Thanks Craig, It’s on its way!
I'll be keeping my fingers crossed until it gets here
![Pray [-o<](./images/smilies/eusa_pray.gif)
and will post a review with photos for those interested as soon as I can. Terry has also given me permission to post his ordering and pricing information here on Club Obi-Wan for his 8ft and 10 ft Crystal Skull bullwhips for those who are interested in ordering them directly from The Australian Whip co. So that informaiton will be posted as soon as mine arrives!
Most of what I can share in regarding insight into Terry's process has already been published in the updated main bullwhip section of Indygear and in the De Longis article too.
http://www.indygear.com/igbullwhip.html
http://www.indygear.com/igDeLongis.html
That pretty much explains the hows and whys.
As I understand it, David Morgan was approached for bullwhips early in films preproduction, when they where still going though the costume and prop check list. They did have some older bullwhips which where sent by the Lucas film archives but never used aside from for context reference. Harrison was also sent a couple of David’s bullwhips early in the winter of 2007 to practice with and the safety line stunt bullwhips where ordered too as they knew they would be needed for filming. There where also some ordered for the early promotional work.
I believe that was long before Anthony De Loingis was brought in. Once Harrison hired in Anthony to train with, that’s when Terry’s whips were recommended. That was in June of 07 I think, so he had to hustle to get them the whips in time and since they didn’t have them in time at the start of the training so they started using the Morgan bullwhips they had on hand. It was thought that there would be a lot more whip work in the film and Harrison’s training was much more extensive then what ended up being needed but Terry’s characteristic reinforced thong and progressive flexibility has some considerable advantages in Anthony’s style of whip handling, which is why he likes them. In hindsight though for what was done in the film the Morgan whips would have worked perfectly as well.
I think the Strain whips where more a forethought in production. There where only 6 or 7 Jacka whips made for the film, so when it was decided the the stunt personnel needed or wanted their own bullwhips, rather then waiting to have them made in Australian, they ordered the whips from Western Stage props. I have never been able to get a clear answer to that question though, so there may be more too it.
Dan