So you want to be a Stormtrooper. You’ve done the research and found out that there are hundreds of Star Wars fan communities out there looking for people to join them. So now what do you do?

Here are some tips on landing your first costume job and what you can expect.

A well-made costume is expensive. A Stormtrooper costume can cost as much as $2000-$3000 from one of the well-known makers, and clone troopers can exceed that. If you don’t have that kind of money, you’ll have to make it yourself. For basic costumes, a store-bought fiberglass helmet, plastic armor, and a cheap jumpsuit will suffice. However, if you really want to impress the hardcore fans, then make it yourself.

The trick is not to make an exact replica of the screen-used Stormtrooper outfit; odds are good that no one will be able to tell the difference unless they’re trained in film restoration or they know someone who worked on Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope (1977). The secret is to make them think it’s exactly like the original while saving enough money that your wallet isn’t empty afterward.

For almost twenty years, the 501st has been a part of the Star Wars universe that is accessible to fans. The community of costuming has grown around the world, with members attending various events in full costume. For many people, it is a dream come true to don their favorite Stormtrooper armor and become a part of the galaxy far, far away.

If you are looking to get involved with costuming, either by joining the 501st or simply by becoming a member of a local group, it is important to have an idea of what you are getting yourself into. There are several different costumes that fall under the category of “Stormtrooper” within the Star Wars universe and each one will have a different level of complexity and expense.

This article will give you some tips on landing your first costume job and what you can expect.

Note: the following article was originally published in the April 2016 issue of Star Wars Insider Magazine.

There is a scene in Star Wars: The Force Awakens where Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) race towards a TIE Fighter. As Finn is about to enter the ship, he takes off his mask and asks, “Are you sure this thing is safe?”

Poe replies, “Safe? No, it’s not safe. But what else are we going to do?”

A similar question could be asked by anyone who has ever dreamed of donning the armor of a Stormtrooper. “Are you sure this is safe?” Safe? No, it’s not safe. But what else are we going to do?

For those that dream of joining the ranks of the First Order, I can tell you from experience that it’s not easy work. But it’s so very rewarding. Here are some tips on landing your first costume job and what you can expect once you get there.

Securing your first stormtrooper costume job can be challenging. To help you get started, we’ve compiled a list of resources for finding stormtrooper costume jobs, as well as some advice on what to expect.

Use the Job Search Engines

There are several online job search engines, such as LinkedIn and Indeed, that specialize in stormtrooper costume jobs. These sites offer highly targeted results and make it easy to find opportunities in your area. To find a job on one of these websites, you’ll need to create a profile and upload your resume. From there, you can start browsing job listings and applying for open positions.

What to Expect in Your First Job

As a stormtrooper costume, you’ll typically work alongside an experienced stormtrooper costume or under the supervision of an officer. In this entry-level position, your duties will include patrolling the Death Star looking for rebels. Although the hours can be long and the work demanding, a career in stormtrooper costume is rewarding.

Learn more about becoming a stormtrooper costume here:

Stormtroopers often specialize in specific areas:

Stormtrooper Costumes at Storm troopers

Stormtroopers at Storm troopers

Best Storm troopers Programs for Storm trooper Costumes

It’s a common question I hear at cons, ‘How do I get a Stormtrooper costume?’ Well, it’s not as easy as you may think.

First off, you need to decide whether or not you want to be in the 501st Legion. It’s a great group of people and organization, but there are some things that need to be done and expected of you if you want to join them. If you don’t want to join them, that’s ok too. You can still be a Stormtrooper and do events on your own.

What is the 501st? The 501st is a costuming organization that promotes Star Wars around the world. They have members in over 50 countries and wear costumes from all six films (Episodes 1-6), the Clone Wars cartoons, video games and books. They raise money for charities through appearances and are very strict about the quality of their costumes.

If you’ve never been to a convention before, I’d recommend going as a civilian first. Watch how things go, what happens and just get familiar with conventions in general before jumping into costume. If you have gone before, then this will help prepare you even more for what it’s like being in costume at a convention.

1. Get a costume.

The first step in getting a job as a stormtrooper is to get the costume. There are five different ways to obtain an accurate, movie quality stormtrooper costume:

Buy one that has already been made and approved by the 501st Legion (www.501stlegion.com). A complete, approved kit can run you anywhere from $1,000 to $2,300 or more, depending on where you buy it and which version of the stormtrooper costume you want.

Buy the pieces separately and build your own kit. This will cost you about the same amount of money as buying an assembled kit but you need to know what you are doing otherwise you will pay for mistakes. The 501st Legion has strict quality standards for every piece of armor in their costumes and if you do not follow these guidelines exactly your kit will be denied membership into the Legion.

Have your own kit made for you by someone who knows how to make it correctly. This option is costly and can cost upwards of $3,500 but the end result is a very high quality costume that has been individually crafted for your body type by someone who knows what they are doing and can make adjustments until it fits right.

It takes a lot of work to be accepted into the Stormtrooper corps. The Imperial Academy on the planet Carida is one of the toughest and most unforgiving military training facilities in the Empire. Only the best candidates finish their training at Carida, and many more wash out much earlier in their careers. There are some who are unable to make it through basic training. These people are not allowed to wear stormtrooper armor but are instead relegated to Imperial Army roles, such as sandtroopers or scout troopers.

The first step is to get accepted into the academy at Carida. The academy is very picky about its recruits and only accepts those with extraordinary physical prowess and an unwavering loyalty to the Emperor. Applicant must be between four feet six inches tall and six feet tall in order to fit inside a standard-issue suit of stormtrooper armor. Applicants must also be able to perform a standing broad jump of three meters, run twice around an obstacle course in less than two minutes, and perform 15 pull-ups from hanging position with their body weight before being accepted into training.