Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1474575
Ivan's helmets were not the only reference I would use. I spent a lot of time researching helmets from the ietnam era, which were more colorful and had bolder graphics than those used today. I did not stop with military helmets as football, motocross, racing baseball and hockey helmets were also included in my research. At this point of preproduction, the helmet design process was looming and the deadline for fabrication was overly conservative. Some of the deliveries could be staggered, but I still only had about fi ve weeks to design helmets. I was also trying to comprehend how to present a fl at graphic on a round helmet to the director with Photoshop and Illustrator. The S Navy has some strict rules about helmets that would need to be negotiated. The production decided that the fi lm would go with a clear goggle to both showcase the call signs and also see the actor's face. Additionally, the Navy pilots had large leather pads on the sides of their helmets to allow goggles to slide up and down easier. This ate up too much design real estate and we removed them. e were also given approval to use colored shells instead of white, however additional waivers would be required when fl ying from the aircraft carrier. The easiest starting point was the Maverick helmet, since it had largely been established in the fi lm. dditionally, Tom's helmet was up fi rst in the shooting schedule. t this point, I had an actual F Gentex GP Fixed ing elmet System on my desk. I located a few stock images that I felt I could overlay some graphics on with Photoshop to present to oe. I tried to bend and twist the graphics with no success. Next I went to an automotive store and bought some pinstriping tape. I set out to physically pin stripe a helmet so that my traced image H. ROOSTER HELMET. PHOTO COURTESY OF PARAMOUNT PICTURES. I. ROOSTER HELMET, RENDERING BY C. SCOTT BAKER. J. IVAN ROMO APPLYING GRAPHICS TO A ROOSTER HELMET. F H J I G