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Animated Faces


RaceMedic

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Hi Everyone;

I am looking at doing an animated / talking face next year for my show.

I am looking for ideas or examples of what people have used, including mouth positions etc.

Thank-you !

Dave

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George Simmons is the master of face design.

It all depends on how many channels you want to use. I used three channels for mouth position, four for eye position, three for eye brow position. 1 for face outline.

I wanted to make mine multi season so I have tried to design a face that I could use for both Halloween and Christmas. I was not happy with the end product this year and I have not decided if I am going to stay with the multi use face or just go for a new Santa face separate from Halloween.

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I designed my face to use 16 channels, but actually only used 9. I gave up the ability to have the eyes look one way and the nose another, and to have my face walleyed or cross eyed but I saved 7 channels for other things.

I have 4 mouth positions (closed, 1/2 open, full open, and "O"). By far the face is what people commented on the most.

This link is the face singing "let the rhythm take you over"

http://vimeo.com/17122960

I give ALL of the credit for my face to George. I thought of it only after seeing his.

Happy New Year

Bruce

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Thanks for the kudos guys. It's kind of cool to know I've left at least one lasting mark on the hobby.

Nice job Bruce - you make me proud. It also might finally inspire me to follow through on the upgrades I've been wanting to add to the face. Happy New Year!

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  • 2 weeks later...

toddmoon wrote:

So is there a decree that forever more faces on homes should be referred to as a "George Simmons face"?


I would second that!
Absolutely
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Guys, I'm honored and humbled by your gesture. Thank you. It's nice to give back after so many ideas from other people have made their way into my displays over the years.

But can we please come up with another name? "George Simmons face" is rather cumbersome and, well, kind of boring. Sharon thinks "Porge Puss" is a better option... I guess I can't think of anything better but maybe someone else can.

Bruce - I checked out a few more of your videos and saw one that gave me quite a laugh. I remember that Spike Jones ditty from when I was a kid. My mom referred to it as my theme song. (It actually inspired me to put a tack on the chair of my fourth grade teacher Mrs. Arlie M Jones... which turned out to be the biggest mistake of my life, at least up to that point. Man, could she swing a mean paddle...) I stumbled across and downloaded the song from Napster a couple weeks ago and started sequencing it thinking I'd be the first, only to discover half an hour ago that I'm a year too late. :P

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Bruce

Could you PM me the music only for" let the rythem take you"

I have a BUNCH of spanish speaking neighbors and since i want to be on their good side with my first show it would seem like the right thing to do.:D

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Hi Dave -

Three years ago I built a freestanding talking head, “Chris the Elf”. He is the spokesman for my display lip syncing the announcements. My Avatar is a picture of him. He is constructed out of ropelight attached to a 6” welded wire grid that is 7 feet by 6 feet in size. Here are the channel assignments I established:

1 – Face

2 – Eyes Open

3 – Eyes Closed

4 – Mouth 1 (Smile also M,B,P)

5 - Mouth 2 (A,I,L)

6 – Mouth 3 (E)

7 – Mouth 4 (O)

8 – Mouth 5 (U,W,Q)

9 – Mouth 6 (Consonants)

Attached is a chart that I patterned the mouth positions from. Sequencing narration can be very laborious and time consuming so be prepared. However, kids love talking faces in displays.

I would be happy to send you the patter to Chris if you are interested.

Hope this helps,

- Dave



Attached files .jpg"]234893=12816-lipsync[1].jpg

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DaveK wrote:

Hi Dave -

Three years ago I built a freestanding talking head, “Chris the Elf”. He is the spokesman for my display lip syncing the announcements. My Avatar is a picture of him. He is constructed out of ropelight attached to a 6” welded wire grid that is 7 feet by 6 feet in size. Here are the channel assignments I established:

1 – Face

2 – Eyes Open

3 – Eyes Closed

4 – Mouth 1 (Smile also M,B,P)

5 - Mouth 2 (A,I,L)

6 – Mouth 3 (E)

7 – Mouth 4 (O)

8 – Mouth 5 (U,W,Q)

9 – Mouth 6 (Consonants)

Attached is a chart that I patterned the mouth positions from. Sequencing narration can be very laborious and time consuming so be prepared. However, kids love talking faces in displays.

I would be happy to send you the patter to Chris if you are interested.

Hope this helps,

- Dave



Thank-you !

Any videos of Chris the Elf in motion !!?



Dave
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