Adam Savage Attempts Armature Making!

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This just popped up online: Adam Savage has had a long-standing online presence, starting years ago with Mythbusters on the old analog Discovery Channel. Later, he joined YouTube with a group under the channel name 'Tested'. Now, this channel is primarily associated with Adam Savage himself. His studio shop is equipped with every imaginable tools, allowing him to create physical props, models, mechanical objects, and costumes for practical effects or cosplaying. His studio is the envy of us DIY enthusiasts (home craftsmen/artists).

Adam can build just about anything. I am not sure but I think this might be his first attempt constructing a Stop Motion Armature. He is using the >> Tom St.Amand - Phil Tippett >> T-Rex Armature that was used for Jurassic Park (animation motion testing), as his reference guide. Every armature fabrication has its own methods. Here, we can see that Adam has chosen to build the T-Rex armature skull first. My way of doing this would be to leave the skull for the last step. I would have detailed blueprints of the entire armature, with an exact scale outline of the T-Rex skull (front, top, side view). I would then complete the armature first, and then build and attach the skull as the final step. In the end, the results are the same ... whatever works!

Maybe this is a spoiler. You will not see the completion of the T-Rex armature in this video. In the description, I do not see an upcoming part 2, or possibly the follow-up video might be reserved for his membership group.

 

In the photo below Randal M. Dutra is doing the hands on animating of the T-Rex striding-walk test. Online this has the label as 'Go-Motion', however it appears to have been very smoothly animated traditional Stop Motion (not Go-mo).  I think it was more of a test demonstrating the highly realistic puppet fabrication and its appearance, especially the T-Rex's external skin characteristics, where you see the illusion of the skin sliding over the muscles underneath and also the Belly Sway Jiggle effect. Nature Artist >> Art of Randal M. Dutra

This is the infamous finished test walk-striding T-Rex that you may have seen online.

  

STOP MOTION WORKS 'Seal' - REAL Hand-Made Certified™ ( A.I.)

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I, BARNABÉ (2020)

I, Barnabé / Moi, Barnabé is an indie animation by artist-creator, Jean-Francois Levesque. Through the Canadian NFB (National Film Board) this independent produced stop motion short was released in 2020. As with many indie features, they are first made available to the audience at various film festivals, then later, through other distribution such as dvds or online streaming.

In late 2021, 'I, Barnabe' was released for everyone to view and enjoy. It is not an Aardman or comedy stye entertainment animation, but instead, it is low key with some humor, and its topic touches some deep themes. There are no words or dialog. All the story telling is through the visual animation performance. In addition to stop motion there is some mixed animation styles including 2d drawn.

 

Here is a quick storyline description from the NFB ....
"Confronted with doubt and feelings of emptiness, drunk with unhappiness and seeking to drown his sorrow, Barnabé experiences a curious metaphysical visitation; lightning strikes the spire of his church and a mysterious bird appears, forcing him to reconsider his life. What is his truth pointing him towards? What is the deeper meaning of his life on earth?"

Any Video, you can click player for Full Screen viewing

You can watch the entire animated feature here (15 minutes) ....

Magazine article Interview with Jean-Francois Levesque

BONUS - Behind the Scenes! 👇

JIM RANDALL -  Armature 'Puppet Head Mechanics' Designer/Engineer and  BRENDA BAUMGARTEN - Expert Puppet Fabrication Artist

Below is for the Hardcore Stop Motion Fanatics 😲

So ... you cannot get enough for your Stop Motion Addiction? 😉 Take a look at Jim Randall's Facebook posting of over 30 photos that he has made available for your viewing knowledge edification.

Go Here ... Jim Randall's  BARNABE MAKING OF A PUPPET HEAD

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Original Kong Armatures #1 & #2 - A Technical Inquiry

If you did not know, back in 2009, Peter Jackson (movie director) acquired an original 1933 King Kong metal skeletal armature, at a Christie's Auction. It is now in his private collection. Most everyone is familiar with the Bob Burns (collector, cinema historian) as the custodian of the other original Kong armature #2. Kong armature #1 was somewhat underground & remained hidden, but many years later it made a reappearance, and in 2009, Christie's offered it as an auction piece and that is when Peter Jackson purchased armature #1.

In 2016,  Adam Savage ('Tested' Youtube channel), visited Peter Jackson's 'Collection Cave' at his New Zealand home.When I first saw Adam's video, it has always bothered me that someone altered or mis-positioned the PJ Kong Armature Torso/Chest block section. PJ's Kong armature chest block is backwards, and for a Gorilla, that is not anatomically correct. Both LEFT & RIGHT Kong ARMS are attached to the Chest Block which should be on the FRONT of the upper armature section. Adam Savage's video interview will be included here. Pay attention to the the armature upper shoulder area.

At the Christie's Auction, the Kong armature was correctly posed & displayed with the chest block in the front forward position.

 

However, afterwards, when Peter Jackson has the armature in his possession, we see this. Peter Jackson and Bob Burns displaying their Kong armatures.

When Peter and Bob met, they laid both armatures on a flat surface, side by side.

Historical Note: KONG Armature #1 (Long Face), was the FIRST armature made and used for the Log & Sailor encounter scenes, the infamous Kong vs T-Rex battle, and also the distant shot of Kong climbing the Empire State Building. Kong #1 might also have been used in other shots. KONG Armature #2 (Round Face) was the SECOND armature made. Kong puppet #2 was used in various scenes such as the Kong & Anne Darrow first encounter, also the final scene at the top of Empire State building. Armature #1 was larger (22 inches / 55.8cm) than Armature #2 (19.5 inches / 49.5cm). After all  the rubber & fur taxidermy is done, covering the armatures, then when both puppets are posed & positioned in the hunched over gorilla stance ... the final puppets appeared to be approximately 18 inches (45.7cm) overall size. Gorilla's do not have a straight posture stance like a human.

In the photo below this is a close-up of the Bob Burns armature with the chest block in front, in the forward position, which is correct!

My theory is ... when Peter Jackson purchased the Kong Armature, it was delivered / shipped to him at his New Zealand residence. I am speculating that perhaps the New Zealand 'Customs', first inspected the armature shipment and perhaps the customs agents handling the Kong armature, twisted and wrongly positioned the armature upper section with the chest block facing backwards.When Peter received the 'inspected' shipping box with the Kong armature inside, and then he opened & unpacked it, and then perhaps, Peter was not aware of the error that the armature chest block was backwards and left it as it is. An imaginative possible scenario? 😁

Take a look at this, from the Adam Savage video.

Here is Adam Savage's interview in 2016, talking with Peter Jackson about the King Kong armature. If needed, you can play back key parts of the video in slow motion!

One more piece of evidence for you. Look at a real Gorilla's skeletal anatomy. Observe the Side View ... the upper shoulder collar bone / clavicle. Those bones are in a forward protruded position (front of neck). A gorilla walks hunched over ... called Knuckle Walking and basically, mostly walks on four limbs. So apparently, Willis O'Brien and/or Marcel Delgado designed both armatures with some degree of anatomical accuracy.

 

It is now the year 2023 and I have no knowledge if Peter Jackson is aware of this technical armature detail. Personally, I think it is important and why my 'lone voice in the wilderness', is calling attention to this for Cinema Historical accuracy! 

 

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Jury ... I rest my case!

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I have NO fancy Machining Equipment, BUT I have this!

 SHOP TALK ....

This Manual Tapping stand, securely holds a tap bit at perfect perpendicularity to the metal work piece that you are tapping and NO wobble.  You have high sensitivity tactile feed-back in your hand while you are tap-threading, especially with the mini-tap bits such at #0-80, #1-72, #2-56 tap sizes (USA, not metric). Absolute control and minimizing tap-bit breakage.

These are available at specialty industrial suppliers and the prices can vary. My hand tapper unit is not the best quality. It is an imported brand and has worked reasonably okay for many years..

Before I acquired this tapping unit years ago,  I previously used a common bench top drill press to manually tap by hand: I removed the drill press belt from the pulley & motor. I then insert the tap bit into drill chuck, and you have the metal work  piece in the vise ... then firmly grab the drill chuck with your hand and turn it. It works for medium size taps, but with mini size taps, it is difficult to 'feel' using the drill press tapper method.

Note: I do have a Mini-Mill and a small precision Lathe ... but ... NO costly CNC set-up, NO humongous size Bridgeport Mill, and NO massive turning Lathe.

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