DIY Imagineering links

[AtomicBear]

If you listen to any of the Disney themepark podcast you most likely heard the voice of Brian Sommer. There is a great video podcast where VoiceOver Guy Brian Sommer shows off his own Home Haunted Mansion.

Check out the Window to the Magic video podcast here: WindowToTheMagic VideoCast 018 - Brian Sommer's Blackheart Manor | Odeo: Search, Discover and Share Digital Media from Millions of Audio and Video Clips

You can also check out some photos from his Hunt here: Flickr: Brian Sommer's Photostream

and of course you can hear voice over samples here: http://www.briansommer.com/http://www.briansommer.com/

[Nautilus]

Originally Posted by AtomicBear

Our own Nautilus aka Sam Towler should be added to the list with his Crawl Through attractions. Amazing work that is just inspiring. His latest project is 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea and he has a blog with his progress on the project. 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea

He also has an Art Blog: Sam Towler Art and Photos of his Projects: Pictures by STowler - Photobucket and of course videos on YouTube: YouTube - STNautilus's Channel

YouTube - Nature's Wonderland Model... So far...

YouTube - Madame Leota Effect...in a shoebox

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXulsxo-xiI

Well, then! Thanks for the plug!

[Nautilus]

Originally Posted by AtomicBear

FutureImagineer is looking for help with an animatronic parrot. Another person doing some cool Disney-esq DIY Imagineering. I find it pretty inspiring.

YouTube - Parrot Audio Animatronic

I'm curious to see how this project turns out.

I was thinking of making a full-scale Tiki Room barker bird for while, all motorized and such. It's not the first time I've done a Tiki bird, but I'm thinking of doing one with more motion (and automatic! The tiki birds I did in '05 were all puppeteered). Though I've got other stuff to do.

[AtomicBear]

Originally Posted by Nautilus

I'm curious to see how this project turns out.

I was thinking of making a full-scale Tiki Room barker bird for while, all motorized and such. It's not the first time I've done a Tiki bird, but I'm thinking of doing one with more motion (and automatic! The tiki birds I did in '05 were all puppeteered). Though I've got other stuff to do.

I too would love to make my own Tiki Bird, so I will watch to see what happens.

Do you have footage or photos of your Tiki Birds from 2005.

[AtomicBear]

Originally Posted by Nautilus

Well, then! Thanks for the plug!

My pleasure. You are doing some amazing stuff.

[Nautilus]

Originally Posted by AtomicBear

I too would love to make my own Tiki Bird, so I will watch to see what happens.

Do you have footage or photos of your Tiki Birds from 2005.

I wish I did though, all I have are still photos. They didn't move much, just their beaks through a cable pulley. The Barker Bird had the bonus movement of the pivoting perch, but other than that, extremely basic movement.



Don't have a shot of the Barker Bird loaded at the moment.

[AtomicBear]

Originally Posted by Nautilus

I wish I did though, all I have are still photos. They didn't move much, just their beaks through a cable pulley. The Barker Bird had the bonus movement of the pivoting perch, but other than that, extremely basic movement.



Don't have a shot of the Barker Bird loaded at the moment.

Still cool.

Did you make the birds from scratch, or start from something pre-made? I one time bought a plastic parrot from the party supply store and de-feathered it and tried to see if you could make it move. Nothing came of it, but it seemed like not a bad place to start for some experimentation. My problem is that I have the artistic skills, but not the technical skills.

I am looking forworward to seeing how people use items like the Make Controller since it seems to simplify things. Plus it will plug into my Mac which is cool.

[Nautilus]

Originally Posted by AtomicBear

Still cool.

Did you make the birds from scratch, or start from something pre-made? I one time bought a plastic parrot from the party supply store and de-feathered it and tried to see if you could make it move. Nothing came of it, but it seemed like not a bad place to start for some experimentation. My problem is that I have the artistic skills, but not the technical skills.

I am looking forworward to seeing how people use items like the Make Controller since it seems to simplify things. Plus it will plug into my Mac which is cool.

They were all made from scratch, I made one out of foam and then vacuum-formed it so I could have 5 bird shells. From there I put in the moving beaks.

I'd like to learn how to automate and program things through the computer--that'd be sweet. But, for simple programming, I'd do it old school and have scalloped edge disks and cams control movements-- Just like Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean in the old days!

[AtomicBear]

Originally Posted by Nautilus

They were all made from scratch, I made one out of foam and then vacuum-formed it so I could have 5 bird shells. From there I put in the moving beaks.

I'd like to learn how to automate and program things through the computer--that'd be sweet. But, for simple programming, I'd do it old school and have scalloped edge disks and cams control movements-- Just like Haunted Mansion and Pirates of the Caribbean in the old days!

I always imagined using a modified Light Organ that would trigger motor or switches to animate the birds. A soundtrack would have one track be the singing of the birds and the other would be the sounds to trigger the "lights". Now I would imagine using a computer interface of some sort.

[k_peek_2000]

Here's our Haunted Mansion recreation we do every year for halloween.

Behind the scenes

YouTube - Behind The Scenes of the 2008 Haunted...

Walk Through

YouTube - New *2008* Haunted Mansion Walkthrough...

[AtomicBear]

Originally Posted by k_peek_2000

Here's our Haunted Mansion recreation we do every year for halloween.

Behind the scenes
YouTube - Behind The Scenes of the 2008 Haunted Mansion Walkthrough

Walk Through
YouTube - New *2008* Haunted Mansion Walkthrough Video

Thanks k_peek. I have been following your haunt on YouTube for a while now. Nice work. How long does it take to prepare for each year?

[k_peek_2000]

Originally Posted by AtomicBear

Thanks k_peek. I have been following your haunt on YouTube for a while now. Nice work. How long does it take to prepare for each year?

Usually all october, but last year we only had 2 days to set the whole thing up. That wasn't fun at all.

[AtomicBear]

A few years ago I found a web page in which someone made an animatronic Jimney Cricket to pop out of a giant gift box at their wedding. Sadly I could not find the page (which had a video as well), but did find one listing on the page for Brookshire Software. You can scroll down to see Jimney: Visual Show Automation - R&D - Serov, Motor, Relay, and Dimmer Projects.

[AtomicBear]

YouTube - Phoenix- I Dream of Geanie

YouTube - animatronic bird and drummer WIP

YouTube - Singing Animatronics

[AtomicBear]

Nautilus has posted a new video on YouTube of some lighting effects.

YouTube - Water Lighting Effect: Version 2