# Flashlight Sourcing - Jurassic Park



## boomerjinks (May 10, 2010)

I spent some time searching the forums and posts of the past trying to find an answer to this question, but seem to have hit a dead end. Please forgive me if this question has been answered (as I hope it has).

Basically, I'm trying to source a bunch of equipment to go along with a three-year long project of mine.

http://i167.photobucket.com/albums/u134/Boomerjinks/Jurassic%20Park%20Jeep/jeepcoloroptimized.jpg

I know the Maxabeams have long since been sourced, but there's one that has been bugging me forever. Ellie Sattler (Laura Dern) wields a strange pistol-gripped light towards the end of the film. Some people believe it's a diving light, but it's possibly too large for that. Others point to the tethered power source as being false and just an addition to the "prop" aspect of it.

Can any of you guys help point me in the right direction regarding this flashlight?

http://i44.tinypic.com/34qsrqd.png

http://i40.tinypic.com/2d0dime.png

*[oversize images replaced by links - DM51]*

Any help would be wildly appreciated!


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## Locoboy5150 (May 10, 2010)

Sorry, I don't have any information on that light but I did want to give you major kudos on your cool Jurassic Park YJ. I've always been a big fan of movie and TV cars and trucks but I have to admit that over the years I've always concentrated on car buff films and TV shows like Dukes of Hazzard, American Graffiti, and Mad Max. I never thought about the vehicles in Jurassic Park before. Will you be adding a Ford Explorer too when you're done with your YJ?

Can you please provide some specs on what you've done to your YJ?


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## somename (May 10, 2010)

Looks like a diving light to me with a diffuser slipped on the front. I have a pistol style diving light that is about that same size, but it has a big "UK" on the side. 

I also have a diving camera and the flash has a slip on diffuser similar to the picture you show.

My dive light is activated by a mechanical style slide switch though (no click noise). So if it makes a typical click noise when she turns it on, then I would think it is not a dive light since the rubber on the clicky switch would be a potential leak point on the light after a while if it cracks and due to the water pressure at deep depths. I have just not seen any dive lights that size they use a clicky on/off mechanism.

Good luck with your search :thumbsup:


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## carrot (May 10, 2010)

Sir, that is quite a hobby you have there.

I have to honest, I think that the light you are looking for has a strong likelihood of having been discontinued. As you may or may not know, illumination technology marches on at a steady pace and lights are often discontinued. This is less likely in the diving world where technology moves at a slower pace due to a demand for utmost reliability and durability so do not give up hope. Also the price of molding new designs is expensive, and since most dive lights are molded there is a strong possibility that very design still existing today.

The problem is there are no signature marks on the light and pretty much all dive light manufacturers built their lights in the same way at one point, with one large molded clear plastic bezel (as opposed to how many now build lights with just a glass or plastic window). Note that some manufacturers elect to cover that clear plastic with rubber, which may have been removed for the set.

I was willing to bet large sums of money that it was a Tek Tite but I couldn't find any examples of Tek Tites that looked quite like that. Wikipedia claims that Pelican made lights used in Jurassic Park but I couldn't find any Pelicans that looked like it either. I have to go now to take care of some things but I will do a bit more looking later.

Good luck in your search and I hope that you find what you are looking for. You've come to the right place.


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## carrot (May 10, 2010)

By the way, don't trust sound effects in Hollywood. They are often added after the fact. Proof in the pudding: Twisty switch Surefire 6P makes a "click" noise on TV.


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## spexmaniac (May 10, 2010)

My first thought was a UK dive light like http://www.roho.co.uk/acatalog/UK_Torches.html
but the power pack makes me lean towards some sort of camera light? and +1 for the don't be thrown by the sound it makes, movies are the only place I have heard car tyres squeal on dirt roads, adding a click to turn something on is an easy job for a foley artist.
good luck and love the jeep.
cheers
John


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## kramer5150 (May 10, 2010)

Looks 100% movie prop. or at the very least a heavily modded dive light. UK perhaps?


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## jcw122 (May 10, 2010)

While I don't know much about spotlights, I want to point out a few things that may help others:

-The clear plastic front definitely looks like a slip-on optic of sorts. BUT keep in mind, in the movie she literally runs with this light dragging on the ground behind her, so it gets slapped up a good bit!

-Note the cool/neutral white beam


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## Illum (May 10, 2010)

I might be going on a limb here...but can anyone think of what might happen if you use a translucent shroud on a Princeton Shockwave and a malkoff?

the housing and the grip appears consistent with the shockwave, but the beam diameter resembles a malkoff stuffed in a maglite [bezels wider than the LED optics]

According to Wiki Pelican contributed products to all three Jurassic Park films...leading me to believe it may have been a Kinglite 4000 using the pistol grip
http://www.pelican.com/lights_detail.php?recordID=4000

Check in the film if the light was taken from a wall mounted bracket of sorts, if so than this would likely be the light that was modified into a prop


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## cheapbastard (May 10, 2010)

Oh wow, that is awesome!


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## Ronin28 (May 10, 2010)

I remember seeing this light for sale at S.I.R. (now Cabelas Canada) in Winnipeg, MB way back when this movie was released. That's about as much as I can tell you though. 

Sorry dude!


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## IlluminatedOne (May 11, 2010)

That's a awesome jeep.

Good luck on your search, i have always wondered what that light she held was.


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## was.lost.but.now.found (May 11, 2010)

I don't know how many others I can speak for, but I would love to follow your blog on your quest, if you have one.:twothumbs


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## jcw122 (May 11, 2010)

Boomerjinks, you forgot to add one big detail.

This light was powered externally, at least in the movie. She has a cable running from her light to a pack on her hip during the movie.


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## cyrix9445 (May 11, 2010)

Ahh yes, the never ending search for this light, so far this has been the only prop that we have not yet identified! and when we do it will be that much sweeter


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## DM51 (May 12, 2010)

Welcome to CPF, boomerjinks 

2 of your photos in your post are over-size - the maximum permitted is 800 x 600 pixels. Please resize them.

Did you search in this thread, or parts 1 & 2 of it? Flashlights in TV shows and movies (Part 3) 

Excellent jeep, btw, and good to see you have the BFG A-T tires on it - they're the _best!_


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## Illum (May 12, 2010)

DM51 said:


> Welcome to CPF, boomerjinks
> 
> 2 of your photos in your post are over-size - the maximum permitted is 800 x 600 pixels. Please resize them.
> 
> ...




I ran through the TV Shows thread, there was more than once when the light was mentioned, however no one answered any of those posts...so I believe its safe to assume that this light is still a mystery to the forum. Judging from the looks of it, I agree with others that its a prop light or at minimum a stock light heavily modified


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## ptirmal (May 12, 2010)

I've always wondered about this one too, although I haven't researched it as thoroughly as you have.


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## boomerjinks (May 12, 2010)

Thanks for all the compliments guys. The members of the prop-building community are just as stumped it seems, man that crap is frustrating, lol!

At this point, since no one has any leads on the actual prop, I'm going to settle for advice on how to construct or assemble a very similar light. If you guys could drop some wisdom on me, that would be great!

As far as diving lights are concerned, wouldn't you guys say that this light is a little too large than the smaller LED pistol-grips of today? Another problem is the position of the "bulb" sitting outside of the housing, and the origins of the bezel.

If you were to try to replicate this light (using a fake cable and battery pack if necessary) what would you start with? 

re:Tires, yeah BFGs are good and screen-accurate, but they are also the most pricey. "Spare no expense" indeed!​


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## boomerjinks (May 12, 2010)

whoops, double-psot


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## Crenshaw (May 14, 2010)

looks like a UK style dive light to me.

also, i dont think its uncommon that the props people re-work thier lights to disguise them from being consumer products for some reason or another. I recall some movie having Orange Surefire M3s (i think it was poseidon).

you might start with something like this?
http://www.uwkinetics.com/product/25

Crenshaw


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## ElectronGuru (May 14, 2010)

Its also possible we're overthinking this. This may not be something a heavy duty props guy spent days researching, 
it may be something the prop guy's assistant picked up at Pep Boys on the way back from Starbucks.

In the video, how heavy does it look? Does she need two hands to stabilize it or is one hand plenty?


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## kosPap (May 14, 2010)

cyrix9445 said:


> Ahh yes, the never ending search for this light, so far this has been the only prop that we have not yet identified! and when we do it will be that much sweeter


 
now why did I get the impression is is a sleeved Mag?


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## jcw122 (May 14, 2010)

ElectronGuru said:


> Its also possible we're overthinking this. This may not be something a heavy duty props guy spent days researching,
> it may be something the prop guy's assistant picked up at Pep Boys on the way back from Starbucks.
> 
> In the video, how heavy does it look? Does she need two hands to stabilize it or is one hand plenty?



She actually DRAGS it by her foot while running in one scene.


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## Chrontius (May 15, 2010)

The reflector looks to me like a Welch-Allen Solarc, a small HID designed for dive lights and similar applications. The tint also strongly hints at an HID.

Perhaps this is a HIDified-at-home dive light? Their prop guy could be a closet flashoholic too, you know.


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## Illum (May 15, 2010)

kosPap said:


> now why did I get the impression is is a sleeved Mag?



I thought of it as something similar earlier...but your talking a sleeve that has a width close to the length of the mag bezel that's translucent enough to allow light to pass through. Given my deduction the only way it would be a mag is if it was seated behind the shroud, but in relativity to her hand only a 1D mag can be stuffed in that sleeve and not protrude out from the back:thinking:



Chrontius said:


> Their prop guy could be a closet flashoholic too, you know.



you know with that statement you just complicated the search some ten times over right? 

Lordy, I am going to  if it had in fact turned out to be a 1D mag sporting an LED dropin :sweat:


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## DM51 (May 15, 2010)

boomerjinks... in post #16 I asked you to resize those photos. Please be advised that when a moderator asks you tom do something, it is a good idea to comply rather than ignore the request. 

I have replaced the photos concerned with links; it is only out of consideration for other members, and the fact that you are new here, that I didn't just delete them.


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## AnAppleSnail (May 15, 2010)

Locoboy5150 said:


> Can you please provide some specs on what you've done to your YJ?


I was able to find these pictures. Note, SomethingAwful forums can be sketchy.

SomethingAwful thread


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## vtunderground (May 16, 2010)

Chrontius said:


> The reflector looks to me like a Welch-Allen Solarc, a small HID designed for dive lights and similar applications. The tint also strongly hints at an HID.



I was thinking HID too... but information on early 1990's dive lights seems to be hard to come by.

Of course it couldn't be an LED mod... the movie came out six years before Lumileds even existed!


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## Illum (May 16, 2010)

vtunderground said:


> I was thinking HID too... but information on early 1990's dive lights seems to be hard to come by.
> 
> Of course it couldn't be an LED mod... the movie came out six years before Lumileds even existed!



perhaps 5mms?


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## IMSabbel (May 16, 2010)

Also consider the possibilities of a hack.

They often used to do this when using flashlights for filming, as normal flashlights are either too dim, or can mess up the shot because of glare,etc. Not to mention the issues with color balance of the shot (as you will always have some studio lighting in order to see the actors, etc).

So its entirely possible that they just put a studio light in a tube and had the power cord up the sleeves of the actors.


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