Monster Magic : Bringing Fantasy to Life Through Animatronics

Certain film stars are a director’s dream. These actors are easygoing, don’t throw temper tantrums and won’t complain about uncomplimentary camera angles. You’ll never hear them whine--except when they’re programmed to. That’s because they’re animatronic, the mechanical brain-children of today’s hottest special effects wizards, combining animationa and electronics to bring Hollywood critters to life.

There’s no question that animatronics technology is here to stay, and that the San Fernando Valley is a hotbed for special effects. Matt Britton, general manager of Jim Henson’s Creature Shop in Los Angeles, goes so far as to proclaim: “The Valley is the center of special effects for the world.”

Whether furred, feathered or finned, remote-controlled “actors” created at Valley effects houses are becoming major players in Hollywood. Some even have starring roles. Last year’s top animatronic performers included “Babe,” a talking pig; the animatronic whale, “Free Willy 2”, a semi-talking ape in “Congo”; and the transparent alien in “Species.” Dozens of other films regularly use animatronic creatures as stand-ins for real animals. Among year’s mechanical menagerie are a baseball-playing chimp and an animatronic Pinnochio.

Transforming ideas into moving, talking, squawking mechanical creatures is a full-time task for the scores of technicians, artists, mechanics and other special effects pros who pool their talents at dozens of firms in Los Angeles.

Production companies are increasingly relying on firms in the Valley for their films’ animatronic needs. The Valley is now home to the movie industry’s biggest visual effects names and most up-to-date animatronics technology. With studios in Burbank and London, Jim Henson’s Creature Shop has become a leader in animatronics. Every aspect of creature-building takes place in the Henson workshops--there’s even an on-site machine shop for manufacturing the custom-made parts that move the figures. Henson-mechanized creatures have appeared in everything from “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” to the “Dinosaurs” television series and “The Flintstones” movie.

Oscar-winning special effects pro Stan Winston’s studio in Burbank is the birthplace of mechanical creations such as the “Congo” ape and the penguins in “Batman Returns.” Winston has won visual effects Oscars for “Jurassic Park,” “Aliens,” and “Terminator 2.” A Sun Valley firm called X/FX created the alien in “Species,” and a Chatsworth company called KNB EFX Group dreamed up animatronic devices for “Pulp Fiction.”

In the future, special effects will utilize the best of both animatronics and computer graphic images, predicted Britton: “The biggest thing (happening in special effects) is the crossover between animatronics and digital effects. When computer-generated effects first came out, like those in ‘Jurassic Park,’ people said, ‘That’s the end of animatronics.’ But that’s not the case...Now movies can be made with digital effects in them, but a bigger percentage can be done more practically with animatronics.”

Sketches and Models: Artist sketches a design for the creature and then creates a maquette, a clay figure coated with hard plastic. The maquette serves as an easily-changed small-scale model for the animatronic figure.

Fitting the Suit: To allow a close-fitting space for performer inside suit, a plaster mold is cast of the performer’s head and body, and from that a fiberglass mold is created. Creature’s shape is sculpted around actor’s cast. The fiberglass creature mold is then ready to be injected with foam for skin.

Making the Skin: Foam latex ingredients are combined in a 60-quart mixer and then drawn into a giant syringe. Foam is injected into the fiberglass mold, filling the 1/4-inch space. Mold is baked at 150 degrees, foam is removed and painted.

Controlling the Movement: Puppeteer watches movement of creature in control system monitor, using hand controls to move figure’s facial features and other motorized limbs. Puppeteer and suit performer communicate via radio.

Synchronizing: Some movements are improvised, while others are programmed. Performance editor matches up the computerized lip-synch soundtrack with creature’s facial movements.

Remote Control: Animatronic figures can be controlled from a distance of 125 feet by the puppeteer indoors, 300 feet outdoors.

Room With No View: Depending on the size and shape of the creature, a performer may not be able to see through the eyes, and may use a small monitor to find his way.

Joint Effort: While a puppeteer is controlling the facial movements of a creature, the suit performer imparts personality to the hands and body. The puppeteer and suit performer stay in close radio communication. Suit performers can stay in the suit for only 20-minute periods due to the heat and discomfort. The puppeteer signals when the performer needs a break. A suit can weigh up to 80 pounds.

Battery Pack: Batteries worn around the performer’s waist power the servos.

Life-Giving Motors: Tiny motors called servos are installed in figure’s head to move facial features and any other area where movement is required. A large figure can have as many as two dozen servos moving everything from eyeballs and eyebrows to lips and ears. The puppeteer uses computer software that controls the servos to perform an unlimited number of movements.

Muffle Suit: The suit performer may wear thick body padding to help flesh out the creature’s shape.

Sources: Jim Henson’s Creature Shop; Researched by JULIE SHEER and REBECCA PERRY / Los Angeles Times