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Image
Creators Inc. is a special visual
effects company that specializes in animatronics, puppets, creatures,
costume characters, prosthetic make-up effects, miniatures and motion
capture puppetry. Fred Spencer is owner and CEO of the company
founded in 1983 in Santa Monica, California, www.imagecreators.net
For the past year,
we have been involved in several projects incorporating animatronics,
realistic animal costumes and prosthetic make-up: We designed three bigger
than life-size, realistic-looking sea otter costumes for The Aquarium
Of The Pacific. We designed these 8 foot tall walk-around costumes
to fit actors of various sizes. To cool and ventilate the actors, we incorporated
special fans and ice vests built into the suits.
Hasbro hired us to design and build a life-size grizzly bear that would
walk on all fours and have complete facial movements, using servo animatronics.
The head and neck of the bear was designed with a counter balance device
that would take most of the weight off the actor's head and shoulders.
Designs were first worked out on a cad computer and then a mock-up of
the bear was built.
Sony Pictures was producing a feature called " Angels Don't Sleep Here."
They needed to have a life cast and a completed silicone head of actor
Roy Scheider for scenes that take place in a morgue. The silicone head
of the actor had to exactly match the previous shots of the actor. Air-brushing
and hair-punching was used to match the skin tones and hair likeness of
Scheider. The hair-punching technique is done one hair at a time to create
the hair and beard.
We developed a gorilla costume with one body and two different heads for
Nintendo and Powertel. Designing and building realistic-looking, animatronic
gorilla heads are not as easy as it may seem. We hired a specific sculptor
that specializes in sculpting anatomically-correct apes. Together we came
up with two head designs that were different in age and looks. Once the
gorilla heads were sculpted and molded, we had to consider the placement
of the servo motors on a computer to make sure the actor's face didn't
interfere in the gorilla head action.
We collaborated with two producers on a cooking show for kids.
"What's cooking" is a show that has a well-known chef and a group
of puppet cooking utensil characters. This show will help teach kids how
to cook, have fun in the kitchen, while learning about safety, nutrition,
sports and fitness. The shows, which we are looking to produce on the
internet, will be interactive and will air five to ten minutes in length
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Lately, Image Creators has been busy expanding the business in a different
direction. We are putting together a web-store ( creators 2000.com ) for
the internet. Our store will cater to the interior design market, as well
as the general consumer. The products that we are designing to sell on-line
will reflect various aspects of our business. From historical Punch and
Judy puppets, elaborately dressed in 1600 century costumes, to high tech
metal kinetic sculptures that will fulfill a decorator's dream. Also,
animatronic wall hangings of animals, imported shadow puppets of various
characters, elegant to macabre masks used for wall hangings or wearable
art for special occasions. We will accept commissions to build a marionette
or sculpture of a favorite celebrity like Humphrey Bogart, Lon Chaney
as Frankenstein, Elvis Presley, Madonna, or a likeness of your loved one.
Our company is continually changing with the times. We are technically
and artistically advancing in every way possible to help our corporation
grow.
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