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Author
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Topic: Alien Suit
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SilverbladeX
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posted 12-01-2000 02:37 PM
I was wondering if anyone knew how to or knows a web site on how to create a ife size Alien suit from any one of the four Alien movies? Unlike other projects this is not for a movie just for fun but I still want to spend as little as possible on it... and I'm talking VERY little here. |
FXMan
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posted 12-01-2000 04:00 PM
Hey SilverBladeX,I hate to be the bearer of bad news but you are likely talking a significant amount of money. It COULD be done cheaply using a Spandex body suit with lots of carved urethane foam (the cushion kind) and it could work that way. But it still isn't going to be too cheap even at that. Real good looking Alien suits I've seen going for just under a couple of thousand dollars or more. But you could do it with a fair amount of creativity, artistic ability (for sculpting/carving) foam pieces and then gluing them on as they should be onto the body suit. But it won't ever be easy. VERY little money won't likely get you the best results you'd want even on low budget. But just be creative and do the best you can and you should be able to come up with a reasonable looking suit. The head piece will probably be the hardest part. Have to have some kind of rigid underskull or rigid material to fashion the head out of. Not easy but anything common can be made to look like the real thing with a good coat of the right paint and finish work. As for web sites, I've never seen one where someone has created one of those suits. You see them a lot but someone has already manufactured them. Get a lot of reference photos and go to work. Good luck FXMan
[This message has been edited by FXMan (edited 12-01-2000).] |
SilverbladeX
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posted 12-01-2000 04:33 PM
It dosn't have to be 100% perfect seeing that the alien will be in the dark most of the time but it'snt there any way? I remember some guy telling emt hat he made one out of Duck tape that cost like $40 total. Maybe if he sees this he can tell me how he made it (if he's telling the turth). |
FXMan
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posted 12-02-2000 02:09 PM
Well to tell the truth I've never seen anyone talk in those terms before - duct tape and reasonably inexpensive. But you never know. Try getting some reference photos - as many as you can - and take a good look and see what you'd have to do to make it. Making it look legit even if it IS duct tape is a matter of finishing off the good work you do to create it in the first place. Finishing a project like that can make an otherwise cheesy idea look great with creativity. I saw a video tape once of Bob Burn's who used to do Halloween Haunted Houses at his home in Burbank every year for many years. And on that tape they show one where the recreated an Aliens type scene for the Halloween project and they used that carved foam over a body suit. But bear in mind he had some of the best names in the makeup and effects industry helping him create these massive Halloween projects too. I don't know how much that costs but it might not be too high. Check it out it works for a lot of things. Rick Baker even used it on one of his first films OCTOMAN and it worked pretty well. But other things could too. I can't imagine what you would use duct tape for though to create the ribs and other non-human features - especially the elongated head of the alien. But you never know as I said. It's really all a matter of taking whatever is handy and close by, being creative and then finishing it off to look good in the end. But I'd be interested to know as well if someone has done this and how inexpensively - but $40 bucks seems like a real low price to accomplish what I imagine it would take. See what you can find that's available for free or really cheap. But start with reference photos so you know what you're going to have to do to get the effect you want in recreating this suit. Then do a shopping run and price shop for the items you need or gather the stuff if you can find it for free. Good luck with it. It sounds like it's going to be a blast to try to do. But with some good forethought you should be able to work it out. As always, if anyone can assist with suggestions or ideas, always post. And if you can get this accomplished, let us know how it turns out and even post a pic somewhere so we can see - along with a price breakdown even for anyone else who wants to try it.Thanks. FXMan [This message has been edited by FXMan (edited 12-02-2000).] |
gore master
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posted 12-02-2000 02:14 PM
IF you are making the alien from the movies,
a lot of duck tape probably won't pass at all. There is a lot of detail since it's body is an insect like exo-skeleton. The detail might not need to be perfect but for the mid chest and up, it will need to have a lot of the general details. The dark will hide that the detail isn't picture perfect. For the second one the had a kind of body suit(like the kind some people where for nude scenes but black) and all the parts, arms, legs and body, were sculpted and casted individually.
Of course the head is where most of the work and detail will go to. The parts where all molded into foam latex pieces and attached to the suit. Hopefully you won't want to create a moving head as well(a LOT of work and money). Depending on people you know and what you have or can find, you may be able to get some things for cheaper or free(like the under suit). You probably don't absolutely have to use foam latex. You may be able to slush latex for the outside and fill the pieces in with a foam of some kind. The head it's self will be the hardest part. The other pieces would porbably be a breeze compared to that. All I can say is you'll need a LOT of clay and plaster for it. Try to save the clay
from the other pieces you make.
In the first one, a full body cast was made.
I don't know how much easier this would be however, and it may take more resources. However I don't know what you have or have all the prices in my brain right now so I can't say for sure. |
SilverbladeX
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posted 12-02-2000 06:58 PM
I was thinking about what everyone said, and I have decided that i will make a body cast and mould/sculpt the entire alien figure with plastercine (clay is too expensive where i live). I will then make a negitive mold and fill it with Rubbertex (liquid rubber). The only problem is how would i make a negitive mould of the hand, chest, head etc? I have considered plaster of paris but how would i then get the plastercine out- to put the rubbertex in- without cracking the entire thing open? |
Jeff F
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posted 12-04-2000 03:55 AM
Sculpt the positive in plastecine (there is no R in the word) and make a 2 piece mold. This is done by:
- Creating a dividing wall
- Pouring the first half of the mold
- Letting it set
- Removing the dividing wall
- Making registration keys in the surface of that was against the mold wall
- Applying an appropriate seperator
- Pouring the second half of the mold
A good book or online tutorial will mention a zillion small details and tricks that I've skipped in the skeltal procedure I outlined above. Remember that even the best multiple piece molds result in mold lines of some type and you will have to place these in inconspicuous areas or remove them from the casting(s). Good molds simply have very thin mold lines. [This message has been edited by Jeff F (edited 12-04-2000).] |
crazy lou
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posted 12-05-2000 01:50 AM
my molds are like that, pretty AND functional  there are lots of tricks, one is to keep the number of mold sections down to a minimum, duh
try to get your walls perpendicular and FLAT (that'll keep the flashing down to a minimum)
before releasing a wall (on plaster for sure)use some clear acrylic spray first, this will help prevent the release from seeping into the mold and not working as a release.
AVOID UNDERCUTS!!! THEY WILL LOCK THE MOLD TOGETHER!
when applying the brush coat(splash coat) use a brush and gently wiggle it side to side, working the material into all the detail, plaster can get lots of small detail, but anything TOO fine will probably crack off much too easily...also work the plaster into detail so you dont trap air
i got ton more, just get back to us if you need some more
later
TOm
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What everyone seems to forget is that once we look past race, religion, gender, and all that, everyone on this planet is first and foremost... ...a PERSON LINKS(added to11/15) |
FangsandFurF/X
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posted 12-07-2000 12:43 AM
I have seen the suit on sale some place. If I remember the address I will let you know. I think it is Nightmare Factory. I will check. As far as I know it is in the $2000.00 range of price. VERY expensive! |
FangsandFurF/X
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posted 12-07-2000 12:50 AM
Found it. It was Nightmare Factory.
Here is the list prices: Collector Mask: $ 350.00
Feet: $ 75.00
Hands: $ 95.00
Full body costume $1450.00 Queen Alien Prop: $21,500.00 yikes! 
Warrior Prop: $ 3,875.00
Egg Prop: $ 450.00
Face Hugger Prop $ 90.00
I hope you have a large budget!
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SilverbladeX
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posted 12-09-2000 09:44 PM
OK, i was hoping it would have to come to this but seeing that i can't make one i tried a few times on just somethign small and misserably failed. Thus i am wondering if anyone can construct me one. I would prefer a canadaian person to do so just because of the US dollar as of now but i will take the best offer i can get. I'm hoping that i can get this constructed for a reasonable price around $1300 as some guy living in france said he could construct one for that price but dosn't want to make it. |
Cinetech
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posted 12-12-2000 11:03 AM
Use caution when someone tells you that they can build something for you for a low price. I get about two calls a month from low budget producers who passed my bid up to go with someone cheaper, Only to find out that this person can't deliver and they end up calling me back to try to save them in some way. If someone has no reputation to uphold and will work for next to nothing, You're allowing someone to experiment and screw around with your money and more importantly the effectivness of your film. |
Jeff F
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posted 12-12-2000 08:20 PM
Skill comes with a price tag attached. While film Producers sometimes do get excellent work from new comers wishing to break into FX work, more often then not they get what they pay for - inexperience. The materials involved in such a project have a price tag, but the time of anyone who is any good at this type of thing is valuable indeed.Keep in mind that mass produced products are priced with the expectation of selling multiple units. They aren't going to sell as many Alien masks or suits as a tennis shoe company is going to sell shoes, but they're expecting to sell more than one or two or they wouldn't make the effort to go into production. When you buy something custom made, there are several general assumptions that generally hold true:
- The item will be more detailed, since they buyer is going to be more picky/demanding and is paying more.
- The item will cost considerably more than a similar, mass produced item, probably more than a "collector's edition" as well.
- The item will have more detail, since it isn't deliberately streamlined to make production by the hundreds or thousands easier.
- The item will be better designed overall, and fitted correctly, not "one size fits all."
- The item will take some time to produce, where mass produced items have been pre-manufactured and are ready to go - the only delays being shipping time or if an item is back-ordered.
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Jeff F - Moderator
Magic and FX
Amazing the Masses |
SilverbladeX
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posted 12-17-2000 05:23 PM
Ok people, it looks like I am stuck between a rocjk and a hrad place here so I have decided that I will try (note the word TRY) to make my own costume. I want to thank you all for lending me tips and helping me ut and I will post the final product here once done. Don't expect it to be too soon though. i'm guessing approx 5-6 months... |
crazy lou
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posted 12-17-2000 06:28 PM
well you know where to find us if you get stuck with something good luck later
Tom ------------------
What everyone seems to forget is that once we look past race, religion, gender, and all that, everyone on this planet is first and foremost... ...a PERSON LINKS(added to11/15) |
lucasian
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posted 12-17-2000 06:32 PM
for everyone who is interested;
go to: http://tatooine.fortunecity.com/leguin/22/noframes.html
great Alien costume! and the guy made it out of overalls!! |
gore master
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posted 12-17-2000 08:39 PM
I didn't see the costume on the page you mentioned(at least not one of the creature from the ALIEN series). [This message has been edited by gore master (edited 12-17-2000).] |
lucasian
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posted 12-18-2000 09:55 AM
1) go to the web site
2)click on enter
3)click on costumes
4)scroll to the pic of godzilla fighting the alien
5)click on it
it tells how he made the alien suit and everything! |
gore master
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posted 12-18-2000 02:08 PM
wow, I must say I'm impressed. It has a good likeness. Of youse you know the head, body etc. was all sculpted and made into slush latex pieces. It was well detailed though(especially the head, looked just like the original). One noticable problem I see is
the the legs and some of the body are too wide. |
