Servo - August 2015

There’s More than One Way to Skin this Cat

We will start off with detailing the steps needed to hack an already built prop in order to bend it to our needs. We will tear into an off-the-shelf prop and look at the required steps to alter it, so that we can control its movements and its audio track.

The second example will start with a plastic skull kit and add in the components to allow it to move its jaw in sync with your audio track, as well as to have the ability to move in three axes. Even if you have no interest in displaying a bare skull, I’ll show you how we use them as a base to create some extraordinary characters.

The three-axis talking mechanism from Monster Guts is designed to fit inside the plastic skull which becomes an anatomically correct platform on which to sculpt.

The final project will explore a method for building a structure on which a mask can be attached. It will use the Actobotics components available from ServoCity to simplify the build. However, if you are interested in a more DIY project, check out the model designed by Halloween2Go at http://halloween2go.com/volume1p1.htm.

This is where I got the original project concept, and I've constructed several of these that I am currently using in my display. The Actobotics parts greatly simplify the build, eliminating the need to construct all the necessary components from scratch. You can simply order the parts

One of the most popular projects for the Do-It-Yourself prop builder is constructing a character that has the ability to talk using a selected voice track. You can then take it to the next level by adding the ability for the head to move in three axes — to rotate, tilt, and nod. These characters can then be utilized in a wide variety of situations: to greet customers in a store; to educate and give information at a museum exhibit; to entertain guests at a school carnival; to be used as props in a Halloween or Christmas display; or to demonstrate a product.