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Original Stormtrooper

Original Stormtrooper products.
By the original maker, from the original moulds. Shop online>

Propmaker

The original Stormtroopers were just the start of 5 years of propmaking for Alien, Superman and many others. Find out more>

Industrial design

The original maker moves on. Industrial design by Andrew Ainsworth. Find out more>

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Image: the Original Stormtrooper story

By the original maker:
Our story

We produced the originals for the first Star Wars ANH film back in 1976 and are still producing fantastic products more than 30 years later. Read our story below!

Genuine. Authentic. Quality.
There's one very simple reason why our products are the most authentic available. We produced the original items for the 1976 Star Wars A New Hope film and, all these years later, we're the only company that can claim "By the original maker. From the original moulds.". Read more about our story below, from fishponds to Stormtroopers and beyond!
 

Image: Shepperton Design Studios in Twickenham, LondonHow it all started

The very beginning. Twickenham, London, 1976. The buyer for a new film called “Star Wars” approaches scenic artist Nick Pemberton to make various items...

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Image: the original mouldMaking the helmet mould

How the first helmet mould came into being. With a clay model and a concept drawing, Andrew starts to create the prototype.

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Image: Andrew tackles the armourAndrew tackles the armour

Andrew is called to a meeting at the Studios and asked to tackle the Stormtrooper armour - as a matter of urgency.

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Image: the court decidesThe Court decides

The initial clay helmet mock-ups were a key piece of evidence in the Court of Appeal, London when Lucasfilm brought (and lost) the case of copyright infringement to court in April 2008.

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Image: George Lucas choosing his StormtrooperLucas chooses his Stormtrooper

George Lucas selects Nick Pemberton's red clay mockup of the Stormtrooper helmet; Nick then asks Andrew to make the real thing...

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Image: prototype helmets at Shepperton Design Studios in 1976From prototype to production

Andrew's prototype helmet is approved and production starts. The Cheese Grater and Jawbone are created.

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Image: Andrew producing Stormtrooper helmetsOriginal maker, original moulds

After almost 30 years in prop stores, Andrew dusts down the original ANH moulds and resumes helmet and armour production.

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Image: Lucas fails in a legal attempt to prevent sales of replica originalsCopyright battle

In 2009, Andrew wins his copyright battle in the British courts, dismissing Lucasfilm's long struggle to prevent him from producing his replica products from the original moulds.

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Image: Shepperton Design Studios sdsprops.com logo

OriginalStormTrooper.com is the new website for Andrew Ainsworth’s Shepperton Design Studios, featuring all the same high quality products including genuine stormtrooper helmets and costumes.

Whether you are a costumer or movie memorabilia collector, you can be sure that our products are as close to the original items seen on screen in Star Wars ANH as it's possible to get.

Image: Original Stormtrooper from Shepperton Design Studios logo
©2010 Shepperton Design Studios Ltd. Registered in England, No. 05047223.