Tom Southwell Q & A

[joberg]

O.M.G. I feel like a Tex Avery cartoon right now: jaw on the table, tongue rolling out of my mouth and bugging eyes out of my sockets (and no, it's not for a broad with great gams people ).

Just WOW Tom, thank you so much for those Polaroids/pics! Quite the endeavour this machine and very complicated to do. Love the details.

That Tyrell's tile is all triangles (as usual in BR indeed)and also complex to achieve properly (next project) Love the way they reproduced it for the Leon interview to serves as baffles between offices.

It would be great to put those pics into the same post created for the V.K. reference pictures.

[nickdaring]

Fuck me, these are amazing. Thank you sooooo much!

[andy]

Joberg, I think these emoticons might be waht you are looking for I certainly feel this way. Amazing stuff. Thank you so much for sharing these pics Tom, and making BR fresh all over again for us junkies. I will re-post the VK pics over in that thread too. Every time I log on I feel like I am unwrapping another Christmas gift.

Andy

[Robotprops]

Outstanding Tom!
I'm a props guy looking at a picture that I've seen a thousand times.
(one of the gang on the back of the truck)
And I can't describe my grin or why this makes me giddy.
Thank you for all of your invaluable input and information here!

Tom

[Replicant 13]

Finally had time to read through most of this thread. So much info! I know it's been said, but "Amazing Stuff". Thanks so much for your patience in answering the questions and posting so many great pics.

THE WALLET
Earlier you mentioned Ridley approving the contributions of the actors to the wallet, as long as it was cloth.
With all the "authentic" leather replicas shown here and sold online, I always wondered about that, since - in keeping with PKD's novel - anything animal would be rare and expensive, or possibly illegal(?)

THE TSING TAO BOTTLES
I didn't see these mentioned here, although the Johnnie Walker bottle was. As you've stated before, others contributed items you never saw and much of what you did changed after it left your hands. But I think it was mentioned elsewhere that someone (perhaps you) contributed to the other bottles - the Smirnoff de Czar/ "Tsing Tao"bottles, hand lettering the mysterious calligraphy that's also been in question for some time.



Can you shed any light on these, or were they done by others?

Again, thanks! - R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[Staar]

Utterly astonishing sharing of information Tom - thank you so much sir.

Highest regards

MARK
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[SKIN JOB 66]

I'll second what the others said, but in french this time...

MERCI BEAUCOUP, TOM !!!



Fred
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THE FUTURE IS A THING OF THE PAST

[Tom Southwell]

I didn't expect quite that big a reaction . You are all welcome.
Glad about your smiles.
TS
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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

[Tom Southwell]

Replicant 13,

Wallet:
I only have faint memories of wallet discussions, as I noted this was not my area.
However, as you correctly mentioned, real animal parts were unavailable in 2019 for some reason.
I think PKD found a way to draw a line between "LIFE" and "artificial",
and emphasized it everywhere .

Bottles:
I designed a beer bottle neon sign, and some logos that could have been
slapped on a bottle but never saw that happen.
I was in a room where bottles were being shown to Mr. Scott
( he wasn't a Sir then) by prop people and decorator people but I was
not involved in those decisions so all that fell off my "hard drive"
long ago.
But as I said in an earlier post, people came in and out my office all
day, so something MAY have been put on a bottle. I just don't know
or have a document of it. I did have text translated into a few
languages and some times these were rushed haphazardly on to set
( sometimes with errors).
I tried to prevent this but, alas, I only read English
( and not very well at that either).
TS
Oh, 13, where on THIS planet do you live?
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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

[Replicant 13]

Most of my close friends question if I even live on this planet, but I reside in the land of The Chiefs.

- R13
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Gosh, you've really got some nice toys here . . .

[Tom Southwell]

Rep 13,
Gotcha.
TS
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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

[SKIN JOB 66]

[Tom Southwell]

www.cravethefilm.com
Fred,
This is where you can find out about the film discussed above.
TS
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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

[joberg]

Now that my V.K. machine is done, I was of the idea of replicating (no pun intended ) the V.K. suitcase that we see in the movie.
Photos of that particular prop are rare and while I have a pretty good idea of how it looks like, I was wondering if you, Tom, now what is the logo used on that suitcase...Tyrell's owl?

[Tom Southwell]

Joberg,
I am unaware of any markings on the case.
You could do what they did on the smaller plastic one that held the
Deluxe 5 DVD set from 2007, which had VK and Voight-Kampff logos,
But I have no official documents or photos. Sorry.

Since it is a delicate instrument, it would most likely come from the
factory in a case they provided, (like a Fender guitar.)

TS
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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

[joberg]

Thanks Tom. Yes, it came with its own case and seeing some of the pictures, it seems that the Tyrell's logo was on it. Just trying to see the back of the case: it has a special design, almost as if accomodating some of the V.K. exterior features: room for the various monitors for example.

[amfx74]

Thank you for taking the time to answer all the questions, so cool coming from the source. Loved the description of Rutger in the pink outfit.

[Kipple]

Tom Southwell,

Hello. I'm putting together a little write-up about your presence here in the forum for the OFF-WORLD NEWS digest. Just naming some of what you've done on the set. I realize this may seem trivial to you ... perhaps it is. But, being a Vangelis fan, (which is how I was introduced to this film), I'd like to know. I came across an article that stated, "Production artist Tom Southwell actually listened to Vangelis music as he painted set designs for the film." Is this true? Have you anything more to add to that ...and associated story/memory?

I must admit, I was unfamiliar with you and your work. But, as I am putting together this article, I am realizing that without your participation, some things would have certainly looked different. The one big thing that stands out in my mind is the Japanese ideogram - the fluorescent light that is behind Deckard as he reads the newspaper waiting for a seat at the noodle bar. That was your work! And it is an image that is a part of the fabric of Blade Runner.

I appreciate ALL the feedback you have given us here at the Propsummit forum.


~ Craig

[Tom Southwell]

Kipple,

When I started on BR there was a VHS tape of some of Ridley Scott's commercials floating from person to person within the art department. Many of the commercials had music by Vangelis and I was a fan of his. He had just been awarded an Oscar for Chariots OF Fire and it was a big hit on the radio. In the art department most of us wear headphones and listen to an eclectic mix of things that help give us focus and privacy.

My work was illustration and graphics, which were details placed within the sets. Neon signs were the most visible . I bought every tape I could find by Vangelis, and played them in my head while I drew those neon signs, car graphics, costume patches and badges. The music seemed to fit perfectly, however, no one ever told me Vangelis was going to do the BR movie score.
It was a complete surprise to me in the theater for the crew screening when his music played. Of course I was delighted.

When I was interviewed for the Dangerous Days documentary they asked me about a variety of subjects just outside my area for my opinion. I guess I just gushed about Vangelis, and they put it in the movie. A score puts an emotional heart on the sleeve of a film and it lifts you and crushes you as the film moves you along. Vangelis gently invades your soul. Beats you up. Makes you fall in love. Breaks your heart. His gift to BR cannot be measured. It just IS. Vangelis' music and Blade Runner are forever one. Frozen together.

About the neon by the noodle bar. Mr Scott saw the neon signs in the storefronts of the back-lot street once they were delivered but before they were hung. He asked to have the sign you mentioned placed in the window behind Deckard. Lawrence G Paull the production designer, had planed it for another location but would make a similar one for just that spot. On the day of the shoot, Ridley requested three more Japanese signs I had designed for merchant carts be moved to the big glass window behind Deckard. It was planned the TV sets would get fuzzy when Deckard got close.

These neon colors did something magical to the set at night. Colored light blends in a strange way and Ridley and the cinematographer captured something special here for the introduction of Mr Deckard .

I'm not sure if this has answered any of your questions but I am always happy to think and talk about music and BR.
TS
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I've seen things you people wouldn't believe...

[Kipple]

So then, you didn't design the "origin" sign, but the smaller ones displayed in the front of it?