bagged Figures, Vehicles, Department Store Multi-Packs, and Large Doll chapters. Stay tuned as many new sample pages will be available shortly!
Our estimated time of completion is now Fall/Winter 2009 with an expected ship date of around Christmas or just after the New Year, based on the return of our limited run of books from our printer overseas. We will email new information as it becomes available, and will notify all subscribers to our newsletter when this wonderful book is available for pre-order once again. We suggest you plan to order your copy without delay once we begin accepting pre-orders again. This will occur after the book has been submitted for final proofing, and we expect a sell-out based on initial commitments from both collectors and book dealers worldwide.
Please be sure to enter your email address on our PRE-ORDER page to receive future updates and new information as it becomes available.
This will be the first time anyone has attempted to picture all 90+ documented Department Store Multi-Packs from Sears, Montgomery Wards, JC Penney, Alden’s and Spiegel in any publication.
Due to my love for this niche area of collecting Star Wars, we are spending a tremendous amount of time showcasing every known Department Store Multi-Pack in its best light.
With all of the great previous books that have been released on the subject, none have ventured this deep into the Department Store Multi-Packs and we are devoting an entire chapter to them.
I believe that the other publications avoided showing these plain brown box items because of the challenge of making them look colorful and appealing in print. From dark shadows to nasty baggie glare, they just turn out looking awful on the page. Well, here is my personal best attempt. Ouch!
And after many, Many, MANY hours of trial and error photography, we decided to shoot them as separate entities (box, catalog and individual baggies) on a light table. Once we put the pieces back together we came up with this as the final Masterpiece.
This is one example out of almost 100 of them going into the book from 2-Packs, 3-packs, 4-packs, 5-packs, 7-packs, 8-packs, 9-packs, 10-packs, 12-packs, 14-packs, 15-packs up to this 16-pack.
Please check out the SAMPLE PAGES section to view a Department Store Multi-Pack page sample.
Ok, if you are a Vintage (1977-1985) only collector then you most likely just hurled on your keyboard but...
We have shown a lot of Vintage items in the Blogs, especially coming hot off of the Vintage Premier Collectible Auction, so I think it is time to show some Modern (1994-2008). Since Kenner/Hasbro has produced a couple of items since 1994 and The Saga Museum book has a few sprinkles of Modern throughout, here goes:
Pictured above is just a storage room with my extra Modern items of doubles, triples and quadruples.
I know, I really need help!
The set-up was Amazing! Some of the items went for insane prices while there were still many bargains to be had. To see a complete list of auction items that sold and the prices they realized check out http://www.premiercollect.com/final_bid_report.php
On with the tour:
Here I am getting out of the elevator into the administrative area:
Entering the corridor to the auction:
The auction room:
Row after row of display cases:
Detail shot after detail shot:
Well, what can I say? It was a once-in-a-lifetime event that will most likely never be duplicated. All of the Star Wars toys that you see in this museum style set-up are shown in The Saga Museum book along with thousands of other items.
... and we all had an awesome time at this event.
It was very busy and we had many things to accomplish during our week stay in San Diego. I was very fortunate to have Steve the photographer, Jeff the designer and Bill the editor helping to meet all of our deadlines and make the event a great success.
Many collectors shared in our excitement in this project and we had a very positive response to the quality of the book. Also, many collectors and Star Wars fans have told us that there was a major need for a book that would showcase everything that has been made since 1977. The last quality book that showed most of the vintage and modern items was published over 10 years ago. And we all know that Hasbro’s Star Wars output has been prodigious since that time.
Speaking of Hasbro, it was a HUGE bonus to speak with a current Hasbro employee that is involved with the current Star Wars line. This employee, who also happens to be a Star Wars collector, shared with me that Hasbro only started documenting their production items in 2005 and that this book will be a great resource for Hasbro as well as collectors. We are very excited to get this book into the hands of Hasbro, the company that has produced all these great Star Wars toys that we’ve enjoyed over the years.
We had a fantastic time at the event meeting all of the Star Wars fans and collectors, both new and old, to answer questions and share in the excitement for the project.
L-R: Steve Bruno - Bill Wills - Todd DeMartino - Jeff Correll
Presenting… The Saga Museum at the Premier Collectible Auction, the Greatest Toy Auction on Earth. With over $2,000,000 of vintage toys, it’s an event not to be missed. Many of the production Vintage Star Wars toys in this Auction are from my personal collection. They are also the very same Star Wars toys that will be featured in The Saga Museum book.
We will have a display on the 9th floor of The Bristol Hotel’s Starlight Lounge, the location of the Premier Collectible Auction. Steve Bruno – Photographer, Jeff Correll – Designer, Bill Wills – Editor and I will be on location next to the registration table before you enter the Auction room.
We will be projecting over 1,000 images from The Saga Museum Book on a Flat Panel HDTV that will showcase the incredible level of detail and quality. There will be many Sample Pages unveiled for the very first time at this event. Also, a free, attractive, two-page Brochure will be available to take home with your other SDCC swag.
For additional Premier Collectible Auction information, please visit: www.premiercollect.com
For additional Bristol Hotel information, please visit: www.thebristolsandiego.com
With over 40 large display cases filled with AFA graded vintage toys, all within a 4,400 sq./ft. room, it will look and feel as if you’ve walked into the Toy Smithsonian. We look forward to meeting everyone at this once in a lifetime event, so make sure you stop by and say hello to all of the people responsible for The Saga Museum book.
A Special Offer vehicle & playset collection is to Star Wars vehicles and playsets what a three-pack set is to carded action figures. It is simply one of the rarest and most highly sought after sets in the world. The term "Special Offer" refers to a sticker or printed offer added to what would otherwise be a standard vehicle or playset in order to increase its value and appeal by advertising that it comes with a free figure, figures, background, viewer slides or play mat. These toys were usually released in limited quantities and at select department stores between 1978 and 1982. Much like three-packs, they were so rare while in production that many people never saw them in the four years they were at retail.
This particular set offers a complete run of Special Offer items and I was able to put it together during a time when documentation did not exist. There are only two complete sets known in the world, with this being the nicer of the two. The Saga Museum will show each and every Special Offer item along with all of the different variations. Many first-time details will be released about the exclusive items that they came with to make them "Special."
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