Borg Costume

[Nine of Four]

I know I've already posted a thread this week, but I need help, man!!!

I want to make a Borg costume for Halloween, and I only have 16 days.

I've checked out other sites, but everything I've found would take closer to 16 months, rather than days.

I need something that won't take long, but looks good.

Oh, and I'm not looking for a full on Borg here, just a partially assimilated Starfleet crewman, as I already have a Voyager tunic. That should make things easier.

 

[Melakon]

Take a look at the original Borg costumes used when they were introduced in TNG: Q Who. It looks like they were simple black longsleeve shirts/sweaters and pants/tights with various doodads, hoses, and other stuff painted black attached to them. You could probably build one just from a visit to your garage, basement, attic, or an inexpensive trip to a "dollar store" type business.

For other inspiration on what common products might work, look what John Carpenter did on a limited budget with his early student film "Dark Star" which was later expanded into a feature. Some of the control panel keypads on the ship were upside-down ice cube trays.

You don't have to try to make an exact copy of a particular outfit, just the suggestion, as Borg drones were individually assembled anyway.

If you're using make up and want to put things on your face, I'd suggest using liquid latex from a theatrical supply if there's one nearby. It's much easier to remove than spirit gum (which needs acetone). If you use theatrical makeup for a base foundation (like clown white), it's best to first apply cold cream to your face, wipe that off, then put on the greasepaint. You'll need the cold cream to remove it.

 

[xvicente]

^what Melakon said. Also, pls post photos

 

[R. Star]

Yeah, you'd have an easier time with the leather albino Borg than the First Contact version. Even that would be a rather intensive project though, especially being it's not something you can just buy off hand.

 

[Melakon]

^what Melakon said. Also, pls post photos

Sometimes, an interest in theatre, film and television pays off. In elementary school I was reading my sister's college theatre books, and started becoming a scifi fan at 8. Closest I ever got to being a pro was a year as an advertiser at a district office for a small film company, and that was just mailing out newspaper campaigns and one-sheet posters to theaters booking our films. Got to go to some closed-to-the-public trade shows though. Saw Christopher Reeve at one right after Superman came out. Also George Burns.

 

[TheSubCommander]

I think in a pinch, if you can find a Pinhead/cenobite/Hellraiser costume and modify it, along with a Borg mask, it might save you time and money.

 

[LMFAOschwarz]

Just don't make the mistake I've made in years past when I did Halloween costumes: all dressed and ready to go, only to discover I'm incapable of getting into a car, much less drive!

I knew someone years ago who worked in a convenience store, who was all pumped to wear a Creature of the Black Lagoon costume to work Halloween night..only to be undone by the realization that he'd be unable to make change at the register with three-fingered gloves on!

 

[Commishsleer]

There's some stuff on ebay - like the eyepatch stuff. Maybe you could just attach these accessories to your costume.
I'm also thinking about the black superman muscle suit without the cape for the body.

 

[trekker670]

Rubies used to make a borg makeup kit which included the "helmet", eye-piece and some makeup. They've been out of production for a while now, but you may be able to find it somewhere around the web (I didn't see any on eBay though).

I believe a lot of the more extravagant costumes use football padding painted black and then attach various electronic components and hoses to complete the effect.

 

[Nine of Four]

Thanks everyone, I should be able to produce a combination of your suggestions rather quickly.

I did make my Voyager tunic from scratch, so this can't be that hard....

Also, LMFAOschwarz, I don't drive, at least legally , yet, so that shouldn't be a problem. But I've had a situation very similar to the Creature from the Black Lagoon story...

The Creature from the Black Lagoon trilogy have always been some of my all-time favorite movies, and when I my church put on a showing of all three, I HAD to go in my costume. But my costume is semi-hard plastic that doesn't bend at the waste to well, so I couldn't get in the car. So I ended up laying down on the backseats. While we were driving, my friend in the frontseat turns around and says "COP!! Don't look up!!". I, of course, immediately push myself up and look out the window, and say, "Where??". The cop was preoccupied with a speeder, so we luckily got away clean. What's more, my friend was wearing his Creature mask, while driving, which slightly obstructed his vision. The officer didn't see that either.

 

[xvicente]

Here's an idea: Make a Creature from the Black Lagoon -- ASSIMILATED.

Humans are boring.

 

[Nine of Four]

^ I would, but my Creature costume cost me like 350 bucks, so I'm not about to assimilate it. My Michael J. Fox Teen Wolf costume maybe.....

 

[Unicron]

I have (or used to have) a plastic axle piece which I suppose came from a remote controlled car or something like that. It's just the conical frames which would have attached to the wheels, but it's rather cool looking and one half has a cylindrical component which pops out. This component is removable and has a plastic gear on it, and it's about the right size to be used as something like an eyepiece or arm piece. It would still look kind of goofy, but if I were making an Borg costume I'd find an excuse to use it. Perhaps keeping an eye out for bits and pieces like that would come in handy.

 

[Melakon]

Pieces from old plastic model kits are also a good source for little strange details like that.