This week we continue our coverage from WonderFest as we are joined by our special guest – propmaker Ken Palkow. Now Ken has worked on an amazing list of projects over the years… just to name a few… the last three X-Men films, as well as Dark Phoenix. He has made weapons, gadgets, and props for Skyscraper,Night at the Museum, Rise of the Planet of the Apes, Sonic the Hedgehog, Underworld: Awakening, and even the Federation phasers, alien weapons, and medical gadgets for Star Trek into Darkness and Star Trek Beyond. And not only did he work on the first Deadpool movie… Ken also created guns, swords, and most impressively Cable’s rifle for Deadpool 2. And on as far as series, you’ve seen his work on Altered Carbon, Battlestar Galactica: Blood and Chrome, Continuum, Almost Human, Warehouse 13, The Flash, Arrow… and so much more.
And if that weren’t enough for this episode… we are also joined by our semi-annual, reluctant co-host – designer/illustrator Eric Chu.
And while we discuss everyone’s love of mac and cheese with apple sauce and ketchup mixed all together, we also cover… Phantom of the Opera, you know what… I’m going to make this thing animatronic… I’m going to put servos in it… I’m going to put lights in it, budget and lead time, adamantine shackles, forming the foundation of creativity, complaining about the spring not working, plastic scissors, Battlestar Galactica, last minute communication, construction paper, James Doohan, stage vs film, fabricating Willem Dafoe, Space: 1999, and keep in mind, I was still doing full-time jobs or part-time jobs… and I did everything, no one is confirming or denying any involvement with the Triads, I mean, whatever it was I could do to make money, Bruce Lee, Legos, concept artist, Star Trek Into Darkness, I render the CAD, destructive non-destructive inspection, is it possible to build this, the lighters essential to building Cable’s rifle, casting resins, I’ll take credit for destroying mankind, basically holding a carrot in front of them, Lost in Space, making our Halloween costumes, making connections, crayons, the combination of all the different jobs I’d had over the years, the deadline for that prop be a reality never changes, a poor family, felt, Buck Rogers, eating glue, and an elaborate way to get Ryan Reynolds’ autograph.
“…there was that creative side. We didn’t have – so we made!”
