help with a costume

I apologize if this is the wrong forum. I'm new to the site and will be happy to take this to a more appropriate forum if you would like.

I'm attempting to build a stalk around costume in the likeness of the smaller costumes in this youtube video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HHNkDNDDp-0

I'm having a really difficult time figuring out a way to rig the neck so that it has the kind of movement I see there. Does anyone have some ideas on how I could rig this based on past experience?

Also any thoughts on how to do some fairly detailed large hands without using silicon (I don't have silicon and sculpting capabilities) would be very helpful as well.

Thanks for the help in advance.

Hi
Nice characters. It looks like a fun job! They remind me to Dark Cristal "Styx" (if I recall well).

Sincerely, I don´t know exactly how this has been done. But I would say (might be mistaken, or it could be an option though itś not the way they made it) that probably the creature head is not attached to the actors head. Probably it´s the actors arm that is manipulating the head.
I´ve seen this done more than once, in what is usually called a "body muppet".
It´s not 100% clear but if you look at the creature´s arms they seem to swing left to right both at the same time. This could mean that one of the arms is the actors arm, but the other is attached to the first one with a fishing line that passes through some kind of part (socket) in the middle (body). This way when you move one arm the other arm follows it. Here in Spain we call it "mano tonta", this is "dumb hand". Many body muppets are made this way too.
Take in account that if you rigged the creatures head to the actors head it will create a very strong "lever" effect because of gravity pulling down (sorry, not sure how to describe this in english). This can be very uncomfortable and tyring in the neck area.


As I said, not 100% sure, but for what I see it would be my option.



As for the hands.Silicone?. Are you going to sculpt/ mold?.

Athough I can´t see the detail in the videoThe crappy scrappy look (wonderful) the costumes have take me to no sculpting. Thickened silicone over some kind of base could be a way. But it´s a bit of an overkill as iI see it unless you are seeking for a high durability. Latex would be my option, over almost anything...carved upholstery foam, a structure and use cotton, paper towel and latex.... Many ways but latex would be cheaper an faster to me.

Good luck, nice creatures.

Udog,

Thank you so much for the reply. You've given me a few more things to think about and search through that might lead me to the answer. The costumes are made by a company called gore-galore who do haunted house attractions. They aren't my work and yes they do a very nice job.

I re watched the video and I see what you mean about the arms being in sync left to right but there are occasions where they move separately especially up and down. I think they are using a method by witch the arms are controlled separately by a lever at the elbow of each arm.

I think you are right about the head not being attached to the actors head. I watched one vid that talked about a bobble head setup which I think might be what they are doing but I have no idea how that would be setup horizontally like that. The idea being that the head is sort of free floating there but will sway and move with the actors general movements in the costume.

I haven't really worked with silicon or latex. I was thinking about using a foam base for the hands and then overlaying with a two part epoxy resin. Not sure how that will work out. I'll have to look into. I just know that I cant do a formed mold for it as there is way too much for me to learn with that and not enough time to work it all out.

Thanks again for your help. Any further thoughts are appreciated.