Browse our selection of animatronics DVD’s/Videos and find the perfect guide for your next project. With clear instructions and expert tips, these books will help you create complex, mesmerizing animated displays that will impress and delight your audience.
How to Make Animatronic Characters – Organic Mechanics Part 1 (DVD)
By Rick Lazzarini and Stan Winston School of Character Arts
In PART ONE of this animatronics odyssey, master Creature FX mechanic Rick Lazzarini (ALIENS, SNAKES ON A PLANE, DR. DOLITTLE 2) gets you started on your journey of creating an organic animatronic creature puppet. From lifeless vacuform shell to moving, expressive character puppet, Lazzarini shares tons of budget-friendly tips and techniques that will help you animate your mechanical characters.
WEBCOURSE HIGHLIGHTS
How to use taxidermy sources for materials & reference
Overview of push-pull cable mechanics
Creation of the vacuform underskull
Discussion of different types of cables & how they re used
How to Make Animatronic Characters – Organic Mechanics Part 2 (DVD)
By Rick Lazzarini and Stan Winston School of Character Arts
In PART TWO of this incredible journey through the world of animatronics, the master of The Character Shop, Rick Lazzarini, not only builds upon the lessons he introduced in Part One, but also shares a host of additional mechanical techniques, as he continues with the construction of his lifelike puma.
Here, Rick creates expressiveness in his animatronic creature by focusing on the movement of the jaw and the snarl of the lips. By the end, the range of emotion on display by the sum of these parts is truly amazing.
WEBCOURSE HIGHLIGHTS
Prepping & setting teeth into the vacuform skull
Overview of cables, liners & housings
Mounting & moving the jaw
Snarl of both the upper & lower lips
Programming & troubleshooting ranges of motion and more!
Robot Brains – Animatronic Character Servo Control (DVD)
By Rick Galinson and Stan Winston School of Character Arts
Animatronic effects supervisor, inventor and Stan Winston Studio veteran, Rick Galinson, shares tips and techniques to help you utilize basic LED and SERVO controls to create stunning on-screen effects.
From the art of motherboard design and circuit board schematics to best practices with soldering equipment & programming code, Galinson’s expert knowledge will guide you as you delve into the fascinating world of robots, creatures and code.
How to Build an Animatronic Head Part 1 – Creating the Mechanical Underskull (DVD)
By Craig Caton-Largent
Learn how to build an animatronic head with master creature effects mechanic Craig Caton-Largent (Jurassic Park, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Predator 2). In Part 1 of his 4-part webcourse series on DIY mechanical characters, Caton-Largent teaches you how to create an epoxy & fiberglass underskull, the critical first step in building facial animatronics for your character creations.
How to Build an Animatronic Head Part 2 – Eye Mechanism Construction & Installation (DVD)
By Craig Caton-Largent and Stan Winston School of Character Arts
Take the first steps toward mechanizing an animatronic head with master creature effects mechanic Craig Caton-Largent (Jurassic Park, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Predator 2). In Part 2 of his 4-part webcourse series on DIY animatronics, Caton-Largent teaches you how to design, construct, and mount eye mechanisms inside your character’s fiberglass underskull.
How to Build an Animatronic Head Part 3 – Eyebrow & Jaw Mechanisms (DVD)
By Craig Caton-Largent
Learn to add expression to an animatronic head using eyebrow and jaw mechanisms with master creature effects mechanic Craig Caton-Largent (Jurassic Park, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Predator 2). In Part 3 of his 4-part webcourse series on DIY animatronics, Caton-Largent shows you how simple servo-driven eyebrows and a mechanical jaw can help you bring your character animatronics to life.
How to Build an Animatronic Head Part 4 – Lip Mechanisms, Skin Testing & Programming (DVD)
By Craig Caton-Largent
Learn how to finish, test, and program an animatronic head with master creature effects mechanic Craig Caton-Largent (Jurassic Park, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Predator 2). Concluding his 4-part webcourse series on DIY animatronics, Caton-Largent guides you through the final steps of your mechanical character build, including an in-depth demonstration on creating servo-controlled lip mechanisms, followed by skin testing, and basic animatronics programming.
WEBCOURSE HIGHLIGHTS
Attaching the Jaw Assembly
Installing Lip Cables & Tabs
Connecting the Lip Servos
Trimming & Gluing Down the Test Skin
Animatronics Programming Basics – The Pololu Board
Using Visual Show Automation (VSA) Software and more!
In this introductory “animatronic how to” lesson, Stan Winston Studio “Lifer,” and Legacy Effects animatronic special character effects designer, Richard Landon, gives a comprehensive overview of the character mechanic’s profession.
(Related skills: mold making & puppetry)
LESSON HIGHLIGHTS
The character mechanical effects designer’s toolkit
Animatronics – how to begin designing character mechanisms
Controlling character performance – the machines that move the monsters
Introduction to eye mechanisms & tentacle mechanisms
Lab Work For Animatronic Characters Part 1: Making A Mechanical Core (DVD)
By Cory Czekaj
Learn lab work for animatronic characters with master FX technician Cory Czekaj (Avatar, RoboCop, Captain America: The Winter Soldier). In Part 1 of his 2-part course series, Czekaj teaches you how to modify an existing core, remold it, and create a fiberglass core for a mechanical character. If you dream of creating lifelike animatronics, this master class from one of the industry’s most highly respected lab technicians will help you get it right from the inside out.
Lab Work for Animatronic Characters Part 2: Running a Silicone Skin & Casting Teeth (DVD)
By Cory Czekaj
Learn lab work for animatronic characters with pro FX technician Cory Czekaj (Avatar, RoboCop, Captain America: The Winter Soldier). In Part 2 of his 2-part course series, Czekaj shares his tried-and-true methods for running a pliable platinum silicone skin and casting dental acrylic teeth for a mechanical puppet. When creating an animatronic character, quality lab work is critical to your success. This in-depth course offers you the opportunity to learn the craft from an FX industry leader.
In this essential “animatronics how to” lesson, Stan Winston Studio “Lifer” & Legacy Effects animatronic special character effects designer, Richard Landon (ALIENS, THE TERMINATOR, PREDATOR, JURASSIC PARK) reveals various approaches to creating highly versatile cable-controlled tentacle mechanisms for your character creation projects.
Do you know of any books that should be on this list? We'd love to hear from you - get in touch! We're always looking to expand our collection with books covering makeup artists, monster makers, special effects, prop making, stagecraft, and more.
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