Post by Micro on Sept 7, 2011 15:10:52 GMT -8
I'm using my custom arena more and more for the backdrop of my pics and I'm glad that several people have noticed! It's a labor of love that I've been working on for months as I prepare my picture fed. This is the culmination of a snowball effect that started innocently enough: Buying a ring and a playset, playing around with accessories, slowly making more and more plans, until it finally started coming together. Fortunately, stores were putting a lot of Jakks' playsets on clearance towards the end of their run and MicroDiva convinced me to pick up several for the accessories. At the time, I wasn't sure if I'd be collecting Mattels but in retrospect, it was a good call.
So here's my current setup with a list of parts used to make it, taken from both Mattel and Jakks playsets. Let's start with...
Overview
The first step was making enough space for this since the main centerpiece, the ESR, is the largest component. I used two 2x4' boards to create a 4x4' square. Ideally, I'd use one more board to make the full arena, with the announcer's area, but I like being able to break it down into smaller segments. It makes it easier to shoot pics for my fed if I split my arena into 4 parts...
Part 1: The Entrance Stage
This part is almost all Jakks stuff. Until Mattel makes a new HD Titantron playset, I'm using the old Raw Arena. The two large crowd backdrops and barricades are perfect accessories. I took out the Titantron image and replaced it with a green foam sheet so I can photoshop my own images. I also added two scaffolding pieces, from the RSR Hell-in-a-Cell playset, as extra decoration along the corners. The only Mattel pieces in this area are a FlexForce speaker accessory and the cardboard backing from an EG figure at the entrance.
Now, let's go to the main area...
Part 2: Ringside
This is where all the action takes place! Nothing complex here, though, just the ESR partially surrounded by the barricades from the Ringside Battle Playset. While I prefer the size and stability of the Jakks barricades, I don't have enough of them and I do like that the ones from Mattel are the contemporary design. The only Jakks items are the foam floor pads from the HiaC RSR. They don't surround the ring perfectly but if you use black cardboard flooring, it's not so noticeable.
Now it's time to go over one of the supplemental areas...
Part 3: Announcer's Table
This is a tiny area, set aside for quick shots between segments. I only use the barricades, two chairs and announcer's table from the Ringside Battle Playset. For the background, I re-use the crowd backdrops from the Raw Arena.
The final area is...
Part 4: Backstage
For the backstage/interview segments I'm using another playset I picked up a while ago, the old Jakks Backstage Brawl Crash & Bash playset. It's simple but it works. Hopefully, I can get a few more accessories to further customize the look of this area but I'm happy with it for now.
Finally, let's look at one last set of accessories that adds the final touch to my arena...
The Crowd
This was MicroDiva's brilliant suggestion. We were looking through the video game figures at TRU and I noticed that the normal-looking TV/movie figures were always on sale. She said it'd be neat to get a bunch for a crowd, so we started looking up figure lots on eBay and anything in the clearance aisles. My crowd now ranges from Heroes to Harry Potter to Twilight to Star Trek to Splinter Cell to Nightmare on Elm Street and all sorts of random little cameos! The only downside to my crowd is that they are a pain to work with. As soon as one tips over, a bunch fall over and take the barricades with them. It's frustrating when I just want to do some minor tweaks, like tilting their heads to where the action is, and a domino effect goes off. A few are on stands but I can't use them for everyone or else they get spaced out to far apart.
Overall, it's a lot of work but I love my arena and can't wait to show off my picture fed soon! In summary, here's the list of stuff that goes towards this setup:
Well, I hope you enjoyed the pics and that this helps those who are looking to assemble their own arenas. My setup is just one way of doing it so feel free to be creative and think outside the box. No single playset has the complete package (I can dream of the perfect Mattel playset, scaled to the ESR with everything, though!) so look around at what accessories you have available and have fun!
So here's my current setup with a list of parts used to make it, taken from both Mattel and Jakks playsets. Let's start with...
Overview
The first step was making enough space for this since the main centerpiece, the ESR, is the largest component. I used two 2x4' boards to create a 4x4' square. Ideally, I'd use one more board to make the full arena, with the announcer's area, but I like being able to break it down into smaller segments. It makes it easier to shoot pics for my fed if I split my arena into 4 parts...
Part 1: The Entrance Stage
This part is almost all Jakks stuff. Until Mattel makes a new HD Titantron playset, I'm using the old Raw Arena. The two large crowd backdrops and barricades are perfect accessories. I took out the Titantron image and replaced it with a green foam sheet so I can photoshop my own images. I also added two scaffolding pieces, from the RSR Hell-in-a-Cell playset, as extra decoration along the corners. The only Mattel pieces in this area are a FlexForce speaker accessory and the cardboard backing from an EG figure at the entrance.
Now, let's go to the main area...
Part 2: Ringside
This is where all the action takes place! Nothing complex here, though, just the ESR partially surrounded by the barricades from the Ringside Battle Playset. While I prefer the size and stability of the Jakks barricades, I don't have enough of them and I do like that the ones from Mattel are the contemporary design. The only Jakks items are the foam floor pads from the HiaC RSR. They don't surround the ring perfectly but if you use black cardboard flooring, it's not so noticeable.
Now it's time to go over one of the supplemental areas...
Part 3: Announcer's Table
This is a tiny area, set aside for quick shots between segments. I only use the barricades, two chairs and announcer's table from the Ringside Battle Playset. For the background, I re-use the crowd backdrops from the Raw Arena.
The final area is...
Part 4: Backstage
For the backstage/interview segments I'm using another playset I picked up a while ago, the old Jakks Backstage Brawl Crash & Bash playset. It's simple but it works. Hopefully, I can get a few more accessories to further customize the look of this area but I'm happy with it for now.
Finally, let's look at one last set of accessories that adds the final touch to my arena...
The Crowd
This was MicroDiva's brilliant suggestion. We were looking through the video game figures at TRU and I noticed that the normal-looking TV/movie figures were always on sale. She said it'd be neat to get a bunch for a crowd, so we started looking up figure lots on eBay and anything in the clearance aisles. My crowd now ranges from Heroes to Harry Potter to Twilight to Star Trek to Splinter Cell to Nightmare on Elm Street and all sorts of random little cameos! The only downside to my crowd is that they are a pain to work with. As soon as one tips over, a bunch fall over and take the barricades with them. It's frustrating when I just want to do some minor tweaks, like tilting their heads to where the action is, and a domino effect goes off. A few are on stands but I can't use them for everyone or else they get spaced out to far apart.
Overall, it's a lot of work but I love my arena and can't wait to show off my picture fed soon! In summary, here's the list of stuff that goes towards this setup:
- Mattel ESR
- Mattel Ringside Battle Playset: Barricades and chairs
- Jakks Raw Arena: Titantron, crowd backdrops, and barricades
- Jakks Hell in a Cell RSR: Floor pads and scaffolding
- Jakks Backstage Brawl Playset
- Mattel FlexForce: Speaker accessory
Well, I hope you enjoyed the pics and that this helps those who are looking to assemble their own arenas. My setup is just one way of doing it so feel free to be creative and think outside the box. No single playset has the complete package (I can dream of the perfect Mattel playset, scaled to the ESR with everything, though!) so look around at what accessories you have available and have fun!