My 'Walking with Dinosaurs'-style Utahraptor costume

This is on my long-term project list so I'll be following this thread with great interest.

Loving those digilegs but they're more than $1100US! Yikes! Still though, if they let you get the whole performer inside the suit, that really helps with the reality of it.

Also for sight, have you considered tiny pinhole cameras in the nostrils? This is something I'd look at - maybe not for primary sight, but so you could see more of what's around you. Something like this maybe...?
 
Yeah, wackychimp they're crazy expensive... That's why I'm making my own. They're costing me about $150 tops. I'm following an instructable from random_canadian at Werewolf Stilts, digitigrade legs. . He's got amazing instructions and if you have any questions about how they were made please take a look at that instructable.
here's a picture of mine so far... Still working on finding a working sewing machine to sew the Velcro haha
I'm really excited to get up on them and practice my walking..
19885-digitgrade-stilts-rolling-instructable-random_canadian.jpg

19884-digitgrade-stilts-rolling-instructable-random_canadian.jpg
 
I am working on a similar project at the moment, its great to see the progress you have made, if you need help figuring something out or to brainstorm I would love to help.
 
I just spotted your digitigrade stilts, I think I followed the same instructable for mine last year, make sure you have the tension on the turn buckle perfect, I nearly tore my Achilles tendon on my first trial run as I was half a turn too tight, they work perfectly though.
 
Thanks Rg Allen! I've got to say I am a little worried about trying them out the first time, but I'll take it slow and one step at at. I'm glad I bought a turnbuckle, for a minute I got cheap and thought I could maybe just set the cable right with the clamps, but in the end I did decide to include it and your comment makes me glad I did.

Thanks for the offer of help! What's your project? I'd be happy to help you out too :)

The biggest obstacle I can foresee with mine is the skin. If it doesn't look right it'll ruin the whole costume. I've got some ideas but so far they're going to be very expensive.
 
Keith D said:
The biggest obstacle I can foresee with mine is the skin. If it doesn't look right it'll ruin the whole costume. I've got some ideas but so far they're going to be very expensive.
Click to expand...

I agree. I think it may come down to foam latex and good painting. If you have other ideas, please share.

To me, a painted cloth wouldn't be realistic enough. IMHO, the best effect here would be leaving people wondering - if only for a second - whether it was a real dinosaur or not.
 
Here are my stilts so far after following Random_Canadian's design on Instructables.
I did put them on last night for a bit. At this point they are crazy hard to walk in, but I think that making a few adjustments on the cable and the feet will easily solve that. We just got a whole bunch of snow so now's not a good time to test them out. When I do get time to do it I'll post a video.

20466-digitigrade-stilts-design-random_canadian-instructables.jpg
 
Do you expect you'll be able to carry and balance the weight of the costume in those stilts after the adjustments? I'd assumed it would be too much for the performer...
 
I do plan carrying and balancing the weight on them. I know it's not going to be easy, but I really want to give it a shot. I might try fixing the rest of the costume right to the stilts somehow and transferring a portion of the weight to the feet. I'm not exactly sure how yet, but it'll happen.
 
Very impressive work. I was lucky enough to work on the follow up season walking with beasts. You certainly would've put us to shame on that first season!
We never actually used anyone in a suit per se, but after looking at your work here maybe we should have! Lol
 
Keith D said:
I do plan carrying and balancing the weight on them. I know it's not going to be easy, but I really want to give it a shot. I might try fixing the rest of the costume right to the stilts somehow and transferring a portion of the weight to the feet. I'm not exactly sure how yet, but it'll happen.
Click to expand...

Awesome! Can't wait to see how this works out for you.
 
what materials you will use to build the skin? Im really insteresting for do samething like that!!! :) thanks you and hello from Spain.

19383-possible-foot-extention.jpg


omg it cant be used for much time... you will hurt your back because this posture doesnt look comfortable, is my opinion... but it is better for do yours legs invissibles
 
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Has anybody signed up for the Stan Winston School video series? Seems like it would be great if you were going to undertake a project like this and had limited skills like me.

Wondering how complete the lessons are & if they were worth the money.
 
wackychimp said:
Has anybody signed up for the Stan Winston School video series? Seems like it would be great if you were going to undertake a project like this and had limited skills like me.

Wondering how complete the lessons are & if they were worth the money.
Click to expand...


I viewed the one about basic cable animatronics last year. My timing was good, because they happened to be running a special via a special code posted on Facebook, so I paid something like $13. And now I can go back and view that same one over again whenever I want, for free.

I thought it was very good, but it would have been nice if they'd said (or posted) WHERE to find a lot of the materials. Instead, they basically had their own store selling the stuff, but at the time, it was totally broken / being revamped. So, I had to Google around a lot.

I emailed them LATE LAST WEEK, asking a question about their new pricing scheme ($19.99 / month unlimited, but you can apparently buy month-to-month and in three month chunks). I was STILL WAITING for an email reply back...until just now... when I logged in and saw they responded the next day. But I NEVER DID receive an email alert about the reply. I remember when I emailed them last year, it took 1 to 2 full days to get an answer from them.

Well, according to the email I just received, I can theoretically spend $19.99 for a one month subscription, "purchase" the 4 videos I want to watch, and then unsubscribe, and still be able to watch those 4 videos again, forever (online only, of course). So, that'd be 75% savings for me on that. Of course, I'd have to watch something like 8 hours worth of video that month, but even if I went over by a few weeks, I'd still be saving money over their regular pricing.

By the way, last month, I started planning my own Velociraptor build for Halloween. I haven't posted any sort of starting-build-thread here at the RPF, mostly because I didn't want to detract from this one in any way. That "Walking with Dinosaurs" video from Australia was one I ran into last year accidentally while researching my Davey Jones costume...and that video really inspired me. I think my wife was shocked when, by the second week in January, I was already pretty decided on going with a raptor this year. Of course, I'm going to "make" her dress up as the Jurassic Park ranger who has me on a chain. (Also, I'm pretty sure I saw something about Jurassic Park being re-issued to movie theaters sometime this year... or was it next year... in 3-D.)


Thanks!

-= Dave =-
 
As I can see, the stilts function now is to distribute the weight from a relatively weak muscle to a stronger(?), a bungee cord from the heel to the lower leg to help a little with the weight?
And with the hip, if there is a long tail to balance the front end (additional weights? or not.. ^^ ) and if the back gets help of the costumes frame to be kept straight? then most of the burden will fall on your legs joints... which is perhaps one of your concerns, but it should not be tiring in this way?
 
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