Field report on the AB from the new film

[Fedora]

In a conversation with the costumer this week, I asked again how the hats had held up, now that filming is finished. We knew our hats were to get wet, really wet and of course that is always a worry with felt hats.

I am happy to announce that 4 hats got absolutely soaked, and all the costumer did was to punch out the crowns, fill them with newspaper to help in drying, and then recreased and put back on Indy's head. He said they still looked great even after the wetting and drying. And due to the water that these hats would see, is why they went with beaver. He said the only thing that happened to these hats, was that some of the sizing or stiffener was washed out. Everyone was impressed by the quality and looks of our hats, and this was empahsized to me several times during the filming.

And you will hear about us on the dvds when they come out. Looks like we will be indeed be mentioned by name when the costumer discusses the hats and the jackets. We may not get in the credits, but I think it is better to be talked about on the bonus dvd myself. That me and Marc are part of film history, albeit a small way, is the biggest thing that ever happened to me, outside of the birth of my kids and grandkids. Who would have thought that my venture into hatmaking would have ended up like this? Not me, that is for sure. Fedora

[djd]

That's great to hear. You are right to be proud of your work.

[JohnFa]

Congratulations! That's really impressive news!

I'm new to the board, so I don't really know about you. Do you have a site I can take a look at?

How did you come to you being the supplier for the new film?

[Michaelson]

No comment, and no surprise to this writer, old friend.

You and I discussed this years ago, and I knew THEN that if a door opened and you walked through, you'd find yourself where you are today.

All I can say is BRAVO!!! ...and good for you for walking through that door when the opportunity presented itself. A lot of people don't.....

HIGHEST regards!

Mark/Michaelson

[eaglecrow]

congratulation I know that you guys absolutly owe this hounor
thanks to you that we have a propper hat in the new adventure again!

[Ripper]

My favorite part of movies are the bonus material's and the previews. Looks like I wont be dissapointed when the new movie is on DVD. Congratulations again !

[Bufflehead Jones]

Congratulations! That's really impressive news!

I'm new to the board, so I don't really know about you. Do you have a site I can take a look at?

How did you come to you being the supplier for the new film?

Now, that is going to be a long answer several years in the making.

Let me see if I can just hit the highlights.

Fedora retired from his day job and sold his business. Due to his love of hats, started reblocking his own hats and then our hats for free as he learned his craft.

Read all the books he could find on hatmaking, talked to any hatmaker he could find, bought all the antique hatmaking tools he could find.

He got some raw materials and started making his own hats, practice makes perfect. He began to sell hats and went on the quest of making the best Raiders of the Lost Ark fedora.

He designed his own Raiders of the Lost Ark hat blocks and had them custom made by a block maker. He became one of the best hatmakers in the world. His good friend Marc, who learned along with Fedora, began selling a version of the hat in Germany, made from the highest raw materials possible.

We all bought ABs as they are the best Indiana Jones fedoras available anywhere in the world.

The costumer for the new film was searching for the dang hat for Indy IV. He was talking to a member here that had made jackets for the first three films, Peter at Wested. Peter recommended Fedora and Marc, as he knows the quality of Adventurebilt's hats from this forum.

Costumer contacted Fedora and Marc, to have some samples sent. Steven Spielberg did screen tests with samples from all of the hat makers. When screen test with one of the Adventurebilt's samples came up on the screen, Steven Spielberg said, "Now, THAT'S Indiana Jones' hat!"

Fedora and Marc made many, many hats for Harrison Ford and the stuntmen and standins. The hats were used in filming, and the rest is movie history.

You could use the search function and read volumes of posts that have been written here along the way. Or, you can just wait for the supplemental materials when the dvd comes out.

[Bufflehead Jones]

Now, does anybody want me to tell him Buff's storytelling version?


......Okay. Well, once upon a time, there was a friend of our's named Steve. He is known around here as Fedora. A long time ago......

[Indiana G]

My favorite part of movies are the bonus material's and the previews. Looks like I wont be dissapointed when the new movie is on DVD. Congratulations again !

i want to see the interview where steve is kicking back on a chair with his sunglasses on.....answering some questions here and there....AND THEN.....proclaims, "THIS INTERVIEW IS OVER!!!!" and storms off.

then the interviewer realizes that she never picked out all of the yellow m&m's from the bowl on the table as instructed by steve.......now that's hollywood baby!

i didn't have a doubt in my mind that your beaver ab's could withstand filming/production.....didn't lucas' cronies read about the "AB dog hat"??? how much are they getting paid??? i'm overjoyed that my hat collecting eccentricisms allowed me to purchase 5 ab's....thanks again steve [/quote]

[binkmeisterRick]

Steve, was there ever any doubt your hats would hold up? When I get the bonus DVD, I want your autograph on it.

[Michaelson]

Now, does anybody want me to tell him Buff's storytelling version?


......Okay. Well, once upon a time, there was a friend of our's named Steve. He is known around here as Fedora. A long time ago......

We've heard this bedtime story.....

(I give VP credit for that one. I just got to you before he did! )

Regards! Michaelson

[JohnFa]

Bufflehead:

Wow. Thank you for taking the time to write all that. An interesting real!

This makes it even more impressive. Once again; congratulations!

[Modern Jones]

Steve, was there ever any doubt your hats would hold up? When I get the bonus DVD, I want your autograph on it.

Hey Bink! I want my next hat signed too!

There is no doubt that they held up. With the quality of the felt and the craftsmanship, they are "AdventureBilt"!
And what an adventure.


MJ

[GCR]

The costumer for the new film was searching for the dang hat for Indy IV. He was talking to a member here that had made jackets for the first three films, Peter at Wested. Peter recommended Fedora as he knows the quality of Fedora's hats from this forum.

Costumer contacted Fedora to have some samples sent.

Is that how it happened? I thought there were a few more people involved along the way? At least that's the way I heard this tale.

-GCR

[Marc]

Peter recommend both of us. He (the custumer) then called me up next day and asked for a sample (after testing my knowledge on the Indy Fedora). G-Mann sent his AB-Dlx. as a sample and Steve sent in a sample as well the very next day (the custumer knew about us working together from the very first minute). NON of us - neither Steve nor I - could have made that amount of hats in such a short time. And the custumer gave us BOTH the go, with the requirement of all hats being identical in looks.

Compromised as much as possible.

This is an international hat to boot. A true Indy Fedora made from Steve and me in a frienship, that has become rare nowadays And we're QUITE proud to have delivered real gear for a real world

Regards,

Marc

[Bufflehead Jones]

The costumer for the new film was searching for the dang hat for Indy IV. He was talking to a member here that had made jackets for the first three films, Peter at Wested. Peter recommended Fedora as he knows the quality of Fedora's hats from this forum.

Costumer contacted Fedora to have some samples sent.

Is that how it happened? I thought there were a few more people involved along the way? At least that's the way I heard this tale.

-GCR

If you are referring to a banned member that claimed to have connections to get a "GIFT" hat to Harrison Ford, NO, he had absolutely, positively NOTHING TO DO WITH GETTING THE AB INTO INDY IV.

Steve, Mark, and all of us here at COW, owe Peter a huge "thank you" for that. Of course, once Peter opened the door, Steve and Marc had to deliver the best Indy fedora on the planet, and they did.

[Marc]

If you are referring to a banned member that claimed to have connections to get a "GIFT" hat to Harrison Ford, NO, he had absolutely, positively NOTHING TO DO WITH GETTING THE AB INTO INDY IV

I think he's referring to G-Mann and me to be honest. I don't even want to think of that con artist who screwed both Steve and me big times :evil:

Regards,

Marc

[Bufflehead Jones]

Marc, I wasn't sure who he was referring to. Like I said at the start of that post, the answer to that question was years in the making and that was a very simple outline of some of the key moments. You know, having lived the dream, that it was a long, slow, arduous process. In such a short response, I couldn't possibly tell the whole story.

[Falcon]

Steve and Marc,

I'm proud of both of you for a job well done!

[GCR]

Bufflehead: I was mainly referring to Marc's involvement (a point you skipped over in your "nutshell" version), and of course, GMANN's contribution in supplying a "sample" hat for examination from his own personal collection, that's all. It had nothing to with any banned members...

Congrats again to both Steve and Marc for this amazing accomplishment!!!

-GCR

[Bufflehead Jones]

I think he's referring to G-Mann and me to be honest. I don't even want to think of that con artist who screwed both Steve and me big times :evil:

Regards,

Marc

Sorry Marc. I made a mistake. I went back and edited my original post to make sure that you get the credit that you deserve.

I know that I have a bad habit of referring to Steve when I talk about the AB. Most of us know that he is the one that started the company, but you came on board shortly thereafter, and you are the one that actually makes the "Deluxe" version of the AB.

Adventurebilt is still a two man company. I talk to Steve on the phone a good bit, and I just have the bad habit of saying Steve, when it should actually include you and Steve. I certainly don't mean to do this, and I certainly don't mean to exclude you from the talk of the AB. I should spell it out that there are two of you. For the times that I may have slighted you when you deserve so much credit, I apologize. I should have proof read my post. I didn't even realize how it sounded.

For anyone that may have gotten the wrong idea from my post, Steve and Marc BOTH made the fedoras that Harrison Ford will wear in the new Indiana Jones movie.

[Bufflehead Jones]

Bufflehead: I was mainly referring to Marc's involvement (a point you skipped over in your "nutshell" version), and of course, GMANN's contribution in supplying a "sample" hat for examination from his own personal collection, that's all. It had nothing to with any banned members...

Congrats again to both Steve and Marc for this amazing accomplishment!!!

-GCR

GCR, I gotcha now. DUH! I didn't even realize my mistake. I was trying to make a long story short. I had to rectify my mistakes and appologize to Marc.



See, I am no good at telling "short" stories. Anyone that has ever met me will attest to the fact that I have a way of making a long story even longer. But, I usually put a LOT of detail into my stories. When I try to be brief, I go and mess things up.

His good friend Marc, who learned along with Fedora, began selling a version of the hat in Germany, made from the highest raw materials possible.

This was where I mentioned Marc in the AB story, but I should have spelled it out better in other parts.

[Fedora]

Pardon me if I am mising something, but I think I've been following what happened - even when I was not supposed to know what was happening. I keep hearing this reference to GMANN's contribution, and I'm not aware of one. Am I smoking rope or is somebody else?

Can you smoke that stuff?

G-Mann even got to talk to the costumer!! I am sure he will always remember that, being a huge fan of the films as we all are. G-Mann actually sent in his own new hat that Marc had just made him, to save Marc time in getting out a sample. With me being closer, I just stayed up all night and made a sample hat, that arrived a day after G-Mann's hat arrived.

And again, I must stress, this new hat is an international hat, because not only is my felt in the film, but Marc's felt is there as well! We cosmetically matched the colors up, and then the costumer used a light fullers earth to lighten some even more. I doubt you will see a hat in the film that does not have Fullers Earth on it. And since the hats were clones, even the bows should be identical, regardless of if I made the hat, or Marc made the hat. All but one.......... It seems a sample hat was accidently grabbed and aged while the costumer was in NM. The hat that was accidently included had more brim, and you will see it in some of the Hawaii shots. And, it turns out, this hat was the one that Ford and Bernie had originally picked as the film hat, but then found out Spielberg was gonna pick which hat by filming them on Ford's head. He won out, but ironically, the original picked hat ended up in the film anyways. Maybe it wasn't an accident????? Fedora

[Brendan]

Congratulations, Steve and Marc. Sometimes nice guys finish first.

Cheers,
Brendan

[Modern Jones]

All but one.......... It seems a sample hat was accidently grabbed and aged while the costumer was in NM. The hat that was accidently included had more brim, and you will see it in some of the Hawaii shots. And, it turns out, this hat was the one that Ford and Bernie had originally picked as the film hat, but then found out Spielberg was gonna pick which hat by filming them on Ford's head. He won out, but ironically, the original picked hat ended up in the film anyways. Maybe it wasn't an accident????? Fedora

Steve, you've got to love the irony of that happening though! Now you and Marc can get severly confused when someone says, "I want a Hawaiian bashed/styled AB"

On my next lid, I would like a IJKOTCS block, with a Hawaiian brim, a LC right-brim-flip, ROTLA reverse taper and a touch of TOD coloring!

How's that!?

Regards,

MJ

[eazybox]

I want to add my congratulations-- having recently received a fedora from Fedora, I can now personally attest to the quality of his crafts manship-- and I hope one day to have one of Marc's masterpieces as well. I can only reinforce the praise others have given.

The DVD release was already going to be very special to me for personal reasons; and knowing Adventurebilt will be featured only increases my eagerness to see it.

This may be the first DVD where I watch the special features before the actual movie.

Jack

[Marc]

Sorry Marc. I made a mistake.

No sweat BJ. It's just, after reading so many different stories on how the Raiders Fedora ended up on Ford's head, I would like to have the facts straight on the crystal skull Fedoras from the get go. Not for credit, fame and fortune etc. etc. etc. but to save future fans from the headache we had over the years

Adventurebilt is still a two man company.

Ummmm... not to be a pain in the bumm here... ehhh... but... Adventurebilt HATS is still a two man company. But there's still Adventurebilt LEATHER Co. with K on the run being responsible for all leather hardware

I doubt you will see a hat in the film that does not have Fullers Earth on it.

True, even with all the pics I've seen by now, there wasn't ONE SINGLE HAT where I could:

a) determine the maker
b) determine the felt (AB or AB-Dlx.)
c) determine the sweatband (quite obvious )

We mixed EVERYTHING to make sure that even if a hat clearly says Adventurebilt Deluxe on the sweatband, it could still be Steve's felt, made by Steve, but me putting the bow together Insane? - Pure calculation If WE can't tell the hats appart, than who can? And we would never get to the point to discuss who has his hat in most scenes, key scenes, at the very beginning, at the very end... All we'll ever be able to say is: WE made it. And I love that. And I know that Steve feels the same And THAT folks is based on passion and friendship. It might have driven other folks nuts to never know which hat was in a particular scene, but for us all that counts is the "we".

Regards,

Marc

[Fedora]

And we would never get to the point to discuss who has his hat in most scenes, key scenes, at the very beginning, at the very end.

You are right, and we engineered that in. We mixed em up, switched and swapped. We did not want later discussions to center on which one of us made a particular hat, and not even us will we be able to tell whose is whose. But, both hats will be in the film, no doubt about that. They apparently used each and every hat that was sent. Some of Ford's personal film hats even ended up on some of the stuntmen as they dropped like flies, and had the sweats removed so as to fit. I don't think the first batch of main stunt guys made it through the whole film....but Harrison doing his own simpler stunts came through like a trooper. I would imagine there was alot of good talk about Harrison, and some humor shared as well. Here he was 65 years old and the younger guys could not keep up with him. Granted, his stunts were not the huge ones, but he still jumped, rolled and tumbled and got roughed up. And the guy is 65, ya know? For me, right now, the heck with the hats. I just know this film is gonna be spectacular, and all who have been directly involved are really hepped up on this last adventure. If they think they just topped Raiders, you KNOW it is gonna be one heck of a ride. Fedora


Disclaimer. Non of my statements regarding the stuntmen, etc are based upon ANYTHING I was told. Just conjecture on my part, and what I "read" between the lines. The costumer told us NOTHING, except what he wanted the hats to look like. Just wanted to get this straight so as not to be quoted as being verifiable factual. It isn't.

We were told stuff like, the hat needs to hold up to water. So we surmised the hats would get wet. And I just found out that 4 of them did indeed get saturated. Even with the ton of water repellant, plus Marc's bodies had built in water repellant, and I added more before I shipped them out. So, to get this wet, means to me, the hats got dunked in a lake or river. Since Indy got wet in all 3 of the previous films, I know this is no spoiler of any sort. You expect him to get wet!!

[Michaelson]

Since Indy got wet in all 3 of the previous films, I know this is no spoiler of any sort. You expect him to get wet!!

...which I find quite interesting, as Spielberg was quoted many years ago as saying about Ford that he reminded him of a cat...Ford HATED to get wet, but did it when it was required.

Regards! Michaelson

[eazybox]

quote]I just know this film is gonna be spectacular, and all who have been directly involved are really hepped up on this last adventure. If they think they just topped Raiders, you KNOW it is gonna be one heck of a ride. Fedora[quote]

Does anyone know where H.G. Wells left his time machine? I wanna travel to May 22 right now!

Jack

[GCR]

If WE can't tell the hats appart, than who can? And we would never get to the point to discuss who has his hat in most scenes, key scenes, at the very beginning, at the very end... All we'll ever be able to say is: WE made it. And I love that. And I know that Steve feels the same And THAT folks is based on passion and friendship. It might have driven other folks nuts to never know which hat was in a particular scene, but for us all that counts is the "we".

That is truly an awesome statement! Well said, Marc, very well said indeed!

-GCR

[Bufflehead Jones]

Ummmm... not to be a pain in the bumm here... ehhh... but... Adventurebilt HATS is still a two man company. But there's still Adventurebilt LEATHER Co. with K on the run being responsible for all leather hardware

Regards,

Marc

Now you're gettin' nasty. LOL. Yes, I know there is the leather and the shirts, but we were talking about the hats.

At least I have done a heck of a job of spurring this thread on, one way or the other.

[Arkansas Russell]

..That me and Marc are part of film history, albeit a small way, is the biggest thing that ever happened to me, ..

Small way, How much bigger can you get than the HAT!!!!
Congrats to both you and Marc !
Great work DOES get rewarded!

[jeremy3178]

I agree with Arkansas, having your hats in the movie and being mentioned on the DVD is not a small thing. Congratulations!

[Kaplan]

If WE can't tell the hats appart, than who can? And we would never get to the point to discuss who has his hat in most scenes, key scenes, at the very beginning, at the very end... All we'll ever be able to say is: WE made it. And I love that. And I know that Steve feels the same And THAT folks is based on passion and friendship. It might have driven other folks nuts to never know which hat was in a particular scene, but for us all that counts is the "we".

That was inspiring to read. Thanks Marc!

[Odo]

Steve / Marc:
I hope you're writting a book about all this...at least you should write your memories about this special days. It would be a best seller here and in every Forum around the world...

Fortune and Glory. (Not sure about Fortune cause you don't seem to be the greedy kind- but you've already reached Glory)

Congrats for the DVD. Who knows, maybe in a couple of years there's gonna be a definitive Indy Box with all films til date, and there's a chance for you to be interviewd there, and you end up being big stars on the screen. Anything goes.

[indy89]

Great news, Steve! I knew Ab's were a true adventure hat I'm still waiting for my AB to get rained on.

[3thoubucks]

"filming is finished" ? .... Wow... Things are moving along, and Steve and Mark have taken us along on the journey .... ...Is this really happening, or am I dreaming?

[fedoralover]

Wow, another fascinating thread. I really enjoy reading all the little behind the scene details Fedora. Keep them coming to the extent that you can.

Now the biggest question most of us have is, how far behind are you on making our hats?? Are you down to the ones ordered this spring?, summer? fall? Us anxious fans need to know? LOL.

regards fedoralover

[KJB]

I don't know if it's been said yet, but major kudos to Peter for sending the costumer in the right direction!

[RichardSK]

After reading previous posts:
1. Marc, egotist
2: Steve, humble Gentleman who has found himself in a place probably unimagined by him a few years ago, who doesn't care if sweatbands are made of kangaroo and doesn't count the number of scenes saying mine or his.

[golpeo_rapidamente]

Steve

You rock,the hats rock and this couldnt happen to a nicer fella.

Im probably repeating myself and a million others but well done.

[rcinlv]

Umm... OUCH. Wow. Not sure I would want to take credit for that post. Marc has done his best to create something different from what Steve produces. Even Steve has spoken to the exceptional quality of the ABD, as well as how the "roo sweat" offers some superior characteristics. Egotist? Perhaps you meant egoist... Hmmm.

RC

[KJB]

After reading previous posts:
1. Marc, egotist
2: Steve, humble Gentleman who has found himself in a place probably unimagined by him a few years ago, who doesn't care if sweatbands are made of kangaroo and doesn't count the number of scenes saying mine or his.

Huh?

It seemed to me like the both of them saw it as a team effort and actually took deliberate action so nobody can pick out one hat or another. Marc said: "There wasn't ONE SINGLE HAT where I could determine the maker...We mixed EVERYTHING". And Steve said: "We engineered that in. We mixed em up, switched and swapped."

Where's the egotism in that? These guys were committed to their work long before there was the prospect of that work being used in a film, and when that came up, they very admirably and humbly shared the great opportunity. I hope the limitations of text have merely led me to grossly mistake the tone of your post

[Indiana Snipes]

I can't wait to get my Indy IV hat, hopefully before the film comes out! I know your still on 06 orders Steve but I hope you'll be getting to 07 soon, I placed my order July 4th so crossing my fingers that I'll have it by premiere time!

[Marc]

After reading previous posts:
1. Marc, egotist
2: Steve, humble Gentleman who has found himself in a place probably unimagined by him a few years ago, who doesn't care if sweatbands are made of kangaroo and doesn't count the number of scenes saying mine or his.

After reading previous posts??? I don't get. In fact I don't get it at all... I've spend almost my entire sparetime on pleasing fellow fans with the hats I'm making and thereby spent a small fortune on materials over the last years. To date I haven't even made a single Euro of profit, but still offered the bag strap buckles for the same as they cost me to help out other fans. And you call me an egotist? - Based on what?

This is the first time EVER someone on any Indy board has considered me an egotist and asside for being quite offended by that statement, I'd appreciate an answer why you have that impression from me. If you insult me on a public forum, then you should be a little more specific on the reason why.

Regards,

Marc

[djd]

It was a horrible thing to say. I'm sure no one else here thinks that.

[binkmeisterRick]

Alright, folks. No reason to start flaming members publicly here. If you have a problem, take it offline. Play nice and let's not let things get out of hand.

[Pitfall Harry]

I just wanted to say congrats again to both Steve and Marc. I can't wait to see their hats in action when KOTCS opens next May.

I can't tell you how much enjoyment I've got wearing my AB Rabbit and I hope someday soon to be able to order an ABD from Marc.

[Oklahoma Jones]

I'm gonna jump in here and also offer my congrats to both Marc and Steve on a job well done. This is definitely the culmination of years of effort, midnight oil burning, blod-sweat-and-tears, determined good old-fashioned hard work. Steve, I certainly am glad to hear that your work will be montioned on the dvd, but I am also hoping that there will be time found for both you and Marc to be interviewed so there is permanent record of the lengths you both went to in order to achieve this awesome feat. Frankly, can anyone else think of another movie where fan input(and PRODUCT, for cry-eye-eye) was ever so prominently placed for all the world to see?!?!? Congrats to you both!! Steve, you will have a message from me shortly