As promised, a little video of one Edward Van Bone, now using my own voice (trying to do my best Van Sloan, honest!) in order to make his dialogue a bit more specific to Monsterpalooza. In this clip, he is welcoming museum-goers and admonishing them to keep their grubby hands to them-grubby-selves...
YEAH, I know, it's dark. But I don't have a good low-light camera. Given all my dark projects, I should probably invest in one.
If you've been paying any kind of attention, you may notice that I have re-mounted his head and neck, to have it a little hunched, a little jutting out, to add some character and feeling. His earlier straightened look was just too stiff and lifeless. When I started programming yesterday, I kept wondering why nothing was looking right, and I realized that his head was just all wrong. Too normal.
These are the kinds of terrifying lessons one has to learn in this hobby: instead of programming yesterday, I somehow found the brass cajones to take him all apart, redesign and rebuild him. So glad I did, because it thoroughly improved his look -- oddly angled, cartoonish -- and now he's just about right.
Fear faced down, problem solved for the better.
I think I may actually get this done, and shipped, and set up and -- well, I don't want to jinx it.
I even shot this in green light for the occasion. I guess the luck o' the Irish is in me t'dee.
As ye were, one an' all.
SLAINTE'!
O'ZOM-beee!
Well worth the wait. That arm movement is some of the best I've seen. It's so quick and fluid. And I LOVE that the wrist is articulated. Wonderful expressiveness.
ReplyDeleteThank you, sir. I really spent a lot of trial and error time on this figure and learned a lot by falling on my butt most of the time -- but that arm and wrist movement is something I am now quite proud to exhibit. In better light, and in the full routine, you will see there is a bit more use of the arms and wrists, and it's subtle but alive. I didn't want to overuse the movements (a common mistake I see all too often), so I am glad you recognize the smoothness of it all.
ReplyDeleteOh wow! I am blown away! Very fluid movements that rival Disney animatronics any day (I haven't been to Disney in years but I don't remember seeing anything that even comes close to this realism). The eyebrows, the finger and wrist movements, the coordination, absolutely fantastic!
ReplyDelete(*humbly bowing*)
ReplyDeleteThank you very kindly, Mr. Macabre! High praise indeed. It sure seems like all the (very!) difficult work is finally paying off, and it warms my Hallowe'en Lovin' heart to read such glowing comments.
Looking great and sounding wonderful!
ReplyDeleteIf that warning fails to keep the great unwashed from pawing the goods, they deserve the wrath of the monsters.
You have surpassed yourself with Edward.
Love that "thrilled to the bone" line. And that admonishing finger wag is just a dead-on perfect touch.
Thanks Fester, I worked hard to get it to be lifelike and it's very gratifying to have you notice and appreciate it!
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