2001: a space odyssey Moonwatcher build

steve neill

Sr Member
I first watched 2001 when it came out in 68. I was in high school. It changed my life’s direction and career pursuits. I started making films which I still do today. But it also turned me into a maker.
I watched so many great sci-fi films and movies and often I wanted things from those films. So I made them myself. This later lead to my working at the American Zoetrope and then in 1974 I came to Hollywood where I met Rick Baker and was quickly dropped into the make-up effects and creature making world.
For years I have worked on so many things. I made Spock’s ears for TMP. Made creatures for Ghost Busters, Fright Night, and so many other films. I worked as a SAG actor in creature suits. Did many gorilla suit gigs thanks to Rick who referred me. I even helped launch Doug Jones career with the Mac Tonight moon mask I created for Mac Donald’s.
But during all this time I never stopped thinking about 2001 and the impact it had on me. I wanted to make something from the film and relive the history as I did. So I started on two projects in my spare time away from the post production of my TV pilot, “But Something is There”.
I am building Moonwatcher and a studio scale replica of the Star Child. I am documenting the process on video and so far I have sculpted the skin and made the core mold for Moonwatcher.
I am working from photos and frame grabs. I have found the surviving head pieces pretty useless as a reference. They have been rotting over the years and the attemps at repairing them have only further distorted Stuart Freeborn”s fine work. Not to mention the upper lip being in a fixed snarled position.
To get the neutral look of the skin sculpture I had to back engineer from the few black and white pictures available of the sculptures. Additionally there was little reference of the underskulls. But I knew how it was done. The same way I made my gorilla suit heads with a fiber glass underskull and mechanics to move the lips.
What aren’t cannon about my techniques is the use of materials.
They used gypsum for the molds and foam latex for the skins. Knowing that they will rot in time I am using GEL 10 silicone and deadener. For the molds BJB 1630. It just makes more sense to use modern materials that will insure better surface detail and longevity for both the molds and the skins.
The first part to the video is long I warn you and I cut it back as best I could. So far it took a week to do the sculpture, mold and core mold.


- - - Updated - - -

A few pictures but to get the whole story watch the video it will answer all your questions.

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I'm replicating Crash Corrigan's gorilla and this is EXACTLY what I was looking for. Finally, Ultracal alternative!!

Steve, are you a member of the Ape Suit Cinema FB page?? If not you need to join! Chris Walas, Rick Baker are just a few in the industry that are members.
 
nice to see you on the rpf steve!
been following your videos for the last 3 years!
keep up the good work man! :cool
 
Thank you for letting me know. It is my hope to teach what I have learned over 44 years. Yikes it's hard to believe because I feel young still and wake up everyday inspired and excited to do this work as much as I was when I first started at the American Zoetrope in San Francisco. That was 1971 and 2 yeard later I came to Hollywood. It never gets old. ;)
 
[video]https://www.facebook.com/100015345825744/videos/251539135367612/[/video]

A few stills of the head so far. Today I will silicone adhere fabric to the inside of the skin so I can Barge cement it to the under skull. Do the lip mechanics which are simple plates attached to cables hooked up to the upper and lower jaw. Then I have to pad it. Without padding it's like wearing the iron maiden!

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I've been on the RPF for 16 years and this is by far one of the coolest threads we've had. Thank you Steve!!
 
Inspirational!

These videos are the first time I have ever seen techniques explained well enough that I thought I might be able to try a project like this myself -and I have always dreamed of doing something like this. Thank you, Steve! The videos are a real gift to the community.

Can you go into any more detail on how you made the jaw hinge?
 
Great videos Steve:cool Love the detailed tuto on how to make all that stuff! Eager to see the next installment for sure:)
 
I'm in the process of making a replica of Crash Corrigan's gorilla and was having a heck of a time understanding the process. I know it seems straight forward to most but not for me (I lack the mechanical gene). You show the process PERFECTLY for a slow learner like me to grasp!

Saying all that, I'd love to hear how you'd approach a classic aluminum jaw in the mix. Here is a pic of the jaw being made by a fellow RPFer:

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Thanks Steve!
 
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