Animatronics

[kingoleer]

Have any of you guys ever delved into animatronics at a pretty in-depth level? When I say "in-depth" I mean the level of technical skill used in movies like Dark Crystal or Labyrinth? If so have you just dabbled in animatronics or do you use them extensively in your shows or performances?

 

[Buck-Beaver]

I've done quite a bit with animatronics, not really entire characters but more along the lines of building/rigging puppets for certain effects. What do you want to know?

 

[kingoleer]

Sorry

I didn't mean for my post to be misleading, I don't have any background in animatronics at all but I'm fascinated with them. What I meant was has anyone built an entire character that was controlled totally by animatronics, such as the worm at the beginning of Labyrinth or the Skeksis?

 

[fishbone]

hey buck,could you possibly share your knowledge on the subject.i am intrested in blinking eyes/moving mouth via remote control. kinda like the ones that puppet productions make .riding bikes &stuff.i do alot of schools & work w/ special needs children i would like to do a show & watch it at the same time,so anything you can share.

 

[Buck-Beaver]

It's a fairly complex area and really you're best to learn by doing. A good place to buy kits to start out with is Blue Point Engineering. They build and sell a lot of kits for animatronics.

 

[fishbone]

whats a good starter kit buck? i want do eyes mouth & head like puppet prod.,iwant to get hard core

 

[fishbone]

wow,that site is what i was looking for!!! man!!!!!

 

[Scooter]

I have played around with the idea for animatronics and also have built one of my own. (although I can not find my patterns for it) Mine was very basic and I used a remote control car for most of it. Here is a really REally good design by someone for an animatronic skeleton.
http://www.wildrice.com/Halloween/Construction/Skeleton/
Hope it is helpful.
----Scooter----

 

[fishbone]

yur a freekin' genius... (scooter)by the way,that's wut my dad calls me,not cuz of the muppets

 

[Scooter]

You're welcome

Thanks-- I've been looking into animatronics for sometime they fascinate me! I hope that webpage is helpfull- I haven't made that one yet but I am working on slowly getting the parts. Whoever designed it is amazing.
--Scooter--
(P.S. cool nickname, I've always liked then name before I could associate it with the muppets.)