DEFINITION OF ANIMATRONICS
Animatronics is a field that uses sculpture, electronics, mechanics, and computer engineering to develop real-size dynamic creatures for films and theme parks.
They can be compared to puppets; only much smarter, much scarier and of great sizes. Film makers today, prefer having their creatures ‘live’ on the set so the human actors have a real co-star to act along with rather than using computer graphics at post production. Famous movie animatronics stars include the great dragon in Merlin and the gigantic Spinosaurus in Jurassic Park III.
making sketches on drawing board
All animatronic creatures start out as sketches on the drawing board. In some cases they are new creature-tastic ideas thought off by designers. The sketches are then converted into Marquette (scale model). This Marquette allows the designers to debug their design plans before bringing the creatures into full size ‘life’.
CAD and sculpturing aspect
Here is place where the model goes from the small to the large. The mini Marquette is scanned, capturing all the detail of the model sculpture and feeding it into CAD (computer-aided design) software. From this data whirring, computer-controlled blades automatically sculpt a full sized model using blocks of organic foam.
Pouring in the skin
Here is where the creature is molded . Using the life-size model, a set of moulds are made to allow the external skin of the creature to be created. With the outside finished, the skeleton (its framework) is next, the mechanics to be used here depends on how the creature is expected to move. Using a rough shape corresponding to the form of the core skeleton innards, the outer foam rubber skin can be poured in so that it only fills the negative space between the outside creature shape and in the inside skeleton. Doing this lessens the weight of the skin and allows more flexible and credible movements.
More than the bare bones
Skin done, here the technology really kicks in. The animatronics skeleton inside the creature is where all the smart stuff happens. It is clever and custom made. It has to be – its movement of the outside skin lends credibility to the animatronic structure.
Attached around the main skeleton frame, which is often built with strong but light graphite and looks a lot like the real creature’s skeleton, we find the actuators. These little clumps of clever computing move the pieces around to make the creature look alive. The study of computer abounds here, along with other state-of-the-art techniques. Mechanical and electronic engineering combined with computer-controlled motors are used to move small expressive bits like eyes, or to control the more heavy-duty hydraulic systems that move limbs. The systems may be pre-programmed for characteristic behaviours like swiping a claw. In essence, the animatronics under the skin produce a gigantic remote controlled life-like puppet for movie director to play with.
Putting the skin over the animatronics is not always easy. As each of the sections of foam rubber skin are added to the skeleton the construction team needs to check that the new bit of skin added doesn’t look too stretched, or too baggy with lots of unsightly flabby folds. One way to help the image conscious creature is to use elastic bungee cords to connect areas of the skin to the frame. These act like tendons under the skin, stretching and bunching when it moves, making the whole effect more relaxed and natural. Once the skin is on, it is a quick paint job and the creature is ready for its close up.
Animatronics is a field that uses sculpture, electronics, mechanics, and computer engineering to develop real-size dynamic creatures for films and theme parks.
They can be compared to puppets; only much smarter, much scarier and of great sizes. Film makers today, prefer having their creatures ‘live’ on the set so the human actors have a real co-star to act along with rather than using computer graphics at post production. Famous movie animatronics stars include the great dragon in Merlin and the gigantic Spinosaurus in Jurassic Park III.
making sketches on drawing board
All animatronic creatures start out as sketches on the drawing board. In some cases they are new creature-tastic ideas thought off by designers. The sketches are then converted into Marquette (scale model). This Marquette allows the designers to debug their design plans before bringing the creatures into full size ‘life’.
CAD and sculpturing aspect
Here is place where the model goes from the small to the large. The mini Marquette is scanned, capturing all the detail of the model sculpture and feeding it into CAD (computer-aided design) software. From this data whirring, computer-controlled blades automatically sculpt a full sized model using blocks of organic foam.
Pouring in the skin
Here is where the creature is molded . Using the life-size model, a set of moulds are made to allow the external skin of the creature to be created. With the outside finished, the skeleton (its framework) is next, the mechanics to be used here depends on how the creature is expected to move. Using a rough shape corresponding to the form of the core skeleton innards, the outer foam rubber skin can be poured in so that it only fills the negative space between the outside creature shape and in the inside skeleton. Doing this lessens the weight of the skin and allows more flexible and credible movements.
More than the bare bones
Skin done, here the technology really kicks in. The animatronics skeleton inside the creature is where all the smart stuff happens. It is clever and custom made. It has to be – its movement of the outside skin lends credibility to the animatronic structure.
Attached around the main skeleton frame, which is often built with strong but light graphite and looks a lot like the real creature’s skeleton, we find the actuators. These little clumps of clever computing move the pieces around to make the creature look alive. The study of computer abounds here, along with other state-of-the-art techniques. Mechanical and electronic engineering combined with computer-controlled motors are used to move small expressive bits like eyes, or to control the more heavy-duty hydraulic systems that move limbs. The systems may be pre-programmed for characteristic behaviours like swiping a claw. In essence, the animatronics under the skin produce a gigantic remote controlled life-like puppet for movie director to play with.
Putting the skin over the animatronics is not always easy. As each of the sections of foam rubber skin are added to the skeleton the construction team needs to check that the new bit of skin added doesn’t look too stretched, or too baggy with lots of unsightly flabby folds. One way to help the image conscious creature is to use elastic bungee cords to connect areas of the skin to the frame. These act like tendons under the skin, stretching and bunching when it moves, making the whole effect more relaxed and natural. Once the skin is on, it is a quick paint job and the creature is ready for its close up.
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